Making a List – A Self-Storage Facility Checklist!

Do you ever wonder what your potential renters are looking for in a self-storage facility? Many of them have never stored anything before and they have no idea where to begin. Either way, people often turn to the internet for advice before they decide what they are going to do. One of the first things that you need to do to pass their checklist is to have advice on how to rent self-storage on your website.

By having advice on your website of what people need to look for in a self-storage facility, you can point out all of the great things that your self-storage facility offers to meet the needs of your potential renters. If you don’t offer something, don’t put it on your list. Here is a list of ideas for you to pull from.

First of all, you want to talk about security. People want to know that if they are going to give you their belongings, they are safe. Many people are in a period of transition. Whether they are moving or remodeling, they are giving you important parts of their life. They want to know that you are going to keep them from being stolen. Go over all of the security features that you offer in your facility. Review your gate code entry, cameras throughout the facility, your onsite manager, your great lighting and more.

Next, they are going to look at the location. They don’t want to have to drive forever to get to their belongings every time they remember that the pan they need was taken to the storage unit. People typically rent within 3 to 5 miles of their home. As you are looking at your facility, how well positioned are you in relation to your rental base? Is there a chance that you could get out-located? If so, then you need to make sure that you point out all the other great amenities that you offer so that people are willing to drive past someone else to get to you.

Cleanliness is important to your renters. They don’t want to imagine that their boxes are being filled up with mice or rats and other insects. They want to believe that those boxes are relatively safe from animals. Many people are storing clothing that they don’t want to get ruined by mice. Make sure that you are keeping your facility clean and that you are requiring your renters to keep the units free of food so that they don’t attract animals. Point out what you do to keep your facility clean.

Website is critical. This may be the only interaction that you have with a potential renter. You need to make sure that your website is professional, loads quickly and points out all of your best features. Your website needs to promote your self-storage facility and offer tips and insights to help your potential renters in addition to allowing them to reserve or even rent a unit online.

Pricing is another critical factor. If you are way above or way below the competition, you are going to have a problem. If you are priced much higher than everyone else, it is unlikely that you are going to hit your occupancy goals. People are not going to pay significantly more for your 10 x 10 space than someone else’s 10 x 10 space that is just around the corner. On the other hand, if you are significantly less, then you may be 100% occupied, but you are losing out on a lot of revenue and bringing the market down. Always watch what your competitors are doing with their pricing so that you stay up with the market.

Your amenities are just as important. A 10 x 10 box is a 10 x 10 box so how do you stand out? Convenience is definitely at the top of your potential renter’s mind. They don’t want to rent from a self-storage facility that is hard to get in and out of. Design your facility in a way that they can easily get in and out. Remember that many of these people will be driving large vehicles that they may never have driven before. You want to give them plenty of room to maneuver.

Another thing that is important to your potential renters is your hours. Your renters want to know that they are going to have access to their belongings when they need them. You may not want to allow people in the facility 24/7 but you may need to make exceptions for people who work different hours. You may want to allow your potential renters the opportunity to talk to your manager about being able to have more access if they feel that they need it.

Does your facility allow vehicle storage or offer climate-controlled storage. If so, point out these amenities and how they are different from other facilities. Don’t just say that you offer climate-controlled storage. Tell your renters what the advantages are so they will understand why they want to pay more. Many potential renters won’t understand why they need climate controlled self-storage until you tell them.

Once your renter knows what you have to offer and how those amenities can benefit them, they are more likely to rent from you than the facility down the street. Use any means possible that you can to market your property to potential renters. Make sure that your website is your best advocate and as always, happy investing.