10 cold calling sales tips for entrepreneurs in 2021
When you cold calling is done wrong, your prospect hangs up on you. Read our 10 cold calling sales tips, so it doesn’t happen to you.
March 11, 2024
Facebook started in a Harvard University dormitory. Amazon started in a garage. So did Microsoft and Disney. It makes for a good story but working in a make-shift office is neither comfortable nor efficient. A real office has everything a startup needs, and thanks to coworking spaces, everyone can have one.
Coworking spaces are also becoming increasingly popular for established companies.
In a coworking space, you can rent exactly as much space as you need. You can book add-ons like meeting rooms and guest desks. Regular cleaning is included, and there is a never-ending supply of coffee, tea, and sometimes beer. You share the space with other companies that could be a valuable addition to your network.
Some coworking spaces go even beyond that. They offer lab space, accelerator programs, mentorships, partnering events, and more.
Most people associate coworking spaces with startups, freelancers and digital nomads. It’s true that coworking spaces are especially popular among these demographics. For freelancers and digital nomads, who usually work alone, it’s nice to mingle with like-minded people in a work-focused space.
That community spirit is exactly what they look for.
Startups often choose coworking spaces to keep expenses low. They can get fully furnished offices, coffee, wifi and meeting rooms for a monthly fee instead of a big upfront payment. Flexibility is a big factor as well. Traditional rental contracts span over five to ten years, while you can move out of a coworking space or adjust the number of seats much quicker.
But coworking spaces are also interesting for established companies. Being part of a dynamic community and getting access to a unique ecosystem can prove extremely valuable. Meeting potential business partners, contractors and employees is easy if you share a space.
With so many coworking spaces to choose from, it might seem difficult to find the right one.
We asked Karin Crisanto, our Head of Innovation Space and Infrastructure, how to choose the perfect coworking space for you and your company.
Karin adds that even with all the benefits, coworking spaces aren’t for everyone. If you prefer to work in silence or alone, there might be better options than a coworking space.
Companies that need a lot of privacy might not be happy in coworking spaces. You’ll share the space, wifi network, printer, meeting rooms, etc. and this requires certain consideration and accommodation towards other coworkers. If that’s a dealbreaker, renting a private office is definitely the better choice for you.
The Basel Area ranks as the best accessible location in Switzerland, bordering Germany and France, with a tri-national airport. It’s the perfect location to serve the European market. From the heart of Europe, you can ship your goods by train, truck, ship, or plane fast and cost-effectively to your customers worldwide.
Its high quality of life, fantastic community, and extensive government support also make the Basel Area a great place to set up HQ.
In recent years, the number of coworking spaces in the Basel Area has surged. Choosing the right coworking space for you or your company can be difficult.
We made this list to help you speed up the process and help you with your choice.
We talked to the owners of the coworking spaces and asked them who their ideal customers would be and what makes their coworking space unique. If one of the quotes feels like it talks to you directly, that coworking space might be your ideal fit.
Disclaimer: Prices are indicated in Swiss Francs (CHF). Prices and conditions are subject to change and may fluctuate on a daily basis. We don’t take any responsibility for the accuracy of the current pricing enclosed herein.
Without further ado, here are the 14 best coworking spaces in the Basel Area in alphabetical order with our own spaces at the end.
The Kulturkirche Paulus association runs this new coworking space at Schweizergasse 23 in the Paulusquartier. It’s a quiet, stimulating working environment for the self-employed, creatives professionals, and young startups.
The new coworking space in the Paulusquartier is ideal for freelancers and small-team startups. For a fixed per person price, you get a desk, chair, storage, internet, printer/copier, cleaning, heating, electricity, access to a spacious meeting room, and a kitchenette with a meeting corner.
The coworking space was created by the church. Their incentive isn’t turning a profit, but creating a space that fosters creativity and productivity for the community.
And they practice what they preach! Their main office is one of the renting parties in its own coworking space.
There is one price that gives you access to everything you need, whether you’re a single-person freelancer or a team of several people.
Full access: CHF 475
Dreispitz Coworking is brought to you by Jobfactory, a Basel-based company with the goal of solving social problems with the power of the market. Or as Cynthia Fox from Dreispitz puts it: ”Dreispitz is ideal for uncomplicated and flexible people who want to work at any time. It’s not highly professionalized and with basic infrastructure. But it’s affordable, open 24/7, and everything you need is there (including unlimited coffee :)).”
Besides a spacious coworking area, Dreispitz offers meeting rooms, classrooms, and a fully equipped kitchen with coffee, tea, and snacks. Printing, scanning, copying, faxing, and high-speed internet is available as well.
Dreispitz takes a very straightforward, all-inclusive approach. What you see is what you get. Dreispitz also supports the vision of its parent company, Jobfactory, to help young people get started in their careers.
The pricing is very flexible. Every option is all-inclusive when it comes to office supplies and extras, and you always have 24/7 access.
Meeting room1h: CHF 50
If the room isn’t reserved, you can use it for free as a coworker
Monthly or yearly members can reserve for up to 4h free hours per month
Impact Hub Basel is a community of purpose-driven members and organizations focused on working towards Sustainable Development Goals and positively impacting the world. Or as Marica Hug, Community Manager at Impact Hub Basel, puts it: ”We’re home to startups, entrepreneurs, freelancers, SMEs, and foundations that have a connection to sustainability or social matters.”
Marica has already said it all.
With a huge community, regular events, and internal projects, Impact Hub Basel tries to make a difference in the lives of their coworkers, in their companies, and in the world.
Impact Hub Basel offers various membership options, single day passes, student offers and more. For a complete list of offers, visit Impact Hub Basel via the link below.
Starter member: CHF 140
Monthly
Medium membership: CHF 220
Nomad membership: CHF 400
Day pass: CHF 45
Incubâle is a stimulating environment for young companies and entrepreneurs who are looking to realize their ideas. The space is ever-changing and transforming with IT specialists, technicians, web designers, architects remote workers, and various other experts calling it their base.
Incubâle offers loft workspaces for people and companies that value collaboration. Autonomous companies work side by side and together on 450m² with an array of amenities to make work as productive and comfortable as possible.
Incubâle is home to a flexible community of experts in many different fields. It encourages moving beyond isolated work and collaborating with other members of the association and coworking space.
Of course, nobody is obliged to work together. On the contrary! According to Incubâle, joint projects usually arise unexpectedly. The web designer helps the architect, who in turn assists the entrepreneur. This is how exciting joint ventures and successful projects are created time and again.
Incubâle sees itself more of an incubator than just a coworking space. It’s an association with a one-time fee of CHF 800 to become a part of and a yearly fee of CHF 200.– to remain a member. Only then, you can rent a full-access coworking space.
Full access: CHF 350
Monthly
Loft atmosphere with generous space
Magnificent view over Basel and the surrounding area with lots of daylight
launchlabs Basel, situated in the dynamic Gundeldinger Feld area, offers innovative space with industrial charm. As Saydi Beard, Office & Event Manager at launchlabs Basel, puts it: “This space welcomes a wide range of residents, including those from the arts and culture industry, NGOs, startups, freelancers and larger corporate teams.”
launchlabs Basel provides a versatile coworking environment with flexible furniture and dynamic room layouts, accommodating up to 200 people.
With their new booking system, you can check availability and book spaces online with just one click.
But launchlabs Basel offers more than its spaces. The team that runs it also offers consultations, training and coaching in design thinking and agile transformation.
Nexirius is a Swiss software company based in Basel. Nexirius develops individual software solutions and tailor-made software products efficiently and quality-consciously and offers modern coworking spaces in a loft within walking distance from Basel SBB. Or as Angela Baumann from Nexirius puts it: ”Nexirius is a former paper mill, which has been converted into a stylish loft. It is located within 3 minutes walking distance from SBB main station. Our offices have a very personal touch and are great if you want to work with pleasant colleagues in a beautiful location.”
Nexirius has beautifully designed offices, fully equipped working spaces, and meeting rooms. They are well-organized and take care of a supply of fresh beverages and cleaning to allow you to focus on nothing but your business.
Thanks to the top organization, everything at Nexirius just works. They do a great job at shouldering as much of the day-to-day burden for you as they can. With fully equipped office spaces, a great location, and included cleaning service, Nexirius allows you to focus on doing the work that matters to your company.
Nexirius is straightforward with its options.
Fix desk: Price on request
Above their store in Basel, Nike offers a coworking space that allows for creative and focused work. Or as Sandra Ischi, the hostess at Nike’s coworking puts it: ”We appeal to people who like to work in a small and bright coworking space. With our two well-equipped meeting rooms and the beautiful training room, we attract many coaches and trainers who offer consultations, seminars, or fitness courses. Also, digital nomads who like to work in a homely and lovingly furnished open space and appreciate the exchange come here. Our collaborative office space is predominantly for silent work. The meeting rooms can be rented in an uncomplicated and flexible way.”
”We are located centrally, directly above the Nike Store. There are common rooms and a break room with a terrace, which we use together with the Nike team. So there’s always something going on. Even on Saturday. Since we are closely connected to the Nike Store, we have attractive opening hours. Coworkers have their own badge and access to the office at any time. Due to the perfect location and the attractive store, our coworkers also have a suitable platform to publicize their offers and attract new customers. With us, there is plenty of room to dare and try out new things, in line with our motto: JUST DO IT.”
With the Nike Coworking badge, you get access to calm, open office space, bookable meeting rooms, and a coaching room. You have internet access, and you can scan, copy, and print as much as you need. There’s also a training room that you can use for workouts, events, and seminars.
”For digital nomads who look for a wonderful community and new experience, the Coworking Nike Basel is a top location. We offer the environment to try new things. “Just Do It” and build your own successful business.”
The coworking space stays true to Nike’s “JUST DO IT” attitude and sports focus.
For those who need some time away or a location for a multiple days long seminar, the Nike Coworking offers a chalet in the Alps. There’s quick internet and an office infrastructure with printer and scanner, and the ski slope is next to the chalet. You can book it directly on the website.
There are different passes available for the different rooms in the coworking space. You can book a test day for free.
RHIZOM provides workspace outside of traditional office or home-office settings. It provides low-threshold access to profession networks, is a valuable interface for diverse disciplines and a marketplace for collaboration. Or as Roger Aeschbach, co-founder of RHIZOM, puts it succinctly: ”RHIZOM is for anybody looking for an urban, creative, and centrally located workplace.”
There are two conference rooms and an open office that was once a factory hall. Freely use RHIZOM’s WLAN, A3 color laser printer, 65″ LCD presentation screen, beamer, flip chart, white-board, cleaning, and kitchen area including coffee, sparkling water, and fresh fruit.
RHIZOM offers the infrastructure for productive work but sees the people as what makes the coworking space. It’s becoming increasingly important for entrepreneurs to be able to cover the demand of skilled workers with the help of an ecosystem.
When you become a part of RHIZOM, you become a part of that ecosystem.
CoworkingBasel offers bright, spacious and modern office space for startup businesses. The offering stands for all those who need an alternative to home office, for those who are looking for a dynamic work environment, and for businesses looking to grow. Or as Markus Fischer, Managing Director of Startup Academy Basel, puts it: ”We welcome anyone who wants to work with focus and benefit from a great network at the same time.”
“We offer a wide variety of workplaces and a very pleasant working atmosphere with a “startup and co-creation spirit.”
Startup Academy offers a wide selection of different rooms, from large meeting rooms to open workspaces and private booths. Their space is equipped with all the office supplies you need like WLAN, printer, color copier, and scanner.
There’s also a fully equipped kitchen with a dining table, bar, coffee maker, refrigerator, microwave, and dishwasher and a large roof terrace to enjoy lunch on.
The basics like using the meeting rooms (20 hours per month included), WLAN, and multifunction printers (100 black/white and 25 color copies) are included depending on your subscription.
If you want to upgrade your office, you can book additional extras based on your needs. Those include 24/7 access, a physical mailbox, and “as much coffee as you need to live and work.”
You can rent flex or fix desks in three tiers.
The 5th Floor offers a motivating and progressive environment that supports young talent in developing their visions and goals.
At The 5th Floor, you’ll find a modern, high quality space. You get lockable cubicles and private offices, dedicated desks and a flexible Coworking Space. Additionally, you have access to rooms for meetings and can join workshops and events.
Westhive is the coworking space for startups, corporations and freelancers with a unique innovation ecosystem. Or as Yannick Dienst from Westhive puts it: ”For corporate teams, SMEs and startups, who are looking for a flexible, high quality office environment, our team offices are the perfect solution that combine a complete service infrastructure with a vibrant community.”
”Westhive provides activity-based workplaces that increase productivity, foster collaboration, stimulate creativity and improve the well-being of our members alike. Our customers benefit from a high degree of flexibility, while having access to a fully furnished office infrastructure with meeting rooms, printers and phone booths as well as amenities like a delicious inhouse restaurant, a gym or a rooftop terrace.”
Westhive Basel offers around 200 desks in private team offices of various sizes and two open space areas. On every floor is a lounge with a kitchen and complimentary tea and coffee. There are also 9 meeting rooms for up to 50 people and a large event space for up to 150 people ready to be booked.
”Unlike traditional offices, our coworking space comes fully furnished and includes a restaurant, a gym, meeting rooms and an event location.”
Whether you want to relax on the sunny terrace, enjoy a nice meal in the restaurant, play some video games in the gaming room or get work done, Westhive has it all.
Spread over four different sites across the Basel Area, our coworking spaces have created a startup community that will support you and your company on your success journey.
With our flexible coworking options, you and your employees can start their work on the very first day and dedicate time and effort to the most important tasks.
Spread across our four sites, we offer coworking and lab space for startups and companies in the field of biotech, medtech, digital health, healthtech, and industrial transformation.
As our resident, you gain access to a vibrant community of startups and companies. You can build your network and grow your business with startup accelerator programs.
We have a vast ecosystem of services, spaces, and residents spanned over four sites in the Basel Area.
Each of the four sites has a different focus area.
At our Main Campus in Allschwil, we focus on biotech and medtech. We offer private and shared labs, private and shared offices as well as common spaces. Our broad set of services assists and supports you on your way toward success and ensures a smooth realization of your business endeavor. With a spot in our main campus comes access to a community of great minds to support and accompany you on your journey of success.
In 2022, we moved to the Main Campus with 50’000m² of interconnected innovation space. As part of the most dynamic life sciences cluster in Europe, this iconic collaboration campus and research center is a meeting point for biotech and healthcare trailblazers. Here we offer offices and labs for 1-500 people, tailored to our resident’s needs. Enjoy flexible floor options, on-campus retail and gastronomy, a generous green courtyard and terraces, numerous parking possibilities, and sports facilities.
Virtual tour of our new site on the Novartis Campus – digital health
At our Novartis Campus site, we focus on digital health and offer shared work and innovation space. Our broad set of services assists and supports you on your way towards success and ensures a smooth realization of your business endeavor. On top of being located in the heart of the thriving Novartis Campus, you’re given access to a community of great minds to support and accompany you on your journey of success.
The Basel site in the heart of the city complements the offer. Just a short walk from the main train station, our members find a coworking space with flex desks and meeting rooms.
At our Jura site, we focus on digital health, healthtech, medtech, and Industrial transformation. We offer private and shared offices and a broad set of services for a smooth realization of your ambition to guide and support you on your way towards success. You’re also given access to a community of great minds to support and accompany you on your journey of success.
You may also be interested in renting a lab in Switzerland.
When you cold calling is done wrong, your prospect hangs up on you. Read our 10 cold calling sales tips, so it doesn’t happen to you.
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