Archive for January, 2007
Transit Systems has announced a new Storage Promotion Program offering self storage owners and managers free listings and the opportunity to earn ancillary income from referral payments.
The program offers self storage owners and managers free location listings in an Online Storage Locator, and the opportunity to earn $50.00 for each move or shipment booked through the location. TSI also provides the locations with a counter display and brochures featuring TSI moving and shipping services.
This is a win-win for the moving and storage industries and I’d like to see more of these type of arrangements (and suspect we will as the industry continues to mature.) Strategic alliances are a vital part of doing business and the self-storage industry is no exception.
Take a moment and think…what types of strategic alliances could your company forge with complimentary, but not competitive, product and service providers? Here’s a hint: it could be informatioanal services, insurance services, some sort of affiliate marketing or revenue sharing agreement. There are many possibilities…
Click here to read more about this strategic alliance.
January 26th, 2007
Storage entrepreneur Alister Jack has sold his Armadillo self-storage business to the property and infrastructure arm of HSBC for £40m, according to the Business Sale Report.
“Jack, whose previous self-storage venture, Aardvark Self Storage, sold to Mentmore Spaces for £30m in 2002, received ten expressions of interests and six bids for the company before deciding to accept HSBC’s offer and now plans to start work on setting up a third self-storage company,” the report says.
Armadillo Self Storage has ten branches located mainly in Scotland and the North of England with multinational clients such as Diageo and AON, as well as domestic customers and students.
Just another testimony that self-storage is taking off worldwide. With investors like HSBC, you know the game is getting higher stakes all the time.
Click here to read the rest of this story on the Business Sale Report.
January 25th, 2007
Bank of America is holsing an ‘Out of the Box’ REIT Summit in New York City later this month and gues who’s smack dab in the middle of the fray? Sovran Self Storage.
Sovran CFO David Rogers will participate in a self-storage industry panel discussion, followed by a company overview and a Q&A session. You don’t even have to be there to listen in. You can listen to a live streaming Webcast on Sovran’s site.
What a score! This is great for Sovran and for the industry. Rogers has the savvy and communications skills to represent both well.
Appearing at conferences, presenting keynotes, participating in Q&As and roundtables, these are all strategies that consultants, brokers and high-profile investors should covet, especially in non-self-storage industry events. Keep abreast of what’s going on around you in the mainstream real estate and financial sectors and don’t be afraid to reach out for these types of opportunities. If you have the knowledge and experience — and the right approach — you’d be surprised at the publicity you can generate for yourself, your company and your industry.
Click here to learn more about the upcoming event.
January 24th, 2007
The Canadian press is recognizing the benefits of self-storage, citing an estimated $8 billionlast year in rentals. Indeed, the industry is booming in Canada, with continually growing revenues up by more than 15 cent over the past five years, according to the Canada.com network of newspapers.
“We’re still behind the States, but we don’t have their problem of oversupply,” Candace Watson, the owner of Canadian Self Storage Valuation Services, told the paper.
Investors, new entrants and established brands are doing business there. This three page report in The Gazette is a dream for the industry there. How do you reckon the reporter got the idea for this comprehensive report? How did he choose the sources he’d interview?
The reporter may just be observant and could have picked up the phone book to look for sources, but it’s equally as possible that some savvy operator there tipped him off with a press release. Here’s what we do know: your chances of getting into the paper are greater if you launch public relations campaigns. Here’s what we also know: getting mentioned in your local paper enhances your credibility and gives you a competitive edge.
Get to know your local media but don’t harass them with unworthy news items. If you’ve got something to say, say it. If not, just be a good corporate citizen until you do. That, in and of itself, will eventually generate something to say: “We helped Toys for Tots” or “We offered free storage to a fire victim.”
Who will your local paper interview next time they do an article on self-storage? It’s at least patrially up to you.
January 23rd, 2007
“The cold weather is to blame for dozens of soaked self-storage units in Haverhill and many of the folks who rented those units are upset and frustrated that their possessions have been ruined.”
So reads a CBS4 report out of Boston. It seems a frozen sprinkler pipe burst on the seventh floor of A-Plus Storage and water poured down into the units below. The buildings owner says it’s an unfortunate accident, but he’s not responsible for the damaged goods, CBS reports. According to CBS, the tenants were advised to get renters insurance for their stuff but many never did.
I hate to see this for several reasons. First, it’s just bad publicity. Second, CBS didn’t offer a direct quote from the owner. It may be better in the end since it doesn’t appear the owner did anything to throw water onto the fire. (No pun intended.)
There’s a way to handle crisises like this — and it’s usually not with a blanket statement that says to the customer, “We told you so.”
Sure, the owner probably did tell the tenants to get insurance. But how hard did he try to convince them of the benefits? How easy did he make it for them to sign up? Did he partner with an insurance company to streamline the process? Or did he just have a little sign up on the desk or a clause in the contract? We may never know.
What I can tell you is there’s a better way to handle the situation. Instead of saying, “I’m not responsible. I told the tenants to get insurance.” Why not say something less offensive and more comforting, such as, “While we did advise our tenants to get insurance and won’t assume liability, we are working with our tenants to help them recover and rebuild. We are also forming a strategic alliance with a self-storage insurance carrier to provide a quick and easy way for new tenants to obtain insurance in the future.”
That pill goes down a little easier, doesn’t it? The point is we need to be there for our customers — and let them know we’re there — even when it’s not our fault. Having a hands-off, I-told-you-so attitude doesn’t pay dividends, especially when your stance is communicated over the World Wide Web.
Click here to read the original story on CBS4Boston.com.
January 22nd, 2007
RALEIGH, NC AND HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – January 18, 2007– Self Storage Promotions, a division of Revelation Media Networks, Inc., and SMD Software, Inc. announced that they have formed a strategic alliance to help the storage industry make the most of their public relations and marketing efforts.
Self Storage Promotions primes the tenant acquisition pump with integrated promotional solutions designed to raise brand awareness in a cluttered marketplace. SMD Software provides SiteLink, the management software that helps managers provide high-tech customer service. The partnership offers Self Storage Promotions’ clients the back-end support they need to ensure maximum returns on promotional investments.
“Savvy self storage operators leverage the power of promotions and the power of technology. SMD Software offers our clients the ability to tap into a user-friendly platform that reduces billing errors, allows tenants to pay their storage bills online, and a myriad of other features. This software helps managers offer the best possible customer service, which is part and parcel of strong marketing in today’s competitive environment,” said Jennifer LeClaire, President and Creative Director, Self Storage Promotions, an integrated marketing communications firm based in Hallandale Beach, Fla.
SiteLink is a turn-key system that pulls together all areas of your storage operation. SiteLink is full-featured: you can use it to manage self-storage, mobile storage, and other rental properties. SiteLink integrates leading security systems, handles automatic credit card billing, interfaces to accounting software such as QuickBooks, Peachtree, Solomon, and automatically prints leases and letters for every occasion.
“We are excited to work with Self-Storage Promotions because our customers can better leverage the power of our SiteLink and SiteLink Web Edition. In the growing storage industry, it’s ever more important for owners to set their stores apart from the competition. Jennifer LeClaire’s unique insight funnels traffic to our clients’ stores and
Web sites. Combined with SiteLink’s ability to let tenants manage their account, reserve units, and pay online, Self-Storage Promotions is a win-win combination for our clients,” said Marcus Hecker, director of marketing for SMD Software.
LeClaire heads up a team of experienced writers, editors, web developers, PR professionals, marketing specialists, graphic designers, branding gurus, event managers, consultants, market researchers, photographers and video producers who know how to get your message across loud and in any medium and any market.
About SMD Software, Inc.
SMD publishes SiteLink, a turn-key system that pulls together all areas of your storage operation. Clients choose either the pc-based SiteLink or web-based SiteLink Web Edition. SiteLink is full-featured: you can use it to manage self-storage, mobile storage, and other rental properties. SiteLink integrates leading security systems, handles automatic credit card billing, interfaces to accounting software such as QuickBooks, Peachtree, Solomon, and automatically prints leases and letters for every occasion. For more information, please visit www.smdsoftware.com or call 919.865.0789.
About Self Storage Promotions
A division of Revelation Media Networks, Self Storage Promotions is the industry’s only integrated marketing communications firm. Whether you need a quick press release, a complex web site, grand opening event management, or some other promotional service, consider Self Storage Promotions your one-stop shop for strategic solutions that bring results. For more information, visit www.selfstoragepromotions.com.
About Revelation Media Networks, Inc.
Revelation Media Networks is an integrated marketing communications firm based in Hallandale Beach, Fla. Its One2One Communications model lets clients exchange the frustration of over-priced, ineffective communications programs for the benefits of an integrated effort that keeps the phones ringing. The company provides what is has dubbed Conversion Content strategies designed to turn prospects into customers for its clients. For more information, visit www.revmedianet.com.
January 18th, 2007
It’s stories like this one you hate to see:
“Concerned that too few properties are left for professional office or light industrial development, the Simi Valley City Council slapped an urgency moratorium on self-storage facilities applications,” reported the Ventura County Star, a California newspaper.
The decision echoes the council’s goal of balancing the housing-to-jobs ratio, and self-storage takes up a lot of usable land but employs few, the paper reported. The conclusion: self-storage is overbuilt in the area.
The council is expected to revisit the issue before the 45-day moratorium ends. The temporary ban could be extended up to two years.
Stories like this cry for developers to use smart site selection strategies so that cities don’t put the “overbuilt” stamp on the next project. Stories like this also cry for community relations. If self-storage was viewed as an asset rather than a hindrance, the city may have a different attitude.
There’s no getting around the fact that self-storage doesn’t create as many jobs as some other business types, but being a good corporate citizen can pay dividends. We all have a responsibility to do our part toward keeping a positive image for self-storage.
Click here to read the original newspaper story.
January 15th, 2007
The Suburban Journals published a story about Hahs Real Estate Group permission to renovate a Kmart site in Bellefontaine, Missouri to a self-storage facility. This is sure to be a great conversion and illustrate to the community the multiple benefits of self-storage.
What struck me, though, is that an architect was interviewed, the mayor was interviewed, the city attorney was interviewed, a ward alderman was interviewed, but the actual developer does not have a voice in the article. It could be that the reporter didn’t try to contact him. It could be that the developer was unavailable. There could be any one of several reasons.
The bottom line is this: it would have been more beneficial to the developer to chime in on his plans, rather than having the city attorney give a brief of the deal. It will be important as the project develops that the developer have a voice in the local media so he can connect with the community and shape the story he wants told.
Press releases announcing project plans, ground breakings and the like can help make sure this developer gets a voice. Dealing with the media takes a bit of savvy. You don’t want to inundaute editors or give them foolish leads or they won’t respect you.
But listen up developers: If you are working on a project, let the media know. Don’t wait for the city reporter to find out at a town meeting. Get proactive and shape the story early and guide it through. You’ll be glad you did.
Click here to read the rest of the original piece about this strategic conversion by Hahs Real Estate Group.
January 11th, 2007
Big Yellow is known for its big brand. The firm just hooked up with a new creative agency, though, to handle its account. It will be interesting to see what the new firm can do that the old one didn’t. In any case, Big Yellow is on top of its game. Are you?
Whether you hire a new creative agency, stick with the one you’ve got, or do your own self-storage promotions, you can take a crayon from Big Yellow’s box. In other words, you need to mix it up. Sure, if it “ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is often a good rule of thumb. But sometimes you don’t know how poorly something is performing until you get a new one. (Remember that old Chevy?)
If your marketing campaigns are working well for you, then you may be able to glide through the year with the same old, same old. On the other hand, may need to do what Big Yellow did and get some new ideas into your campaigns.
If you haven’t already, measure the performance of last year’s campaigns to see what worked and what flopped. Look for opportunities to do something different. Where is there room for improvement?. That could be as simple as revamping your Yellow Pages ad or as dramatic as changing the name of your facility altogether. It could be as quick as getting new fliers printed with a fresh slogan or as complicated as extensive as launching a multi-channel strategy that includes online initiatives.
The point is, you need to find ways to get out of some of the boxes you are in. Don’t get too comfortable in 2007. Get your box cutter and let some light and air into your marketing.
Click here to read about Big Yellow’s new creative agency.
January 10th, 2007
“For many people, the answer is a self-storage facility. YOU’VE GOT STUFF, too much stuff to fit in the garage. So where should it go?”
This is the opening quip of a recent article in Inside Bay Area. You’ve got to love it. The newspaper is doing our work for us to let people know that when there is death, divorce, or some other transition, that self-storage can come to the rescue.
This is not a new concept, but this article, which also offers tips on how to select the appropriate facility, is proof positive that consumers still need education regarding self-storage. This article offers some reputable voices in the industry… but it could have been you and your facility just as easily.
A web presence, an active media relations campaign, and something to say can get your name in the local paper again and again. A little can truly carry you a long way — and it’s good for the entire industry.
Click here to read the rest of the story in Inside Bay Area.
January 8th, 2007
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