My husband likes to play games—video games, board games, party games, you name it. Among his favorites are table-top war games played with extremely intricate scenery and miniature figures, much of which he painstakingly paints by hand. I don’t share his passion for these particular amusements, but whether or not I wished to, I’ve learned something about them over the years.
I’m amazed at the complexity of the rules for these competitions. Some of the handbooks are hundreds of pages long, and they’re frequently updated. Sometimes I’ll watch part of a game unfold, shaking my head in awe as my husband and his opponents pour over the pages of the most recent release, intensely squabbling over the interpretation of this or that regulation.
But without these guides, the players would have no way of knowing how to advance an army, plan an attack or determine the outcome of a battle. The books contain everything the participants need to know to partake in the game and effectively influence the outcome.
For several years now, Inside Self-Storage has created an annual series of Guidebooks that attempt to accomplish the same goal for facility investors, owners and managers. The aim is to provide a comprehensive collection of information that will direct industry players through the maze of financing, building and running a successful storage business.
To that end, we’re proud to announce the release of the 2015 Guidebook Series, available exclusively through the ISS Store. The digital publications can be purchased individually or as part of a discount package. This year’s set includes:
- Building/Investing Guidebook 2015 – Designed to help those interested in self-storage investing as well as those who want to establish or expand an operation, this Guidebook addresses real estate, finance, development and construction.
- Facility-Management Guidebook 2015 – Expanded for 2015, this Guidebook addresses key aspects of a self-storage manager’s duties and provides insight to sales, legal issues, money management, marketing, maintenance and more.
- Ownership Guidebook 2015 – Designed to help self-storage owners maximize their investment, this newly expanded edition covers revenue management, marketing, staffing, outsourcing, security, technology, insurance and more.
Designed in PDF format, these books are easy to view on a computer screen or tablet and can effortlessly be printed to paper. The $99 package contains all three publications, providing a savings of more than 20 percent.
We’ve also released a 100-page “2015 Guidebook Digest,” a condensed, hard-copy edition that features select articles from all three digital books in the 2015 series. You can find more details at www.insideselfstoragestore.com. Just choose "Guidebooks" from the left navigation bar. There, you can also browse copies from past years, now available at markdown. The content for these publications is 100 percent fresh from year to year, so there’s always something to be gleaned from any version.
Self-storage is a serious business but, like a game, it involves strategy, planning and competition. To succeed, you need to know and understand the rules, carefully watch your opponents, and overcome obstacles. Our Guidebooks provide the essential information that will help you set and navigate the board.
Have you purchased a 2015 or older Guidebook? Was it useful? Do you have any suggestions for expanding or improving the guides? We’d love to have your feedback. Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.