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Whether you’re setting up shop in the most luxurious coworking office Melbourne has to offer or a grungy coworking operation on the outskirts of San Francisco, there are several steps you can take to ensure you get the most value out of the experience.
We recommend starting with the tips outlined below:
1. Choose your space wisely
Most people opt for a coworking space for the cost-saving advantages. However, it would be a mistake to base your office selection solely on price. A bargain-in coworking space may save you a few bucks per month, but you could miss out on incredible perks that are well worth the extra monthly fee.
For example, some luxury coworking spaces offer fitness facilities, e-bikes, outdoor meeting spaces, gold simulators, and other attractive benefits. With these extras, you can take better care of your health and impress any clients who visit your office.
2. Feel free to scale
The office you select when launching your business is unlikely to suit you forever. One of the biggest benefits of a coworking space is that you’re completely free to adjust your package whenever your business needs change.
For example, if you’ll be engaging in a string of client meetings one month, you can upgrade your package to include a private office space. If you go through a seasonally quiet period each year, you can downgrade your coworking package to save money during that time.
3. Be social but respectful
You don’t want to be the person everyone dreads seeing because they know you’ll interrupt their workflow. However, you should respectfully take advantage of opportunities to socialize and network with your fellow coworking space inhabitants. You can do this by attending organized networking events, having brief friendly chats in the breakout areas, and perhaps even organizing your own networking sessions.
4. Be generous with your expertise
If you’re all for the idea of creating your own networking sessions, you can expand on this idea by offering workshops and other events that allow you to share your expertise. This is a great way to break the ice with the other people in your coworking space and establish connections that could bring you more work.
5. See if you can get referral bonuses
As an entrepreneur, it’s likely that you know at least a few other business owners who could benefit from your coworking space. So, chat with management to see if they’d be willing to offer you bonuses for referring new clients to them. This is an excellent way to reduce your expenses while helping fellow business owners.
6. Establish boundaries
If you’re a friendly, contributing member of your coworking community, people will be more open to approaching you. While this comes with many benefits, it can also be incredibly distracting. So, establish clear and simple boundaries that demonstrate when people can and can’t approach you. This could be as simple as letting people know that when your headphones are on, you’re in “do not disturb” mode.
7. Respect other people’s boundaries
You want your boundaries to be respected, so it’s crucial to extend that same respect to other people. Learn to spot the signs that someone doesn’t have time to talk and respect these unspoken boundaries. If, for example, someone is in the break room making coffee, but they have a far-off expression on their face, it’s probably not the best time to strike up a conversation.
Follow these steps as you embark on your coworking journey, and you’re sure to squeeze far more value out of the experience than you ever thought possible.
