In his book, This is Marketing, Seth Godin writes: “Marketing is the generous act of helping someone solve a problem. Their problem. It’s a chance to change the culture for the better.”
It is this reframe of marketing that has made us at Conscious Coliving big fans of Seth Godin for a long time.
The old world of marketing was dominated by advertisements, email blasting and spamming. In the new paradigm promoted by thought leaders like Godin, marketing is about building trusting relationships and sharing stories and content that serve the people you care about.
In the coliving sector, the people we care about are the residents who stay and live in our professionally managed shared living spaces. As a coliving operator, how can you best connect with these people and help guide them towards the better way of living that you offer?
For this Coliving Insights article, we explore this question by applying some of Seth Godin’s insights to coliving.
Let’s dive in!
MINDSET #1: CREATE SOMETHING REMARKABLE
Companies must build things worth noticing into their products or services. Applying this mindset – which comes from Seth Godin’s book Purple Cow – to coliving means making your coliving space and experience so remarkable that people can’t help but talk about it.
Cozy spaces. A great app that really works. Bio- adaptive lights. A fantastic rooftop terrace. Delicious vegan food. A thriving community garden. Kick-ass yoga classes. Super engaged community facilitators. A stunning meditation and ritual space.
How can you overwhelm your people’s dreams and desires so that they go “wow!”? How can you make your space look and feel so good that residents will want to tell all their friends to live there?
Keep this focus at the centre of your operations and then share stories about it.
Tip: Check out our award-winning Community Facilitation Handbook for some tools and resources to help you get there.
MINDSET #2: DO NOT TRY TO SERVE EVERYONE
You are not here to serve everyone. As Godin says in This is Marketing, “Everything gets easier when you walk away from the hubris of everyone. Your work is not for everyone, it’s only for those who signed up for the journey.”
It can be hard to say “this is not for you” to some people, but it shows respect for those you do serve. Choose people who want what you are offering and who will tell other people about it.
Indeed, a strong self-promoting community can form more easily when you market and curate the people who are aligned with the values of your space and the story you are telling about it. As such, think less about demographics and more about psychographics; What do they believe? What do they want? What do they hope for?
You don’t need (or want) everybody living in your space. So figure out who you matter to, who this space is for and market to them.
MINDSET #3: MAKE EMPATHY THE HEART OF YOUR MARKETING
In This is Marketing, Godin writes that “the effective kind of marketing is about understanding our customers’ worldview and desires so we can connect with them.” He continues by saying, “instead of selfish mass, effective marketing now relies on empathy and service.”
In regards to coliving, this means walking in your potential residents’ shoes to understand and be curious about their current living experience, struggles, desires and dreams. This can be done through user research and by using technology like community apps and motion sensors to understand how residents are using your spaces and how satisfied they are with the experience. Check out the Coliving Apps, Software, and Tech Guide for some inspiration on these types of tech solutions.
Perhaps the most common need that humans share right now is the need to belong.
Can you create a shared living space that truly offers a sense of belonging and then communicate about that? If yes, then you are well on your way.
MINDSET #4: USE A GREAT SLOGAN
Godin underscores in Purple Cow that using a short set of memorable words to convey the main message behind your offer is essential for expressing your product’s heart.
One great way to develop such a slogan for your coliving brand is by using the StoryBrand Framework. This framework helps you clarify your message and shift the focus from your own accomplishments to how you can actually help your customer.
As a coliving operator, this would mean that you make your residents the heroic character and you become the helpful guide on their journey.
MINDSET #5: BUILD TRUST AND GAIN ATTENTION WITH PERMISSION
In an interview with Gary Vaynerchuk, Godin says “the currencies of anybody who wants to make change happen right now are attention and trust. And they’re in a virtuous cycle. You don’t get attention unless you’re trusted. You don’t get trusted unless you get attention.”
Coliving changes the way we live and getting people to shift their lifestyle requires getting their attention and building up trust.
One way to do this is through what Godin calls ‘permission marketing’, which allows consumers to choose whether or not to be subjected to marketing. As an example, a coliving operator could ask prospective residents if they want to be added to a weekly newsletter that includes wellbeing tips and local events – something in which most people would be interested and benefit from.
Another way is by creating content that is generous and valuable, such that people want to see and read it. Check out Sun and Co.’s Blog, The Student Hotel’s Blog and Venn’s Journal as examples of the kind of content coliving operators are sharing that are relevant and insightful for both B2B and B2C audiences.
FINAL WORDS
In summary, there is no need for aggressive advertising or intrusive violations of people’s attention when you have a naturally forming tribe of people enthusiastic about your brand and grateful that you exist.
Have them fall in love with your vision to create the change they seek.
As Godin would say, if you can bring someone belonging, connection, peace of mind or one of the other most desired human emotions, you’ve done something worthwhile. The thing you can offer is simply a road to achieve those emotions.
