Produce a Marketing Plan

By Pamela Alton

Its already time to think about your marketing plan for2005. With new facilities being built almost daily, competition for tenants willsurely play a major role in maintaining or increasing occupancy levels at somefacilities. What is your plan to achieve these goals? By designing acost-effective program now, you can achieve the results you need.

The term marketing has been a buzzword in this industryfor years. It refers to the advertising and selling of goods and servicesinour case, self-storage units. Although the idea of marketing has becomecommonplace, the execution requires effort. It is a long-term proposition andrequires a strong commitment of time, energy and expense to be successful.

Create a Plan

The first logical step is to set up a marketing plan. Withouta plan, you plan to fail! Those who fail to develop a strategy will be onlyreactive to the marketplace and end up spending more to advertise in costly,one-time media promotions. Prepare a proposal for the upcoming year, and you candetermine in advance what money will be spent and set your expectationsaccordingly.

To design an effective marketing program, you need to beginwith a goal. Do you want more commercial tenants? Do you have a certain unitsize you need to promote and rent? No matter the objective, it is usuallyobtainable through hard work, commitment and, of course, sufficient funds.

Next, you need to research the cost for the type of marketingyou want to use. Get quotes from several vendors and compare the services theyprovide. Once you have done this, you will have a good idea what your annualbudget for outside marketing will be. Keep in mind those times when advertisingoutlets will offer deals that can work to your advantage, for example, the offerof a discount to renew your Yellow Pages ad.

Once youve gathered all your information and sketched out areasonable budget, you want to identify a daily, weekly and monthly program tokeep you focused on what you need and want to do. Schedule your monthly shoeleather marketing (off-site marketing, such as visiting other facilities orbusinesses in the area) for when you know your site is least likely to be busybecause of a rental due date or the distribution of late letters.

Many national self-storage companies employ a director ofmarketing to help with their plans. Some hire outside professionals such as anadvertising agent to assist in the design and preparation of brochures and mediaand print materials. You only have one chance to make a first impression, soeven if you are a smaller owner, you should have professional-lookingliterature. And remember that everything you use to market your facility shouldcontain your facility name, address and telephone number along with a mapshowing the site in relation to something people in the area would recognize.

Making Friends

Successful marketing also involves establishing relationshipswithin the community. Being friendly with managers at local apartment complexes,mobile-home parks, retirement homes, marinas, colleges, military bases and realestate offi ces is a fantastic way to earn residential referrals. Making regularvisits to businesses in your area can win you essential commercial tenants.

Commercial storage could make up more than 50 percent of yourclientele. Business customers are usually good paying tenants and seem to storelonger than residential users. Besides the normal avenues of advertising, youcan do several things to attract businesses customers. Consider mailing a flier or postcard promoting storage forrecords or excess office items and inventory to accountants, doctors/dentists,retail stores, attorneys, hospitals, computer companies, restaurants, etc. They are likely to use your smaller 5-by-5 and 10-by-10 units.You can also target local electricians, landscapers, plumbers, handymen,contractors or construction companies. They will use your larger 10-by-15,10-by-20 or 10-by-30 units.

After your initial contact with a referral or commercialprospect, follow up regularly. Continual contact is part of a successful marketing program.When you make follow-up visits, have a reason, such as replacing fliers youhave stacked on a counter or filling the candy dish you provided (which, ofcourse, has your facility name on it!).

Finally, consider using promotional items and incentives.These could be free gifts in the form of magnets, pens, key chains, letteropeners, etc. They can also be used for trade fairs, door-to-door sales, chamberof commerce mailings and welcome wagon gifts. They can cost as little as 25 cents a piece or as much as $5an item. The important thing is to keep your facility name fresh in the minds ofprospective customers.

Consistency Is Key

Marketing is a program of consistency, especially when itcomes to flier or postcard distribution. You cannot do it once and expect a return. If you keep yourface and name in the public eye, when people need storage, you will be the onethey call.

Create a marketing checklist to keep you focused. Include thenames, addresses and phone number of your contacts, when you saw them, whatmarketing tactic you used, and when you need to follow up with them again. Whensomeone does rent from you, find out how they heard about your facility. Tracking your marketing efforts is extremely important. Youneed to know which ones are working and which you can do without.

Pamela Alton is the owner of Mini-Management, a nationwidemanager-placement service. Mini-Management also offers full-service and operationsonly facility management, training manuals, inspections and audits,feasibility studies, consulting and training seminars. For more information,call 800.646.4648.