Track One: Building: Construction, Development & Real Estate

Purchasing Existing Self-Storage Facilities, Safely and With Nothing Out of Pocket
8-8:50 am
Learn how to purchase existing self-storage facilities with no money out of your own pocket! Our speaker will discuss his personal strategies for building a self-storage empire such as self-direct IRAs, seller carrybacks, private lending and others that will allow you to take advantage great self-storage deals. You’ll get secrets for acquiring sites without using a dime of your own money―the safe way.
Speaker: Scott Meyers, Self Storage Profits Inc.

Using Solar Covers in Storage: Politically Correct and Profitable
9-9:50 am
“Green” design and construction practices can provide a higher return on investment over the lifespan of a facility than building strictly to local codes. This session will explore how green building techniques can lower your initial investment costs and reduce long-term energy expenses. It will also explain the LEED Green Building Rating System and present several design strategies for making self-storage more sustainable.
Speaker: Bob Hayworth, Baja Construction Co.

Project Feasibility: Developing Your Own Rosetta Stone for Self-Storage
10-10:50 am
The Rosetta Stone, containing two languages, was instrumental in advancing modern understanding of hieroglyphic writing. Understanding a feasibility study requires a Rosetta Stone of its own. This seminar teaches what you need to know to complete your own feasibility study in today’s competitive environment. You’ll get information on how to find the right location, choose the correct unit mix, design the facility and much more to succeed in your target market.
Speaker: Stephan Ross, Cutting Edge Self-Storage Management & Consulting

Track Two: Day-to-Day Operation & Facility Management

Retail Marketing: The Movie
9-9:50 am
When the economy is in a downslide, business is fluttering and the outlook isn’t rosy, to where can your mind escape? The movies, of course! During this entertaining session, our speaker will examine self-storage retail sales and marketing from the perspectives of the great movie heroes. He'll show how you can apply the lessons of classic films to everything from employee sales training to product selection to the creation of retails displays. You’ll also learn how to compete with retail adversaries … and win! Finally, he’ll share some useful, no-nonsense secrets you can use to become the star of your business epic.
Speaker: Rob Kaminski, Supply Source One (A division of Schwarz Supply Source)

Manager Compensation: Getting the Most out of Your Employees
10-10:50 am
Learn about traditional and more modern approaches to manager and employee compensation. In this session, you’ll hear about proven techniques to motivate and reward employee performance for mutual success. The discussion will address monetary and non-monetary compensation packages, including health insurance and 401(k) programs. You’ll even have an opportunity to share information regarding your own programs and experiences with other owner/operators.
Speaker: Travis M. Morrow, National Self Storage Management Inc

Track Three: Finance, Legal & Insurance Issues

Amending the California Lien Law: Is This an Opportunity in Your State Too?
8-8:50 am
In this presentation, you’ll hear about the actions that were taken in California to improve the state lien-law statute and the resulting benefits for self-storage customers and operators. In addition, you’ll learn how to determine if this is an opportunity in your state as well as key steps to capitalize on the opportunity quickly and completely. Join members of the California Self Storage Association (CSSA) as they share their insights and experiences.
Speakers: Jim McNamee (CSSA President), West Coast Self Storage Group; Peter Ingersoll (CSSA Bord Member), Sperry Van Ness; Erin King (CSSA Executive Director)

Risk Management in Self-Storage: Using Insurance to Maximize Profit and Minimize Expenses
9-9:50 am
Most self-storage facilities have a risk-management plan that includes insurance, but some operators and managers may not realize how they can use insurance to save and even make money. Minimize your expenses with the appropriate combination of commercial coverages designed for the self-storage industry and use a tenant insurance program as an additional profit center. Learn from self-storage insurance professionals how you can safe money up front, protect your business in the event of a loss and add to your bottom line.
Speaker: Paul Cardamon, Ryan Harmon and Matt Schaller, Bader Co.

Financing in 2009: Will the Bailout Save Us?
10-10:50 am
How will the government bank bailout plan affect your ability to obtain loans and refinance debt? Our speaker will explain the plan itself and provide up-to-minute information on the current lending environment. You’ll hear about the kinds of rates, terms and requirements you can expect from insurance companies, pension funds, banks and credit unions. You’ll leave this seminar with a firm grasp of the financing market and your ability to obtain recourse and non-recourse debt and construction funds, as well as the key factors lenders will consider when evaluating loan applications of all types.
Speaker: David Smyle, Benchmark Financial and Real Estate Services Inc.

Assembling a Loan Package That Attracts Dollars and Approvals
11-11:50 am
Get the most up-to-date information on the self-storage lending environment and learn how to most successfully package a loan request for lenders. Our speaker will touch on the following key topics: self-storage investment analysis, how and when to negotiate a commercial loan, the art of the cap rate (how to use it to get the deal closed), financial modeling, cash-flow modeling, how to create pro formas and budgets, how to attract investor dollars, and syndication. If you’re looking to fund a self-storage project, you don’t want to miss this session!
Speaker: Georgia Ragsdale, Watermark Financial

Track Four: Facility Marketing & Promotion

Changing the Mindset, Changing the Results: Luring Tenants in Tough Times
8-8:50 am
This presentation inspires self-storage managers and operators to think creatively when seeking new tenants. You’ll learn ways of changing your sales and marketing mindset and how to view related tasks and tools with a fresh set of eyes.
Speakers: Patt Carlson, Michelle McDowell and Cara Roehrig, Pagoda Management Co.

Turning Facility Employees Into Effective Marketers and Salespeople
9-9:50 am
In today’s tough economy, every sales and marketing opportunity counts, and your employees are your first line of defense. During this seminar, you’ll learn how to: train your managers to have excellent phone and e-mail sales skills; properly evaluate performance to quickly spot missed sales opportunities; and monitor and motivate managers to increase sales performance. You’ll also hear about equipping managers to properly track marketing campaigns, which will allow you to make informed marketing decisions
Speakers: Dan Arntz & Nick Bilava, USstoragesearch.com

It’s Not Your Father’s Yellow Pages: Advertising Opportunities in a New Age
10-10:50 am
Like many advertising media, the Yellow Pages have changed over the years―to your benefit! During this seminar, you’ll learn about the new electronic and mobile opportunities available for promoting your facility to customers. You’ll also get tips on how to take advantage of the current economic climate and get better Yellow Pages print rates. Receive expert advice on the best ways to re-allocate your advertising budget to maximize return on investment.
Speakers: Susan Weinman and Shelly Little, Michaels Wilder Inc.

Dialing for Dollars: Perfecting Phone Skills to Sustain Self-Storage Profit
11-11:50 am
Yellow Pages? A website? Mailers? Signage? How's all that marketing working for you? Those precious marketing dollars can be wasted if you aren’t effectively using your most powerful marketing tool: the telephone. Most potential storage customers make their first contact with a facility via the phone. Learn how to turn those calls into rentals! This presentation will teach you how to make the most of incoming calls and succeed in a challenging market using proven phone skills and techniques.
Speaker: Bob Copper, Self Storage 101