Local Business Perks for Coworking Members: A Practical Partner Plan
Choose a few local businesses, offer members one clear perk each, put it in writing and review use every quarter. Here is how to set it up.
In this article
- Why do perks from local businesses help a coworking space?
- Which businesses make good partners?
- How do you pitch a local business?
- What should the agreement cover?
- How do you tell members about the perks?
- How do you know whether a partnership is working?
- What if two partners compete?
- What should you do first?
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Local partnerships work best when they are small, specific and easy for members to use: a coffee discount, a class pass, a printing deal. Pick a few businesses your members already visit, agree the terms in writing, and check every few months whether anyone is using the perk.
Why do perks from local businesses help a coworking space?
A perk gives a member a reason to feel the desk fee buys more than a chair and Wi-Fi. For the partner, it puts the business in front of people who work nearby every day. Done well, it helps in three ways:
- Tour conversations: a short list of nearby deals gives you something concrete to show a prospective member.
- Staying power: members who use a perk regularly have one more small reason to renew.
- Neighborhood ties: the space becomes part of the local area instead of a closed office.
Treat these as aims, not promises. Whether a perk changes sign-ups or renewals in your space is something you can only learn by tracking it.
Which businesses make good partners?
Start with where your members already go at 8 a.m., at lunch and after work. Ask them, or look at which cups and takeaway bags show up in your kitchen. Then check four things before you approach anyone:
- Fit: does it match what your members actually need?
- Real value: would you use the offer yourself?
- Reliability: is the business consistent about quality and opening hours?
- Interest: does the owner seem keen, or just polite?
Common types of partner
| Partner | Possible perk | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Cafe or bakery | Discount for members, or a standing delivery for meetings | Peak-hour queues |
| Restaurant | Lunch deal or a private table for team meals | Offer limited to quiet hours |
| Gym or yoga studio | Class pass or reduced trial | Insurance and sign-up terms are theirs |
| Print or office supply shop | Member pricing on printing and supplies | Compare with your own on-site printer |
| Bike shop, dry cleaner, florist | Small member discount | Only worth it if members really use it |
How do you pitch a local business?
Visit in person during a slow hour, buy something, and ask for the owner or manager. A cold email is easier to ignore. Keep the pitch short:
- Say who you are and roughly how many people work in your space.
- Propose one concrete offer, such as "10% off for members who show a pass".
- Explain what you will do for them: a mention in your member newsletter, a poster at reception, or a listing on your site.
- Ask what would make it work for them, and be ready to change your idea.
Offer something back. A business that only gives discounts will lose interest. If you host events, such as workshops in your space, invite partners to attend or supply refreshments so they meet members face to face.
What should the agreement cover?
A one-page note is enough for most perks. Write down:
- The exact offer, including exclusions and any cap on use.
- How a member proves membership (a pass, an app screen, a code).
- Start date, end date and how either side can stop.
- Who promotes what, and where logos or names may be used.
- A named contact at each organization.
If the deal involves money changing hands, exclusivity, or shared space or events with liability, ask a lawyer to look at it. A friendly discount does not need that, but a revenue share does.
How do you tell members about the perks?
A perk nobody knows about is wasted. Use the places members already look:
- A single "Member perks" page on your website that lists every partner and its terms.
- A line in your welcome email and onboarding tour.
- A small sign or card at the front desk and in the kitchen.
- A monthly newsletter note that features one partner at a time.
Another idea is to use the space itself. A spare corner works as a pop-up spot for a partner, much as some operators lend rooms for photo shoots and other creative work. Always ask the partner what they want to say about themselves instead of writing it for them.
How do you know whether a partnership is working?
Pick two or three simple measures and review them every quarter:
- Usage: how many members redeemed the perk. Ask the partner to count redemptions.
- Member feedback: a one-question survey: "Which perks do you actually use?"
- Partner feedback: did the business see new customers from you?
- Sign-ups and renewals: ask new members how they heard about you and whether perks mattered.
If a perk is rarely used, change it or end it politely. Fewer, well-used partners beat a long list nobody reads.
What if two partners compete?
Avoid exclusive deals unless you need them. If two cafes both want in, tell both openly, offer the same terms and let members choose. Hiding one from the other tends to backfire in a small neighborhood.
What should you do first?
Choose one business, one offer and one way of announcing it. Run it for a quarter, look at the numbers, then add the next. If you are also thinking about gadgets for the space itself, MaviGadget's cool gadgets collection has ideas.
