5 SMS Marketing Tips for Flexible Workspace Providers

The needs of both individuals and businesses have changed dramatically over recent years, and one of the most notable changes is in the way we work and live. People today place a much higher value on freedom, and with this has come a new demand for flexibility in the way we work. For the UK’s booming small business sector, this often means a preference for flexible, on-demand office and workshop space that are free from the traditional long-term, rigid contracts.

In the UK, the number of startups in the year ending October 2017 reached a record high of nearly 660,000 the Financial Times reported, an increase of over 50,000 on the previous year, a figure that is set to rise even further in 2018. As a result, hot desking, per hour conferencing facilities and co-working offices are seeing huge increases in demand, as are virtual offices which allow small businesses to present a much more professional image of themselves. So how can providers of such facilities increase occupation in the new year? SMS Marketing may well be the answer.

1. Location/service matching

Many people are accustomed to conducting their searches for business solutions online, and this includes searching for a suitable flexible working space. However, adding SMS Marketing to the mix as an additional channel can dramatically increase conversion rates and help you to increase profits. Encourage visitors to your website to sign up for SMS Marketing at the earliest possible opportunity and invite them to sign up for specific alerts when premises/services matching pre-selected criteria become available. An example SMS message might read:

“Dear John, we thought you’d like to know that a desk has become available in our Finchley co-habited office space. Call now on 020 1234 4785 to request a viewing. Kind regards, the Office4U team.”

To streamline the process even further, you could add keyword functionality, allowing the customer to simply reply with a specific keyword such as ‘Viewing” in order to start the booking process. Click here to learn more about receiving SMS responses.

2. Application process

Although setting up a contract for a flexible workspace is a lot simpler than a traditional lease agreement, there are still legal requirements to be complied with, such as verifying the identity of legal persons holding mailboxes – both individuals and corporate entities – and it may also be necessary to conduct basic credit reference checks depending on the process you operate. In addition, customers may have made a reservation for a space that has not yet been vacated. All this requires constant communication to keep the customer up to date on the process – and SMS Marketing is the ideal answer. At each step of the process, send a simple SMS to the customer to inform them of progress, for example:

“Dear John, just to let you know we have now received your verification documents and are currently processing your application. Questions? Call now on 020 1234 4785 and we’ll be happy to assist. Kind regards, the Office4U team.”

3. Account communications & updates

SMS Marketing is a great way to manage account related communications, such as payment due dates, confirmation of payments received and more. Depending on the length of the contract, you can also send a renewal reminder, inviting the customer to extend their stay.

The same approach can be used to convey any changes in terms and conditions that may affect the customer. With SMS being such a direct and personal channel, this is a great way to ensure that there is a sense of trust and transparency from the outset.

4. Cross-sells & upsells

One of the reasons many small businesses choose to use flexible office space is that they can have access to facilities on an on-demand basis, meaning there is profit to be made on upsells and cross-sells. If larger desk spaces or private booths become available, make sure your existing customers know by offering them the chance to upgrade via SMS. Also be sure to periodically remind customers of other services you offer, such as telephony and internet, mail franking and postage, conference rooms, document storage and more. You might want to add a special offer in the form of coupon code with your SMS to increase take up.

5. Business tips and tricks

Simply by providing a flexible working space solution, you are helping new and existing businesses to grow – but why stop there? A great way to engage clients and foster loyalty is to provide tips and tricks to help businesses become more productive, profitable and sustainable. An online blog is a great way to do this, through regularly published, informative articles. SMS Marketing supports links, which can be opened on almost every smartphone, making it a great channel to share such valuable knowledge with your customers and increase engagement with your website and brand. The more your customers perceive you as offering a helping hand, the more they will develop a sense of loyalty, which will benefit your business in terms of longer use of services and greater numbers of direct referrals.

To learn more about SMS Marketing for your flexible workspace solution, call the team of experts at Fastsms now on 0800 954 5305 and we’ll get you set up and ready to go in no time.