Texas Self Storage Searches Made Easy

You never know when you may have need for a self storage unit in Texas.  The old saying everything is bigger in Texas holds true when doing a search for self storage, mini storage or mobile storage in Texas as well.  If you do an internet search for self storage in Texas you will get more than 7 million results.  Why would you possibly want 7 million results for self storage in Texas.  Since there are only a few thousand total storage facilities in Texas shouldn't the total relevant results be closer to that number not a number that is more than 2,000 results per actual storage facilty.

USstoragesearch.com is a website that has made find storage in Texas easy.  You can start with a search that is as broad as Texas or as local as your home address.  The site will give you the results you are looking for.  Each storage facility is listed in the city/neighborhood/zip code it actually exists in.  You can compare the facilities and what they offer very easily.  You can print coupons, find unique deals or you can e-mail the facility for a free storage quote.  If you want to take the next step you can reserve a storage unit from the storage facility that you prefer in much the same way you would reserve a hotel room online or by phone.

The website has a call center that operates 24/7 with bilingual storage professionals standing by to help you or you can get in touch with the facility directly through the website.  USstoragesearch.com certainly does make finding Texas self storage easy.  Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth, Galveston and every suburb and neighborhood in between - the site has you covered.

Finding Florida Self Storage

Today more than ever you may be waking up wishing you had a self storage unit to keep all your extra things in.  Having a safe and secure Florida self storage unit is a pretty inexpensive investment that can really give you peace of mind during hard times, like when hurricanes decide to interrupt our otherwise ideal state. 

Hurricane Isaac brushed by most Floridians, but this isn't always the case and now would be a great time to think about how to prepare for future natural disasters and other similar events you have no control over.  Getting a storage unit to keep your valuable extra items in can be very inexpensive.  You can get a smaller unit that will hold as much as a 1 bedroom apartment for less than a dollar a day in most cities.  Some places are a little more expensive but even still the daily cost is so little compared to what you spend daily on say a cup of coffee it might be time to consider the investment into your own secure storage space.

Not only does an event like Isaac help remind us that we may have things we need to protect right now but there is another reason to look at storage right now.  This is the time of year that self storage facilities in Florida have a ton of college students move out of units they kept over the summer while waiting for this semester's housing assignment.  There are some pretty awesome storage deals out there.

Finding storage is pretty easy.  Do a search using your favorite search engine or give a self storage directory a shot.  These sites have done an excellent job of compiling all the information you need in one place, they encourage specials and deals by the Florida storage facilities found there and you can even reserve your storage unit in advance of arriving just like you would make a hotel reservation.  There are a few reputable directories.  The largest and best self storage directory in my opinion is USstoragesearch.com.  Here you will find storage in hundreds of Florida cities and zip codes.  Find the unit you want, reserve it online or call and talk to a storage agent 24/7. 

Take the time to assess what you may need to get in storage now and plan ahead for the next time something comes around that makes  you wish you had a safe and secure storage spot in Florida.

Ways Self Storage Facilities Can Give Back

Want to make more money? Want to draw positive attention to your self storage facility? Want to increase your profits and book every self storage unit in your facility? Then be nice. True story—being nice does not always mean you finish last. Being nice at your business comes in so many different forms and you don't have to even take money into consideration in the whole process (except for the part where your sales increase and you start making more money). Giving to the community doesn't mean shelling out a lot of money to sponsor a sports team or something along those lines.

 

You can give back to your community by leaving boxes throughout the facility for people to donate unwanted clothes, books and other items. Think about how many people have been displaced by the horrendous state of the current economy. Think how many of the people that rent from you are storing their household goods because they've been forced out of their homes. If you set up a box for gently used clothes and books, others can greatly reap the benefits and you won't have to be bothered at all. You've now helped somebody and helped to create loyalty with a customer.

 

You can give back to the community by participating in a one of the hundreds of races, runs, and walks that take place every month to raise money for charities. Have people sponsor you. Wear your self storage facility t-shirts or something during the event to show your brand. Again, you are creating loyalty with people who like that you are taking time to help others and you are doing something nice for the community.

 

During the fall and winter, giving back is on the minds of so many people. Since it's October, you could do something for Breast Cancer Awareness month. Put up pink balloons, wrap pink paper around your main door, put up posters shows people ways to get involved. For Thanksgiving, put a box out in the office for a canned food drive. Promote an offer like 1 can = 1 % off next month's rent up to a certain amount to help raise food for a local food bank. Your company gets attention and the community receives resources. Work with the United States Marine Corps and have a Toys-for-Tots box at your storage facility. Again, promote that people can receive a small discount for donating. Have a crafty spouse make something like candles and set up a stand at one of the hundreds holiday crafts fairs that take place this time of year and say your company is donating the profits to charity.

 

Year round you can donate a small storage unit to a charitable organization to boost exposure and give back. Create a gift basket for a silent auction full of moving supplies for a local high school. The possibilities are truly endless. Think about what you could do to get your company's name out in the community and give back at the same time.

 

As we all know, most of our customers come from local markets and quite often from word of mouth; so make sure what people are saying is good and remember your storage facility's name when their friends and family mention they need self storage. Make sure that people have positive connotations of your company so that they will want to trust you to harbor their items. Instead of customers thinking, "Oh, right. I think I've heard of that storage place down the road, I guess I'll look into it." Have them think, "I'll go book with this storage facility because they came out and supported the March of Dimes last spring." Go out and do some positive promotion, give back, and complete random acts of kindness. It'll be good for your business, you as a person, and the community.

USstoragesearch.com Announces New Network Partners

The USstoragesearch.com network of partner websites continues to grow.  We are proud to welcome the following sites to our self storage network:

Storage Unit

Find Self Storage

I Need Self Storage

Locate Self Storage

Storage Unit Deals

Beach Self Storage

Find Self Storage Units

Find My Storage Unit

Cheap Self Storage Unit

Reserve A Storage Unit

Free Self Storage

Storage Self Storage

Get Self Storage

Get My Storage

Bronx Storage Unit

Las Vegas Vehicle Storage

New York City NY Storage

Cheap Phoenix Self Storage

NJ Mini Storage

Self Storage in TX

Massachusetts Self Storage

Adding Depth to Your Self Storage Facility

Your self storage facility is more than just a location full of storage units and an office; at least it can be more. In today's market, everybody is trying to find a way to be different. Most are trying to stand out from other places without having to put too much of a dent into their own pocket. There are many things that can be done and looking at what others have done can be a great source of inspiration.

 

Store Self Storage and Wine Storage, a Palm Beach Gardens Self Storage facility, was able to drum up some extra attention throughout the summer and into late September by opening up part of the facility for a green market. By opening up a covered portion of their facility, they were able to host essentially a farmer's market where local vendors brought in their home made or home grown goods. The event brought in people during the summer and provided a great source of word-of-mouth advertising. In October, the facility is hosting another event. They will be hosting a Wine and Design Showcase.

 

The green market and showcase that Store Self Storage and Wine Storage holds also garners them a lot of local attention from local, small media outlets. Perfect free advertising. Both events were also covered by Insideselfstorage.com. The facility saw a need in the community and offered up a venue to satisfy that need and received a lot of attention for it.

 

Your business can do something similar. Fall is craft season. People love homemade goods from holiday presents. You can open up part of your facility for a small craft fair. Advertise around your community with simple fliers and posters. Or you could open up part of your business as a meeting facility. Allow organizations to rent out portions for group meetings and such. Just find something to bring in more people that won't have a deep out of pocket expense.

 

Another Chicago Self Storage Facility, LifeStorage of Libertyville, Ill., is hosting a used car tent show. Nine dealerships are in on the event that will surely bring in a lot of attention. Not only will people throughout their local area be informed of the event, but again, the facility is receiving attention from readers of Insideselfstorage.com. This project is a little bigger and more involved, but it is just another option from which you can draw inspiration.

 

Host a flea market, local art show, bark in the park in your parking lot, or something that brings in people without costing you a lot of money. Take a look at your community and see what your facility can do to add to it. Are you in a college town where there are art students who would love to sell their stuff? Host a simple art show. Do you know of a car club that is looking for a place to show off their cars? Host a cruise-in.

 

Examine what your self storage facility has to offer and then make a difference in your community while enjoying the advertising benefits.

USstoragesearch.com Named “Best Website” by Inside Self Storage Readers

USstoragesearch.com, the leading self storage marketing website for the last seven years, was named "Best Website" in the 2011 Best of Business choice-opinion poll conducted by Inside Self Storage. Voting by Inside Self Storage readers took place on the Inside Self Storage website between May 31^st & June 30^th of this year.

Michael Kucera, President & Founder of USstoragesearch.com said "USstoragesearch.com couldn't be more excited to have our members and others within the storage community cast a vote for our website. We work extremely hard to continually improve our website while retaining the core components that have made USstoragesearch.com such an integral piece of so many storage operators' overall marketing plan. We are proud and extremely grateful for the industry's recognition of USstoragesearch.com."

USstoragesearch.com was one of the first online self storage directories and has grown to have more members than any other website in the storage industry. Originally started as a lead-generating website for self storage operators, USstoragesearch.com continues to provide its members with quality phone calls, e-mail leads and quote requests. In addition USstoragesearch.com recently launched its Self Storage Network and now powers many other leading storage domains like www.storage.com and www.StorageUnit.com. The USstoragesearch.com Self Storage Network allows storage facilities to secure tenants through online storage reservations. These reservations are secured by a credit-card deposit and lead to new tenant move-in rates of more than 90%.

For more than 20 years, Inside Self Storage has provided informational resources to self-storage owners, managers, developers and investors. Its educational offerings include a monthly magazine, bi-annual tradeshows, an extensive website, an education institute and Self-Storage Talk, the industry's largest online community. The Best of Business choice-opinion poll is conducted annually by Inside Self Storage and this year's winners will also be honored in a ceremony at the Inside Self-Storage World Expo in Las Vegas, March 14-16, 2012.

 

About USstoragesearch.com

USstoragesearch.com is a trusted storage partner; serving the storage industry with aggressive and cost-effective online Self Storage Marketing. Established in 2004, USstoragesearch.com is the self storage industry leader with the largest and longest standing storage directory with the largest member base, featuring over 18,000 member facilities. Storage customers using the USstoragesearch.com online reservation network, which includes high-quality partner sites like storageunit.com, www.findselfstorage.com, & storage.com, search real-time available storage units by facility location, unit size, property features and specials. Customers have an easy way to find, compare and securely reserve storage by credit card in minutes. These real-time reservations have been proven to convert to paying rentals for member facilities more than 90% of the time.

About Inside Self-Storage

Inside Self-Storage (ISS) is the leading critical information source for self-storage owners, managers, investors and developers. The ISS brand includes publications, e-media, a discussion forum, tradeshows and educational resources. Established 1991, ISS provides solutions to the challenges operators face in a competitive and economically challenging environment, and covers topics essential to every self-storage professional: day-to-day management, facility marketing, legal issues, construction and development, finance, real estate, staffing and more. The ISS family includes Inside Self-Storage magazine, now in print nearly 20 years; Inside Self-Storage World Expo, the industry's largest conference and tradeshow; SelfStorageTalk.com, a rich, interactive online community; and the Self-Storage Training Institute, which offers certification through its Qualified Storage Manager Program.

Preparing Yourself & Your Storage Facility for Hurricane Irene

With hurricane Irene coming, people from North Carolina up to Maine are preparing themselves for the worst. Generators, bottled water, canned food, and flash lights are just a few of the items flying off the shelves as people get ready for strong winds and rain. People along the east coast have had several days to prepare and still have a little time to get things together before Irene reaches the US. Meteorologists have been tracking the storm since it first started swirling and are constantly updating people about the latest projections for the impact. The high winds and rain that come with hurricanes can do a lot of harm and damage to people and property if proper measures are not taken ahead of time. Meteorologists track the storm and try to give people as much time as possible to prepare because there is a lot to be taken care of prior to the first rain drop falling.

 

Reports of gas stations being shut down, electricity going out and water services going down during after the storm have people scrambling to get their homes ready. In the confusion of preparing, don't forget businesses need to be ready also. There are measures you can take to prepare your storage facility for a hurricane or any inclement weather. It is important to keep your staff and clients safe and have your facility prepared to withstand the possible conditions.    

 

The North Carolina Self Storage Association has posted tips about what precautions should be taken to prepare your facility and your customers. Here are the tips that they recommend:

• Listen to weather forecasts and any available information regarding the weather regularly. Anticipate the worst and be prepared to complete all the tasks for a safe and successful shut down and evacuation.
  
• Locate the tools and equipment that may be needed and assemble it at a central location. Those items should include but are not limited to: flashlights, batteries, tarps, hand tools, etc.
  
• Walk the facility and identify any items that can be secured or stored inside until the storm passes. Secure those items immediately.
  
• Clear drains and downspouts to reduce flooding. Turn off any automatic timers for sprinkler systems.
  
• Move any vehicles that may possibly prove to be in the way. If you have any boat/ RV parking, call those tenants to remind them to make sure their property is secure.
  
• Be aware that in the days prior to a storm, the power may go out frequently. Determine if you want to limit property access during this time to only when the office is open.
  
• Print a Rent Roll, Vacant Unit Report, Access Code Report, and an Insured Roll report from Store and any other reports you think you need to work with in the event that the power is out for an extended period of time.
  
• Identify and collect important office documentation and move the data to a location that is not vulnerable to the situation at hand.
  
• Unplug the computer, fax, modem lines and any other electrical equipment in the office that is not needed for emergency information. Move equipment away from windows.
  
• Keep the telephone plugged in until you leave the facility. Charge your cell phone until the power goes out. Make sure that someone has a way to reach you whenever possible.
  

These are the tips that they recommend. There are other things to consider if you have a self storage facility that is in the path of a storm. You should also look into protecting your facility further. You should consider taking the time to tape up or board up large windows you may have in your office area. You should try to keep computers and other electronics far away from windows to try to keep them away from the elements in case a window does get broken or if the heavy rains break seals and start water leaks around windows. Also, you could post something on your facility's website letting customers know when, or if, you are closed.

 

Being prepared for the storm and taking precautions can save you a lot of time and money and ensure the safety of your storage facility, staff and clients renting storage units from you. Taking a little time ahead of time and investing in a few precautionary measures cannot hurt. The cliché of "it is better to be safe than sorry" is something to think about, especially when trying to deal with elements of nature.

Developing a Company Personality For Your Storage Business

The popular television series "Orange Country Choppers" didn't stay on the air for so many years and appeal to such a wide audience because people have a love for motorcycles and bike building. The people who built the bikes made it a ratings hit.

"Swamp People" on the History channel hasn't risen to be the number one cable show on TV on Thursdays because people have a secret yearning for hunting alligators or want to learn how to create rabbit gumbo. The personalities of these people doing the gator hunting and bayou cooking that make the show.

These same principles can work for your storage company. Give your company a personality. Post bios of some of the "key players" in your office online. Get a pet for your office and do a daily blog about what he does. Or if you have a birds nest that happens to be built near your office take pictures of it every day and post two sentences about it. Simple.

During the spring, thousands flocked to their computers to watch a live camera feed of Shiba Inu puppies. These puppies slept most of the day, yet at times over 10,000 were watching.

There is bound to be something you can find in or around your office or the self storage facility that might peak the curiosities of people and keep them checking on your site.

People are easy to entertain. Keep your site focused on your business, but have a little link on the the page for somebody to check in on whatever is happening at your office. Post on your Facebook or Twitter that "Sassy" your office cat has a new toy and put a 30 second video of her playing with it. People like to look at cats online. Why? Who knows, but they do.

Take advantage of the booming popularity of storage auctions. Post live feeds of your storage auctions. Advertise that the auctions are coming up, set up a web cam or have somebody film the event and post some of the more interesting parts online. Not online will that drive people to look at your site, but it might increase turn out at the auction.

Let's face facts. Most people probably don't check an online storage site when they sit down at their computers and do their online routines of checking email, social networking sites and favorite entertainment sites, but perhaps you can change that. Have something that people will want to come back and look at often. Have something that a consumer would want to share a link on their personal Facebook page about.

Create a simple buzz that will put your company in the minds of people. Self Storage is your business and your money maker, but it doesn't have to be the only thing that draws people to your site.

Facilities Offered By Storage Unit Companies

 

The use of a storage unit has become very popular nowadays mainly because people tend to accumulate far too many household items and since they do not wish to discard the old stuff, they are forced to store the excess goods in a mini storage. When a person is moving from one home to another, whether in the same city or elsewhere, there is a need to store household goods for the necessary shifting time period that is. If one wants to remodel or renovate his home, he would also need to use a storage unit to keep his household goods when the renovation work is going on in the house.

 

Facilities Offered by a Storage Unit

 

The amount and type of services being offered by self storage units have improved over the years. Other related services are also being offered to customers so that they do not have to take on the entire stress and headache of moving the goods.

 

The Basic Facilities That Are Being Offered Are:

 

Safety of Goods

 

When you entrust your goods to a storage facility, their safety is your prime concern. These units ensure that effective safety measures are taken, like controlled access to the unit, close circuit surveillance, alarms, proper fencing with high boundary walls, and night patrolling so that your goods remain safe during the storage period.

 

Different Storage Options

 

There are various storage options available which make it easy to choose the option that would suit you the best. In case you wish to store large items such as cars, SUVs, yachts, boats or RVs, you will get appropriate storage options of a closed space or an open one. Apart from the normal storage facilities in a storehouse, you can also rent portable storage options. In this case, the storage company delivers a storage container to you and you can fill it up. You can then either keep it on your location or the storage company would move it to the storage unit.

 

Other Flexible Options

 

In order to offer more flexible options to customers, the short term storage unit companies allow them to store goods either on a short-term or long-term basis depending on their needs. They also allow them to change their storage space requirements without any hassles so that they can save on rent charges if their need for storage space decreases later. The employees of the storage company are very helpful in determining the minimum amount of space required for the goods. Flexible payment plans are also offered so that the customers can choose the most convenient one.

 

Insurance is also arranged by the storage unit company for the period the goods are kept in the unit.

 

Packing and Moving Facility

 

Since most people do not have the time to arrange for packing and moving the goods, the storage unit companies help them in this regard and relieve them of the tensions associated with the same. Temperature controlled storage spaces are also offered for storing perishable goods and preventing them from damage due to excessive heat, mold, mildew, moisture, and other adverse weather conditions.

 

It is important to browse the websites of different storage unit companies and check the facilities being provided before choosing the one that would suit all your requirements.

How To Find Albuquerque Self Storage

How many times you need to sell your antique pieces just because you don't have space to store them? How many times you've rented your neighbor's basement area to store your household items or car? In the era of consumerism, we frequently buy products even without thinking where to store them. The sizes of houses are decreasing day by day, but needs and desires are continuously increasing. If you're also looking for a place to store your belongings, Albuquerque self storage is the best place. You can accommodate all your belongings in these storage facilities without taking anybody's favor. Anybody can rent out a place here and store anything. If your biggest concern is regarding the condition of your valuable belongings, don't worry. You can look for climate-controlled self storage in Albuquerque.

Climate-controlled Albuquerque self storage offers excellent environment to your belongings. Your personal possession will be absolutely safe from bacteria, dust, viruses, mildew, and mold. These units will also protect your belongings from paper rots, musty odors, and wood degradation. The best part is that you can store anything, for example, furniture, excess household stuff, clothing, curtains, books, paintings, artwork, among others. You can also store car, boat, RV, perishable goods, groceries, and electronic items such as TV, refrigerator, microwave, and so on. Depending upon your requirements and nature of goods, you can book self storage in Albuquerque. These units are available at very affordable prices. You can rent them till the time you require.

How to Find a Suitable Albuquerque Storage?

• In this internet era, you no longer need to depend on any other source of information. You can get information about almost everything that you can think of. To find a suitable Albuquerque storage, browse the internet and look for all available self-storages in the area.
  

  
   

• There are specialized websites dedicated to help visitors find excellent storage facilities. You can take advantage of them and find a suitable storage. Although there are many websites that offer information about self-storage units, but USstoragesearch.com offers the most comprehensive information about self storage in Albuquerque. You just need to enter the zip or postal code of your area. All available options will be displayed on your computer screen.
  

  
   

• Once you get a list of storage facilities in your area, you can check out what all services they offer. You can also ask for online price quotes.
  

  
   

• To request for a price quote, simply submit your requirements, mention the type of storage units, space required, and time period, and submit. You will get price quotes within few moments.
  

  
   

• Compare Albuquerque storage quotes. Select the best among them according to your requirements and budget. Once you have rented the space, you can store anything including electronic items, precious documents and belongings, furniture, clothing, car, RV, boat, and perishable goods.
  

 

Finding Albuquerque self storage is not difficult, especially when you have websites like USstoragesearche.com.

Self Storage in Times of Need

With the recent devastating storms to hit the US in the past few months, self storage companies continue to be one of the most giving industries when it comes to helping those in need.

During the holidays we listed many of the generous things that the storage industry was participating in our self storage blog, but the self storage and mobile storage generosities don't only occur during the holidays.

Here is a list of just a few of the recent activities the industry has participated in:

1. Extra Space Storage recently offered two months free storage and a free $50 package of moving supplies to those affected by the devastating storms to hit Alabama. Link
   
2. Scenic City Self Storage of Hixson, TN offered two months of rent free storage and was a drop off location for donations of food, clothing, and household supplies. Link
   
3. A recent employee of a New England Self Storage Management group told us at a trade show that each and every month they ask their customers to "round-up" their rent payments to the nearest $0.50 or $1.00 and all proceeds from the "round-up" program are then donated each month to the great people and great program called Kure-It. Kure-it is a non-profit organization dedicated to funding innovative kidney and other cancer research. Kure-It Link
   
4. Many of the employees at USstoragesearch.com recently participated in a blood drive in Omaha, NE. Over 30 people attending and donated. We had so many donations that the blood mobile ran out of bags and turned a few people away!!
   

Each and every day the self storage industry continues to give and give, and we're very proud to be a part of it.

Winter Boat Storage Tips

 

As the first freeze and snowfall are already upon many of us we know that some of our favorite warm weather activities are well behind us until next year. If you haven't already stored away your boats and personal watercraft for the year it is time to stop procrastinating. If you don't take some proper boat storage precautions items corrode, burst, fail, or just go bad in extreme cold temperatures. Proper boat storage, especially draining fluids and making sure parts that can corrode are removed, can save you a lot of heartache and money next spring.

You are just asking for trouble if you don't drain the fluids. Some manufacturers recommend completely draining the fuel tank, while others want you to fill it up and mix in a winter/storage additive - ask your dealer or consult your manufacturer's website to be sure. An oil & oil filter change along with draining all the transmission fluid, if applicable, is advised. Changing or cleaning all of your filters (fuel filter, fuel tank pick-up screen, carburetor fuel screen, etc.) now is also a good idea so.

Water left in hoses can freeze or cause corrosion so be sure to drain water from hoses where this could happen including the engine circulation pump, transmission cooler, raw water pump, cooling system, etc. Clean the hoses and store them somewhere they will not be subjected to freezing temperatures and be sure to remember where you put them! Now would also be a good time to remove the battery to store it in a dry place that also won't be subject to freezing temperatures. If you are utilizing a self storage unit for the storage of your boat or personal watercraft you may want to look at a climate controlled self storage unit - the price is normally a little bit more but your boat will be safe from extreme temperatures while in storage.

Clean and wax your boat one last time before placing it in storage. If you are storing the boat outdoors a boat cover may be a good investment. If you are storing your boat outside you may also want to remove the drain plug. When removing the drain plug it may be a good idea to replace it with a mesh screen so water can get out but pests can't get in.

If you have other questions about storing your boat consult your manufacturer or your local marine center and if you are a do-it-yourselfer, your local marine center will most likely provide winterization services.

RV Storage Tips at Self Storage Facilities

Storing your RV can be pretty basic if you're storing it for a short period of time. In that case you just need to find a suitable self storage facility that allows RV's to be stored either in an indoor or outdoor RV storage unit. You'll need to make sure you can show proper ownership of the RV and insurance on the RV. If you're storing your vehicle for an extended period of time however you may need to take special steps to ensure mechanical problems don't arise. Here are a few quick "to do's" if you plan on using vehicle storage for an extended period of time:

• Change the oil and filter
  
• Make sure coolant levels are proper
  
• Inflate the tires to proper pressure
  
• Clean and wax the car
  
• Slightly open a window
  
• Release the parking break
  
• Lock the doors
  

Other things to think about when you place your vehicle in storage for an extended period of time is making sure you periodically check the vehicle and run it for a short period of time (outside of your storage unit, of course).  Storing your vehicle in a secured storage unit could also lead to insurance discounts so be sure to let your insurance agent know when you place your vehicle in storage so you can see if you qualify for any discounts.

When choosing a self storage facility, be sure to look for the amenities that meet your needs. Are you able to access the facility after hours or on weekends - times you may want to take your RV out of storage?  Does the storage facility have any special rules about storing a vehicle - such as all fluids must be drained?

Last but not least, make sure you always pay your storage rent on a timely manner.  Most storage facilities have automatic payment options that allow you to pay your rent by credit card, e-check or automatic checking/savings account debit.

There are many different places to find more information on storing your possessions and a good self storage blog on a reputable website can provide you with a wealth of money saving and headache preventing information.

New Storage Amenities

There was a very nice article at Oregonlive.com about one of our members, Rose City Self Storage &
Wine Vaults, today and their recent investment into their wine vaults. The headline was "Nearly $4 million for a storage unit?", which was a little misleading but surely grabbed reader's attention. The developers of Rose City Self Storage & Wine Vaults found an excellent use for the subterranean space that existed in a historic building renovated to house self storage units. Not only did they turn their basement space into a product that meets the needs of a growing niche market but also found a way to differentiate themselves from other Portland Self Storage and Oregon Self Storage facilities.

Reading this article made us think about other amenities our members are adding to their self storage facilities in hopes of:

• Meeting the specific needs of their self storage clients, or
  
• Utilizing space for a higher and better use than traditional self storage, or
  
• Gaining a competitive edge or unique selling tool over their competition
  

We know that over the past decade more facilities have added specific amenities to accomplish one or more of these 3 goals. Community centers, business centers and moving centers have become more common place as value-added services at many storage facilities.

Comment back with how you have added specific amenities to increase occupancy and make your self storage facility stand out from the competition. What is the most unusual amenity you have seen added to a facility? What amenities have you tried that haven't worked? We will post a follow-up blog next week with the responses from all of our members.

Safeguard Your Possessions

When looking to store any of their belongings many people ask how to keep their items safe.  A secure storage facility, locks and insurance is a good way to start.  Price and location is often a deciding factor for customers choosing their storage facility but the safety of your items should also be considered. 

• Facility:  Many facilities now have surveillance cameras, a gated keypad entry and individual alarms on each door that is activated and deactivated with your code at the gate.  Some facilities now even have automatic locks.
  
• Locks:  At most places the lock is your own so you need to choose wisely.  The standard steel padlock or brass locks are simple locks where the disc lock is a bit more challenging as it is harder to cut. 
  
• Insurance:  If all else fails then at least you have a safety net. Insurance is a relatively inexpensive add-on to your storage unit.  This will cover your items if a break-in, accidents or damage caused by fires, floods, storms and other natural disasters. 
  

As each of these items is dealt with everyday by your local self storage facilities it's always best to ask them what they feel is best.  This will help give you the information needed to make the best decision for you. 

Self Storage Auction Buzz

The buzz around our office over the past few weeks has been about the new Auction Hunters and (coming soon) Storage Wars television shows, that follow a group of people looking to make a profit by buying and selling items they find at storage unit auctions around the country.

Being in the online marketing business it is really fascinating that auctions can be this exciting and prosperous for some. It also amazes us that someone would make a TV show with a focus on the self storage business!

Do you ever wonder if these shows are fixed? I have seen hundreds of auctioned self storage units and not seen anything worth a dime. I have opened storage units that were used by hunters to store game they caught and left, I have seen drug labs and worse. The one time I thought I found something worthwhile (2 nearly new jet skis with a trailer) it turned out the water craft were stolen and I lost them to law enforcement confiscation. In my opinion in watching these shows is that either they must film thousands of units being purchased, scope out the best units in advance that will make good tv and tell the bidders for the self storage units what is in them in advance or they stuff the units with something good. One of the episodes had nothing but junk in it but low and behold, when they were loading up an ottoman there was some $1,200 in cash in the bottom making the storage unit hunters big winners once again.

A word of caution before jumping into the storage auction business thinking treasures are a winning bid away -unless you know what you are looking for and can see the contents in advance don't over pay. Don't get caught up in the hype. There is money to be made in the self storage auction business but there is also plenty of money to be lost.

Saying that we were wondering if there were any "treasures" or good stories from auctions you've all participated in? As much as we've talked about it, I wouldn't be surprised to see some of our team members making a "field trip" to see one of these auctions in progress!

Ready for Black Friday?

It's the biggest shopping day of the year, are you ready? More than 140 million shoppers are geared up and ready for the big discounts and savings found on the busiest retail shopping day of the year. Do you have a plan to start combing through the ads to see which deals you do not want to miss? There are several sites that help you navigate through all the ads like www.bfads.com and www.blackfriday.info. Many shoppers start at 3 or 4 am and with a plan of attack ready in hand. You have to shop with a purpose to get those items that are a must have.

Black Friday is a huge day for on-line sales as well but not the only important on-line shopping day rapidly approaching. If you haven't heard the terms "Cyber Thanksgiving" or "Cyber Monday" in the past you undoubtedly will this year. Many shoppers get a jump on their holiday shopping with on-line shopping for Black Friday deals on Thanksgiving and shoppers who didn't find what they were looking for over the weekend or just didn't want to brave the crowds turn to the internet on the Monday following Thanksgiving. A new relatively new option, for on-line shoppers, some self storage facilities even accept deliveries making it even easier to make sure your gifts remain a surprise.

So now that the shopping is done what are you going to do to keep your kids and significant other out of the gifts? Hiding Santa's gifts in a storage unit so they don't find them is one option. Many places offer month-to-month leases and can be as small as a storage closet or an attic crawl space.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

The three R's! We all learned them over the past 20 years, but these days "Going Green" is catching on everywhere we look.

We here at USstoragesearch.com are trying to do our part by cutting back on everything from paper invoices, working in the dark (ask Mike Jones), and anything we can think of that will decrease our carbon footprint in the world.

The self storage industry is using its storage facilities to assist in this endeavor and many times will offer an "On-Site Recycling Center" as a way to assist the efforts to reduce and reuse everyday items. Unfortunately as much as we'd all like to see tenants stay in their units for ever, many do move out and have a need to throw away many of the items they've kept in their storage lockers. Programs are popping up just like this Florida self storage facility each and every day to assist in the recycling of electronics, cell phones, batteries, plastic grocery bags, computers and more.

Not only does on-site recycling offer a good service to the community, it also allows self storage businesses the ability to bring more people by their facilities. Typically more traffic equals more tenants or at least the ability to build brand awareness to people who may not need storage, but know a few friends that do.

Practice Makes Perfect

Growing up in athletics, I always heard from coaches "practice like you're going to play," and "practice makes perfect," but I never believed them. I took practice to be a boring, time consuming event that kept me away from video games and trying to get the attention of girls.

As I grew up and joined a sales staff I realized these coaches might just be on to something! I was going to fail at sales if I didn't practice, and not just practice once, practice a lot!

Each and every day in our Reservation Center, our agents take hundreds of calls from people looking to be sold. They need a storage unit (or parking), but want us to convince them, that the facility they are interested in, is the best place to put their belongings. To be able to successfully handle as many storage facilities and calls as we do, practice is one of the keys to our success.

Every customer in this business has a story. It's our job as sales agents to make sure that the customer's story is appreciated and make sure that we fulfill their needs and wants to the best of our abilities. Because everyone's story is different we practice scenarios with our staff each and every week to better prepare our team to handle situations. I encourage the staff daily to try new things during our role playing situations as it's vital to a growing industry to be able to adapt, but more importantly be able to feel comfortable in any situation. Customers can sense fear and insecurity and will not feel comfortable giving vital personal information to a random stranger over the phone if you as a sales agent aren't confident (due to practice).

Colin Powell once said "There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."

My advice to improving your sales skill is this: practice and don't be afraid to fail. If you don't have anyone to practice with, there are a lot of available alternatives to use. Mystery shoppers, recordings of your calls and outside consultants are all great ways you can fine tune your selling skills. Feel free to call us at 866-880-0742 if you'd like to discuss any of these options, we know a lot of very intelligent, hardworking people in the self storage business.

Cost Per Rental?

Marketing is often getting cut because it is viewed as an expense when actually it should be viewed as an investment. You have to advertise to make the phone ring right? More often than not if people actually knew their "cost per rental," I think less and less people would view marketing as an expense.

What is cost per rental in the self storage industry? First, you must know the average value of a rental. I would bet that most of us are going to find our storage unit rentals value anywhere from $800 to $1000 by the time we figure average length of stay, packing supplies sold, insurance, etc. Another factor that would be valuable to know is what our average self storage unit "size" rental is worth. In other words, typically what do we average when renting a 10x10? I would definitely recommend knowing this, especially with the new self storage marketing mediums available that are "pay per performance." In most cases, paying $100 per rental should not be an issue but if my average 5x5 rental in a rural market is typically only worth $100, might not make sense to pay per rental on those particular units depending on the per rental cost.

Anyways, back to the cost per rental.

If I am paying $100 per month to a marketing source that is generating me 2 rentals, my cost per rental is $50. My average value of a rental is $800 therefore I am paying $100 to make $1600 (before factoring out any other expenses). When looking at the volume of rentals generated, it is easy to see why marketing mediums get cut. But when probing deeper and looking at the return generated (because I know my value of a tenant), I think I'll keep that marketing source.

Something to consider next time you are looking to cut "expenses".