One of the most overlooked benefits to a coworking space is to use that valuable real estate to host an event. The very thought of hosting an event can be daunting for some entrepreneurs, but coworking spaces naturally lend themselves to these types of events, as most of your fellow workers have an entrepreneurial and supportive mindset.
The fact that you will know the majority of the audience, and that they are more inclined to attend the event and be supportive will give you confidence. In many cases, once the first event has been an outstanding success, you will be more inspired and enthusiastic about future events.
Choose a Subject that Interests Your Audience
While it might seem obvious, it is important to choose the topic and theme of your event with the audience in mind. It is much better to have one or two focused events a year, rather than one a week, with hardly anyone attending. While your colleagues may attend to support you, imagine how much better the event will be if you can motivate and inspire your audience. Before organizing the event, do some market research, ask people what topics they are interested in, or want to learn more about, and then decide if you have the required expertise. This will ensure that people are motivated to attend, and you will end up being viewed as the expert in the field, which could potentially generate some new business as a consequence.
When planning your event, take into consideration that a large portion of your potential audience may not be able to attend during business hours. Perhaps their companies can’t afford to release them to come to the event, so it may be a good idea to host the event at the end of the working day, or during lunchtime. Remember: if you have picked a topic that interests your colleagues, and you can supply some refreshments, then people will look forward to the meeting and will be happy to remain after the working day.
Plan Your Session To Keep It Structured
Unless you are a full-time professional speaker, it is essential that you have a proper structure for your event. A good time to aim for is about 20 minutes, followed by a question and answer session. If you make the session too long, people will lose interest, and you may lose momentum. Perhaps the most important part of the entire session is the question and answer session. Not only does it provide people with the opportunity to ask the questions but it also provides you with many chances to demonstrate your expertise. You can help plant the seeds of questions in your audience’s minds by following these tips and tricks. Ensure you have 30 minutes to prepare the space before your presentation, and a further thirty minutes for discussion and networking afterwards.
Be Specific About the Benefits in Your Invite
Everybody leads a busy life, and many of us are constantly bombarded with invitations to events. In the same way that the title of an article online should draw the reader in, the same is true for the invitation to your event. Be very clear and specific about the top three benefits attendees will gain from attending. This ensures that people who attend the event are interested in your subject matter, and it forces you to focus on delivering excellent information on those topics.
Don’t Use Powerpoint As Your Main Focus
Have you ever attended a presentation, where it was Powerpoint followed by Powerpoint? People have come to see you and listen to your knowledge and innovative presentation skills. The minute Powerpoint is used, you lose any flexibility, and many people actually start to switch off. A great way to use Powerpoint is to replicate your presentation on Powerpoint, and then offer to email it to people after the event. This way they get the benefit of your presentation but can review and reflect on their newfound knowledge after the event.
Coworking spaces provide perfect locations for innovative, exciting and interactive presentations. If you follow some of the ideas above, you should have a successful and rewarding experience. At Level Office, we specialize in providing perfect coworking spaces and are constantly looking at ways to maximize the benefits for our clients. Keep checking our site on a regular basis, for more exciting ways to use coworking spaces to benefit your business.