Self-Storage Success: 3 Marketing Hacks to Fill Your Facility Fast

by Sarah
May 28, 2024
Self Storage
0

Turning Around Your Self-Storage Business

The self-storage industry has been booming in recent years, but with increased competition, many facility owners are struggling to attract customers and increase profits. Poor marketing is often the culprit behind a failing storage business. Without effective promotion, it’s difficult to get renters in the door and convince them to choose your facility over the many other options.

The good news is that with the right digital marketing strategies, you can turn your facility around and start increasing revenue. This article will explore key ways storage facility owners can solve their marketing woes through online rentals, search engine optimization, paid ads, working with a business coach, partnering with local businesses, improving customer experience, and more.

With some effort and investment into promotion, any storage facility can go from empty units to maximized bookings. There are proven methods to attract renters, build your brand, and make your self-storage business a thriving success. Read on to learn how.

Go Digital With Marketing

The self-storage industry has changed dramatically in the past decade. Most potential renters now start their search for storage units online, rather than looking in the phone book or driving around to check out facilities. This means self-storage owners need a strong digital marketing strategy to attract customers in today’s market.

The first step is having an informative website that appears high in search engine results. This requires search engine optimization, which involves optimizing website content and technical elements so the site ranks well for relevant keywords. Owners should research high-traffic keywords potential customers use when searching for self-storage, then optimize pages and content around those terms.

Paid advertising, like Google Ads and social media ads, is also essential for driving traffic to your website. These platforms allow targeting by location, demographics, and intent – helping ads reach those actively searching for storage units in your area. Start with small campaigns optimized for conversions, then scale up over time.

In addition to search engine marketing, self-storage owners need a presence on online rental platforms like SpareFoot and SelfStorage.com. Listing your facility helps you get in front of customers searching these sites for storage options. Make sure to keep listings up-to-date with unit sizes, prices, and availability.

The digital landscape has fundamentally changed marketing for self-storage. Owners who don’t adopt an online strategy will miss out on the majority of prospective renters starting their search on the internet.

Offer Online Rentals

One of the most important ways for self-storage facilities to improve their marketing is by offering online rentals. This enables remote reservations and payments, which is much more convenient for renters in today’s digital age.

Having an online rental system integrated with your website and ads allows potential customers to fully reserve and pay for a unit completely online, without having to visit the facility first. The entire process can be completed on their computer or mobile device.

This convenience factor cannot be overstated in terms of attracting more renters. People want the ability to quickly check availability, pricing, and reserve a unit that meets their needs. An online rental system provides this, enabling instant reservations 24/7.

The key is to make sure your online rental platform is user-friendly, secure, and mobile responsive. Allow customers to choose their desired unit size, view pricing, select optional add-ons like locks or insurance, enter payment details, and receive instant confirmation. Integrating this directly with your website and digital ads creates a seamless experience from discovery to reservation.

Overall, implementing online rentals can significantly boost marketing and reservations for self-storage operators. The technology and convenience is what renters expect today, so facilities that don’t offer this option will lose out on business to competitors that do. It’s an essential tool for turning around and improving facility operations in the modern digital era.

Paid Advertising Marketing

Paid advertising can be a highly effective way for self-storage facilities to reach local customers. Platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads allow you to target your ads precisely to people searching for storage in your area.

The key is setting up conversion tracking so you can measure return on investment (ROI). Create ad campaigns with clear calls-to-action, like “Rent Now” buttons that send users to your website. Install tracking pixels on your site so you can attribute conversions to the original ad click.

With good targeting, you can get your ads in front of people who are actively searching for “self storage near me.” Bid competitively on keywords related to storage unit sizes and monthly rental rates.

Craft compelling ad copy that speaks to the convenience and affordability of your facility. Use dynamic ads to showcase available unit sizes and prices.

Track conversions closely to see which ads generate the most rentals. Double down on the highest performing campaigns and pause ones with low ROI. This optimization will maximize your advertising dollars.

SEO: Drive Organic Traffic to Your Self-Storage Facility Website

Getting found in local search results is crucial for self-storage facilities looking to fill vacancies and generate new leads. With more and more people using Google and other search engines to find local businesses, optimizing your website and online presence for SEO is a must.

Here are some tips for driving organic traffic through search engine optimization:

Optimize website pages and content for relevant keywords that potential customers are searching for like “self storage near me”, “climate controlled units”, “month to month storage”, etc. Focus on optimizing location and service pages in particular.
Create locally-optimized title tags, meta descriptions, alt text, and content that includes your city and state. Mention your full address and location names.
Get listed on Google My Business, Bing Local, and other local business directories. Completely fill out your profiles and keep information consistent across platforms.
Build local links from directories, sponsors, and local organization websites. Also get customer reviews on platforms like Google, Facebook, and Yelp.
Create blog content and long-form pages that answer common customer questions and appear for local searches like “how to downsize to a storage unit.”
Optimize website speed and mobile-friendliness. Slow sites get penalized in rankings.
Analyze your site’s SEO health regularly and track keyword rankings. Fix technical issues.

By focusing on local SEO and optimizing for search, self-storage facilities can drive more qualified traffic to their site and listings. This leads to more rentals over time as you gain visibility and authority in local results.

Get a Business Coach

Small business owners can greatly benefit from working with a business coach or consultant to analyze their operations and marketing strategy. A coach provides an objective outside perspective and can identify areas for improvement that the owner may have overlooked. They will assess your current marketing efforts, facility appearance, pricing, customer service, and more to develop a comprehensive plan for boosting your profits.

A good coach also holds you accountable and makes sure you implement changes. It’s easy for busy owners to let things slide, but having someone to report to every week ensures you follow through. They can check in on your progress and adjust the plan if needed. Business coaches typically have experience working with storage facilities specifically, so they understand the unique challenges and how to overcome them. Their expertise and accountability leads to real, measurable results over time. Consider hiring a coach as an investment into substantially growing your self-storage business.

Partner with Local Businesses

Self-storage facility owners should consider partnering with other local businesses to increase awareness and bring in new customers. Here are some ideas for partnering locally:

Cross promotions/referrals – Offer to promote other local businesses to your customers in exchange for them promoting your storage facility to their customers. This could include discounts, coupons, signage, social media shoutouts, email newsletters, and more.
Sponsor local events – Get your name and brand out there by sponsoring local events like festivals, races, markets, and community gatherings. You can have a booth, hang banners, provide prizes, or contribute financially. This raises awareness about your business.
Build awareness – Seek out opportunities to get involved with the local community, such as joining the chamber of commerce, sponsoring a local sports team, volunteering for community events, and supporting local charities. This builds goodwill and gets your business name circulating around town.

Partnering strategically with complementary local businesses can be a win-win. You get exposure to new potential customers while supporting the local community. Look for businesses whose customers could benefit from self-storage or have overlapping target demographics. Get creative with partnerships that can boost your facility’s brand and bottom line.

Offer Discounts to Boost Business

One of the best ways for self-storage facilities to attract new customers and reward loyalty is through strategic discount programs. Here are some highly effective options to consider:

First Month Free

Offering the first month free is a common promotion in the industry, but it still packs a punch in getting new renters in the door. Make sure to advertise this deal prominently on your website, social media, and with on-site signage. You can require minimum lease terms to qualify.

Student and Military Discounts

Students and military members often need self-storage solutions. By offering a 10-20% discount to these groups, you can win their business. Require valid student IDs or military orders to qualify. Promote the discounts on campus bulletin boards and military base publications.

Referral Rewards

Word-of-mouth is powerful in the self-storage industry. Implement a referral program to harness this. For example, offer 1 month free for any new customer that signs up with a referral code from an existing renter. This incentivizes your customers to spread the word about your facility.

Discounts are an effective way to acquire new customers, build loyalty, and keep your facility occupied during slower seasons. Track promo performance and tweak offers as needed.

Improve Customer Experience

Providing an excellent customer experience is crucial for self-storage facilities. Here are some tips:

Hire friendly, customer-oriented staff. Train them to greet every customer with a smile and be helpful. Make sure they keep the rental office neat and professional.
Streamline the rental process so it’s quick and hassle-free. Offer easy online reservations and payments. Avoid lengthy contracts and fees.
Send follow-up surveys to get feedback. Ask customers about their rental experience and staff interactions. Look for ways to improve based on responses.
Keep the facility immaculately clean. Sweep floors, empty trash promptly, and wash windows. Well-maintained grounds appeal to customers.
Respond quickly to maintenance issues like broken lights or leaks. Customers will be frustrated if problems linger.
Consider amenities like carts for moving, boxes/packing supplies, and climate-controlled units. Going beyond basics shows customers you care.

Delivering exceptional service ensures customers feel valued. This builds loyalty so they keep renting from you and recommend your facility to others.

Conclusion

Self-storage facility owners face many challenges, but the future looks bright by taking the right marketing steps. This article has covered key strategies to turn around your facility operations and make more money.

To recap, you should go digital with paid ads and SEO to attract online renters. Offer online rentals for convenience. Get a business coach to analyze operations and increase profits. Partner with local businesses for cross-promotions. Provide discounts to build community goodwill. And focus on improving the customer experience.

By implementing some of these marketing tactics, you can solve your issues, find more renters, and grow your self-storage business. The time to take action is now. Reach out to a digital marketing agency or business coach to get the ball rolling. The future success of your facility is in your hands.