The days in our industry of “build it and they will come” are a thing of the past. Successful self storage facilities today must be proactively marketed to businesses and individuals. A written marketing plan, designed to get you and keep you at targeted occupancy levels, is prepared for each AAAA facility and updated, at least, annually. Execution of this plan is monitored monthly by the appropriate District Manager.
One of the critical elements common to all AAAA marketing strategies is ensuring the Facility Managers are well trained in the art of selling. This includes making introductory in-person calls to business owners, having well honed phone sales skills, knowing how to identify centers of influence for referrals and projecting a professional image of themselves and their facility. Each Facility Manager must make in-person visits to businesses each week and document same for review with their District Manager. Additionally, we measure the phone sales skills of each manager regularly through the use of a third party mystery shopping service. The results of this evaluation and an audiotape of the shop are supplied to the District Manager for review and coaching.
We also gather a wealth of data on our customers as well as our walk-in and drive by prospects. This data aids us in determining personal characteristics (zip code, homeowner/renter, duration of tenancy, etc.) and market penetration and can reveal neighborhoods and tracts worthy of mailing and canvassing. We also take a dominant and visible position in the Yellow Pages directory.