ISS World Expo Workshops

Owner/Operator Executive Workshop
Management Workshop
Marketing Workshop
Legal Learning Live!

1:30-4:30 p.m.

Owner/Operator Executive Workshop
Location: Versailles Ballroom 1
Even the best self-storage operation can suffer from deterioration and complacency from time to time. If you're a self-storage owner/operator or multi-site manager, it's critical that you manage your properties through professional procedures and policies. It's equally important to keep your "game" fresh and stay up-to-date on the latest operational trends and strategies. In this in-depth workshop, our instructor will take an executive-level approach to self-storage operation in four key parts:

Staffing

  • Recruiting facility managers for a modern industry era
  • Developing and implementing a training program
  • Establishing staff goals and expectations
  • Setting the example for team members
  • Creating an effective compensation program

Marketing

  • Understanding your marketplace
  • Developing and implementing an effective marketing plan
  • Creating a sure-fire follow-up system for customer leads
  • Using proven techniques to turn more prospects into tenants

Auditing

  • Creating a step-by-step system for facility reviews
  • Understanding the why, who and when of a facility audit
  • Using the audit for training and operational improvement
  • Reviewing the physical plant
  • Increasing your facility's "rentability"

Revenue Management

  • Implementing systems to increase revenue, profit and value
  • Understanding the important numbers
  • Communicating the value of every dollar increase
  • Setting systems on auto-pilot

Time will be allotted for Q&A, so bring your most pressing questions and learn from a well-respected self-storage veteran and expert as well as your peers.

SPEAKER

Bob Copper, President, Self Storage 101

1:30-4:30 p.m.

Management Workshop
Location: Champagne Ballroom 4
If you're the person responsible for the day-to-day operation of a self-storage facility—whether you're new to the business or looking to perfect your skills—this workshop will teach you what you need to advance your business and your own professional development. You'll learn about the everyday issues you'll have to face and how to handle them effectively. Our instructor will discuss the self-storage manager role in five key parts:

Basic Skills

  • What you need to be successful in your position
  • Using social skills and diplomacy in dealing with customers
  • Keeping calm in a crisis
  • Delivering great customer service

Time Management

  • Planning routine tasks
  • Office organization
  • Juggling schedule conflicts
  • Handling to-do-list overload

Marketing Essentials

  • Separating your business from competitors
  • Curb appeal
  • Traditional marketing methods
  • Online marketing

Accounts Receivable

  • Strategies to minimize delinquencies
  • Helping customers pay on time
  • The lien process
  • "Storage Wars"

Case Studies

  • Real-life examples from the self-storage trenches
  • Lasting lessons for beginners and seasoned pros
  • Examples of operational success
  • Pitfalls to avoid

Time will be allotted for Q&A, so bring your most pressing questions and learn from a well-respected self-storage veteran and management expert as well as your peers.

SPEAKER

Mel Holsinger, President and CEO, Professional Self Storage Management LLC

1:30-4:30 p.m.

Marketing Workshop
Location: Champagne Ballroom 1
Taming the marketing beast is a daunting task to any self-storage operator, and knowing where and by what means to direct your efforts is key to building a symbiotic marketing/management relationship that benefits your business. Savvy operators know that management data and reporting should directly impact and drive a facility's marketing methods, and those marketing efforts are reflected in and can be measured as part of facility performance.

In this workshop, you'll learn how to leverage your operational success and shortfalls to direct and strengthen your marketing position. You'll also get deep insight to traditional and innovative techniques for promoting your business including print materials, online marketing, community outreach, networking, mobile marketing and more. Some of the topics to be covered are:

  • Simple grassroots and community marketing efforts that provide big results
  • Becoming a trusted community resource and category of one
  • Making marketing calls: how to gather contacts and create strategic alliances
  • Starting and using networking groups to build referrals and generate traffic
  • Successful staging of onsite events, from event prep to follow-up
  • How to use offsite events to drive traffic to your property
  • What makes a good website and mobile website
  • Using SEO/SEM to maximize your online exposure
  • Using QR codes, e-mail marketing, social media and other technologies to cut costs and reach larger audiences
  • Using traditional marketing channels like Yellow Pages, print advertising and direct mail
  • Creating and using printed marketing materials like business cards, brochures and rack cards
  • How to measure the success of your marketing efforts
  • Setting marketing goals and achieving them

Time will be allotted for Q&A, so bring your questions and learn from our team of self-storage marketing and management experts.

SPEAKERS

M. Anne Ballard, President of Training, Marketing & Developmental Services, Universal Storage Group
Stacie Maxwell, Vice President of Marketing, Universal Storage Group
Christopher Baird, CEO, Automatit Inc.