Sales & marketing

## New Guests – Existing guests – Partnerships **New Guests** The main focus should not ONLY be on finding new guests. If you focus on getting guests to stay LONGER and keep coming back, you need fewer guests overall. Usually, a large part of your costs will be spent on acquiring new guests. **Sell the dream** Sell the dream of freedom of choice – Guests can choose to be around similar like-minded people – they can decide where to live – they can select fewer distractions – and most importantly, they can choose to live on their terms. Now THAT´s what I call freedom.  **It needs to be experienced** Coliving is the new way to live, work and interact – it needs to be experienced. Sure, you may get your friends and family excited – and perhaps some might say that they lived like that in college, but it’s certainly not something they would consider now. That’s fine – they are not your target market. So when you explain it to people, it can sometimes be hard to understand the concept until you are in the middle of it – and to live it. **Needs** Focus on the need for connection – of community – a sense of belonging – being in the presence of others like them. To be around people pursuing their careers whilst also having an instant social circle. The sense of belonging when you get to a coliving space is like nothing else. It’s instant acceptance, instant connection, and friends who will lift and inspire you. You won’t get that from sitting in a Starbucks – that’s for sure. **So, let's focus on practical ways of getting people to move in:** **Online** Be where the guests are. Google Maps, social media, TripAdvisor Forums, Nomad Forums, etc. You should be participating in conversations that people get inspiration from. Your own website/blog, where you tell about people's problems before finding you, and how you / coliving can solve this problem. **PR** Coliving is still a new concept; many journalists will write your story if they get a glimpse behind the curtains. Opening a new location or doing things in a new way will always attract PR. Make a list of journalists or influencers writing about your niche, and reach out, asking what they want to write about. This will open a dialogue, and they will get to know you before you need your PR. Do this sooner than later. **Existing guests** Existing guests are your safest bet – because people trust people 7 times more than marketing directly from a company. Word-of-mouth recommendations are everything!! If people are happy staying with you, they may refer friends, especially if you entice them with some commission – in the form of vouchers they can spend with you on their next stay – a win-win for both you and them. **Partnerships** Make partnerships with coworking spaces, incubators, accelerators, startup hubs, and even companies seeking accommodation for traveling employees. **Marketplaces** Add your listing to marketplaces like Coliving.com, of course. Classifieds pages. Room-mate sites. Anywhere you can place an ad, but remember to describe which kinds of people you are looking for so that you can build the community you want. **Competitions** Have competitions on social media, for example, getting people to invite friends in exchange for a chance to win a month’s free stay.