Liza: You might want to eliminate the "construction" on your site (your website looks like you aren't operating a real business):
http://www.fiberhigh.com/underconstruction.php I'll be you loose more prospects from that one omission (two actually) than everything else combined. Where are photos of your space on your space? If I want to look at a space I really want to see it. Maybe even get one of those real estate virtual tours to show off your space (google "virtual tour software") Rather than renting cubes or carrels for $450/$265 have you considered renting (what I call) "floater" access for $149? That would be access to the space and to tables but with no assigned space just like a health club. You might find a lot more people willing to pay $149 than $450/$265 and you can optimize the use of space better that way. I could be wrong but I don't think your time metered plans are good. People want to have to worry about how much time they are using; there is too much cognitive dissonance when they have to decide to spend money. Better to have one all-you-can-use rate and maybe a 5-days-a- month rate. Contact the organizers of these groups, see if they will hold meetings at your space (offer the meeting space for free; you are doing this for marketing, not for revenue): http://www.meetup.com/cities/us/ca/palo_alto/groups/technology/?radius=10.0 I could be wrong but I would expect hosting NetSquared wouldn't really be helpful. They are about non-profits who typically have no money to spend on $450/mon coworking spaces. All that said, I could be wrong on all this so JMTCW. -Mike Schinkel Ignition Alley Atlanta Coworking http://ignitionalley.com On Jul 9, 2009, at 10:59 PM, Liza Loop wrote: > > Thanks for your ideas, Mike and Jimmy. Yes I have tried Meet-ups. I'm > not any better at publicizing them than I am at promoting Fiber High > as a whole. Participating in this group is another strategy I'm using > although it may be preaching to the choir. > > Several people have told me that repetition is key to getting traffic > through the space. I interpret that to mean "don't give up!" > > We held a "Free Up 'n Down Load-a-thon" on Tuesday and only 2 new > people showed up so we're trying it again on Tuesday, July 28th (my > 64th birthday!). So send your friends around to this event as a > birthday present to me. > > I'm also looking at hosting a NetSquared Tuesday Meeting > (http://groups.drupal.org/node/4385) that same evening. > > Keep the ideas coming. We never know which one will turn the trick. > > Liza > > On Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 7:37 PM, Mike > Pihlman<[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> Mike: Thats is a great idea. Thanks. :-) >> >> Liza: That is why I started tutoring now that I am a real >> teacher. 5 students (I have 1 and it's summer) and 5 coworkers (I >> have 3) and I'm breaking even. Tracy is low cost compared to your >> location, I'm sure. >> >> With all your BW....I will talk to you off-line about some ideas. >> >> Mike >> >> >> >> --- On Thu, 7/9/09, [email protected] <[email protected] >> > wrote: >> >>> From: [email protected] <[email protected]> >>> Subject: [Coworking] Re: Introduction/Mobile Coworking >>> To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> >>> Date: Thursday, July 9, 2009, 7:27 PM >>> >>> Have you contacted local organizers on Meetup.com and >>> offered them to >>> hold their meetups in your facility for free in the >>> evenings? This >>> could get a lot of traffic through your space. If there are >>> not local >>> meetups for your target demographic consider organizing >>> them yourself. >>> JMTCW. >>> >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>> On Jul 9, 2009, at 9:40 PM, Liza Loop <[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>> >>>> >>>> Hi Mike, >>>> >>>> We're having the same problem. Our location is in a >>> light industrial >>>> area, off the beaten path for pedestrians. It's ideal >>> for quiet >>>> cubicle residents but since the bottom has fallen out >>> of the office >>>> market folks can get an enclosed office for what we >>> have to charge for >>>> a cubicle. >>>> >>>> We thought our fiber optic connectivity and >>> collocation facility would >>>> be a sufficient draw for people who need a big web >>> pipe but so far our >>>> expectations haven't been realized. The tenants we do >>> have are >>>> struggling as much as we are. >>>> >>>> Lookers are great but they don't pay the bills. 3 or 4 >>> who don't >>>> actually join the club are tantalizing. We can survive >>> for another >>>> couple of months but without some serious support it >>> will be curtains >>>> for Fiber High. Our other IT business, GoQuiet, has >>> been subsidizing >>>> Fiber High for almost a year and we're getting very >>> hungry. >>>> >>>> We're trying out a series of free Up 'n Down >>> Load-a-thons to give >>>> folks a free taste of our high speed network (the next >>> one is July >>>> 28th, 3-11 pm). Hopefully it will be addictive. But >>> we're not waiting >>>> for miracles. Rather, we're exploring other business >>> models to provide >>>> additional income. Any suggestions are more than >>> welcome. >>>> >>>> I hope that we haven't created a co-working bubble by >>> sharing our >>>> enthusiam online with each other and miss judged the >>> market. >>>> >>>> Cheers (slightly damped),m >>>> >>>> Liza Loop >>>> >>>> On Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 11:41 AM, Mike Pihlman<[email protected] >>> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Liza: >>>>> >>>>> I'm finding it difficult to get folks in >>> here. But, I have a steady >>>>> dribble of 3 or 4 lookers per week and am >>> encouraged by that. I am >>>>> only >>>>> 2 months into it....so I think / hope there is >>> time. Maybe when >>>>> school >>>>> starts up again there will be more lookers >>> (especially for the >>>>> tutoring >>>>> part). >>>>> >>>>> I take heart in all the success stories....so >>> please keep them >>>>> coming! :-) >>>>> >>>>> Mike >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Liza Loop wrote: >>>>>> Hello Jimmy, >>>>>> >>>>>> Our biggest challenge has been letting people >>> know our coworking >>>>>> site >>>>>> is available. Neither I nor my partner are >>> natural publicists. >>>>>> >>>>>> After watching these postings for about 6 >>> months I'm beginning to >>>>>> believe this is a common but under-discussed >>> problem. We hear a lot >>>>>> from the groups that are having well attended >>> events but those that >>>>>> are having difficulty bringing people in are >>> quiet about it. >>>>>> >>>>>> Does anyone else out there get this >>> impression? >>>>>> >>>>>> Liza Loop >>>>>> Fiber High, >>>>>> 989 Commercial St. >>>>>> Palo Alto, CA >>>>>> >>>>>> On Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 7:49 AM, Jimmy<[email protected]> >>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Hi folks, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> My name is Jimmy Thrasher, and I live near >>> Mebane, NC ("Mebbin", >>>>>>> 10K- >>>>>>> ish people). My interest in >>> coworking is mainly from the working >>>>>>> side, but to that end I and a friend are >>> evaluating setting up a >>>>>>> light- >>>>>>> weight "mobile coworking" space that can >>> be dropped into any of the >>>>>>> number of empty office spaces in downtown >>> Mebane. There are enough >>>>>>> telecommuters and long-distance commuters >>> that I think it could fly >>>>>>> but haven't proven it to myself yet. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I really just want to be able to cycle to >>> work. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> If anybody here has set up something like >>> this, I'd be interested >>>>>>> to >>>>>>> hear your experiences. I'm >>> envisioning: >>>>>>> - a big room >>>>>>> - with two tables >>>>>>> - free (included) wifi >>>>>>> - free-ish coffee >>>>>>> - nice chairs >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Jimmy >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> Mike Pihlman >>>>> TracyVirtualOffice >>>>> "A Coworking Community" >>>>> 95 W. 11th Street, Suite 203 >>>>> Tracy, CA 95376 >>>>> Mobile: 209-608-4340 >>>>> Web: TracyVirtualOffice.com >>>>> Twitter: @TracyVirtOffice >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>>> >>> >>>> >>> >> >>> >> > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ 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 -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
