A steady drizzle didn’t keep self-storage professional away from the Texas Self Storage Association’s annual convention and tradeshow in Houston this week. Despite the wet conditions on the first day, attendees turned out for education seminars on legal issues, collecting payments, customer service and employee performance. Monday also included roundtable discussions and the tradeshow preview and cocktail reception.

During the reception, I spoke with a number of self-storage managers and owners who expressed concern over falling occupancy rates and the increase in concessions. They were happy to drive from various parts of Texas to learn new sales and marketing strategies, and learn more about lending options.

The second day of the tradeshow brought an increase in traffic. My booth neighbors, David Essman and John Reddick of Sentinel Systems, talked to a number of owners and operators about software and security systems. One storage owner spoke at length about a recent break in at his facility where the perpetrator new where the cameras were located—and how to avoid detection.

I also spoke with several potential investors. One man had just learned about the TSSA show. He said he has a piece of property in a prime location and is considering developing a self-storage facility. While he said he realizes there is plenty to learn about the industry, he was also intrigued by the potential for a successful business venture.

The week wrapped with more educational opportunities, including Ray Wilson of Self Storage Data Services, who hosted a market survey seminar. Overall, the TSSA board did a thorough job of zeroing in on the hot topics in the industry.

Speaking of hot topics, the team responsible for the education program for the Inside Self-Storage World Expo is putting the final touches on the education program for the next show in Las Vegas, March 1-3 at the Paris Hotel and Casino. The education program will include four tracks: Facility Marketing and Promotion; Construction, Development and Green Initiatives; Finance, Insurance and Legal Issues; and Day-to-Day Facility Management. Plus, there will be two days of exhibit hall action, roundtables and add-on incentive workshops. Register today!