One By One Self Storage has launched a public directory for residents to search and compare self-storage facilities in the San Diego area.

In addition to address and location, the online directory includes user ratings, reviews, facility images, features and Internet coupons. The professionally maintained directory will have an unbiased search listing and reviews of all local San Diego self-storage locations.

For a limited time, One by One Self Storage is offering free premium listings with free custom landing pages. The premium listing includes the facility name, picture, address, contact information and hours of operation.

Each premium listing also features customer reviews and ratings, facility photographs, coupons and discounts and mapped directions to the facility. Additionally, customers can request live quotes and conduct online reservations all with the click of a button.

Launched in June, OneByOneSelfStorage.com features a comprehensive database of self-storage facility websites that have simple online reservation systems and unlimited access to Internet deals. The search directory gives users access to the most up-to-date information on location, contact information, available units, unit dimensions, property features and prices. When users find what theyre looking for, they can reserve their unit.

A self-storage software and security pioneer has returned to the industry after a four-year hiatus with the acquisition of two well-known brands: PTI Integrated Systems Inc. (PTI) and Digitech International Inc. The result is a new company in the self-storage vertical: PTI Security Systems.

Last month Lance Comstock re-purchased the PTI brand he sold to Chamberlain Group Inc. in late 2007. He also bought the Digitech brand, which was purchased by Chamberlain in early 2008.

Established in 1979, PTI is a developer and manufacturer of access-control, security and site-management solutions for the self-storage industry. The company has evolved greatly over the years, adding more products and services. Digitech has developed and marketed access-control and security systems for the self-storage industry for more than 20 years.

Inside Self-Storage caught up with Comstock to discuss his transition back into the industry, what the acquisition means for PTI and Digitech users, and his plans for the new company. More information can be found at PTISecurity.com.

Why did you re-buy PTI?

I purchased PTI back because I absolutely loved developing and supporting products for the self-storage industry. Ive been in the industry for 25 years now, and theres no place like this where its the relationships that count. Ive always enjoyed the people Ive worked with and the satisfaction I get when we take care of their needs.

How does the Digitech brand align with the new company?

The PTI and Digitech brands are the best in the industry and always have been. Each product line has a tremendous amount of flexibility and durability to service the needs of this industry. There are many companies that have come and gone in this industry, as they really dont understand what it takes to develop reliable products. Many of the differences come down to a personal preference, much like Chevy and Ford. Theyre both great products, but people like to have a choice with the differences each product line offers.

How will this affect self-storage operators currently using these brands?

Im excited to work with the existing customer base and ensure were supporting their needs. There are currently thousands of these systems installed at facilities, and some of them will date back more than 20 years. We will supply a migration path for most of these customers who have older systems to ensure theyre taking advantage of our current technologies.

There are many things that have been designed into our systems that some of the customers may not know about, or not know how to use these technical advantages to increase their business. Well also be looking at new ways to keep their older systems up and running without complete replacements in the unlikely event theres a failure.

Whats in store for the new PTI Security Systems?

Well be introducing many new products and educating people on our existing advantages over the next six months. Were in the process now of moving our manufacturing facilities from Nogales, Mexico, to Scottsdale, Ariz., where we can have greater control on the supply and quality. This will be completed before the first of the year.

Were also looking at refining some of our products that can be used as multi-purpose products to help facilities advertise and get their message out. This will include adding a marketing display into our very popular graphics program that allows advertisements based on the user info to be displayed to them.

Weve also developed some great products that assist the onsite manager to collect and pay rent for units at either the keypad (PayXpress) or at a dedicated station in the office (PayStation). Our wireless overlock system will be improved to allow for additional needs as well as development of a keypad that will work on both Digitech and PTI platforms.

The list is vast for our product development, as having a four-year break from the industry allowed me to get ideas that can be adapted to this industry. Many of these will be revealed in the very near future. Most important, however, we are putting systems in place to get better support and communications out to the industry. As I mentioned before, theres no industry anywhere like self-storage. Its all about creating and maintaining relationships and supplying results.

What are your plans for the international market?

I love the international market. When I founded PTI Integrated Systems, I was able to foster some great international partners and personal friends. Those relationships have been maintained during my absence from the market, so we now have re-established the business arrangement.

Our products are best suited for this market because many of the facilities actually use the features weve designed into our products, where as in the United States, the facilities have traditionally not been as sophisticated with their access-control and security products. However, this has been changing over the years. In fact many of the new ideas actually come from the input from the international market. This includes our lift or elevator controls, individual door alarms, graphics displays, TCP/IP connectivity, individual keypad messaging, one-time use codes, multiple-access capability and extensive tracking of customers, including e-mail notifications if a door is opened or a code is used.

If there is one thing Ive learned from my break its that you must have passion for what you do in life or you will not put in 110 percent toward it. I clearly have the passion for this industry and always have. Im now looking forward to doing what I love more than anythingdeveloping products and supporting the storage industry worldwide.

Store It! @ Groves purchased a self-storage facility in Groves, Texas, from Gulfway Storage LLC.

The facility, 6701 Gulfway Drive, includes 67,013 square foot and 575 climate-controlled units. The building was converted to self-storage in 2004. The property was roughly 68 percent leased at the time of sale.  The Jenkins Organization, Texas-based commercial real estate and development company, will operate the facility.

Brokers at Grubb & Ellis Co., a real estate services and investment firm, facilitated the sale. Steve Mellon, vice president and leader of the Self Storage practice group, represented the seller in the transaction in conjunction with Pete Williams, executive vice president, Investment Services, Grubb & Ellis|Memphis. 

Grubb & Ellis Co. includes more than 5,200 professionals in more than 100 company-owned and affiliated offices.

A self-storage owner in Charlotte Harbor, Fla., was arrested by undercover detectives Tuesday for trafficking and selling drugs out of his business.

Detectives said they purchased Xanax from Anthony M. Bellino, 46, owner of Value Self Storage on Oct. 31, and Vicodin on Nov. 2. Both buys were made at the self-storage facility, 23227 Main St.

Undercover detectives from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Narcotics Unit met with Bellino again on Tuesday to purchase Diazapam pills. He was then arrested and taken to the Charlotte County Jail. His bond was set at $44,500.

Salt Lake City-based Extra Space Properties Thirty LLC, an affiliate of Extra Space Storage Inc., has filed a $2.8 million loan through Bank of America NA for a storage facility at 7954 Patriot Cove in Cordova, Tenn. The transaction is part of an amended $75 million revolving line of credit Extra Space Properties has through Bank of America, filed in 2009.

The Cordova site is a 55,537-square-foot, one-story warehouse built in 1997. It sits on 4.2 acres west of North Germantown Parkway at the dead-end of Patriot Cove. The rear of the property faces the Shelby Farms Greenline.

In conjunction with the loan document, a quitclaim was filed with the Shelby County Register of Deeds. The deed quitclaims the site from Extra Space Properties Twenty Nine LLC to Extra Space Properties Thirty LLC.

The appraisal of the property per the Shelby County Assessor of Property is $2.3 million. According to the loan document, of the $75 million loan, the maximum principal indebtedness for the Cordova property is $2.8 million.

Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Extra Space Storage is a real estate investment trust that owns or operates 854 self-storage properties in 34 states and Washington, D.C. The company's properties comprise approximately 550,000 units and more than 60 million square feet of rentable storage space.

SMD Software Inc., provider of SiteLink management software for self-storage and portable-storage operations, released the latest version of its mobile-reporting module, which allows users to view real-time software reports via the Web on any computer or mobile device. Accessible at webreports.smdsoftware.com, the module allows self-storage operators to view reports by facility or as consolidated documents. It runs on all Internet-ready devices: desktop computers, smartphones and tablets.

SiteLinks mobile-reporting module serves the many operators requiring information on the go, said Markus Hecker, chief operating officer. All reports are real-time and show the actual, historical data going back to the day users started Web Edition. SiteLink does not restrict access by archiving data. Users access complete historical information anytime.

SMD was established in 1996. With more than 5,000 installations worldwide, SiteLink Web Edition integrates with platforms such as smartphones, websites, listing services, INSOMNIAC self-storage kiosks, Lead Tracking Solutions and central mail providers. Features include revenue management and integrated customer-relationship management.

A self-storage facility in Lake Wylie, N.C., is partnering with other community businesses to collect food, toys and coats for a local charity.

Kodiak Mini Storage is working with the community newspaper, Lake Wylie Pilot, Lake Wylie Chamber of Commerce and Bank of America-Lake Wylie to collect donations through Dec. 20 for Clover Area Assistance Center (CAAC).

Last year, nearly 200 toys and 1,000 coats, hats, gloves and scarves were collected. The group hopes to top last years donations. Desired items include canned goods such as soup, peanut butter, beans and pasta, unwrapped toys for all ages, and new coats, hats, gloves and scarves.

The CAAC, a nonprofit, collaborative agency, is receiving more inquires for assistance, according to the organizations executive director Karen van Vierssen. The center serves a regular client base of 300 to 325 people every month, van Vierssen said. Urgent needs are met with food, financial assistance, health services and special needs items, and through advocacy and referrals to other organizations. The organizations preventive and educational programs work to increase self-sufficiency.

Kodiak Mini Storage will accept donations from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

By Rachel Greenfield

The influence of do-it-yourself video is everywhere. Big brands are using popular motifs from viral Internet videos in their huge mass-media campaigns. Theyre doing this because marketers recognize the simple appeal, and they want to associate their brands with that down-to-earth, scrappy vibe.

This trend in advertising is popular in 2011 because consumers are seeking transparency and realness from the businesses they choose to patronize. The most successful brands arent afraid to let a little personality shine through.

Believe it or not, you can create and promote a video that appeals to your potential self-storage customers and generates return on investment for your facility. You dont even have to hire a production team. Were talking do-it-yourself video. It can be a low-budget, fun marketing effort that actually works in a trackable way.

But Self-Storage Is Boring

Its easy to think self-storage is too unglamorous to be entertaining. However, video is actually the perfect means to showcase how you and your team make storage great. Youd be surprised by how many cool examples there are of self-storage featured in movies and on TV and the Web, where several operators have posted entertaining videos.

Manhattan Mini Storage enjoys great press coverage and tons of social sharing with its ad campaigns thanks to smart, creative writing in videos and billboards that appeal to the local target audience in an inclusive way. Their ads make viewers feel like theyre real New Yorkers, included in the citys inside jokes. This tactic can work in any location.

Ultimately, Internet users prefer hitting the play button on a one- or two-minute video over reading lengthy copy. For potential future tenants, this is an ideal first point of contact with your facility. Video can enhance the customer experience and add value to your facility through educational how-to content. It also has the power to help potential tenants find you in the first placenot only through social sharing, but through online search engines.

Where Do I Start?

The best place to start is with a short welcome video on your website. Ask staff for content ideas or hold a contest for your social-media followers, rewarding whoever comes up with the best idea for a commercial.

This should be a fun tour of your facility, staff, products or unique value position. Think of the physical tour as your cake, and then add icing and sprinkles to make it awesome. Your video can include anything from funny staff antics, to the unique history of your facilitys building, to the charitable work in which your company loves to participate. This is whats going to make your video entertaining, compelling and unique. Also work in a local angle whenever you can.

Keep videos short and simple, no longer than two minutes. Always avoid coming across as too self-promotional. Video should be entertaining, helpful and real. You want viewers to feel as if they can relate to your business. A welcome video is perfect to feature front and center on your website.

Distribution for Results

You know how when you type in certain keywords into Google videos pop up at the top of the search-results page? They appear as those irresistibly clickable thumbnails. You can get your video ranking here for search queries such as [your city] storage. With educational videos, try ranking for phrases like How to use self-storage or Do I need climate control?

Another way to get attention for your video is to upload it to YouTube, making sure every field on the video-edit page is completed, especially keyword tags. In the description, use the keyword in which youre trying to rank, as well as your website URL. Another best practice is to set up your brands YouTube channel and add new videos as often as you can.

If Google decides to include video in search results for your keyword query, it will appear on page one or two. So do a search yourself and see if any video is ranking yet. If not, you have an untapped opportunity to be the first.

If there are already two or more videos displaying, you can get more specific with the keywords youre after, such as targeting your specific neighborhood instead of Detroit self-storage. Or check out how the videos already displayed in search results are actually performing. Video metrics are conveniently transparent. You have easy access to the numbers your competitions videos are pulling in including how many views, shares, likes and comments they have. This will dictate what you need to exceed, because all those numbers have an influence on how Google ranks video.

Promote Your Video Everywhere

Its easy to add video to practically any social profile and directory listing you already have. Get everyone in your network of friends and family to share it with their own contacts. When relevant, send an e-mail to your base of current customers and leads with new video content. You can even enlist self-storage peers in non-competing geographies to repost for youthis industry is in need of cool fodder like video to share on social media.

Is It Working?

Once your video is posted, you need to determine if its drawing attention. Consider offering an exclusive promotion to viewers. This will help you track how many new tenants mentioned your video to get the discount when leasing. Also display a unique trackable phone number in each video you release. Websites such as Callfire can help you set up a number that reroutes to your regular facility phone. This makes it easy to track how many calls come in from each number and to determine which video is gaining the most attention.

You dont need a big budget or fancy equipment to make an impact online with your self-storage video. With a little investment of time, creativity and energy, you and your staff can make a simple but fun marketing message that will gain online traction for your facility and bring in more rentals.

Rachel Greenfield is the marketing analyst at SpareFoot, an online self-storage marketplace listing real-time unit pricing and availability. The company offers a suite of Web marketing tools for storage operators, including ad listings on its 50-plus partner sites, a facility website builder and local search solutions. For more information, call 512.705.6208; visit www.sparefoot.com .