The storage industry in the United States has an annual revenue of $38 billion. This should come as no surprise, as most people have a need for a storage unit at some point in their lives.
If you’re an owner of a storage business, this statistic is promising, but it also means you have a lot of competition. It’s crucial you market your business effectively in order to keep a steady stream of clients coming in.
With so many ways to market your business today, you may be at a loss as to where you should start. It turns out there are quite a few easy and cost-effective ways to increase your exposure.
Let’s go over ten marketing tips that will help your storage facility succeed.
1. Incentives for Referrals
A great way to get a little free marketing is to offer incentives to anyone who refers a new client.
If it’s a current tenant who refers someone, give them a discount on their next month’s lease or the opportunity to upgrade to a larger unit. If it’s a non-tenant, consider offering a discount on a future unit or another incentive like gift cards.
It may seem like you’re losing money by giving stuff away for free. However, the new business you’ll generate easily makes up for the rewards you’re offering.
2. Content Marketing
It’s important you keep your digital presence active, and a great way to do that is to distribute quality content. The most efficient way to do this is by adding a blog to your website.
When thinking of topics, consider what the general public might want to know about renting a storage unit. Topics about security, proper ways to store certain items, and insurance could all be beneficial to potential customers.
Not only do informative blog articles establish you as an authority in the industry, they help boost your website ranking in Google.
3. Stay Active on Social Media
A social media presence is now imperative for any business.
Set up a Facebook business page and include all relevant information about your storage facility, including location, hours of operation, a profile, and a link to your website. You should also include pictures of your facility and staff.
Each time you publish a new blog article or offer special deals, put this information out on your Facebook page.
4. Local Optimization
As a storage facility, you’re going after people who live in your community. This means you need to establish yourself online as a local business.
It’s important you create a Google My Business page. This ensures you come up in search results when someone’s searching for a storage facility in your city.
You should also create listings in other directories such as Bing, Yahoo, and Yelp. These are free and take very little time to set up.
5. Boost Your Website Exposure
If your website has been sitting unchanged for some time, it’s not doing you any good.
Think about refreshing all of the content and overhauling the search engine optimization. This means researching new keywords, ensuring your site is mobile-friendly and going after backlinks.
Your website should also look good. As an example, this website uses a mix of great imagery and relevant content.
Think about hiring an SEO agency to help you out. You’ll need to invest a little money in this, but the end result will surely pay off.
6. Advertise Discounts for New Customers
A great way to attract business is to offer discounts for new tenants. This could mean one month of free rent or waving the security deposit.
Many times, people need to find a storage unit quickly. They don’t have time to weigh their options. In this case, they’re likely to go with someone who offers a deal upon signup.
Make sure you advertise these discounts on your website, via social media, and on your blog.
7. Network Within Your Community
It’s important the people in your community know about you and trust you as a reputable business. You’ll get exposure through the local directory listings we discussed earlier, but there are other things you can do to stand out in your community.
Sign up with the local Chamber of Commerce and ask if they’ll put a link to your site on theirs.
You should also sign up for any local business organizations. This puts you in contact with other business owners and strengthens your network.
As you make more connections, you’ll build up an email list and can then send out monthly newsletters.
8. Reach Out to Prior Tenants
Always keep in contact with prior tenants. Send out mailers, email newsletters, and holiday postcards.
It’s possible former clients will have storage needs in the future. If you’re on their radar, they’re more likely to come back to you.
Keeping in contact with past customers also helps with word-of-mouth advertising.
9. Advertise Any Additional Services
If you offer services other than basic storage units, it’s important you let people know. You never know when someone will have additional needs.
You should also make sure and advertise every feature your facility has. This means security, tenant access, and online payment options. If you offer it, you need to advertise it.
You should also think about adding additional services like climate-controlled units and truck rental if you don’t already do so. This increases the likelihood someone chooses you over the competition.
10. Ask Customers to Write Reviews
People look to online business reviews as a way of deciding whether to work with a business. These reviews also help boost your ranking in Google.
Ask your current and former tenants to leave a review. If they’ve had a good experience with you, they won’t mind.
If someone leaves a negative review (it happens) make sure you respond in a professional manner so others can see you’re proactive about improving your business.
Market Your Storage Business and Stay Ahead of the Competition
The public needs a reason to choose your storage business instead of the competition. Staying on top of your marketing approach may be the key factor in keeping a steady client base.
If business has slowed down lately, use the tips discussed above to kick-start things.
For more articles on business resources and tactics, check out our blog.