Co-working spaces may be a new culture for Arab societies, but it is an idea that was able to prove its validity and success very quickly due to the great advantages it offers to youth and businessmen, as it gives you a space to work in at an affordable cost and avoids many administrative and legal details, this saves time and effort and pushes you quickly on the road to work and achievement without obstacles … But if you are thinking of investing in this field and building co-working spaces, you need a set of tips to be able to start correctly … and the following lines are for you.
CHOOSE THE PLACE
The first advice that experts give to those who are considering starting a project for co-working spaces is to choose a vital and suitable place for their project, and the choice depends on the correct identification of the target audience of the project. If you are targeting university youth, for example, choose a place close to them that can be easily reached by means of transportation. As for you targeting businessmen, look for a lively and quiet place close to their workplace.
GOOD DIVISION OF SPACE
After choosing the right place with the space that suits the number that you envision for your clients, now you have to divide the place properly, do not forget to provide energy and electricity sources and distribute them well in the place, and among the most important tips related to the division of spaces are the following:
- An open outdoor area must be provided for those who wish to do so.
- Provide a large room equipped with means of interaction and communication dedicated to meetings.
- It is preferable to divide the place into various parts, areas to suit the number of all clients, with the setting of barriers that are easy to move and transport when needed.
- Take into account the provision of a private space for prayer.
- A special area is provided for women and girls, especially if the target is students and university youth.
- Choosing the appropriate furniture for clients, as students prefer flexible chairs and comfortable modern sessions, while businessmen want luxurious offices and classical forms.
- Provide a place to prepare drinks, especially coffee and tea.
- Take into account the availability of natural ventilation for the place.
PROVIDING SERVICES
When designing a co-working space, attention should be paid to providing the services that suit clients, especially high-speed internet services and office equipment, means of communication from landlines and faxes, providing electricity and generators that work immediately when the power is cut off. That is, attention must be paid to all the details that the client needs, from the type of coffee he prefers to communication services and good lighting, until he finds comfort in the place and works efficiently and feels that he is working in his own office.
MARKETING THE PROJECT
After preparing your own place and equipping it with all amenities for clients, you must now advertise and market it well, try to reach your target audiences in interesting and attractive ways. Use ads on social media and let your clients pass their expertise to others to attract new clients. It is also necessary to plan a grand opening in which to review the capabilities of the place, the services it provides, and the groups that it targets. Record an interesting video that reviews your place from its location to its internal details and publish it in distinctive ways to reach the largest possible number of potential clients. It is also possible to advertise through television or distribute printed advertisements in attractive colors that clearly show the location, address and methods of communication.
DETERMINING PRICES
You must determine a suitable rental for the services you provide, to ensure client satisfaction and at the same time ensure a suitable profit for your project. A list of prices must be designed to suit the needs of each client separately, according to the services that he will receive from the place. Prices can be packages that include a set of services for the client to choose from among them that suits him. The important thing is that the prices are gradual, commensurate with the desires and capabilities of all clients, taking into account the quality of the service provided. So, co-working spaces have become an idea of a scent in Arab societies, and they are now available to students, businessmen and entrepreneurs as well, and the demand for it is constantly increasing because it provides people and groups with a lot of services and gives them comfort and the ability to work and produce in an atmosphere of calm as if they are in their own offices and that is without going into many of the financial, administrative and legal details that the place handles instead of them.
