Like it or not, online tools must be a part of the equation in modern self-storage operation. You can do business without them, but you'll be a competitive disadvantage if you do. Thankfully, there are experts like Mario Feghali, co-founder and chief operating officer of SpareFoot.com, to help self-storage operators understand their options and choose the tools that will work best for their business.

At the ISS Expo in Tacoma, Wash., Feghali taught a seminar about attracting new tenants via the Web, highlighting ways facility operators can drive online business. Here, on the show floor, he and his team spoke with attendees about the benefits of the company’s online marketplace and offerings such as GeoPages.