Re: [Coworking] Free Monthly Memberships - Concerns?
There was a hackerspace that offered free memberships to people. Some people took them as intended, as introductions, and as a hook. (The first taste is always free!!!) ;) Some people, who with no money involved, were not invested, took it the wrong way, and did physical damage to the space. It didn't start off that way, but as with many entrepreneurs, they trusted the community, and thought most people in the community were like them, devoted to furthering said community. Unfortunately, sometimes trust is misplaced. So once these malicious jack-wagons got away with a little mess, then a bigger, mess, then an unscheduled party, then they trashed the place. Look, I'm not saying don't do it. Just don't give them 24/7 access till they're known and they've started paying. My $.02 Joshua On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 11:01 AM, Andrea Cook andrea.gayle.c...@gmail.comwrote: We are planning on offering a free month membership for January in hopes to spur on community interest in our cowork space. Anyone have any suggestions or words of warning for us before we spread the news??? Pls share! - Andrea Cook www.facebook.com/CoworkSpace The Midas Center Cowork Space Golden Synergy Available! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en.
Re: [Coworking] Free Monthly Memberships - Concerns?
There's a few opinions out there. Mine is: if you plan to charge, *charge day one*. Converting free memberships to paying memberships is a bigger hurdle than you think. How would someone value something that is free one day, but costs money the next? Alternatively, offer something OTHER than your normal membership for free, and provide paid membership as an actual upgrade. http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2010/06/a-case-against-free-trial-coworking/ The coworking space in this story has since grown to be extremely successful and is actually in the midst of an expansion. -Alex /ah indyhall.org coworking in philadelphia On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 11:42 AM, Joshua Marpet jmar...@datadevastation.com wrote: There was a hackerspace that offered free memberships to people. Some people took them as intended, as introductions, and as a hook. (The first taste is always free!!!) ;) Some people, who with no money involved, were not invested, took it the wrong way, and did physical damage to the space. It didn't start off that way, but as with many entrepreneurs, they trusted the community, and thought most people in the community were like them, devoted to furthering said community. Unfortunately, sometimes trust is misplaced. So once these malicious jack-wagons got away with a little mess, then a bigger, mess, then an unscheduled party, then they trashed the place. Look, I'm not saying don't do it. Just don't give them 24/7 access till they're known and they've started paying. My $.02 Joshua On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 11:01 AM, Andrea Cook andrea.gayle.c...@gmail.com wrote: We are planning on offering a free month membership for January in hopes to spur on community interest in our cowork space. Anyone have any suggestions or words of warning for us before we spread the news??? Pls share! - Andrea Cook www.facebook.com/CoworkSpace The Midas Center Cowork Space Golden Synergy Available! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en.
Re: [Coworking] Free Monthly Memberships - Concerns?
Andrea, As usual, everything Alex says. Plus... Whatever your marketing efforts, it's important to frame the relationship in a way that helps people understand that what you offer is an opportunity to be a part of a community. Incorporate active participation into whatever you do. If you do end up doing something that's free, make sure it's not just giving up your space to freeloaders, but a structured effort to immerse newcomers in the community that you've built. The right people with the right expectations will attract more like them :-) Cheers, Tony --- New Work City Site http://nwc.co | Twitter http://twitter.com/nwc | Newsletter http://nwc.co/newsletter On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 11:54 AM, Alex Hillman dangerouslyawes...@gmail.com wrote: There's a few opinions out there. Mine is: if you plan to charge, *charge day one*. Converting free memberships to paying memberships is a bigger hurdle than you think. How would someone value something that is free one day, but costs money the next? Alternatively, offer something OTHER than your normal membership for free, and provide paid membership as an actual upgrade. http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2010/06/a-case-against-free-trial-coworking/ The coworking space in this story has since grown to be extremely successful and is actually in the midst of an expansion. -Alex /ah indyhall.org coworking in philadelphia On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 11:42 AM, Joshua Marpet jmar...@datadevastation.com wrote: There was a hackerspace that offered free memberships to people. Some people took them as intended, as introductions, and as a hook. (The first taste is always free!!!) ;) Some people, who with no money involved, were not invested, took it the wrong way, and did physical damage to the space. It didn't start off that way, but as with many entrepreneurs, they trusted the community, and thought most people in the community were like them, devoted to furthering said community. Unfortunately, sometimes trust is misplaced. So once these malicious jack-wagons got away with a little mess, then a bigger, mess, then an unscheduled party, then they trashed the place. Look, I'm not saying don't do it. Just don't give them 24/7 access till they're known and they've started paying. My $.02 Joshua On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 11:01 AM, Andrea Cook andrea.gayle.c...@gmail.com wrote: We are planning on offering a free month membership for January in hopes to spur on community interest in our cowork space. Anyone have any suggestions or words of warning for us before we spread the news??? Pls share! - Andrea Cook www.facebook.com/CoworkSpace The Midas Center Cowork Space Golden Synergy Available! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en.
Re: [Coworking] Free Monthly Memberships - Concerns?
Alex, this is really timely! I'm working on restructuring the memberships at Tech Liminal, and was thinking about introductory free offers - but, after looking at your article and seeing in writing some of the same things my free trial customers have been saying, I'm going to look at other alternatives. Cheers, Anca. On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 8:54 AM, Alex Hillman dangerouslyawes...@gmail.comwrote: There's a few opinions out there. Mine is: if you plan to charge, *charge day one*. Converting free memberships to paying memberships is a bigger hurdle than you think. How would someone value something that is free one day, but costs money the next? Alternatively, offer something OTHER than your normal membership for free, and provide paid membership as an actual upgrade. http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2010/06/a-case-against-free-trial-coworking/ The coworking space in this story has since grown to be extremely successful and is actually in the midst of an expansion. -Alex /ah indyhall.org coworking in philadelphia On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 11:42 AM, Joshua Marpet jmar...@datadevastation.com wrote: There was a hackerspace that offered free memberships to people. Some people took them as intended, as introductions, and as a hook. (The first taste is always free!!!) ;) Some people, who with no money involved, were not invested, took it the wrong way, and did physical damage to the space. It didn't start off that way, but as with many entrepreneurs, they trusted the community, and thought most people in the community were like them, devoted to furthering said community. Unfortunately, sometimes trust is misplaced. So once these malicious jack-wagons got away with a little mess, then a bigger, mess, then an unscheduled party, then they trashed the place. Look, I'm not saying don't do it. Just don't give them 24/7 access till they're known and they've started paying. My $.02 Joshua On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 11:01 AM, Andrea Cook andrea.gayle.c...@gmail.com wrote: We are planning on offering a free month membership for January in hopes to spur on community interest in our cowork space. Anyone have any suggestions or words of warning for us before we spread the news??? Pls share! - Andrea Cook www.facebook.com/CoworkSpace The Midas Center Cowork Space Golden Synergy Available! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- -=-=-=- Anca Mosoiu | Tech Liminal a...@techliminal.com (510) 220-6660 (cell) Twitter: techliminal -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en.
Re: [Coworking] Free Monthly Memberships - Concerns?
What we are experimenting at Flip Work LA is opening our spaces conference rooms for free meetups and workshops. From that we hope to grow our business that way. So you still have the free access to see the spot, but they just won't be able to mess it up. Sent from my HTC smartphone on the Now Network from Sprint! - Reply message - From: Anca Mosoiu a...@techliminal.com To: coworking@googlegroups.com Subject: [Coworking] Free Monthly Memberships - Concerns? Date: Wed, Dec 21, 2011 1:31 pm Alex, this is really timely! I'm working on restructuring the memberships at Tech Liminal, and was thinking about introductory free offers - but, after looking at your article and seeing in writing some of the same things my free trial customers have been saying, I'm going to look at other alternatives. Cheers, Anca. On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 8:54 AM, Alex Hillman dangerouslyawes...@gmail.com wrote: There's a few opinions out there. Mine is: if you plan to charge, charge day one. Converting free memberships to paying memberships is a bigger hurdle than you think. How would someone value something that is free one day, but costs money the next? Alternatively, offer something OTHER than your normal membership for free, and provide paid membership as an actual upgrade. http://dangerouslyawesome.com/2010/06/a-case-against-free-trial-coworking/ The coworking space in this story has since grown to be extremely successful and is actually in the midst of an expansion. -Alex /ah indyhall.org coworking in philadelphia On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 11:42 AM, Joshua Marpet jmar...@datadevastation.com wrote: There was a hackerspace that offered free memberships to people. Some people took them as intended, as introductions, and as a hook. (The first taste is always free!!!) ;) Some people, who with no money involved, were not invested, took it the wrong way, and did physical damage to the space. It didn't start off that way, but as with many entrepreneurs, they trusted the community, and thought most people in the community were like them, devoted to furthering said community. Unfortunately, sometimes trust is misplaced. So once these malicious jack-wagons got away with a little mess, then a bigger, mess, then an unscheduled party, then they trashed the place. Look, I'm not saying don't do it. Just don't give them 24/7 access till they're known and they've started paying. My $.02 Joshua On Wed, Dec 21, 2011 at 11:01 AM, Andrea Cook andrea.gayle.c...@gmail.com wrote: We are planning on offering a free month membership for January in hopes to spur on community interest in our cowork space. Anyone have any suggestions or words of warning for us before we spread the news??? Pls share! - Andrea Cook www.facebook.com/CoworkSpace The Midas Center Cowork SpaceGolden Synergy Available! -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- -=-=-=-Anca Mosoiu | Tech liminala...@techliminal.com(510) 220-6660 (cell) Twitter: techliminal -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups Coworking group. To post to this group, send email to coworking@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to coworking+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/coworking?hl=en.
