Ah, the Internet ...These days, it’s all about the Web. Without a virtual presence, your business pretty much grinds to a standstill.
 
The concept of a universal means to promote your product is not new. Shakespeare managed to get endorsed by Elizabeth I, and his plays became the “in” social event of 16th century London. Leap forward to the 21st Century, and Inside Self-Storage is making major inroads into the virtual world. Not only can industry members gain valuable knowledge from the ISS website, but industry members can chat back and in our forum Self-Storage Talk, attend a webinar on a specific topic, or participate in a class at the Self-Storage Training Institute.
 
Still, as much as this ubiquitous vehicle is in our lives, it is often a baffler how to best use it. I came across this bit of info the other day from AllBusiness.com: “Top 10 Business Web Site Mistakes." Some of the suggestions are common sense, such as not using your cousin Charlie, who has logged a billion hours playing World of Warcraft, to design your website. Other tidbits may not be as well known, however, such as choosing an appropriate domain name. Who would rent from Leavenworthprisonselfstorage.com, even though it sounds extremely secure?
 
I came across another pointer on Marketing.com. There are several good suggestions there. And the Small Business Bible offers multiple links to web-design information for everything from corporations to dentists. ISS even has an entire category in its Buyer’s Guide for web-design firms.
 
These sites and probably a dozen others remind me of one thing: Do your homework and find a professional. For those who are thinking of launching your first website for your small, uberfriendly, neighborhood self-storage business, there is a wealth of help out there—on the Internet of course.

Now, once you are launched, break out that bottle of champagne and strike the bow. And if you have any website-launching stories you’d like to share, click on the "leave a comment" button below.

Last week, I took respite from the desk and computer and traveled to Springfield, Mass., for the Greater Northeastern Tradeshow hosted by the Massachusetts Self Storage Association. It was a short drive and a short stay, but I left with the same feeling I leave with after every self-storage conference: This is a great industry!
 
The conference brought together some new and old acquaintances for educational opportunities. But my favorite part is chatting with people who stand behind the counter and behind the scenes—the vendors and owner/managers who are all in the trenches making self-storage work, technically, organizationally and, best of all, hospitably. During this specific tradeshow, I caught up with friends at Deans & Homer, Mako Steel and DBCI. I learned about one attendee’s transition from an excavator to a self-storage developer, and a New York woman’s journey from turning a proposed mobile-home park into self-storage units.
 
If you feel like you’re in this business alone, consider venturing out and experiencing the camaraderie of the self-storage community. Contact your state and regional associations and begin to branch out, make friends, share ideas. It’s good for business and peace of mind.
 
The Inside Self-Storage website keeps a running list of upcoming industry events produced by individual associations. Each listing also provides links to the associations directly, so you can begin networking within your region immediately. Finally, for the a real taste of true self-storage hospitality, Southern style, head for the ISS Expo in Nashville, Oct. 7-10. Hope to see you and many others there!

There may be no free lunch, but there are some freebies in life—if you’re willing to do a little work to get them. Case in point: a new book, Street-Smart Advertising: How to Win the Battle of the Buzz by Margo Berman, shows you how to use today’s online resources for your marketing. In an article in the South Florida Business Journal, Berman gives examples, such as keeping a blog on your website, e-mailing customers regularly or even writing for others on the Web. Berman’s website also has samples of clever marketing campaigns.
 
The key to any marketing, she says, is to be remembered. How do you do that? By engaging your audience, Berman says. Here are some other good articles on marketing from the ISS archives: 

• Marketing through Community
• Building Brand Recognition
• Marketing Must Do’s

If you have an excellent marketing strategy you’d like to share, click on the "leave a comment" button below.