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5 Truths About Self-Storage Talk

Article-5 Truths About Self-Storage Talk

<p>Last week while manning the Self-Storage Talk booth at the Inside Self-Storage World Expo in Las Vegas, I met hundreds of people who either hadn't heard of SST, the industry's largest online community, or had reservations about joining. So, let me use this space to provide a few facts about SST and answer common questions.</p>

Last week while manning the Self-Storage Talk booth at the Inside Self-Storage World Expo in Las Vegas, I met hundreds of people who either hadn't heard of SST, the industry's largest online community, or had reservations about joining. So, let me use this space to provide a few facts about SST and answer common questions.

  1. Self-Storage Talk is free.
    It doesn't cost members a dime for the right to register an account. They do not have to be members of ISS, subscribers to ISS magazine, ISS Expo attendees, or anything else. Joining the community is as simple as a) having a stake in the industry; b) registering an account; and c) obeying all of the site rules. You can only register one account, though.
  2. You don't have to be a "techie" to like it or use it.
    SST might represent the social-media movement within self-storage, but it's doesn't require an advanced technical degree. Being active on the forum requires nothing more than a functional computer with an Internet connection. If you know how to use the Web at all, you can figure out how to navigate the forum. But if you get stuck, don't worry. The moderators and administrators are more than happy to help, and no one will judge you for asking a question!
  3. Members are generally friendly and respectful.
    Forums have a bad reputation as being cesspools of petty vitriol. SST, thankfully, is not one of those places. Disagreements do happen, but 99 times out of 100, people are respectful and refrain from attacking each other. On the rare occasion this happens, moderators are quick to step in and enforce the site rule that prohibits this behavior.
  4. You can be anonymous.
    Some SST members choose to disclose their identities and business affiliations; others do not. Either is completely fine and does not affect your ability to contribute to or draw from the community.
  5. There is a protected, members-only area: Social Groups.
    I'm often asked if Joe Public, while Googling self-storage-related topics, could stumble upon the forum and read posts. After all, the forum is designed for people who work in the industry, not consumers. The answer is yes; however, there are a couple of forums visible only to logged-in members (Job Fair, Real Estate Listings and Investment Opportunities), and the entire Social Groups section is visible only to logged-in members.

Don't just take my word for it, though. Take a self-guided tour at selfstoragetalk.com, and then once you're ready, register your account at http://www.selfstoragetalk.com/register.php. It's free and takes only a few minutes.