Nailed it! Tell a story. Good one, Ax.
On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 10:50 AM, axon <[email protected]> wrote: > > As a lifelong sales rep, trainer, and manager, I have found the single > most useful technique for articulating value to be the parable, case > study, or narrative. I call them PSRs (problem, solution, result). > In short, tell a story. > > For example, a new member joined Uptime who writes mobile apps for the > iPhone. Another company incubating here needed someone to do that for > a project they were trying to solve. Now they're collaborating > together on an entirely new opportunity, which is involving some of > the other members in various capacities, as well. These folks would > never have met, much less started up a new line of business, if they > hadn't been sharing an open-plan workspace with an ad hoc culture. > Can't really do that at Regus.... > > --Ax > > On Dec 12, 8:29 am, Charlie <[email protected]> wrote: >> Hey there, >> I am Charlie. I've been lurking on this list for awhile since I blog for and >> at Office Nomads in Seattle. When I explain Office Nomads to folks, I rarely >> have this issue so I thought I'd finally say something on this list. >> >> I don't know if it's who I talk to or that I am in Seattle so the idea of >> community is a bit easier for people to digest but when asked if I work at >> home (I am a writer for a magazine based in the Bay Area as well as a >> blogger) I generally say, "I work out of Office Nomads. It's a coworking >> space." >> Then they say, "oh.... yeeeeeah" as if they may have heard the term >> coworking but I know they haven't, so I explain. >> "Yeah, it's great. I have an office to go to where I get work done instead >> of trying to work at home where I always get distracted by laundry, the cat >> or what have you. But the best part is that I have an office life again >> which also helps me get work done. You know, after working at home for >> awhile, I realized how much I missed that social interaction you only get >> with your office mates. I get that again at Office Nomads. We're all >> coworkers even though we don't actually do the same things." >> Invariably, the person I am talking to gets it then and they drop the word >> "community" into the conversation on their own, somehow. >> Personally, while I think the concept of community being a part of coworking >> is extremely important, I think the term is a bit too nebulous for most >> people unless they are tuned into thinking about it on a regular basis >> anyway. And let's face it, most people today don't. So I try to leave it out >> until I've got someone on the hook already by using concrete terms I know >> they'll get: "office life," "social interaction you only get with office >> mates," and that sort of thing. Like I say, when folks can releate to the >> concept (and who in this culture, can't releate to the concept of office >> life?) they can and will get that the important aspect is the community. >> Then I can tell them that coworking made me feel like a productive member of >> society again and they don't look at me like I'm nuts. Until I tell them >> I've been to over 40 Phish shows, spent a summer at the South Pole or rode >> every inch of the New York City subway system on one token when I was 17 for >> a school project. Then they look at me like I'm nuts again and then everyone >> feels more comfortable! >> >> hope this helps you come up with a description that deliniates for folks the >> difference between coworking and virtual offices. >> c >> >> On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 8:01 AM, LaurenB <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> > Tony, >> >> > Thank you so much for information!! I am open to all the help I can >> > get! I was trying to explain the atmosphere to a commercial >> > realtor...I need to come up with my elevator speech that is creative >> > and accurate!! >> >> > P.S. I love your home page! >> >> > Lauren > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
