Aug 30, 2018

August Newsletter 2018 — Now Taking Reservations!

August 2018 Newsletter

Storage Authority Pre Opening News/Tips

As we prepare to open multiple facilities starting next month, finding land, design, and approvals for these franchisees is a thing of the past and now pre-opening operations and pre-opening marketing are the subjects of the day. This is a BIG Crunch time so being super organized is critical. Here are 7 tips you need to complete prior to crunch time.

1 Have a checklist for pre-opening operations – 100 + items 2 Have a checklist of for pre-opening marketing – 110+ items 3 Make a list of all the vendors you need to get on board before you open (Bookkeeper, SiteLink for the management program, G5 for the website, Open Tech Alliance for kiosk & gate systems, Attorney for lease and forms, graphic designer, utility companies, insurance agent, etc) 4 Make a list of all social marketing platforms you will use. 5 Make a list of every unit by unit with the number, size, type, and price. 6 Make a list of what makes your facility different than your competition, Your unique selling features. 7 Prepare your help wanted ads and employee manual.

If you are a Storage Authority Franchise Owner many of these items are prepared and reviewed with you long before crunch time so you can get a head start to rent double, even triple or more units in your first 4 months then projected in your Feasibility Study.

WHY CARE?

If you simply double your monthly rentals from 15 units a month to 30 units a month for the first 4 months it is an extra $108,000 income for you in your first year! Want to see the math email marc@SorageAuthority.com

Last month we told you the Storage Authority Walters Rd in Houston Texas roofs were on. And last week Ed called excited to tell us he has taken his first reservations – over a month and a half before he opens! Storage Authority Walters Rd Houston TX is slated to open Sept 15, 2018

The #1 Pre Opening Tip

When your first customer walks in they are going to ask the same questions that your next 1000 clients are going to ask. They will start with what is the price of a unit simply because they do not know what else to ask and often follow up do you have any specials? If you want to charge premium rates you better have written scripts memorized that provide the answers to these and the 7 other concerns they will ask you or you will lose many rentals. I can visit 20 facilities and maybe one will have some of the answers to:1 I need to think about it 2 I need to check for with my wife or boss 3 I just need information 4 Price seems high or can you do any better on the price. 5 I don’t need it until next week 6) I don’t need it until I sell my house sells 7) The client who does not provide his concern or objection

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Check out this recent article at Inside Self Storage: By Marc Goodin

How to Perform a Mini Demand Study on a Potential Self-Storage Site

For a great resource to retrieve initial metrics for your demand study go to RADIUS here radius.unionrealtime and get your free credits now.

Here is our add that is going to be the September issue of Minico Magazine, next to Marc Goodin’s Article on why Franchising for Self Storage you need to read.

As part of our Dynamic Ease Self Storage Development Series, we help our franchisees around the development landmines, including finding land, designing, financing and building a premier self-storage facility and to understand the options and prepare accordingly. _______________________________________________________________ If you want to learn more about Storage Authority Franchise there is a wealth of information on our website www.StorageAuhorityFranchise.com Don’t forget to check out “Why Storage Authority” and our blog/newsroom. Then the next step is to apply on our website or email or call Garrett Byrd (Garrett@StorageAuthority.com or Direct 941-928-1354)

Vendor Highlight

Instead of highlighting one Storage Authority Vendor we want to highlight how extremely important it is that your vendors work together and the better they know you, your systems, platforms and each other, the more efficient and profitable you will be since you will have double the time to market your business. For Storage Authority Franchise owners the savings in time because of this vendor synergy is well over 200 hours in your first 6 months of operations. And even a second 200 hours because Storage Authority has done the research on the vendors.

For example, Sitelink can set up our franchisees by cloning the Storage Authority forms, fees, various automatic late letters, emails and fees, user settings, tenant insurance, discounts and more saving hours and hours. Then the next part of the startup puzzle is making sure your other vendors are all tied together day one. Before you open you need to make sure your open Tech gate & kiosk, storsmart insurance, G5 website, Late 2 Lien, SiteLink Merchant, StorageTreasure online Auction and others are all tied together.

One simple example that saves us time and money and even makes us money is the vendors we use for the auction process. Late2Lien accesses our 30 day past due customer direct from SiteLink and adds them to our Late2Lien dashboard, for our managers to approve them for auction and then late2Lien sends the required lien/auction notice. And then Storage Treasures (who by the way is part of the OpenTech Alliance vast host of products and services we use) host our online auction. As a team things get done and our managers have the training and backup they need to be successful.

It may sound simple but it is not easy. Owners depend on the store’s manager to market, maintain and expand their business. Unfortunately, owners are discovering that the managers are ill-equipped with little to no operational, marketing, sales or customer service experience. And they also cannot keep up with the ever-changing technology Most facility managers spend 100% of their time doing the day to day and never get to the sales and marketing that can double your profits.

Industry News & Tips You Can Use Today

5 Pre Opening Tips You Can Use Now!

1. Start your list of emails today for your very own facility newsletter. It is not hard to get 500 or a 1000 local emails when you do it over several months

2. Open your own Mail chimp newsletter account: Every month during construction send out a newsletter keeping your prospects updated on progress and your grand opening.

3. Ask the city about a temporary CO: Construction always takes longer than planned. If your office is going to be ready before the total facility is completed ask early about a temporary CO. Even opening a week or a month early is a big deal.

4. Practice Autopay script – By having this late fee schedule on your desk and starting the lease presentation with a simple “I just need your debit card and I.D to get started”, you can make an easy extra $30,000 a year profits and more time.

5. Visit every funeral home & real estate office within a 5-mile radius twice before you open

Storage Authority experts are ready to help you every single step of the way, from finding land to operations, to driving your revenue year on year. If you have a question give us a call. Team up with the experts to save time and maximize your profits.