Imagine it. Now you’ve got your co-working desk, it feels good to get out of the house and focus without any distractions. Would you go so far as to say that you even enjoy coming to work?
Better than that, there’s more to co-working than just having a desk to sit at. Being in a professional working environment provides openings to improve your business.
Richard Crawshaw, Regional Sales Manager for SIBCAS, based in Stockton-on-Tees works at Carrwood Park. He says, “I like to get to meet people from other companies who you wouldn’t meet otherwise. You can get networking introductions for potential clients.”
Read on to for some pointers on how to make the most of your co-working space.
Additional Opportunities Accessible to Co-Workers
There are a variety of reasons for choosing to co-work. It may be the next step up for a small venture previously run from home, or someone may be employed locally by a national company based elsewhere. Whatever the reason, when you’re in close proximity to others, each with their own commercial experience, there are benefits.
In fact, there are many ways in which being alongside other professional and motivated people is good for enterprise. Flexible hours and the increase in productivity have been discussed in a previous post Does co-working and flexibility increase productivity?
Raising your work output is not the only upshot. Here’s a few more;
- Sounding Out Ideas – When you’re working on your own, it can be easy to go down the wrong track or on other occasions, miss something obvious. Being a co-worker gives you the chance to spend a moment or two running your thoughts by an independent person. Just a few words from them can be extremely valuable when reviewing a scenario and help send you back on the right path.
Don’t be afraid to ask other people’s viewpoints. It’s human nature for people to enjoy offering their opinion and it gives them a sense of validation too. If you’re prepared to do the same for them, most people will be happy to let you know what they think, constructively.
- Networking Connections – The people around you can be extra eyes and ears, finding prospects for you from their connections. Knowing what you do can lead to an introduction if their clients happen to mention they need the service you offer.
For this to work, take time to let your co-working contacts understand your services. The key is to take a softly, softly approach. No-one wants a hard sell, least of all the person sat next to you every day. Whilst it may not form part of your marketing strategy, when you get this sort of referral, it is a good feeling.
- Collaboration - As far back as 2011, The Guardian was reporting how the co-working model is set apart from traditional office space. Meeting individuals whose occupation is in a similar industry to yours can lead to collaborative projects. This means you effectively become part of an onsite team, whilst maintaining your organisation’s identity. The result is not only an increase in revenue, but also profitability, as costs such as travelling to meetings don’t have to be met.
Consider whether the types of companies surrounding you fit with your initiative when researching into a suitable location. You can find out some more on collaboration between businesses, in a previous post on the topic. How to grow and stay inspired with collaboration and communal working.
To get a feel for this style of working, you can try out co-working at Carrwood Park FREE for a week. Just give us a call and we’ll set up a time to suit you. There’s absolutely no contract or obligation. At the end of the week you’ll have more of an idea whether the move would improve your business.
As with any aspect of life, it’s up to the individual to make the most of their environment; being in the right location is the best place to start. It’s probably stating the obvious, but making yourself amenable will yield greater results. Remember the phrase “People like people first”? It may not be new but it always holds true. The way to be liked is by reciprocation. Be prepared to give as good as you get and you’ll soon work out who are your allies.
