There is no denying that there are a lot of advantages to advertising any spare space you might have in your office. Regardless of whether you are looking for a new networking opportunity or simply looking to make some extra money to put towards the bills; there are so many things you need to consider when advertising an office space.
5 Things To Consider When Advertising Your Spare Office Spare
So when it comes to advertising spare office space or your coworking space there are 5 key things to consider. These are:
- Cost
- Process
- Pricing
- Legalities
- Photos
So first things first; you must consider how you are going to advertise your office space:
- Do you want to manage the process yourself or do you want a middle man/agent?
- Do you want to advertise it just online or do you want some more tangible adverts as well?
What you choose to do with this will impact significantly on the COST associated with advertising your coworking space. Naturally the more managed the advert (by someone other than you) the more this is likely to cost. However, using an agent is not for everyone or their budget. There are plenty of resources and sites available which will provide a platform for you to advertise your coworking and spare desk space on. Many of these sites will have a no or nominal charge but there is also a balance to be considered between upfront charges for advertising, charges based on a weekly or monthly fee and commission-based charges. That said these sites can also offer complete flexibility allowing you to define the who, what and how of your advert and your potential coworker; this is where PROCESS comes in.
Once you have decided how you want to advertise your space you can start with the actual process of listing your space. Before you list your advert you have to first define what your space is and what you are willing to include with it.
Questions To Ask Yourself Before Advertising Your Spare Office Space
Some key questions you need to ask yourself include:
- Am I providing a desk and chair
- How do I intend for elements such as utilities to be shared/charged
- Will they have dedicated wifi? How do I keep wifi access secure? How will this be charged?
- What level of security do you want to maintain in your office? How will sharing office space impact on this? Are there any additional measures you need to take to maintain the level of security you desire?
- Am I providing any additional office furnishings?
- What type of person or company do you want to use the space?
- Do I want to rent desks individually, as grouped desks or a whole office?
Now that you have defined what you are offering you can do some research around PRICING. Before advertising your spare desk space it is always worth doing some research in your area for other similar office spaces so that you can ensure you price your office competitively while still getting a price that you want and deserve. Remember, at the end of the day you know your business and location best so trust your instincts.
Finally, you can start writing your advert.
The Legalities Of Office Sharing and Coworking
However before you post there is one last thing you need to do, check the associated LEGALITIES required. In some locations and scenarios, there are some legal considerations you might need to take. For example:
- Do you need a basic licence? This is a simple agreement about using the space with minimum tenant protections
- Do you want to rent on a lease basis? This is a more complex arrangement which gives a tenant exclusive occupation for a fixed period. This is more common for larger businesses/offices and long term contracts.
- Are there any clauses in your mortgage, insurance, legislation, lease contract or tax obligations that you will need to consider or declare to?
- Once you have asked yourself all of the above questions you can sit down and write your advert. Remember to keep it clear and concise:
- What type of office space are you offing?
- Is the space furnished or is this an optional extra?
- What resources are you offering and what are the related costs? Are these optional?
- What is your location?
- What are the benefits of your locations (accessibility to key services such as food and drink, public transport etc)
- What type of client/coworker do you want?
- What price range are you looking for?
- What are similar offices in your area being advertised for?
Lastly, all good coworking space adverts need some good PHOTOS. There are many ways to enhance your listing to make it more appealing to potential users. This includes things like:
- Photos (try to use the common estate agent trick of a fisheye lens)
- Videos & video tours
- Floorplans & layouts
Also, try to facilitate the option of viewings, where prospective clients/coworkers can come and see the potential space first.
Now that you have written and listed your advert remember to enhance that listing using platforms such as social media to reach a wider market.
Happy Posting!
