Self-Storage Talk, the largest online forum in the self-storage industry, is obviously great for asking questions, sharing problems, making suggestions and connecting with new people. But there are a few other uses that are easy to overlook: forging a business partnership, getting a job or selling items.
If you haven't checked it out yet, you should visit the Self-Storage Talk Marketplace. Within the marketplace are three forums: Real Estate Listings and Investment Opportunities, Job Fair, and Goods and Services Exchange. The first is self-explanatory. If you're looking to develop, build, acquire or sell self-storage facilities, you can network with potential partners here. Unlike other forums on SST, though, you must become a registered user both to read the listings and to post a listing.
The same registration requirement applies to the Job Fair. As in any industry, many professionals are looking to make career changes these days, but they don't feel like they're getting anywhere on the generic job-search sites. Similarly, employers have to wade through piles of resumes and applications, often finding the candidate pool sub-par.
The Job Fair on SST allows you to stay as anonymous or as open as you'd like and to connect with employers or job-seekers. Not to mention, if the potential candidate is a Self-Storage Talk regular, he or she is likely to be savvy and up-to-date on the latest issues trends within the industry. The online community allows users to get to know each other from across the miles, and when an opportunity arises for two people to work together, they already know each other from the forum.
Lastly, the Goods and Services Exchange provides a unique opportunity for self-storage operators to sell and trade items. Don't be fooled: This is not an outlet for vendors to bombard the audience with sales pitches. Instead, users can sell and trade storage-related (or non-storage related) items that they don't need anymore: dollies, boxes, equipment, locks, etc. Think of it as a pared down version of resale megasites Craigslist and eBay.
Additionally, you're more than welcome to discuss any side businesses you might have outside of storage (within reason—no unabashed advertising). Whatever you produce, don't forget that your self-storage comrades are a potential market you could reach.
The forum has a number of uses you might not have considered, whether you're a regular, a newbie, a lurker or a non-member. If you're either of the last two, we're waiting to see what you have to say. Get started today.