The thing I always go out of my way to remind people when they visit Indy Hall is that the coolest stuff - including the beer on tap, the arcade, the 3d printers, the massive art collection, etc...*was put there by fellow members. *The lights? Installed when a member got married here. The beer in the kegerator? Brewed by members. Even the coffee we buy is selected during member-organized coffee taste-offs. Members organized turning one of our unused bathrooms into a photography dark room and screen printing lab. Bookshelves are stocked with member's favorite books to share. Our vending machine is provided by a members' company that fills vending machines with local snacks.
People like stuff, sure, but what happens when they no longer need the stuff? Or when they realize they're not using the stuff anymore? In 100% of my experience, people who sign up for the "stuff" are gone the second they realize they aren't using that stuff. "I'm not using it enough" is the #1 cancellation reason, and 9 times out of 10 it's used by people who were more concerned about the printer than they were about meeting people when they signed up. *Cool stories, on the other hand, are EXTREMELY sticky.* Stories about members attract AND retain. We are psychologically wired to hear stories and try to place ourselves in that story. <https://blog.bufferapp.com/science-of-storytelling-why-telling-a-story-is-the-most-powerful-way-to-activate-our-brains> When we tour people around our space, they invariably notice the cool stuff. But behind each thing is a story that connects them to other members, and that's what makes people want to sign up and more importantly, what makes them want to stay. I can back this up with a bit of research that came from asking our members "What made you decide to join Indy Hall?" and then "Why do you continue paying for your membership?" Both of these were open-ended text boxes (NOT multiple choice or radio buttons), but were remarkably consistent, enough to consolidate the answers based on clear themes. Nobody mentioned any of the "stuff" - except for the art, though once again our art collection is 100% sourced from our community. ------------------ *The #1 mistake in community building is doing it by yourself.* Join the list: http://coworkingweekly.com Listen to the podcast: http://dangerouslyawesome.com/podcast On Wed, Dec 16, 2015 at 8:00 AM, Coworking Arpoador <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Farhan, > > My reality might be different since my space is located in Rio de Janeiro, > Brazil. So powerful air conditioning is no luxury - it's mandatory! > > Apart from that I have two coffee machines (a regular one and a Nespresso) > and snacks (which coworkers pay for) in the kitchen, where there's also a > microwave oven, dishes & cutlery. One coworker brought a blender and > another a sandwich maker, which are both shared with everybody. We > sometimes make fruit water with fresh fruit bought on the market nearby. > > We have a laser printer, withs prints charged individually, and lockers. > > As for the beer, in our case it has proved tricky since some have not made > good use of it, unfortunately. > > All best, > Gabriela > > > Em terça-feira, 15 de dezembro de 2015 00:17:30 UTC-2, Farhan Abbasi > escreveu: >> >> Hi folks, >> >> I'm wondering what trial-and-error you guys have experienced in offering >> different types of amenities. I'm talking the "cool" stuff that can get >> costly but can possibly draw members and allow you to command a higher >> membership price. I have to look at it from an economics standpoint ie does >> it produce higher member prices and/or quicker occupancy. >> >> Has anyone offered the following for free and experienced a direct >> improvement? >> >> - Snacks in kitchen (Mixed nuts, m&ms, cereal, milk, some fruits) >> - Beer on tap (Keg) >> - Fresh fruit water >> - Awesome coffee machine (not just for coffee but also for espresso, >> capp, coffee, hot choc) >> - Color printing/copying (with a limit) >> - Notary Public >> - Arcades >> - Photography studio (Basic setup, no electronics/photo equipment, just >> the lighting hardware and setup). >> - 3D Printer / Laser cutter (members pay for materials) >> - Lockers (where desk members can store their belongings). >> >> I'm developing a financial model and would be happy to share it based on >> member feedback and my research. >> >> Farhan >> >> -- > Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Coworking" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- Visit this forum on the web at http://discuss.coworking.com --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Coworking" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
