If you run a coworking space, you know the problem - your occupancy fluctuates, desks sit empty, and acquiring members feels like you're always either chasing people or hoping they find you organically. Cold email can fix this, but not in the way most people think.
The mistake most coworking spaces make is sending generic "come work from our space" emails to random business owners. That doesn't work because decision-makers don't care about your space - they care about whether it solves a specific problem they have right now.
Here's what actually works.
Coworking spaces have multiple buyer types, and each needs a different message:
Your email strategy changes for each segment. Don't send one email to all of them.
The biggest waste of time in coworking email campaigns is sending to unqualified prospects. You need to target people who actually need what you're selling.
For remote workers and small teams, use LinkedIn to find:
For corporate satellite offices, look for:
If you're in a city with tech density, target companies that just got funding or launched a new office. They need workspace immediately.
This is where most coworking space emails fail. They start with "Hi [Name], are you tired of working from home?" That's weak because it doesn't reference anything specific about the person.
Here's a better structure for a remote worker or freelancer:
Subject line: "Quick question about [Company Name]'s remote setup"
Body:
"Hi [Name] - Saw you're running [specific thing about their business/role]. Quick question - when you're doing client calls or team sessions, do you ever miss having a dedicated professional space to work from? Or are you managing it fine from home? Asking because we've had a few [your city] freelancers join our space at [Location], and the feedback is pretty consistent - they get way more done when they're not context-switching between work and home. If that sounds like something worth exploring, I can give you a day pass to just see how it feels. No pitch. [Your Name] [Space Name]"
Why this works:
For corporate decision-makers, the approach is different:
Subject line: "Overflow space for [Company Name]'s [City] team"
Body:
"Hi [Name] - I noticed [Company Name] has been growing its [City] presence - saw you recently hired [X roles/opened Y office]. Curious if you're hitting any capacity issues yet, or still running lean on that team. We work with a few [similar industry] teams who use us for overflow - gives them flexibility without committing to a long lease. Month-to-month, dedicated area, all of it. Worth a conversation? I can put together numbers based on team size. [Your Name] [Space Name]"
This targets pain (growth outpacing space), offers specificity (month-to-month, dedicated area), and makes the next step clear (numbers conversation).
Most people don't respond to email one. That's normal. The follow-up sequence is where you actually book tours.
Send three follow-ups over 10 days:
Day 0: Initial email (as above)
Day 3: "Just wanted to make sure this landed - [quick one-liner about why it's relevant]. Let me know if a day pass makes sense."
Day 7: Different angle. Instead of repeating, give them a new reason to care. Example: "One more thought - noticed a few [competitor/similar company] folks joined last month, might be worth comparing what they're getting out of the space."
Day 10: Last touch. Lower pressure. "If now's not the right time, totally get it - but if you ever need workspace flexibility, just send a message. We'll figure it out." Then remove from sequence.
Response rates on follow-up 2 and 3 are typically 40-60% of your initial response rate. Don't skip them.
When someone shows interest, you need a day pass process that takes 30 seconds. Not a form. Not a phone call request. A direct link to book a time.
Use Calendly or your booking tool and drop the link in your signature or closing email. "Here's a link to grab a day pass for [dates/times that work] - just pick a day that works for you."
Friction kills interest. They're already halfway to yes. Don't make them email back and forth about availability.
You need numbers, not guesses. Track:
If you're seeing under 5% reply rate, your list or copy is off. If you're getting replies but no day pass redemptions, your offer is too complicated or not compelling enough. If people take day passes but don't convert, your space or pricing isn't winning them.
Fix the actual bottleneck, not everything at once.
Knowing this framework is one thing. Actually running a consistent, organized cold email process that generates 10-20 qualified tours per month - handling list building, writing emails for different segments, managing follow-ups, tracking results, and responding to replies - is another thing entirely.
Most coworking space owners end up doing email campaigns sporadically, sending the same generic message to everyone, and then concluding "cold email doesn't work." The gap isn't the strategy - it's the execution infrastructure and consistency required to make it actually work. If you're looking to outsource that entire operation and focus on closing tours instead, that's where most spaces find the real ROI.
Ready to Sign Clients On-Demand?
BEC Growth builds and manages your entire cold email system from infrastructure to reply handling.
Book a Call →