We have free dropins because: 1. We don't have 'regular' hours - what kind of business says, "Well, MAYBE we'll be around to serve?" 2. The costs of the space are covered by the deskowners and a few keyholders 3. We've never had CS in the two years it's been around - and it's a popular, buzzing space - be too busy for more dropins or for the rent payers (although if it did...the dropins would be asked to skedaddle) 4. It's always created more tenants for us 5. I don't want to deal with the paperwork around it - I'm too busy for that 6. CS isn't a business, it's a service - we look at coworking as a service to the community, not a business venture 7. It makes for good energy in the space to have people and not have to be transactional at the get go - we use the gift economy, "You use the space for the day for free, or even while you are in town for the week for free, then you need to pay it forward and do something nice for someone else" 8. We've had only 1 incident in hundreds of drop-ins because of the free thing. 9. When we were originally conceiving coworking, we knew we were competing with coffee shops and people's dining rooms/home offices which are free to sit in (well, maybe cup of coffee bought), so we assumed that getting them out of their houses and into coworking would require a similar deal. It kinda works that way. 10. It brings me karma
On Fri, Oct 3, 2008 at 9:00 AM, Darrell Silver <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I guess I disagree.. > I really think that free daily rates is part of a successful business model > for most spaces. If you have extra capacity, there is zero cost to giving > away usage of desks to free drop ins, and lots of benefit in free > advertising and community. As you mature and fill the space with paying > tenants, you simply reduce the supply of free dropins. > As Alex said, think of this 'free' as a marketing tool. > D > > > --------------------------------------- > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > (917) 841-4079 > New York, NY > > > > On Oct 3, 2008, at 11:47 AM, Stephanie Frasco wrote: > > Hey everyone, > Sorry if that last email came off too sales-y...I forgot to turn off biz > mode. With regard to free access, there is no such thing as a free lunch. > If you want to survive you have to get paid. I think Membership is the best > way to go or ZipOffices which is something I want to develop the technology > on. Rent it by the hour, sign up online. Done and Done. any thoughts on > that? > > > > On Fri, Oct 3, 2008 at 11:29 AM, Stephanie Frasco > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> The E.Factor offers access to co-working spaces around the world when they >> sign up for Premium Membership. http://www.efactor.com - >> http://www.efactor.com/p/premium >> >> We are currently looking for more spaces, if you are interested in a joint >> profitable deal please contact me. I am looking forward to meeting all of >> you one day. >> >> Stephanie Frasco >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> www.twitter.com/askfrasco >> >> On Fri, Oct 3, 2008 at 11:25 AM, Julie <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> >>> We offer "one free trial day" cards. We also have daily drop in rates >>> of $25 (used to be $10/hr, but walk/drop-in was, and has been since >>> the rate reduction, an EXTREMELY negligible part of our business). >>> One needs to run the numbers as to whether or not it makes sense, >>> particularly because some kind of "staffing" is required for drop- >>> ins. I think it's great when you first open to have bodies around >>> (for free - friends are good), but really, monthly memberships will be >>> what sustain you. >>> >>> Do keep in mind that location will make a difference to your drop-in >>> traffic. Busy part of town with lots of professionals vs. being >>> tucked further away, esp. from public transportation. >>> >>> Wish you the best of luck. >>> >>> Julie Duryea >>> owner, souk >>> 322 nw 6th avenue, suite 200 >>> portland, oregon 97209 >>> p | 503.517.6900 >>> f | 503.517.6901 >>> skype julieduryea >>> http://www.soukllc.com >>> tweet soukportland >>> >>> On Oct 3, 7:58 am, Darrell Silver <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> > Alex is exactly on target with how dropins fit into the business >>> > model. We have seen many times that spaces need a few months to grow >>> > into full capacity. During this crucial phase, free dropins provide >>> > excellent advertising for people who are new to the concept. >>> > >>> > The same applies to holding Jelly events. They are a great way to >>> > get the word out, especially early on. >>> > >>> > As an aside, have you thought of calling the non-full time >>> > memberships 'part-time' instead of 'floaters'? >>> > >>> > D >>> > >>> > --------------------------------------- >>> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> > (917) 841-4079 >>> > New York, NY >>> > >>> > On Oct 2, 2008, at 4:09 PM, Alex Hillman wrote: >>> > >>> > > Think of "free use" as a marketing tool. It varies space to space. >>> > >>> > > For instance, we don't have a "free dropin" policy like some, but >>> > > some of our signup rates include free days. Also, consider Jelly >>> > > (http://workatjelly.com/) as a market growing technique. I know >>> > > there are already multiple Atlanta Jelly groups. >>> > >>> > > Bottom line, though, is if you want to be a sustainable business, >>> > > include memberships that a) work for your members and b) work for >>> > > you. >>> > >>> > > -Alex >>> > >>> > > -- >>> > > ----- >>> > > -- >>> > > ----- >>> > > Alex Hillman >>> > > im always developing something >>> > > digital: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>> > > visual:www.dangerouslyawesome.com >>> > > local:www.indyhall.org >>> > >>> > > On Thu, Oct 2, 2008 at 2:35 PM, Mike Schinkel >>> > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> > >>> > > Hi all: >>> > >>> > > I'm hearing that a lot of you are allowing people to use the >>> > > coworking >>> > > spaces for free. In trying to plan a facility I've run the numbers >>> > > and I >>> > > don't see how that is possible. First I don't see how you can get >>> > > people to >>> > > pay for what you are giving for free and second I don't see how you >>> > > can make >>> > > the density work. >>> > >>> > > I understand that coworking is all about providing an open >>> > > environment and >>> > > letting people use it w/o signing up is in the spirit of things but >>> > > in order >>> > > for us to pull this off it needs to be profitable, i.e. not >>> > > operating at a >>> > > loss. >>> > >>> > > Could anyone speak to this please? Thanks in advance. >>> > >>> > > -Mike Schinkel >>> > > President; NewClarity LLC >>> > > Organizer: Atlanta Web Entrepreneurs >>> > >http://www.linkedin.com/in/mikeschinkel >>> > >http://mikeschinkel.com >>> > >http://atlanta-web.org >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> Stephanie Frasco >> Special Operations >> >> http://www.efactor.com > > > > -- > Stephanie Frasco > Special Operations > > http://www.efactor.com > > > > > > > > -- -- tara 'missrogue' hunt Book: The Whuffie Factor: Using the Power of Social Networks to Build Your Business (http://www.amazon.com/Whuffie-Factor-Capital-Winning-Communities/dp/0307409503?ie=UTF8) Company: Citizen Agency (http://www.citizenagency.com) Blog: HorsePigCow: Marketing Uncommon (http://www.horsepigcow.com) Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/missrogue phone: 415-694-1951 fax: 415-727-5335 --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
