A fire at Hudson Self Storage in Henry County, Ga., late last week destroyed an estimated $200,000 worth of memorabilia from the movie "Gone With the Wind," as well as the facility office, manager's apartment and a climate-control building.

The facility is managed by Atlanta-based Universal Management Co., a self-storage management company. A representative from Universal confirmed the damage but added the manager and his family were not injured.

The lost memorabilia items belonged to the Road to Tara Museum, a Jonesboro, Ga., museum displaying collectibles from author Margaret Mitchell and "Gone With the Wind." Museum spokesperson Frenda Turner told the source she fears much of the collection was lost to flames or water damage. The source did not say whether the museum had purchased tenant insurance for the stored goods.

Turner told the source items stored at the facility included "highly, highly collectible" memorabilia not currently on display, including large poster-type boards that were used at the 1939 premier.

Henry County Fire Capt. Sabrina Puckett said firefighters battled the blaze for several hours overnight at the facility, which is south of Atlanta. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and local authorities came to the scene to investigate.

Representatives from Derrels Mini Storage in Clovis City, Calif., have asked the city council to change its municipal code, allowing a reduction in development fees for self-storage facilities. They argued in a council meeting last week that some of the fees, including those for water and sewer, are excessive.

Paul Ridenour, senior vice president for construction and development at Derrels Mini Storage, said the fees are triple that of other nearby communities, including Bakersfield, Fresno and Visalia.

The city council, which has directed staff to do a study of the impact fees, has several options. It can initiate an amendment to keep self-storage development in light-industrial zones or remove language to pay fees based on the underlying land-use designation. The third option is to leave the ordinance as is, forcing developers to pay the fees. An impact-fee study could take about 90 days, Ridenour said.

In 2002, the Clovis City Council approved Derrels Mini Storages request to pass an ordinance amendment that would allow self-storage development in other areas besides those zoned for light industrial. The amendment included the fee requirement after the council concluded self-storage development would displace residential development, which would generate more revenue for the city.

By Mary Lou Denny

An impactful blog can do several things, from fostering a sense of community around your brand to creating acceptance for a new product. Like a never-ending Web of success, your blog can be a focal point that spreads social media push-through. With the ever-changing utility of the Web, nows a great time to examine your blog and identify opportunities to freshen it up, whether youve been blogging for several months or several years.

One basic but critical thing to keep in mind is pushing through personality. The social network relies on connecting with real human beings. In your blog communications, you can and should be humorous, wise, persuasive, serious and more. These characteristics build a richer connection, whether youre offering advice or lending perspective.

Another way to enhance your brands overall Web presence is by integrating testimonies into your blog that provide clear product or service benefits to your readers. This will feed search engines, bringing results that include such tacit endorsements of your brand and services. Similarly, your blog can highlight noteworthy projects, buzz-worthy media placements, exciting contests, impactful partnerships and ever-important sustainability. More than ever, your green products and practices are a competitive advantage.

Also, blog readers expect to see more than just words, so a vibrant visual experience is always welcome. An engaging visual could be anything from a before and after shot to a YouTube video or a striking infographic. When sharing rich content, remember the opportunity to point readers to more extensive galleries or content on your site or your Facebook fan page.

Create Interest

When creating content, leave readers feeling good and wanting more. In TV, you have cliffhanger season finales. In broadcast news, you have kickersthose short, sweet, human-interest stories designed for a feel-good chuckle. While your great content itself can be a terrific draw, you can help serial readership by ending posts with a flourish that reminds viewers to stay tuned and dont miss out.

Create and sustain interest by focusing on a particular topic, such as how to properly pack a kitchen for storage or tips for keeping a unit mold-free. By announcing the blog series to readers and offering the series schedule, they can check back for the weekly or monthly installment. Through a compelling series, you can attract followers and even convert them to super status to become avid blog readers and active participants in your network.

These super followers are engaged. They will regularly read, comment and link or otherwise share your content. This is a brand builder for current customers who use your products and services. Reach out to these contacts to create more super fans. When you write for your super group, youll be presenting valuable knowledge to a known entity. Continued two-way communication gives you a sense for what they deeply care about and what dialogue will be useful to them, triggering them to keep responding through their interests.

Be an Expert

A content-building strategy is to post excerpts from articles or other blogs. By using excerpts vs. linking away in the middle of your post, you can keep readers on your blog site while showing them youre well-versed in the sphere of your industry. At the same time, you can complement the excerpt with your own take on the facts or opinions youve introduced. This keeps readers locked into your analysis of news and events.

Build your reputation as an industry expert by giving readers a roadmap to all the interesting posts on your blog. Ensure easy navigation with several categories for posts. Everyone will be able to see how many posts are in each category and you can subsequently gauge which posts are most popular. Your archives will demonstrate how you explore timely questions, trends and specific high-interest topics.

End your engagement by asking a question or including a poll. These can provide fascinating, strong messages and generate measurable interaction. Readers are interested to learn what others are saying, and your blog can develop an educational forum for others thoughts and needs.

Mary Lou Denny is executive vice president of Walt Denny Inc., a full-service public-relations, advertising and marketing agency specializing in the home-products arena, digital marketing and social media. For more information, call 630.323.0555, visit www.waltdenny.com .

Sovran Self Storage Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), will issue financial results for the quarter ended Dec. 31, 2011, after the market closes on Feb. 22. The company will conduct a conference call to review financial results and discuss operations on Feb. 23, 9 a.m. ET.

The call can be accessed by dialing 877.407.8033 (domestic), or 201.689.8033 (international). Sovran management will accept questions from registered financial analysts after prepared remarks. All others are encouraged to listen via webcast at www.unclebobs.com/company/investment/events.

The webcast will be archived for a period of 90 days. A telephone replay will also be available for 72 hours by calling 877.660.6853 and entering pass codes 286/386400.

Sovran is a self-administered and self-managed equity REIT in the business of acquiring and managing self-storage facilities. The company operates 435 facilities in 25 states under the name Uncle Bob's Self Storage.

Chicagoland self-storage operator LifeStorage is participating in the Score Originals program as a sponsor of WSCR 670 AM "The Score," a Chicago-based sports-talk radio station. As a Score Original, LifeStorage will be featured for all of 2012 on ScoreOriginals.com. The website will exclusively spotlight LifeStorage during May.

During LifeStorages exclusive month, the company will receive 15 30-second on-air promotional spots featuring the companys story. The sponsorship is part of an aggressive TV and radio marketing campaign.

Theres no such thing as overexposure when it comes to getting your brand out there," said Iwona Lach, marketing coordinator for LifeStorage. "As a Score Original, were proud to help celebrate the radio station's 20th anniversary, and were planning on a great 2012 for LifeStorage."

LifeStorage currently has 17 locations in Chicago and its suburbs, with two more opening later this year.

By John Barry

If you plan to sell your self-storage facility in the next year or two, there a plenty of things you can and should do to maximize your ultimate sales proceeds. Some require additional capital expenditures, while others just require a little time and effort. Just fresh paint can add tremendous showing value to a home, simple improvements can make a big difference at your self-storage operation. Lets talk about what you can do to increase the value of your facility before you go to market.

1. Raise Rents

Carefully review your management reports, specifically the rent roll, to determine the rent variance, the difference between your standard rental rate per unit and the actual rent being paid by customers. Dont let customers get a bargain rate any longer. Try to increase those customers up to the standard rent, and you should make thousands of dollars more per month and, of course, annually.

Since the average customer stay is about 10 months, try increasing the rent after six, then annually thereafter. If you miss the six-month opportunity and the customer stays for 10 months, you never get the opportunity or the benefit. Do this at least a year in advance of selling. If you do it right before you go to market, buyers will not give you the dollars you deserve, since the new income is not part of your trailing 12 months of revenue.

Result: An additional $3,000 per month at a 10 percent cap rate equals $360,000 in property value.

2. Reduce Delinquencies

Late fees are great if customers ultimately pay, however, I would rather have the rent when it is due. Your manager should be diligent about making collections calls. This may be the worst part of his job, but it can pay off more than you think.

Try to maintain the delinquency rate below 5 percent. You will find more cash in the bank, and your manager will have more time for marketing and leasing units without the albatross of deadbeats hanging over his head. If payments do not come, move on the lien process right away. Do not accept partial payments, or you will be required to start the lien process over from square one.

Result: A reduction in delinquent customers from 15 percent to 5 percent can mean thousands more in rent in the bank this month instead of hundreds in late fees.

3. Appeal Real Estate Taxes

It's almost contrarian to think that in a soft economy local tax-appeal boards would actually reduce property taxes, thus reducing revenue for local municipalities. The truth is, market values do decrease during significant recessions, and a tax decrease is possible. Call your taxing municipality for details on how to tackle this effort, and consult with a self-storage expert or your attorney. They will prepare you for the three-minute presentation you make before the tax-appeal board.

Result: A $10,000 reduction in property taxes increases your property value by $100,000.

4. Reduce Operating Expenses

Most self-storage owners closely monitor expenses, but some are not aware of the additional value that can be captured. For example, shop your property insurance annually. Shop energy providers annually (they will usually call you). Keep close watch on snow-removal and landscape bills so you are not double-billed. Reduce Yellow Pages advertising to the bare minimum and replace it with marketing dollars for the Internet.
If your facility is 40,000 square feet or larger, a 5 percent to 6 percent third-party management fee will be added to your expenses when you sell. If you use a management company now, hold it accountable to the budget and arrange to sign off on all expenses over a certain dollar amount.

Your total operating expenses should typically be in the 25 percent to 35 percent range of total revenue. If yours are higher than that, you have room to manage expenses down.

5. Make Minor Repairs

If your facility has dented panels, downspouts and gutters, have them repaired now. Make sure all the lights are working, the paving is good, the gate has been serviced and the fence is in good shape. These items reflect pride of ownership, and buyers will pay more for a property that does not require substantial capital expenditures.

6. Optimize Unit Mix

It can be easy and inexpensive to move metal wall partitions to adjust unit sizes. If you have too many small units, remove some walls and create larger ones. Adjust the balance of unit inventory to meet your markets specific demands. This will increase your occupancy and property value.

7. Expand if Possible

Buyers today will not pay for vacant space. If your facility occupancy rate is above 80 percent and you cannot meet current demand by adjusting unit sizes, add more units if you can. Any small expansion you can complete in the following year will definitely add facility value.

8. Obtain Approvals to Expand

If you enjoy a high occupancy rate but do not have the time, money or energy to add more units, at least obtain the municipal approvals to expand. Buyers today will not pay for extra land to expand, approved or not, if occupancy is below 80 percent or so. If your occupancy rate is 90 percent, you will receive some extra dollars.

9. Have Subdivisions in Place

If you own a unique property that includes your home, rental homes, a side business or office space in addition to self-storage, and you prefer to retain the other real estate while selling the storage business, subdivide the parcel now. Likewise, if you would require an easement over the property you are selling, get it approved. Completing this ahead of time will make the selling process much cleaner and simpler.

10. Maximize Ancillary Income

In addition to self-storage rental income, you should be receiving revenue from other sources. Retail sales, tenant insurance, truck rentals, billboards, and cell towers are excellent ways to increase your facility value. Obtaining approvals for billboards and cell towers if not already present on your property may be time-consuming or impossible, but selling retail items, tenant insurance and truck rentals is easy to do.

This may not be an exhaustive list, and maybe you've already tried each of these suggestions. But several of these items should spark ideas as you plan that big step to sell your self-storage business. Hopefully, they'll help you squeeze a few more dollars from your years of hard work.

John Barry is the vice president of brokerage at York, Pa., based Investment Real Estate LLC, which specializes in self-storage brokerage in the northeast and mid-Atlantic states. For more information, e-mail [email protected] ; visit www.irellc.com .

Access-control manufacturer DoorKing (DKS) has expanded its line of self-storage vehicular gate operators with solar-powered control boxes for low-voltage swing-gate operators. Customers now have the choice of powering their gate operators with 120-volt AC power or solar power.

Three solar box control-box options are available to allow the system to be designed for specific application requirements. Solar models include 6002, 6003, 6004 and 6400. These operators also have an Amp stand-by power draw (SBPD) circuit that insures battery power is used only when the gate operator is activated. The feature will provide more gate-operator cycles per battery charge.

"Our customers will benefit from this because all of these operators are 24-volt DC devices," said Richard Sedivy, director of marketing.

If a 120-volt AC is available, customers can use it as the primary power source for the controller. If its not available, the solar option makes perfect sense, and the 0.0 Amp SBPD circuit will extend the battery charge when the solar panel is not recharging the batteries. Installers who already use solar-powered products understand the importance of saving battery power, Sedivy said.

Established in 1948, Inglewood, Calif.-based DKS manufacturers vehicular gate operators, parking-control products and other access-control systems.

Self-storage real estate investment trust CubeSmart has acquired a 534-unit, 47,585-square-foot facility, formerly branded as Midtown Self Storage, at 1019 W. Dallas in Houston. Built in 2004, the facility is in Houston's Fourth Ward, just west of Interstate 45 and downtown. The development, designed by the Houston-based architecture firm Meeks + Partners, includes covered loading areas and climate control. The source reported the neighborhood is projected to undergo growth over the next five years.

Houston-based Steve Mellon, vice president at commercial real estate broker Grubb & Ellis Co., and Pete Williams, executive vice president at the company's Memphis office, facilitated the sale.

CubeSmart owns or manages 456 facilities across the United States and operates the CubeSmart Network, which consists of approximately 838 additional self-storage facilities. The companys services include storage customization, logistics, moving, organizational and office amenities.