California self-storage operator A-1 Self Storage is providing monetary support to Noah Homes, a Catholic organization that provides residential services and opportunities to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

According to NoahHomes.org, the group aims to promote security, well-being and independence within an environment of dignity, respect and personal/spiritual growth. Operating from the belief that each person has the capacity to enrich others, Noah Homes encourages the larger community to grow in awareness about people with disabilities to foster unity.

A-1 Self Storage has 16 locations in the San Diego County area and more than 40 locations statewide. It is the self-storage division of the Caster Cos., a third-generation, family-owned company headquartered in South California since 1959. Caster Cos. develops and manages A-1 Self Storage, A-1 Car Storage and other commercial properties in California. Its portfolio includes more than 4 million square feet of real estate.

Now celebrating its 30^th anniversary, ONeil Software, a provider of software solutions for records centers worldwide, will host its 2011 Strategic Partner Conference, Sept. 14-16, at the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort in Huntington Beach, Calif. The event will include a fundraising effort to support the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

The ONeil conference will assist the companys customers in understanding the fusion of technology with records-management operations. Attendees can spend quality time with the ONeil team,  participate in educational sessions, listen to guest speakers, network with industry peers and schedule meetings with vendor partners. They can also participate in the Record Center Challenge as well as an awards banquet and ceremony, which recognizes strategic partners who have implemented ONeil technology in innovative ways.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Founded in 1980, it is one of the worlds leading childrens charities, serving children in the United States and 40 other countries. With the support of donors and more than 30,000 volunteers, the foundation has granted the wishes of more than 250,000 children.

ONeil serves more than 1,000 records centers in more than 80 countries, ranging from start-ups to multi-national companies. In addition to software, the company specializes in barcode tracking, portable printers, wireless handhelds and Web technology.

Shrewsbury Self Storage in York, Pa., will collect shoes and clothing through June 30 for Goodwill Industries International Inc., a national charitable organization.

Donations can be dropped off at Shrewsbury Self Storage, 20 Onion Blvd., Monday through Friday between 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

"Goodwill Industries reaches out to youth, seniors, veterans and military families, immigrants, people with disabilities and others with specialized needs in our communities," said property manager Amanda Swords.

Last fall, Shrewsbury Self Storage and its sister facility in the Mid-Atlantic region collected more than 12,262 items for a canned-food drive. The business plans to hold another one later this year.

In addition to providing donated clothes, household items and shoes to those in need, Goodwill also offers job training and family support services.

By Randy A. Smith

I read every industry magazine I can get my hands on. Its with interest and amusement that I flip through the pages looking for the latest and greatest idea to attract tenants. From car washes to vet clinics, moon jumps to flea markets, the length and expense to which self-storage operators go in hopes of drawing new customers amazes me. Sure, all those ideas get people on the property, but do they make the cash register sing?

In this industry, we seem to have the mindset that our service is unlike any other product out there. We ignore what other industries do to attract customers and come up with crazy approaches to market our facilities. So-called experts have become close-minded and blind to whats working in other businesses. In fact, strategies that are considered traditional marketing in almost every other industry are non-traditional marketing in self-storage. Let me explain.

Three Best Mediums for Marketing

How many flea markets or community garage sales do you see happening at McDonalds? How many vet clinics at the local car dealership? Get the point? Why dont successful businesses in highly competitive industries use the concept of door turns? Because their multi-million-dollar marketing departments and Harvard MBA grads know what sells burgers and cars: radio and TV.

Stop and consider why all of the companies you see on TV and hear on the radio are there, week after week, month after month, year after year. Its because that advertising medium works! Why do we in the self-storage industry use gimmicky things like pencils and balloons, candy jars delivered to apartment-complex managers, or nail files printed with slogans like Your files are safe with us? Theres a reason no other industry uses these tools.

At Another Closet Self-Storage, weve run the gamut on every marketing idea out there. Ive come to the conclusion that the three best mediums for marketing self-storage are radio, TV and the Internet. Using these three mediums predominately over the last four years, weve seen double-digit growth annually. This year were on track to grow our revenue 20 percent to 25 percent over last year. In 2010, revenue was 18 percent over 2009.

Want to grow your business? Do what no one else is doing. In self-storage, it seems like almost no one is using radio or TV ads except some of the national operators. If you have no competitors on radio or TV and you run a campaign, you automatically become the top self-storage facility (perception-wise) in the market (even if you arent) just by virtue of the fact that youre the only one advertising there. Do you know how many vice presidents of marketing in other industries would love to be in that position?

Tailoring Your Message

In Another Closet markets, we have a lot of Spanish-speaking residents, so this year we opted for a branding campaign with a custom-made jingle, one in English and another version in Spanish. The 30-second song was free in exchange for placing advertising on a particular TV station, and the production was free, as is almost always the case. We paid $300 for talent to appear in the commercial so both versions look professional. We also used the jingle for our radio spots so we have a unified message across the entire market.

Our concept was to grow the segment of the business I call people with too much stuff. I cant control when people die, marry, divorce, move, etc., but I can educate and entice people who have too much stuff to store with ushence the theme of our jingle and ads.

Think about this: One manger out for an afternoon can talk to maybe 10 to 12 people. Thats two or three hours away from the store. One radio or TV ad can reach 20, 50 or 100,000 people at a time. Radio and TV ads are 25 to 50 times more effective than the knocking on doors approach. Add a good targeted Internet presence to the mix, and youve got a powerful synergy that cant be beat.

Weighing the Costs

Of Another Closets entire advertising budget, more than 60 percent is dedicated to radio alone, and about 90 percent of the remaining 40 percent is for TV and Internet. Less than 6 percent of the budget is spent on Yellow Pages ads, with the ultimate goal of zero.

In reality, radio and TV advertising is not as expensive as you think. Pick up the phone and get a quote. Last year, Another Closet ran a whole year of TV ads on the No. 1 station in the market for less than the cost of a full-page Yellow Pages ad, and achieved about 50 times the results. If no one else is doing it, it wont take much to make your facility stand out.

With radio, people are loyal to stations. With TV, people are loyal to programs. Keep this in mind when you advertise. Also remember there are basically two forms of advertising: branding, which helps customers remember you when they need your services later, and the call to action, which leads to a rental today.

We all have two types of customers as well: the today customer who wants a unit right now, and the tomorrow customer who isnt going to rent just yet. The today customers represent a very small percentage of your market. The tomorrow customers are by far the largest group. Unfortunately, many ads for storage appeal to the now customer, so consider putting 75 percent to 80 percent of your advertising to address the tomorrow customer with branding (name awareness). Then launch call-to-action ads periodically to promote specials for a time-definite period. Watch the national chains in other industriesthis is what they do.

When creating your self-storage marketing program, consider radio and TV advertising. These mediums offer operators a larger audience, and can be cost-effective advertising. Good luck as you branch into this more non-traditional marketing.

Randy A. Smith is director of operations for Another Closet Self-Storage in McAllen, Texas. The company operates seven facilities in Texas. To reach him, e-mail [email protected] .

Storage Asset Management Inc. (SAM) has launched a Spread Goodwill clothing drive at the 24 self-storage facilities it manages to benefit Goodwill Industries. Facility managers will be accepting donations of clothing and shoes through June 30.

Goodwill Industries reaches out to youth, seniors, veterans and military families, immigrants, people with disabilities, and others with specialized needs in our communities, said Julie Purcell, director of marketing at SAM. In 2010, Goodwill Industries helped nearly 2.4 million people through their employment and training programs.  We hope people clean their closets for a cause this summer.

SAM property managers have been hard at work distributing fliers and spreading the word about the drive, according to SAM Vice President Alyssa Quill. So far the response from local businesses, the local communities and the companys customer base has been very positive, she said.

SAM is a full-service self-storage management and consulting company formed in May 2010.  The company currently manages 24 properties in mid-Atlantic and northeast states.

LifeStorage Centers LLC, a Chicagoland self-storage operator, is donating to Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF) by sponsoring Team LifeStorage at the Muddy Buddy bike-and-run race on Sunday, July 31, in Gilberts, Ill. CAF provides assistance to people with physical disabilities so they can pursue active lifestyles.

I am inspired by not only the foundation, but the athletes that benefit from them, Susan Powers, a LifeStorage facility manager, said in a news release. Powers is captain of Team LifeStorage. She will be participating with co-worker Liz Benson in the Muddy Buddy race. It's a two-person ride and run event held in various locations across the country to raise money for CAF.

CAF offers sports equipment, post-rehabilitation and mentoring services, and lifestyle information for the physically challenged. This includes those who have suffered a traumatic injury, have a physically impairing disease or were born with a congenital impairment resulting in a physical disability. Team LifeStorage is in the midst of fundraising events to help reach the $5,000 goal. The first was a two-month partnership with a Wendy's restaurant, and future events include partnerships with Tilted Kilt restaurants and bowling alleys, among others.

LifeStorage has six locations in Chicago and 11 in the suburbs.

U-Store-It Trust, a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust focused on self-storage facilities, declared a quarterly dividend of $0.07 per common share for the period ending June 30, 2011. The dividend is payable on July 22, to common shareholders of record on July 7, 2011.

In May, the company also released its operating statistics for the first quarter, which ended March 31. The company showed upticks in total revenue, net operating income and occupancy.

U-Store-It is a self-administered and self-managed REIT that owns or manages 451 self-storage facilities across the United States. The company also operates the U-Store-It Network, which consists of approximately 750 additional self-storage facilities.

Police are investigating several break-ins at multiple self-storage facilities in Madison, Texas. At least three self-storage units and two storage sheds in residential neighborhoods have been burglarized in the past month. State Street Storage, Wilson Management Company and D&J Storage all reported a break-in.

The Madison County Sheriffs Department made one arrest after stolen items from one of the break-ins was discovered during a traffic stop. Investigators are not sure if all the burglaries are related, but do believe there are more suspects involved in the break-ins.

By Kris Miller

Most people who have a 401k or an IRA have little idea of where their money is invested. When asked, "Where's your retirement money?" they often respond, "at the bank" or "with my broker." No wonder so many people are financially unprepared for retirement.

The fact is if you want to be financially secure in your golden years, you must take control of your investments today. Handing over your money to a broker and hoping someone else will look out for you is a recipe for disaster. Imagine saving and investing for 40-plus years, only to find out at age 65 or 70 that you don't have enough money to retire. It's a common scenario that happens every day.

With so much planning information available, why are so many people still unprepared for retirement? Because there are certain financial-planning myths that simply won't go away. The more you believe the myths, the more of a struggle your retirement will be. Let's clear up these myths once and for all so you can take charge of your financial future and be prepared for retirement.

Myth 1: You have to put your money at risk to make a decent return.

Most 401ks and IRAs are invested in the stock market, but thats the riskiest place to put your money. You've likely heard market experts say nows a good time to invest in the stock market. Really?

A broken watch tells the right time twice a day, but that's no reason to wear one. According to experts, stocks provide an average 10 percent return annually. But this assumption dates back to the 1800s and no longer applies in the 21^st century. Today, your typical annual return on stock-market investments is closer to 5 percent.

You may also have heard, "Our economists are forecasting" Ask your broker if the firm's economists predicted the most recent recession and, if so, when? Investor Warren Buffett once said forecasters make fortunetellers look good. If you want to earn higher returns, most brokers say you have to take more risk. This must come as a surprise to Mr. Buffett, who prefers investing in boring blue chip industries.

Here's the truth: There's no reason for your money to be at risk. You can make money with safer investments such as fixed-index annuities, which are like a savings account with an insurance company. In fact, even during the Great Depression, not one person lost money with a fixed-index annuity. They're safe, have liquidity, and offer better rates than most other products. So why hasn't your broker told you about these less risky options? See Myth 2.

Myth 2: Your broker only makes money when you do.

It's nice to think that your broker cares about you and your financial future, but that's not 100 percent true. While your broker likely does want the best for you, here's what usually happens when you let him invest your money: He buys shares of stocks and mutual funds. The market can then go in one of three directions: up, down or stagnant. Wall Street can't control the market, and neither can your broker.

Here's the important point: Brokers don't make money when you do. Sure, they'd like you to make money, but they actually make their money by managing your money. They make money when the market goes down, when the market goes up and even when the market is flat. In other words, they always win. Their clients, however, only win in one of those three directions. That's why, even though you hope for the best, you often end up with a cooked goose instead of the fatted calf.

Since your broker essentially makes money by moving your money from fund to fund and buying and selling shares of stocks, why would he want you to invest in something boring like the fixed-index annuityespecially since the less risky products typically offer brokers a one-time commission and nothing more? In contrast, there are big commissions in stock-market investing. Every time your broker buys or sells stocks for you, not only does he charge you a fee (see Myth 3), he gets a commission. Knowing this, who do you think most brokers are really looking out for?

Myth 3: Maintaining a stock portfolio is very inexpensive.

Even though you may be putting money into your retirement account on a regular basis, hidden fees may be slowly draining your account. The disclosed fees are simple to find. Look at the expense ratio, which is found in the prospectus. These fees are commonly referred to as management fees.

Administration fees are in addition to the management fees and are much harder to find. At first, you may think a small fee here and a nominal fee there is no big deal. After all, how much could these administration fees possibly be? Consider the following information, taken from the U.S. Department of Labor 401k fee website.

"Assume you are an employee with 35 years until retirement and a current 401k account balance of $25,000. If returns on investments in your account over the next 35 years average 7 percent and fees and expenses reduce your average returns by 0.5 percent, your account balance will grow to $227,000 at retirement, even if there are no further contributions to your account. If fees and expenses are 1.5 percent, however, your account balance will grow to only $163,000. The 1 percent difference in fees and expenses would reduce your account balance at retirement by 28 percent."

That's a huge fee! Therefore, be sure to look and ask your broker about plan-administration fees, investment fees and individual service fees. Knowing the truth about hidden fees and taking action to avoid them can add thousands of dollars to your retirement savings.

Plan Your Future Today

Whether you plan to retire today or in 30 years, you need to take control of your retirement accounts right away. Understanding how your money is invested and making sure it's working for you in the most efficient way will give you peace of mind and future security. By dispelling the key myths of financial planning and investing a little time and energy creating your future financial plan, you can rest assured that your retirement years will be pleasurable and prosperous.

Since 1991, Kris Miller has served hundreds of individuals and families, tailoring long-term, personalized financial plans that carefully preserve their principal and maximize return. He is the author of PREtirement Planning Essential. For more information, visit www.krismillermoneymaestro.com/retirementmistakes .