At the Inside Self-Storage World Expo in Las Vegas a few weeks ago, a couple of Self-Storage Talk members approached me with an idea and request: "Each facility has several types of documents and resources they would probably be happy to share with others, such as procedural guides or sales scripts, if only they had a place to do it. And likewise, it would be nice if there were a big consortium where we could download shared items." With this member feedback, a new area of the site was born.
Today marks the first day of the Resource Center of Self-Storage Talk, the industry's largest online community. The intent of the new area is to allow self-storage pros to share items every facility needs, including ad creative, maintenance schedules, info and promo sheets, brochures, and training manuals, to name a few. The obvious document every facility needs is a rental agreement, which could also be shared (though I encourage everyone to be extremely cautious when sharing rental agreements and to consult attorneys before implementing; read the disclaimer). Also, this new area is accessible only to registered, logged-in members. If you are perusing the site but have not logged in or registered an account, you'll be missing out. Registration, by the way, is completely free and takes only a few minutes. You can do it at http://www.selfstoragetalk.com/register.php.
Uploading resources is fairly simple. Whenever you create a new post (unless you're in the Quick Reply format, in which you'll need to switch to "Advanced"), simply click on the paperclip button in the top row of the posting window. It will allow you to upload files from your computer or from the Internet, and several file types are supported, including .jpg, .doc and .pdf.
The addition of the Resource Center goes to show Self-Storage Talk belongs to the industry and its members, not to me or to anyone else who helps keep it running. Your requests and suggestions are always heard, and we do whatever we can to make the forum what you want it to be. All you have to do is e-mail me at [email protected] or send me a private message through the forum, and your suggestion could be become a reality. So, go check out SST's newest section as well as the rest of the forum, and register if you haven't already. Your industry peers could use your help, and you will most certainly benefit from theirs.