If you build it, they will come - but only if you put in the work!
Whether you are getting ready to open your brand-new storage facility or looking to increase occupancy at an existing one, there’s some work you’re going to have to put in. If you’re doing this all on top of learning how to run a self storage facility, the effort it takes will grow exponentially!
Luckily, you have a lot of other businesses to learn from. So why reinvent the wheel?
Successful storage facilities follow the same consistent techniques that are proven to work, and so should you.
Here are five sure-fire self storage marketing strategies to help you increase occupancy at your self storage facility. Stick around for number five—it’s my favorite!
Did you know that the age of your website is a ranking factor on Google?
There is a sweet spot to launching your storage website that falls somewhere in the months before you open your facility. Depending on your market, somewhere in the two-to-three-month range is ideal.
By doing this, you accomplish two things:
While some people choose to have their website fully active so they can tweak it as needed, others find the excitement of a “coming soon” launch page helps them gauge consumer interest and get early sign-ups.
If you do this right and allow reservations, you might even have some occupancy on opening day!
Many people know they are going to need a storage unit before they actually need it, and they will begin calling around or researching facilities in the month or so leading up to the date.
If you say, “Sorry, we aren’t open,” you may lose future business.
Well, not allowing reservations on your coming-soon website is the website equivalent of saying, “Sorry, we aren’t open.” You’re going to lose potential customers.
Let folks know when your grand opening is on your website, and allow them to make reservations in case they’re shopping ahead and your opening dates still work for them.
We all get excited about our fancy new toys, right? We want to show them off and excitedly talk everyone’s heads off about them.
This is fine when you just got a new boat or a cool tool or game. When it comes to marketing your business to customers, you need to take a more refined approach.
If you want to sell your new self storage facility to customers, here’s how to refine your messaging:
Once you know what you have that customers want, you really need to land that final point: speaking about it in a way they care about and understand.
For example, if you offer smart units and your customers are very security-conscious, this is a win! But only if you explain that your units offer “state-of-the-art security,” which they will appreciate more than “smart units.”
The days of a storage business flourishing without online rentals are in the past.
If you want to succeed in the modern storage industry, having the ability for customers to rent a unit on your website is critical.
This not only helps increase traffic and business, but it saves you time and money by eliminating the need for a customer to be handled by you or your manager.
You can have your web developer use your self storage management software's API to rent units in real time!
Pug Pro Tip: To a customer, the act of choosing a unit and a move-in date is essentially the act of renting a unit. While we have more specific terms in the industry—rental, reservation, and so on—customers don’t usually know the distinction.
You want to make sure you have SOME way for customers to choose from available units online, even if it still requires them to come into an office to finish the process.
I said it at the beginning, but this one is my favorite.
Why?
Because well-operated referral programs are something more small-to-mid-size operators can do to set themselves apart from the major players. It’s also something that a great manager can do to elevate their own value.
Referral programs can help you increase storage facility occupancy much faster.
Also, this part is important: Don’t limit referrals to only current customers. Allow ANYONE to refer a customer. What does it matter who it was as long as the new customer ends up renting for the required amount of time?
Here are some ideas for setting up a successful self storage referral program:
Remember: Set up your referrals so that the new customer must rent for long enough to make the money you paid worthwhile.
So long as you do this, a referral program is an incredibly cost-effective way to get new customers!
Let’s recap:
How can you increase occupancy at your self storage facility?
The extra couple of hours you put into the right marketing strategies to increase occupancy at your storage facility today will pay off exponentially later when your units are full.
Then, you can increase your rates and start the process over as needed to grow and improve your self storage business!
To read more about running a self storage facility, check out these posts:
StoragePug is a modern marketing company for self storage. We create intelligent marketing websites that allow you to rent units & take payments through your facilities' website.
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