Monday Sessions

Self-Storage Marketing Secrets for Tough Economic Times
Monday, Jan. 26, 10:30-11:30 am
As the self-storage market becomes increasingly competitive and the economy falters, smart marketing is crucial to the survival and success of your business. The strategies that have worked in the past may be losing their effectiveness. In this session, you’ll learn innovative and practical ideas to improve the performance of your marketing plan and budget. Be prepared for a few eye-openers and unique approaches never before discussed in this industry.
Speaker: Derek Naylor, Storage Marketing Solutions

A Creative Approach to Promotions: Special Events, Charity Work and Mainstream Media
Monday, Jan. 26, 1-2 pm
This unique seminar gives you the inside track on unconventional marketing and community-outreach opportunities. You’ll get an overview of hosting special events: why to throw them, what to expect, who to invite, and what you need to produce and make them successful. Our presenter will discuss occasions that make great opportunities, how to follow up with attendees, and tips for maximizing the storage experience for attendees when they are at your site. She’ll address ways to incorporate charity work and fundraisers into your events, including which organizations are best to work with and how. Finally, you’ll learn to entice the mainstream media to listen to your story and help promote your event.
Speaker: Anne Ballard, Universal Management Co.

50 Hot Marketing Tips for Self-Storage
Monday, Jan. 26, 2:15-3:15 pm
This seminar presents 50 proven marketing ideas for self-storage operators that are cost-effective and easy to implement. You’ll learn new and creative ways to stand out from the competition, enhance your facility’s image and visibility, and improve customer relations. Find out how to create effective marketing pieces such as brochures and direct mailers, as well as which promotional items really work. You’ll not only walk away with great new strategies and tips, you’ll know how to use them at minimal cost.
Speaker: Tom Litton, Litton Property Management

More Self-Storage Profit: Learning to Market and Sell Ancillary Services
Monday, Jan. 26, 3:30-4:30 pm
Are you effectively promoting ancillary products and services such as locks, boxes, packing supplies, shipping, propane-tank rental and others to existing and prospective customers? Add-on profit opportunities can mean the difference between flat and flourishing facility performance. Our speaker will share obvious (and not-so-obvious) approaches to selling and marketing self-storage ancillaries. Learn to increase sales of these products and, in turn, unit rentals. Whether you offer records storage, wine storage, vehicle storage, shipping supplies or other products/services, this session will arm you with specific strategies for marketing, phone sales, retail displays and the in-store sales presentation.
Speaker: Bob Vamvas, Storage Revenue Solutions

Tuesday Sessions

Changing the Mindset, Changing the Results: Luring Tenants in Tough Times
Tuesday, Jan 27, 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
Tuesday, Jan 27, 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
Tuesday, Jan 27, 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, Michaels Wilder Inc.

Dialing for Dollars: Perfecting Phone Skills to Sustain Self-Storage Profit
Tuesday, Jan 27, 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