Update 4/4/17 – For the tenth year, Westy Self Storage of Chatham, N.J., is supporting Summit College Club’s book drive by providing storage and acting as a drop-off site. Donations of gently used softcover and hardcover books as well as DVDs can be dropped off at 13 River Road through April 12. The items will be sold at a book sale, April 25-30, at the American Legion Hall in New Providence, N.J.

“Westy’s assistance by providing a drop-off location and secure storage is invaluable to us, especially financially, thus enabling us to award five scholarships last year,” said Lynne Rogerson, chairwoman of the Summit College Club Book Sale Committee. “The team at Westy in Chatham is friendly, helpful and a pleasure to work with. We thank Westy for being a great organization that gives back to the community.”

“We are pleased to be able to again assist the Summit College Club’s book drive,” said Tim Mincin, Westy’s district director. “We value the importance of education, and it gives us great satisfaction to assist such a deserving cause.”

---

3/5/2015 – Westy Self Storage of Chatham, N.J., will once again provide storage and act as a drop-off site for this year’s Summit College Club book drive, which runs through April 8. It’s the eighth year the self-storage operator has participated in the campaign. The donated items will be sold during the college’s book sale, April 21-26, at The American Legion Hall.

"Our book sale would not be possible without the help of so many volunteers especially Westy Self Storage," said Anita Meritt, chairman of the Summit College Club Book Sale Committee.

---

3/7/2013 – Now through April 2, Westy Self Storage in Chatham, N.J., is serving as a donation-collection site for the Summit College Club annual book sale, providing free use of a storage unit for related donations. The book sale itself, April 16-21, will raise funds to provide scholarships to high school girls and women pursuing graduate-level studies. It will be held at  The American Legion Hall, 357 Elkwood Ave., in New Providence, N.J.  

All donated books must be in good condition and packed in flat, stackable containers. DVDs will also be accepted. Donations can be dropped off at Westy Self Storage, 15 River Road, during operating hours: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The Summit College Club is a branch of the American Association of University Women, a national network of members dedicated to helping women and girls reach their full potential. The organization launched the first book sale in 1934.

Founded in 1990, Westy Self Storage is headquartered in Stamford, Conn. The company's portfolio of facilities span the tri-state area of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York.

Real estate company Avest LP has promoted Kenzi Hurless to human resources director for its Stor-It Self Storage division. Hurless will continue as executive assistant to the CEO as well as oversee the payroll and accounts-payable department.

Hurless began working for the company as an office assistant when she was a teenager. She was promoted to site manager after graduation. Additional positions she’s held with the company include site coordinator, supervisor of 15 Stor-It facilities, assistant human resources director and executive assistant.

Hurless earned a bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Phoenix in November.

Avest is the parent company for Avest Commercial Property Management LLC, a real estate company servicing Boise, Idaho, and surrounding communities for more than 40 years.

Stor-It operates 14 facilities in Boise, Caldwell, McCall, Meridian and Nampa, Idaho. The company is family-owned and -operated.

Pre-registration discounts for the 2017 Inside Self-Storage World Expo will expire on April 9. The event will take place at the Paris Hotel & Resort in Las Vegas, April 11-13. The pre-registration rates allow attendees to save $200 on the All-Access Pass, $80 on the Seminar-Track Package and $25 on the Expo-Only Package. Buyers can also save $95 on each of seven add-on workshops.

The Expo-Only Package includes access to the:

• Expo hall, featuring nearly 200 exhibits
• Attendee Welcome & Orientation
• Self-Storage Q&A
• Self-Storage Legal Q&A
• Evening cocktail reception
• Roundtable discussions
• Vendor presentations
• Buyers & Sellers Meeting
• International Program
• Sessions in Spanish
• Nevada Self-Storage Sales Seminar

The Seminar-Track Package includes everything above as well as access to all 10 education tracks, which include 45 seminars. The All-Access Pass provides access to all show offerings, including all the workshops. This year's workshop options are:

• Development Workshop
• Legal Workshop: A Primer
• Legal Learning Live Workshop
• Management Workshop
• Marketing Workshop
• Owner/Operator Executive Workshop
• Sales-Skills Workshop

To take advantage of pre-registration pricing, attendees must register by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, April 9. Registration can be completed at www.issworldexpo.com.

Now in its 26th year, the ISS Expo is created for self-storage owners, managers, developers, investors and suppliers. The event is the industry’s largest conference and tradeshow, comprising four days of education, product and service exhibits, and networking opportunities.

If you aren’t advertising your self-storage business on social media, you’re missing customers. Social media closes twice as many leads as outbound marketing, often at a fraction of the cost, according to HubSpot, an inbound marketing and sales platform. E-business online guide eBizMBA further states that with more than 1.7 billion active users, Facebook is the most popular social platform. It attracts people of all age groups and income levels who use the site not only to connect with friends and family but to find products and services.

Best of all, Facebook is easy to use for business purposes. Setting up and maintaining a page is a cinch, as is analyzing the customers who find and engage with it. Here are five ways you can get on the path to marketing success on this social media platform.

1. Be There

Just the fact that you have a good-looking, useful, active page on Facebook will make your company stand out from the rest. It’ll also demonstrate your professionalism and pride in the services you offer to your community.

There’s an immense marketing impact on Facebook. The world is mobile now, and a phone or other favorite device is often the first place people look for products and services in their micro-moment of need. If you’ve built your Facebook business page correctly, it’ll come up in searches, targeted to people looking for storage in your area. Your contact information and a link to your website will be front and center, as will a description of your business and services, with appealing photos and content that convert casual lookers to leads.

As you gather “likes,” you’ll prove that you’re meeting customers’ needs. And Facebook makes it easy for fans to share your page with their own friends who might be moving to town, downsizing or going through some other life transition that calls for self-storage.

When you post appealing content on your page—events, tips, contests and news—visitors will interact with that, too. This could also entice Facebook to place your future content in their news feeds, reminding them you’re there to help when they need it. If that’s not enough, Facebook’s analytics tools will allow you to analyze your customers and their interests, offering insight about who tends to choose your business and why. All it takes at the most basic level is that initial page setup and a bit of care and feeding.

2. Power Up Your Page

When you first set up a Facebook business page, you’ll have a choice to make. Since self-storage decisions tend to be local, it’s likely you’ll want to choose the local-business option over the standard business page. This will allow you to enter an address so Facebook can geo-target your page to customers near you.

If your business has multiple locations, your simplest and best option is to create a customized page for each, with photos and content related to every location. Facebook does have a streamlined solution for big businesses with multiple locations, but there are pros and cons.

Here’s how it works: Once you request location access for your page via Facebook’s help site, you’re then allowed to create a parent page for your company with multiple “child” pages for its various locations. This makes it easier to keep branding and content consistent, but harder for local managers to update their own pages. It also makes it more difficult to analyze the performance and customers of specific locations. Add the fact that the content you publish on your main page won’t migrate automatically to the location pages, and the upside dwindles.

Whatever you choose, fill out the page forms thoroughly. Facebook makes it easy, requesting a description of your business, an inspiring cover photo, your contact info and website, and your physical address for geographic customer targeting as well as category tags that will ensure the page comes up in relevant searches.

Here are some quick tips to keep in mind:

• Make your cover photo pop. Put your facility front and center, photographed in good lighting. Be aware that on mobile, the sides of your long cover photo will be cropped.
• Mention other locations. Use your main description to tell what you offer, and then mention your other locations.
• Publish a few posts. Before you start inviting friends and contacts to like your page, create some content to bring it to life. See below for content ideas.
• Put the Facebook widget on your Web page. There’s an easy plugin that lets you embed your Facebook page on your website so visitors don’t have to leave the site to see or like it.

3. Keep the Content Coming

Regularly post to your page. Your posts will show up in your fans’ news feeds, keeping them loyal and engaged, and encourage them to share. Most important, though, fresh content shows newcomers you’re active, engaged and enthusiastic.

Try not to let a week go by without posting something new. Bear in mind that posts with photos attract two to three times more attention than posts without them. Here are some content ideas that will keep your site fresh and your visitors engaged:

• Contests: These build interactivity, which Facebook loves and rewards. The contest prize could be a free month’s rental or a discount.
• News and milestones: Have you added a facility or served your 10,000th customer? Let people know and include a photo. You could also remind folks about an existing product or service they might not know about.
• Local info and events: Show you’re part of the community and offer recommendations on local moving companies or other businesses. Consider sponsoring local events and raise awareness by creating a Facebook events page.
• Tips: List tips on moving, packing and organizing.

Finally, the platform makes it easy to see what’s working and what isn’t. You can use Facebook Insights to glean helpful feedback. It provides information about your page's performance, including demographic data about your audience and how people are responding to your posts.

4. Stay Engaged

Now that you have a strong Facebook presence, you can expect customers to engage. You need to do the same. Customers might use the message feature to ask questions directly. They’ll also post public comments on your page and individual posts. The negative ones are especially important to answer and possibly take offline to resolve. Here are a few pointers for handling complaints:

• Display empathy. People want to know they’re heard and have their feelings validated.
• Reply just twice. Most experts warn against replying more than twice in a back-and-forth exchange.
• Then go direct. It’s important to answer publicly, at least at first. This lets other customers know you care. But then it’s time to use Facebook’s personal-message feature and take the conversation offline.

5. Consider Paid Ads and Boosts

We’ve established that your customers are on Facebook. To reach more of them, consider paid advertising. Facebook allows you to target customers by age, interests, location, user behavior and more. It also has excellent tools for tracking clicks, conversions and success.

The social media platform has three main spots for ads. The traditional option is ad units in the right-hand column. The second is ads that look like organic Facebook posts and go in the news feed, which is pricier but gets more clicks. The third is the Facebook Audience Network or in-app advertising.

Keep these things in mind when considering paid ads:

• Target your ads. You can do this by country, state, ZIP code or even the area around your business. You can also target customers by what they do, such as shopping behavior or house-hunting.
• Be visual. Every ad should have an appealing image that fits the format and shows people exactly what they’ll get.
• Be relevant. The ad should fit the needs and interests of the target audience.
• Be valuable. Benefits are a must.
• Have a clear call to action. Viewers should know exactly what to do next, for example, “Click to learn more, receive a discount, schedule a tour, etc.”

Another option on Facebook is to “boost” your posts, which in effect turns them into ads. They appear in the same places as a normal ad, but with a boosted post, the creative is already done—it’s the post!

There are a number of other great options for paid ads on Facebook. Explore the advertising tools for more, or enlist the help of a digital-marketing company that specializes in effective online marketing.

Christine Munther is director of client success at G5, a digital-marketing provider in the real estate sector and a premier Google partner. She has four years of digital-marketing experience in the self-storage industry. For more information, call 800.554.1965; visit www.getg5.com.

Update 4/3/17 – The Miami, Fla., City Commission has passed an ordinance that requires a minimum 2,500-foot distance between self-storage facilities in any direction. Not having any distance requirements for self-storage in the zoning code wound up “adversely impacting” the surrounding community, per the measure. The zoning change also addresses facility design and adds the retail requirement to the ground floor, the source reported.

Officials decided to enact the requirement partially due to steady demand for storage coinciding with growing population density, according to the source.

In referring to architectural style, the ordinance says facility design “should be in a manner that is in keeping with the character and scale of the surrounding area.” Officials indicated the requirement to have retail on the ground floor, with at least half of the space leased to an unrelated business, was done to promote more public activity on self-storage properties.

The report didn’t indicate when the new ordinance goes into effect.

South Florida has had a surge in self-storage development in the last year. Elsewhere in the state, commissioners in Collier County have placed a year-long ban on self-storage and several other land uses along a seven-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 41, near the Naples, Fla., city limit.

---

11/7/16 – An increase in self-storage development in Miami has prompted officials to try to limit future projects by changing the city’s zoning ordinance. The planning, zoning and appeals (PZA) board last week kicked back an ordinance proposal, directing staff to analyze the feasibility of setting more stringent distance requirements between storage facilities and single-family homes, according to the source.

Under current guidelines, self-storage is allowed in industrial zones as well as two designated zoning areas (T5-O and T6-O) for commercial buildings with residential and retail uses. In 2010, the city passed Miami 21, a measure that removed a stipulation requiring 2,500 feet between self-storage facilities. Since its removal, the city has received 20 storage-project applications. Four of those have been built, and 10 are under construction, the source reported.

“Nothing takes away from the city more and adds so little as these buildings,” PZA board member Adam Gersten said during a meeting last Wednesday.

The ordinance change presented by city planner Joseph Eisenberg would require 2,500 feet between self-storage developments in T5-O and T6-O areas. Such an enactment would eliminate developers’ ability to receive a variance. In addition, projects in those two zones would have to have retail on the ground floor, with at least half of the space leased to an unrelated business, according to the source.

Eisenberg called the proposed change a “first step” and told PZA members the plan is intended to discourage self-storage from T5-O and T6-O areas and funnel projects to industrial areas. The PZA board determined the plan didn’t go far enough and asked staff to determine the possibility of stricter distance requirements. PZA member Jennifer Barnes suggested self-storage be prevented within 500 feet of an area zoned for single-family homes. Staff will also examine increasing the T5-O and T6-O distance requirement from 2,500 feet, the source reported.

The PZA board will address self-storage zoning again during its Dec. 7 meeting. The Miami City Commission is expected to vote on zoning changes affecting self-storage by January.

A company by the name 3302 Petty LLC is building a new self-storage in Durham, N.C. The property at 3302 Petty Road will be managed by self-storage real estate investment trust CubeSmart and branded under its name. The builder purchased the property last July for $425,000, according to the source.

Expected to be complete by the end of the year, the four-story facility will comprise 67,000 square feet of storage space in 785 climate-controlled units. The site is adjacent to the Rooms To Go furniture store on Durham-Chapel Hill Boulevard.

JLL Capital Markets, a commercial real estate and finance firm, is overseeing the construction, the source reported. Charlotte, N.C.-based Overcash Demmit Architects is the architect. Edifice Inc., also in Charlotte, is the general contractor.

According to public records, 3302 Petty is based in Charlotte, N.C. Its agent is Joe F. Teague of Charlotte, N.C., who filed the company with the North Carolina Secretary of State in February 2016.

CubeSmart owns or manages 827 self-storage facilities across the United States. Its operating portfolio comprises more than 52 million square feet of storage space.

 

Self-storage real estate investment trust Life Storage Inc. played an April Fools’ Day prank last week when it promoted the launch of a fictional product line called “She Sheds.” Aimed at female customers, the sheds were said to be decked-out units for a “discreet and luxurious escape from the perils of motherhood,” according to a bogus press release published on PRWeb. The company claimed it would be testing the new product in select markets this summer.

According to the release, the specialized 10-by-20-foot units would be outfitted with decorative lighting, a couch, carpeting, a flat-screen TV and hardwood floors. It would also be protected with an “impenetrable security system” and designed to be “untraceable, keeping unwanted distractions out while providing a calm, serene atmosphere within.” It was said to be priced at $99 per month, with upgrades like high-speed Internet access, a Netflix membership and masseuse visits available for an additional fee.

Life Storage encouraged women to share their personal “wish list” on the company’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts using the hashtag #ThatsWhatSheShed. The company said it would consider the suggestions for future product enhancements.

A link at the end of the release opened to Web page containing a video in which a harried mom talked about man caves and the search for a space of her own, after which she showed off her very own “She Shed” and all of its amenities. Further down the page, readers saw the message, “April Fools!” Life Storage did, however, invite its customers to “get in on the prank” by sharing the page with a friend.

Based in Buffalo, N.Y., Life Storage operates 650 self-storage facilities in 29 states, under the Life Storage and Uncle Bob's Self Storage brand names. Its portfolio of owned and managed facilities comprises about 45 million square feet.

The next time you’re driving down the highway, take note of how many RVs and boats you see cruising alongside you. Chances are, it’s a lot more than you would’ve seen just a few years ago. Like the self-storage industry, the RV and boat business is booming. Fortunately for storage owners, the two are a match made in heaven. After all, those drivers need somewhere to park their vehicles when they’re not out on the road or water.

Adding boat/RV storage to your self-storage facility will position your property as a solution for these vehicle owners. In addition to offering space to this unique market, you can generate even more revenue through extra services and products. Here’s how to capitalize on RV/boat storage to make your business more profitable than ever.

Building the Space

If you’ve seen how much money goes into acquiring and maintaining a boat or RV, it’s natural to assume that designing storage for these vehicles will come at a steep price, but it doesn’t have to. You can maximize profit by keeping overhead as low as possible.

At its most basic, boat/RV storage is essentially a parking lot with spaces available for rent. If you have extra land you can pave, this is a relatively inexpensive renovation that will guarantee a big return on investment. If you want to take it a step further, offer covered outdoor storage. This typically looks like a stall with a roof and two or three sides. The most luxurious vehicle-storage option calls for installing enclosed units with individual alarms, locks and roll-up doors.

When deciding which option is going to make the most money, it’s natural to assume the least expensive choice is the right one. Given how sparse the availability of RV/boat storage is in most markets, this might be correct. In fact, in areas where storage availability is low, many tenants are willing to pay for their spots year-round, even if they spend most of the year on the road.

That being said, take the time to assess your market. If it’s saturated with RV/boat storage, offering a better solution than the competition will increase your occupancy. If your business is in an area with a lot of luxury vehicles, it’s likely these owners will be on board with spending extra for covered or enclosed units, allowing you to make considerable profit by building and renting them.

Offering Amenities and Services

There are a number of valuable services you can offer to RV/boat owners, either for a fee, as a justification for higher rent, or showcased as part of your marketing program. For example, a vehicle-wash bay will be a welcome sight to tenants who’ve just spent time on the long and dusty road. Similar services include propane sales, or air and water stations.

One service that can generate extra revenue at no cost is 24-hour access. Many RV/boat owners are eager to get an early start and beat the traffic or would love to come home late from a weekend of camping but are unable because of strict facility hours. You’ll be surprised by how many tenants are willing to pay extra for the luxury of coming and going as they please.

Additional services you can offer at an extra cost include printing and faxing services (great for those on the road), concierge or shuttle service, and electricity and lighting in units. Some operators even partner with local mechanics to provide vehicle maintenance to tenants.

You should also offer some free amenities, such as a clubhouse with restrooms, or complimentary ice and water. While you can make extra money by charging for most services, it’s important to remember your greatest source of profit will be customer loyalty. RV/boat storage is one of the more expensive types of storage, so if your facility is in great shape and your service is excellent, your spaces will remain occupied.

Selling Related Products

RVs and boats require a lot of upkeep. You can save your tenants a trip to the store by selling them essential products, such as RV antifreeze, vehicle covers, compressed air, fifth-wheel locks and cleaning supplies. These items can help them winterize their vehicles for off-season storage or spruce them up once spring rolls around. You can also sell bug repellent, coolers, sunscreen, snacks and other items that might come in handy on a camping, fishing or road trip.

If you’re unsure which products to sell, familiarize yourself with topics like the process of winterizing an RV or boat, basic vehicle maintenance, and desirable RV/boat upgrades. Knowing this will not only maximize your retail profit but will allow customers to see you as an authority on RV/boat storage. This, in turn, will make them more likely to continue giving you their business.

Targeting Customers

If you’ve never offered RV or boat storage before or you’re planning to introduce new services like 24-hour access, a vehicle wash station or an onsite retail outlet, make sure your new and existing customers know about it. Advertise specific features by using signage outside of your facility, and share photos and information on your facility website and social media channels. Consider offering specials to customers who find out about your facility online, especially if the off-season is approaching.

Whatever type of storage you choose to offer, and whatever additional services and products you tap into to generate revenue, you can rest assured you’ll be offering a highly coveted service to your tenants. RV/boat storage is in serious demand, so get ahead of the game by providing it first and doing it better. Your customers will consider you their one-stop-shop. As a result, your profit will cruise ahead.

Krista Diamond is a staff writer for StorageFront, which allows self-storage customers to custom search and compare thousands of facilities. She’s a graduate of the University of New Hampshire and lives in Las Vegas. When she isn't writing about storage, she’s climbing mountains in the desert. For more information, visit www.storagefront.com.