The most challenging part of building and growing a coworking brand is that most professionals don’t want another generic workspace to call their office. Yet, the idea of remote work is still attractive to most people.

So, if you want to build your coworking space business in a way that focuses on long-term growth, you’ll want to learn how to differentiate your brand.

But what’s the best way to do this in 2024?

You could spend your budget to invest in attractive amenities. And you could even focus on developing engaging marketing strategies that will catch the attention of your potential customers and get them to visit your space.

However, if you’re looking for a tactic that has a bit more substance to it, it’s a good idea to set your sights on building a community.

Why Is Community-Building Important for Coworking Brands?

If you think about it, one of the biggest setbacks of remote (or hybrid) work is that it often prevents workers from building meaningful relationships with their colleagues. Just look at what the latest research surveys discovered about these pain points.

According to Gallup’s latest State of the Global Workplace report, 25% of remote and 21% of hybrid workers report feeling lonely in their day-to-day lives. And if you look at survey results from the PEW Research Center, you’ll find that 60% of people feel less connected to their coworkers compared to pre-Covid times.

Now, these findings may not say anything revolutionary. There have been many reports over the years pointing out people’s feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Nonetheless, if you’re looking to build and grow a unique coworking brand, these tendencies may point you in the right direction regarding what people need. They could be the signal you require to base your branding and marketing efforts around the concept of community.

So, how do you transform this idea into reality? Well, there are several stages of developing, marketing, and maintaining a unique brand concept. Here’s how to go about it for your coworking space.

Understand What You’re Up Against and Identify Differentiating Opportunities

Research is always the primary job for developing a successful branding or marketing strategy.

After all, having a clear idea of what your audience wants isn’t just a foolproof way to figure out the best approach to position and advertise your business. But it’s also a key factor for attracting the right people, inspiring them to become members, and encouraging them to remain loyal customers of your business.

So, if you’re looking to build a coworking brand that will stand out, your first task will be to study your competitors.

Look at what’s currently available in your location. Pinpoint any trends that may be prevalent. And identify gaps and opportunities — especially those related to community-oriented coworking — that your business could fill.

For example, if you’re located in a rural or remote area, your potential prospects may not consist of locals but rather vacationers who need a pleasant place to get their work done for the day. So, if you pair this idea with the promise of presenting visitors the opportunity to meet and build relationships with professionals from all over the world, it instantly grows from a good concept to one that’s much more enticing and unique.

A view of a coworking space.

Or, if you know that many of the professionals in your area struggle to find valuable networking opportunities, then your unique concept could focus on attracting people working in flexible environments. Give people from your community an attractive space that fosters productivity and creativity. And make sure they understand that it’s meant to be a space where they can connect with people outside their niche/organization.

Branding and Marketing Your Community-Focused Coworking Brand

Once you’ve identified the core factors to help your business stand out, it’s time to start working on your branding and marketing strategies.

You see, one of the key challenges of building a successful brand in competitive times isn’t just that you have to contend with other businesses to capture your prospects’ attention and get them to convert.

More importantly, you have to convince people that your brand understands their needs much better than any of the alternative options out there. Plus, you need to demonstrate your willingness to go above and beyond to exceed your client’s expectations.

With this in mind, there are three key tasks you need to tackle.

Embrace Alternative Concepts to Win Over Your Target Audience

First and foremost, you have to define and develop the characteristics that will help your brand stand out.

To successfully establish your brand’s positive reputation (especially if you want to lean into the concept of a community-oriented space), focus on building your company culture by defining and consistently communicating your organization’s core values and mission.

This won’t just make members feel like they’re a part of your community (that’s more than another faceless business organization). It will also help appeal to their preferences, particularly if you can address (and remove) their key pain points or position your brand in a way that aligns with their core values.

For example, research shows that over 40% of remote professionals struggle due to poor access to software resources and connectivity issues. So, by emphasizing your dedication to providing a well-equipped environment to all members, you could successfully convince prospects to join your coworking space (and community) instead of choosing to work from home.

Or, your target audience may want to join a laid-back coworking space that prioritizes sustainability. In that case, try your best to meet (and exceed) their expectations. In addition to creating a laid-back, cafe-like physical environment, pay attention to the small details that will impress your eco-conscious members. 

For example, you can add plants to the space to invite nature inside (and boost productivity levels). You can also ensure that any food and beverage packaging you use is sustainable and non-toxic.

A view of a coworking community.

Market Your Community-Focused Coworking Brand in Unique Ways

Secondly, once you’ve identified a unique concept, it’s time to start your work on reaching and engaging potential clients.

The best way to do this is to up your marketing game. Fortunately, there’s a wide variety of resources, you can use to educate yourself on the most effective marketing strategies.

From there on, you have to define your budget. Although bootstrapping may be an excellent way to do more with less, it may not be enough if you’re competing with well-established spaces in your location. In this case, it’s a good idea to look into raising funding for your branding and marketing endeavors. A healthy (and reliable) marketing budget always makes it easier to reach your target audience and secure your first clients (giving you a healthy cash flow early on).

Furthermore, you can experiment with your approach regarding what marketing tactics you utilize. That way, you will find your brand’s unique voice and have a much higher likelihood of delighting your prospects and convincing them to convert.

Of course, you don’t have to do everything by yourself. If you have the budget, you can outsource high-value tasks.

For instance, by hiring a professional video editing service, you won’t just ensure that your content is attractive and high-quality. You’ll also avoid spending your precious time and resources on completing tasks that you’re not qualified to tackle.

Or, if you want to take a step further in branding your business as a space for networking and collaboration instead of a simple coworking office, why not expand your community-building activities into the digital world?

Leveraging community-based marketing is an excellent way to create spaces where members can engage in conversations, whether on your brand’s dedicated Discord and Slack or social media platforms like X and LinkedIn.

Prioritize Collaboration and Host Community-Driven Events

Finally, as you explore marketing opportunities for differentiating and growing your community-oriented coworking brand, remember the common pain point we mentioned at the beginning of this article: today’s remote workers feel lonely.

With this in mind, do your best to solve this frustration by positioning your space as the go-to location for collaboration and community-driven events.

Invite members to share their insights during regular monthly educational events and workshops. Host local or global meet-ups and networking events (and invite local businesses and professionals to widen your brand’s reach. Or target specific industries by making your space the setting for niche-specific meetings, seminars, and product launches.

Turning Your Unique Coworking Concept into a Thriving Community

The scary truth about building, maintaining, and growing your coworking brand is that it’s a job that will never be done. And even more importantly, you have to understand that the marketing tactics required to help you stand out will continue to evolve from year to year.

But the truth is, if you can position your space as a community instead of a business, you’ll have a much higher likelihood of attracting clients who will fall in love with and stay loyal to your brand.