Community Outreach/Marketing

AllStorage

We've been trying to come up with some new ways to get our name out there and attract more leads. We've got a nice website, an up-to-date facebook page, great google reviews, competitive pricing, regular promotions, and the best facilities in the area but our sales have been on a decline lately. Can anyone offer some insight on getting involved in the community and how that has impacted your business? For example how would I go about starting a relationship with a local business? What kind of referral programs have worked for you? 

Also, I'd love to see some other self storage Facebook pages! This gal could use some inspiration!! Posting multiple times a week you run out of ideas quick. If anyone wants to drop their link I'd be happy to like your page!

Any help is greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance

CVSSSTORAGE

you could put your business cards in moving companies and in return put theirs at your facility. If you live in a town with a college advertise on their bulletin board. Also real estate agents might be helpful as well

Orkocean

Is there a new facility in your area that may be gaining the business now or one who perhaps started going bottom dollar on pricing with great specials to fill up? If the site is as you say the best in the area, great reviews and all but suddenly is losing business I would say it's one of 3 things most likely causing the decline assuming it's a long term decline you're noticing and not just a few weeks as depending on where you are at it could just be the seasonal decline.

1. New competition perhaps over saturating the area or one of the current ones going cheap. 
2. Your area itself on the decline with people leaving the area or maybe even the opposite and more people getting into places where they no longer have a need for storage.
3. Something new about your site that is driving people away perhaps? Changed hours, bad service, pissed off customers who may have a lot of connections and spreading their feelings to the community.

As far as marketing to community, find community events to attend. Even if you're not setting up a booth at something, go and mingle. We used to have the fairgrounds/event center for the city down the street from us. We were at almost every event they had walking around meeting local vendors, networking with existing customers as they introduce us to their connections etc.. For going to regular businesses and trying to build referrals absolutely NEVER go in and try pushing your agenda on to them, always ask for any cards/flyers they may have first to start the conversation. I've worked at places where it's half of the first months rent given to the referrer and some where it's a small $10-$20 gift card given. 

My wife does our FB but it's hammertownselfstorage on the site.

AllStorage

Thanks CVSSSTORAGE, I plan to get with my manager and set some time aside to visit some local businesses.

Orkocean I appreciate the time you put into your reply!! I believe it's a mix of seasonal decline (Upstate NY) and our new office location - its kind of out of the way. I've been looking into events in my area and there are a few I'm going to bring up to the boss. I'm brainstorming a referral program to pitch to the owners and I think 1/2 a month off is a good place to start.

Thank you both!!

torrance_securespace

Another way to bring in new customer is to start a refer a friend program.  I worked at a place before where if someone referred a friend, and the friend rented.  They would both get a creidt of $25.00 on their account.