Nick, You nailed it: it's a tool for engagement IRL (In Real Life), closer to a calling card/business card. The key thing isn't the data collection itself (although online surveys with the same Q's could be helpful), it's the transactional/relational aspect.
Alex, in my experience, people like being asked rather than told, so a survey like this can be very effective in getting them to imagine themselves the space and to start the process of internalizing the benefits and joining your cause to help make it happen. Paper commitments also can get taken more seriously than online survey results, when it comes to partners, investors, and even landlords. As they say, on the internet nobody knows you're a dog, and low commitment (filling out an online form) may be seen as less of a commitment than just filling out a survey. I've used similar "not-a-business-card" flyers for my cohousing outreach work: a half-page flyer that communicates: - the excitement of the concept (but not the details) - nearby locations (a list of cities around the edges) - upcoming events, dates prompting a sense of urgency - next steps: call/visit the web/come to an event/learn more I actually create it with a business-card creator program, using its colorful clip art to create something that conveys the concept without using too many words, and I customize it for major events to use key words/key messages relevant to the audience I expect there. Clearly, the approach is different when you're creating cards for them to hand back vs. take home. Maybe for take-home cards, include a special "coupon" style code that gives them one free visit as incentive for them to go to the website and continue the process of engagement there. It's also important to remember that, despite the "living online" profile of many coworking pioneers/space founders, coworking needs to welcome, and individual spaces need to reach out, to people for whom computer/PDA/cellphone is a nice thing to have and perhaps use occasionally, not their primary means of interacting with the world. Our long-term success as a movement, measured in terms of our impact on society, will come from our diversity. Note also the local conditions: OurSpace is in Fort Wayne, IN (America's 71st largest city and Indiana's third-largest, with a total metro area population of a quarter million and median household income of $36k), and while it may be within a day's drive of half the country's population, I wouldn't expect them all to make the trek to visit her space on a regular basis. As a "rust belt" city, it has reportedly evolved from electrical and tractor manufacturing to focus especially on defense, healthcare, and insurance as primary centers of employment, so potential customers may well have a different relationship to the online world. Jodi, you might want to look to Group 88 in Simsbury, CT (near major insurance center Hartford) for a model of how to promote coworking in such an environment. Raines Cohen, Coworking Coach Planning for Sustainable Communities On Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 11:32 AM, nickf <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I do think a case can be made for this in print form. Thinking that > most of the time your interacting with someone in person, your not > near a computer. Also, one would think "why not just get that > person's business card?" often they don't have one on them. Having a > card that they can fill out and hand back to you allows you to capture > the information. I think the bigger question is, is it too much > information to ask them to fill out on the spot? > > Thats just my 2 cents... take it or leave it. I also used a bit > lighter wording. Having the "I will" is a commitment, but thinking > about the context of handing this to someone in a social party / > networking event atmosphre, thats a pretty solid commitment to make on > the spot when you may be meeting a coworking space owner for the first > time. I think it's better to ease into. Get a feel for their interest > then pursue them from there. > > - Nick > > On Nov 20, 5:06 pm, "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > To answer your questions: > > > > 1. Pricing - I have developed an information packet complete with a > > fact sheet, a price guide, a business card, a survey and the > > committment card. > > 2. Committment - I print these cards on postcard paper to hand out at > > events where creatives are likely to attend; and hand them a packet. > > If the individual shows interest in obtaining a space I have them fill > > out the card on spot. It allows me to collect the information quickly > > without a delayed response; it also prevents them from never getting > > back with me. I plan to incorporate this into the blog very soon. > > > > Thanks, > > > > Jodi Dean > > OurSpace Founder > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
