Two Australian self-storage companies are looking to brighten the industry this season with the first-ever Christmas-lights competition for storage facilities. CentreforceIT, a provider of self-storage hardware and software, and CallMaximizer, a self-storage call center, are offering local businesses the chance to win more than $4,500 in prizes, just for hanging holiday lights at their properties.
 
The first-place prize in the inaugural competition is six months of free access to the CallMaximizer service, valued at more than $3,000. The runner-up will receive a Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 3050 All-In-One Printer. Theres even a Special Award for best use of LED lights, the prize for which is also an HP printer.
 
When our kids were small, we used to drive around looking at Christmas lights, said Dallas Dogger, CEO of CentreforceIT. We were just one of thousands of families to partake in the drive around suburbs looking for lights. We would get the local paper and tear out the page of [contest] entrants and plan our visits, often over several nights.
 
Last year, Dogger spent Christmas in New York, where he was dazzled by the lights displayed at businesses and shops. Why dont we light up our self-storage facilities? he thought. I cant think of a better, or cheaper, way to highlight your business over a whole month.
 
The companies also encourage facility owners to enter their local lights competitions, conducted in most Australian towns and cities.
 
This is a tremendous opportunity for self-storage facilities to generate free exposure that advertising simply cant buy, and we recommend that all operators get involved, Dogger said. Self-storage may not be the most glamorous industry to be in, but we can easily, and inexpensively, show our community who we are, and that were full of Christmas cheer and goodwill.

The competition is open to all Australian self-storage facilities, and entrants will be judged through the submission of photographs. For details on entering, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.centreforceit.com.au. The CentreforceIT website includes an entry form, inspirational photos and video of light displays, and a list of resources.