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Security Self Storage Hosts 'Eggstravaganza' to Benefit Boys and Girls Club

Article-Security Self Storage Hosts 'Eggstravaganza' to Benefit Boys and Girls Club

Security Self Storage of Port St. Lucie, Fla., is hosting an “Eggstravaganza” to benefit the Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie Divisions of the Boys & Girls Club. The event will take place March 20, 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and is free and open to the public. In addition to hosting the event, the self-storage facility will donate $5 for every newly rented storage unit during the month of April to the Boys & Girls Club.
 
The event will include food provided by Little Ceasar’s Pizza as well as prizes, games and activities such as a slide/bounce house, pictures with the Easter Bunny, face painting, and arts and crafts. The grand prize is four spring-training tickets for the New York Mets.
 
With facilities throughout Florida and Maryland, Security Self Storage has a long history of partnering with charitable causes. Recent beneficiaries include Toys for Tots, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Becca’s Closet, Shoes for Orphan Souls, Treasure Coast Food Bank, The Muscular Dystrophy Association, Rotary, NCH Healthcare System and the Daily Bread Food Bank.
 
Source: Vero Beach Press-Journal, Security Self Storage hosts 'Eggstravaganza' March 20

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Florida Self Storage Association Adds Power Panel to Spring Conference

Article-Florida Self Storage Association Adds Power Panel to Spring Conference

The Florida Self Storage Association has added a ‘power panel’ of speakers to its upcoming conference and tradeshow, May 5-7, at Disney’s Contemporary Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Storage Summit will take place on Thursday following the keynote presentation by Paul Martin, author of Attitude Over Adversity.
 
The Storage Summit panelists are Anne Ballard of Universal Management Co., Michael Haugh of Absolute Management, Brenda Scarborough of Accountable Management, Marc Smith of Personal Mini Storage, and Steve Wilson of Hide-Away Storage. Representing more than 110 years of combined self-storage experience and 147 self-storage facilities in Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, they will share with self-storage owners what they are doing in their own companies. FSSA President Rick Yonis will moderate the panel as questions are asked from the audience.
 
The FSSA is a non-profit organization comprised of individuals who have an interest in the self-storage industry in Florida. Members include facility owners, operators, developers, investors, managers and suppliers.

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Uncle Bob's Self Storage Launches 'Uncle of the Year' Contest With Syracuse Crunch

Article-Uncle Bob's Self Storage Launches 'Uncle of the Year' Contest With Syracuse Crunch

The Syracuse Crunch, hockey team of Syracuse, N.Y., has announced the details of the Uncle Bob's Self Storage “Uncle of the Year” contest. During the month of March, fans can nominate their favorite uncle for the award. To submit a nomination, they must write an essay of up to 250 words giving reasons why their uncle should be selected as “Uncle of the Year.”

A panel of judges consisting of Uncle Bob's Self Storage staff members and Crunch players will review the entries and select a winner. The lucky uncle will be notified during the first week of April and receive a prize pack, compliments of Uncle Bob's.

Fans can submit their essays in person at all remaining Crunch home games through the end of March at the Guest Services table. The next home game is March 12. Essays can also be submitted via e-mail to Todd Cross at [email protected].

Uncle Bob’s is owned by Sovran Self Storage Inc., a real estate investment trust that owns and manages 383 storage facilities in 24 states, including two in the Richmond, Va., area. 
 
Source: OurSports Central, Crunch Announce Details Of Uncle Bob's Self Storage 'Uncle Of The Year' Contest

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American Buildings Co. Receives IAS Certification

Article-American Buildings Co. Receives IAS Certification

American Buildings Co. (ABC), a domestic and international manufacturer and marketer of metal-building systems for industrial, commercial and institutional construction markets, received International Accreditation Service (IAS) AC472 accreditation for metal-building system manufacturers. All four ABC divisions passed inspection to achieve IAS certification.

IAS accreditation criteria addresses quality management system elements for engineering, fabrication and shop practices, personnel requirements, materials-certification process control, and technical requirements. The AC472 comprises all necessary requirements of the International Building Code, Chapter 17, for establishing the basis for quality control and inspection of metal-building manufacturers.

Benefits of the accreditation include an expedited approval process, cost-savings on code-compliance verification, assurance that manufacturers are knowledgeable about code requirements, and further guarantee that qualified staff and a well-managed quality system are in position.  

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Improve Your Cold-Calling Skills

Article-Improve Your Cold-Calling Skills

John Maxwell writes in his book Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know, “The most effective leadership is by example, not edict.”

I bring this up because some comments we hear from self-storage managers is they are occasionally told to do something with little to no direction. In this case—cold calling. Unless you've done outside sales including cold calling you shouldn’t teach or preach on the subject. Yet, we have “professional” marketing gurus advising store managers they need to “market” to nearby businesses. Let's cut through the stuff and call it what it is ... cold calling.

I've done it, continue to do it, and even have fun in the process, but my temperament and training has allowed me to do so. Along these lines we know two things: In today's competitive world we need to be proactive. Second, we have too many people advising us what to do WHEN they themselves haven't stood in 100 degree temps, swept the grounds, then ran back into the office to smile and greet a stranger. It's a challenge. For those who don't cold call (I know, some call it marketing), let me explain the process:
 
1. We load up our cars with business cards and literature about our business.
2. We pull up to businesses that have huge signs that read, "No soliciting."
3. The heart starts racing as we feel the adrenaline.
4. The mind is confused because the marketing guru told the owner the manager needs to go door to door, but the business says don't come in.
 
Guess what we just experienced? Cognitive dissonance, or two conflicting thoughts. It's like an oxymoron to the brain—the two thoughts don't go together. You know you don't want to make the call, yet if you don't do it you could be reprimanded or fired. What the marketing guru won't tell you is that cold calling (excuse me, marketing) is hard! So let me help you with a plan:

Rejection. It's not about you (unless you go somewhere and your clothes are a mess and hair unkempt), but it may happen.

Don't wish your marketing guru should take your place. They won't, and wishing ill will on someone else puts them in charge of your life.

It's hard work. It's uncomfortable, but it's necessary.

Be clear with your purpose. Expect resistance if you expect to sell. It's better you drop off information and follow up with a call. Build rapport.

Be smart with your time. If you're going out selling, set a goal to visit a given amount of businesses in a specific amount of time within a tight geographic territory. Work specific streets and buildings within a ZIP code. Or call ahead and get the name of the business owner so you’ll know who you’re calling upon.

Keep a travel log. It should include contact person, company name, start and end mileage, and start and end time. If you're a sophisticated grapher, graph out how long it took you to start and end, and the length of time you spent in a prospect's office.

Be smart with your numbers. If you have an opportunity to speak with a business owner or decision maker, compare the square-foot cost of self-storage with what they pay per square foot; show them the savings!

Be the solution. When you do leave information without making a pitch, don’t drive off without telling the person you want to be part of the solution by lowering their costs. Sounds a little hokey, but the truth is that's what you do! You’re all about lowering overhead, not renting space. 

Share your cold-calling strategies by posting a comment below or at Self-Storage Talk, the self-storage industry’s largest online community. 
  
Bob Vamvas is a partner with Self Storage 101, a full-service self-storage management solutions firm with offices in Alabama, California and Texas. Trained and certified in areas such as management consulting, process development, and sales development Bob has worked in both the private and public sectors.  He has extensive experience in performance management systems, operational excellence, sales and marketing, competency analysis, communication strategies, coaching and counseling.  

Michael Dogger Joins Australia's Centreforce IT

Article-Michael Dogger Joins Australia's Centreforce IT

Michael Dogger joined Australia-based Centreforce IT in the newly created position of operations manager. Michael is the son of Centreforce CEO Dallas Dogger.

Michael Dogger is on track to complete an electrical-engineering degree this year, and recently worked with one of the largest telecommunications companies in Australia. He was also a branch manager at a large call center, and has IT and data-analysis experience, and has worked in the self-storage industry.

Cemtreforce IT is an installer of access control, CCTV and individual door-alarm systems throughout Australasia.

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XPS Lite Call-Center Service

Article-XPS Lite Call-Center Service

XPS Solutions, creator of ECHO  customer-management technology, Call Capture and ECHO Web, now offers a packaged solution  aimed at providing  call-center services to facilities with a low monthly-call volume. XPS Lite assists self-storage facilities in their business development efforts by providing a sales team at their service 400-plus hours per month.

XPS Lite offers the same features as the full XPS call-center service package, including ECHO, the Web-based call-management, and is backed by the company’s support team. 

Headquartered in Dallas, XPS Solutions offers reservation technology for nearly 1,000 self-storage facilities in the United States and Canada.

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MJ Partners Brokers Sale of Five Self-Storage Facilities

Article-MJ Partners Brokers Sale of Five Self-Storage Facilities

MJ Partners Self Storage Group recently brokered the sale of five separate self-storage facilities, three in the Chicago area, one in New Jersey, and one in Ohio.

The two properties within Chicago consist of 204,000 rentable square feet and more than 900 units, and were purchased by JSM Ventures/Maxtrix Midwest Storage Fund. These facilities will be managed by Extra Space Storage. MB Financial provided acquisition financing for this transaction.

MJ Partners brokered the sale of this Chicago-area self-storage facility.
The third facility, in suburban Blue Island, Ill., consists of 51,685 rentable square feet and 513 units, and was purchased by Midway Storage Inc. Purchase prices were not disclosed. Marc Boorstein and Jeff Jacobson of MJ Partners represented all parties in these transactions.

The former Storage Unlimited in Loveland, Ohio, was purchased by Bob Krumdieck of RJK and Associates for $1.5 million. The facility will be rebranded as Mt. Repose Self Storage and expanded upon from its current size of 37,184 square feet with 214 units. MJ Partners, in cooperation with A.M. Macy Co., represented the seller and buyer.

The Storage Stop in Burlington, N.J., located 20 miles northeast of downtown Philadelphia, was sold for $2.6 million. The facility features 53,774 rentable square feet on two stories with 562 storage units. The facility will be rebranded as Planet Self Storage by its new owners, Storage Investment Management Inc. David Kohn of MJ Partners represented both parties.

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Homicide Victim Found Outside AAAA Self Storage in Norfolk, Va.

Article-Homicide Victim Found Outside AAAA Self Storage in Norfolk, Va.

The death of a man found Friday outside AAAA Self Storage on Tidewater Drive in Norfolk, Va., has been ruled by police as a homicide. The conclusion was made after police received the preliminary Medical Examiner’s report. The man was identified as 26-year-old André Alphonso Wilson. Police have not yet said anything about the cause of death.
 
Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Norfolk Crime Line at 1-888-Lock-U-Up.
 
Source: WAVY TV 10 Portsmouth, Police identify homicide victim

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Reflections on the Self-Storage Biz: Industry Education, Software Data and Challenges of Refinancing

Article-Reflections on the Self-Storage Biz: Industry Education, Software Data and Challenges of Refinancing

I know this is something that’s only talked about in whispers. It’s a subject that’s hard to bring up, even with the people you know. I’m talking, of course, about Education Dysfunction, or E.D.

E.D. is a condition sometimes brought on by a difficult budget or simple neglect. It’s defined by most professionals as delusional thinking that “you already know all you need to know,” or the misconception that “there’s really nothing new about this business,” so the same-old, same-old is good enough for you.

The result of not diagnosing the early stages of E.D. can be a deterioration in skill level—a reduction in motivation until finally sinking into a “whatever” attitude about performing your job. The good news is you can treat E.D. quickly, and it doesn’t require long-term therapy or expensive prescriptions.

You fight Educational Dysfunction by simply encouraging those around you to share a book, or read and comment on a recent business article about self-storage. Even a few hundred dollars, properly allocated, can bring new knowledge to your desktop through webinars and online course work.

There are opportunities to battle E.D. in your company, but it starts with a management/ownership commitment to prevent it from even starting to infect your team. Your intention to make continuing education a part of your company culture requires making it a stated goal with a budget line to help fulfill the promise. It must be considered by everyone to be as important as answering phone inquiries or making collections calls.

Learning must be considered a basic part of the business, not a luxury or extravagance. Once firmly rooted in your company’s thinking, a permanent defense to Education Dysfunction can be achieved.
 
Making the Most of Your Software

The vast majority of self-storage operators manage their day-to-day business with the assistance of industry-specific software. Many are passionate in their support of one program over another, while others seem to never be satisfied with the version they’re using and feel stuck with it until the economy improves.

I’m not writing to provoke a landslide of e-mails about specific programs but to make a simple point: Every one of these self-storage software programs is producing mountains of information in self-storage offices worldwide. We can draw from the data to help make better business decisions. Are you doing this?

When milestones are achieved in your business, do you recognize them? Do you know when you rented your 200th unit this year? How about the first $50,000 or $100,000 in gross revenue? What about the record for the longest tenant? Which customer lives the farthest from your property? All these high points are recorded for you every day without anyone having to take any action.

Unfortunately, for many owners and managers, the hard drive of their computer is as far as this data gets. Very few operators are taking the time to print out a ZIP code or tenant-longevity report. Few are looking at a digital pin map to see what marketing holes exist in the areas their facility serves. Ask managers what percentage of their customers are paying via autopay, and the blank deer-in-the-headlights stare is their answer.

We must work smarter if we’re to achieve success in the years ahead. The days of easy rentals are over forever. We’ll need to fight for every new customer, but not by giving away bigger discounts or more free months―it will be accomplished by understanding what’s working, and when and why people are renting from us. It’s by discerning usable operations data that current and future business decisions can have a lasting, positive impact on bottom-line results.
 
We’re Not Out of the Finance Woods Yet

I can’t remember when a week has gone by during which I haven’t gotten questions from a facility owner about sources for refinancing. I’m not talking about new startups―those are a topic for a future column. I‘m talking about established projects with solid occupancies in the 65 percent to 80 percent range, whose owners are having trouble getting their current loans refinanced.

I continue to get call after call from owners reaching out for help. I wish I had it to give them, but as I write this column, the prospects appear to be getting worse, not better. The indecision in Washington coupled with the “what’s in it for me?” attitude of many lenders is letting the hangman’s rope draw tighter around the necks of many self-storage entrepreneurs.

I’m hopeful an answer can be found soon so calamity can be avoided, not only in our industry, but in the worldwide real estate industry. I urge everyone to hang on, because I know there will be more bumpy air ahead as we fly toward better financing alternatives. Maybe by the time we all gather in New Orleans for the Inside Self-Storage World Expo, Sept. 29-Oct. 1, there will be some positive signs for all of us.
 
Jim Chiswell is the owner of Chiswell & Associates LLC. Since 1990, his firm has provided feasibility studies, acquisition due diligence and customized manager training for the self-storage industry. He has served for a number of years on the Inside Self-Storage Editorial Advisory Board, is a moderator on the SelfStorageTalk.com interactive online community, and is an instructor of the Self-Storage Training Institute. He can be reached at 434.589.4446; e-mail [email protected]; visit www.selfstorageconsulting.com.

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