Storage Speak

By Teri L. Lanza, ISS Business Development Manager

Already the Holidays (with a capital H) are just around the corner. Oh, fa-la-la-la-la-la-blah-blah-blah. Sorry to be such a Scrooge, but its been one heck of a year; blast if I know where all the time has gone.

In my freshman year at college, I had a history professor who lectured in an old church in downtown Boston (a back injury forced him into early retirement this year at the ripe age of 76). During every session he would find at least one occasion to say, The older you get, the faster time flies. Enjoy your youth and beauty while you possess it. Every year, we feel a little less young, a little less beautiful, a lot more pressed for time. And this perception extends beyond us to our homes and businesses.

But theres good news: In this era of bursting technology and tools, financial strategies, and new-fangled marketing tactics, its relatively simple to refresh the image and even the outlook of a business. Take a look at Inside Self-Storage ... In the past year, weve undergone a complete transformation in our corporate climate.

We went from being a publication and tradeshow (albeit darn good ones) to a dynamic services company providing a slate of educational, web-based and alternative-marketing opportunities:

• Last winter, the ISS e-newsletter came on the scene and started circulating full force with regular weekly installments. We also celebrated the success of the industrys largest tradeshow to date: the ISS Vegas Expo in February.
• In the spring, we launched the all-new Self-Storage Training Institute for facility owners and managers. We also began the ISS Legal Learning Webinar Series, presented by industry expert Jeffrey Greenberger, addressing a different topic of importance on the first Tuesday of every month.
• This summer, we experienced four great firsts: an improved and much expanded website at www.insideselfstorage.com; the ISS Reno Expo, another great vacation destination to our roster of show venues; the inaugural installment of ISS editorial webinars, focusing on site security; and the 2007 Media Kit that, for the first time ever, includes a menu of online advertising options.
• Finally, the fall saw us sign BETCO Inc. as our first webinar sponsor; and we started offering web exclusive articles to complement each monthly edition of ISS magazine. This month, well release our 2007 Factbook, which promises to be the most comprehensive volume ever.

So weve changed and evolved with the seasons. Were older and wiser but not resistant to transformation! Lets face it: You can enjoy your youth, you can enjoy your beauty, but nothing savors like success. Take a deep breath, let the time fly, and enjoy a fabulous Holiday season.