Self-storage businesses continue to thrive as a recession-proof business model. There is always a need for storage in a consumer-driven society. It can be easy to get comfortable thinking that business will always be consistent when people would rather absorb the cost of rental increases instead of moving items to a lower-priced location. Keep a strong marketing strategy in place even if your occupancy is high.
It can be tempting to think that marketing is overwhelming or unnecessary, and to give up trying. Don’t do that. Push forward. We have tips and instructions to make it easy to market your business for free or within a budget. Let’s discuss the free ways every self-storage business owner should advertise their property.
- Google Business Profile
- Business website & newsletter
- Facebook & Instagram Business Profile
Google Business Profile
Does your business have a Google Business Profile? If not, it needs one. This is an effective and free way to market your business. If you have ever used Google paid ads, the business profile exists. If you have not used Google paid ads, it’s possible your business doesn’t have a profile. A staggering 55% of businesses in the US have not claimed their free Google Business Profile. Why is it staggering? Because that’s more than half of businesses in the United States that are missing out on free advertising.
When you have a Google Business Profile, your business can show up in search results in 3 possible ways. It can be displayed in a paid ad at the top of the page, as an organic search result, or it can show up with a business profile on the right column and within a map cluster of listed businesses. A Google Business Profile helps your business rank more favorably with the Google algorithm. It offers businesses more visibility. It provides customers with accurate information about your business. A Google Business Profile enables you to collect Google Reviews from customers. Reviews are a valuable tool for interaction with customers, and for future customers to see how you do business.
Complete your Google Business Profile here. It only takes about 10 minutes.
Business website & newsletter
Self-storage businesses need a website that is user-friendly and allows for online lease execution. Customers want a contact-less experience for self-storage, and business owners must meet that demand. There will always be customers who want to come into an office for this process, but having both options available is necessary.
Your business website should collect email addresses from customers and potential customers, and both should opt-in to communication from your business. Setting up a monthly newsletter packed with tips and information is a great way to connect with customers and keep you in their mind on a regular basis. This method of communication also provides an opportunity to address any storage rules or issues that come up on the property so that customers know what to expect. Businesses already incur the expense of a great website, so it’s important to put it to use fully to share information with customers.
Facebook & Instagram Business Profile
Facebook & Instagram are great social media platforms to build a following of people who need your service or need the information you provide. Additionally, since they are both owned by Meta, it is not more difficult to use both rather than just one. If you’re already posting to Facebook, it’s simple to post content to Instagram. Both platforms are heavily dependent on video or photo content. Video content is favored on Instagram, while Facebook is slowly converting its users to prefer videos.
These platforms make it easy to share exactly what’s available on your property and how much can be stored in each size unit. Additionally, owners and managers have some creative freedom in the type of content shared as people are looking to be entertained as well as receive the product or service they need.
Consistency
The most important factor across all platforms – Google, website, Facebook, and Instagram – is to keep all information accurate and consistent. Discrepancies in hours are misleading to consumers and often create a sense of mistrust. It’s important to be sure that all information is correct everywhere. When changes come up, make sure to announce those changes on all platforms.
A solid marketing strategy is foundational to the success of any business, especially self-storage. Marketing strategies should utilize all free methods prior to spending money on paid advertising.
At Coastal Storage, we work to successfully connect self-storage buyers and sellers through meaningful relationships built on trust and experience. We would love to work with our on your next investment. Call us today at 904-591-0140 to connect with our team of experts.