Moving Up
When it comes to their work, most people want to do a good job, be recognized for it and, hopefully, rewarded. Most of us have, at one point, experienced the great feeling of being complimented by the boss on a job well done, the inner glow of pride, the satisfaction of ...More
January 1, 2004 David Fleming
Posted in Articles
Four Steps to Marketing Success
No matter how attractive your storage facility, no matter how many brilliant features you offer, without a good marketing system and a plan, your chances for success are minimal. The storage business is a simple business, but it’s not an easy business. The steps are ...More
January 1, 2004 Fred Gleeck
Posted in Articles
TECHNOLOGY: THE LEAST YOU SHOULD KNOW
Technology is more simple and complex than it used to be. This may seem contradictory, but it is true. Software is simpler:It features a graphical user interface (fonts, color, icons, etc.). There has been 30 years of research into what “easy to use” really means. It is ...More
January 1, 2004 Michael Richards
Posted in Articles,
Technology
Perfect Publicity
The self-storage industry has experienced incredible growth in the last decade. This expansion has necessitated more sophisticated marketing and sales/advertising plans for facilities to stay competitive. Without physically and strategically upgrading older, less-refined ...More
January 1, 2004 Anne Ballard
Posted in Articles
The National Market
As we begin the new year, our roundtable of real estate experts discusses the national self-storage market. Let’s hear what they have to say about their respective cities and regions. Joining us in our survey this month are: C. William Barnhill, Omega Properties, Mobile, ...More
January 1, 2004 Michael L. McCune
Posted in Articles
No Party for Pests in the New Year
I have never been a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. My viewpoint is probably colored by the fact I have never been able to keep resolutions beyond the first week of January. In retrospect, my failures were mostly due to trying to immediately give up bad habits I had ...More
January 1, 2004 Ken Berquist
Posted in Articles
Let Your Customers Know
The grand opening of your new facility is only a few weeks away. The building is almost complete and your staff hired. Now it is time to get the message out about your services, and you face some crucial decisions about advertising. Where do you start? There are many ...More
January 1, 2004 Elaine Foxwell
Posted in Articles
Service, Not Servitude
Customer service has been a buzz phrase for several years now and, although many companies claim to excel at it, few actually do. Some companies, on the other hand, take customer service to the extreme, a situation that can easily backfire. Let me share with you an incident ...More
January 1, 2004 John Tschohl
Posted in Articles
Market Up
Throughout the month of November and December, the storage facilty at the end of my street displayed the following message on its changeable frontage sign: “Hide those holiday gifts with us! Half off December rent.” This was good. What was better was the change in sign for ...More
January 1, 2004 Teri L. Lanza
Posted in Articles
AJAY Equipment Corp.
Randy Vander Hill began his career 32 years ago in the industrial-equipment industry when he was just a teen, working weekends and summers for the company that employed his father. In 1983, he launched his own business, Placentia, Calif.-based AJAY Equipment Corp., which ...More
January 1, 2004 Amy Campbell
Posted in Articles
