With online commerce becoming an ever-growing necessity, having a presence online for your self storage facility is non-negotiable anymore. Don’t lose sleep over your digital marketing efforts. You can make sure your self storage facility is reaching your customers effectively with these five digital marketing tools.
1. Website
A website is the place customers often visit more frequently than a physical location because it’s a fast, easy and constantly open digital store front. It’s a place for your customer to get to know your self storage facility and the products you offer as well as conduct their monetary transactions – from online rentals and reservations to monthly payments. In short, a website reaches a user at each point of their customer journey which is why it is so important you have one that fully integrates with you Point of Sale System and is up to date and user friendly.
Recommended website creation tool for DIY owners: Wix.com
2. Email
Sending out invoices and payment reminders may be the most obvious reason for having a business email for your facility, but email offers additional marketing opportunities. Use strategic email campaigns to let your customers know about new specials or available units or to make review requests. You can also use email marketing to foster partnerships with local businesses and community organizations which will in turn increase your brand awareness and word-of-mouth marketing.
3. Online Listings
If a website is your digital store front, then your online listings are your digital business cards. That’s why it’s so important to claim your listings and make sure their information (like hours, phone number and map pin) is accurate. 86% of people find businesses by using Google Maps and businesses that have a Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) listing saw a 61% increase in calls (Thrive). Don’t miss out on leads because you haven’t claimed your listings yet.
Recommended listings to claim: Google Business Profile, Yelp and Bing
4. Online Reviews
Did you know that 93% of consumers look at reviews before becoming a customer and that 85% of those consumers trust online reviews as much as a recommendation from a family or friend? Online reviews should not be ignored. Make sure you are managing your reviews well by responding to your customers – thanking those who leave a positive review and offering offline resolutions to negative reviews. Effective review management will build loyalty with your current tenants as well as trust with potential leads.
5. Social Media
While social media is often viewed as a branding tool for self storage facilities rather than a lead-conversion tool, it offers your business a unique opportunity to directly connect and converse with your customer base and industry colleagues. You don’t need to have an extensive content strategy to be effectively engaging with the social media community. Make sure you’ve created a business page (this acts like an online listing for your facility) and engage with your customers by responding to reviews, comments and messages. Used appropriately, social media can build awareness, garner trust and brand advocates and capture leads.
Recommended social media platforms for storage facilities: Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram
Jillian Supino, Marketing Department Manager at Absolute Storage Management
