If you operate a self-storage facility in a college town, don’t miss out on marketing to college students. College students are a great audience requiring storage when the semester winds down. Considering this article will be published in April, don’t think that the chance has been missed to capitalize on this opportunity. College students are in the thick of a dead week and preparing for exams. They know move-out day is approaching, but they haven’t packed and they don’t plan to until the last mark is made on their exam paper. Many college students are not planning where to store their stuff or if they will just bring it home for the summer. Let’s talk about why and how you should market to college students.
Why market to college students?
College students are often transient between terms. Once they move into a dorm or apartment in August, they know they’re moving out in May. June, July, and August are perfect months to consider a special incentive for students to store items at your self-storage business.
- Dorms are only available from August-May
- Apartment dwellers often have leases from August-May
- College students frequently change living arrangements annually
How to market to college students?
Any business owner should focus on knowing the people in their community. In doing so, it becomes easier to see where the services you offer would benefit the people living nearby. This is especially true of college students. Students do not want to load up all their belongings and make the trek back home. Many students cannot do this if they do not have a vehicle of their own or if they live several states away. These are your targets when creating an incentive to help.
- Create a plan that works for this niche market.
- Offer supplies and assistance.
- Explain why this is a good opportunity.
- Demonstrate the benefits.
Offer:
Need space for all of your dorm room belongings for the summer? Call 123 Storage today and ask for the college special. The college special includes 4 months of storage in a 5×5 unit with 10 boxes, tape, and free pickup service for only $110! Call today.
The offer is beneficial to students because it enables them to securely store their belongings in a private 5×5 unit for 4 months time. The free pickup service is a nice touch that some students may or may not take advantage of, but is particularly beneficial for students without transportation. Those who take advantage of the free pickup service would need to show up in person at the storage unit to receive the keys or access to the unit and to ensure that their belongings have arrived safely.
Benefits of marketing to college students
Some students may need to retain storage options beyond the preliminary term and become long-term customers. Other students will return each summer for their time in the town because storing their stuff makes it easier for them to leave campus each summer.
There are many reasons to work with niche markets like college students in a self-storage business. Even if your business is not located in a college town, many parents would love an option to store their student’s college stuff somewhere other than at home. (It’s me. I would love to store my student’s stuff elsewhere.)
Self-storage businesses provide a solution to a problem. This is a great way to do it.
At Coastal Storage, we work with individuals to find, develop, and build self-storage businesses positioned for success. We would love to work with you on your next acquisition. Call our team of self-storage-focused experts today at 904-591-0140 to begin.