Communications

Simple marketing ideas to help you stand out from the crowd

Public Relations (PR) is a commonly discussed but underdefined practice. By Rebecca Smith – That Comms Co.

If you’re a business owner or operator, you’re likely to wear many hats, potentially including those of an employer, customer service manager, accountant, health and safety officer and chief marketer. It’s a lot for any one person to manage, and it can prove tiring constantly having to switch between roles to focus on what’s most important at any given time. When it comes to marketing, wading through the multitude of tools available to promote your business can be overwhelming and time consuming, so here are a few simple, budget-friendly tricks you can employ to stand out from the crowd.

Know your customers

Start by making sure you have a very clear understanding of who your customer is. This will tell you who you should be trying to reach with your advertising. Identifying your potential customers and understanding exactly where it is that they look for information about storage solutions will ensure you are appearing in the right places. To assist with this understanding, every time you onboard a new customer it’s a great idea to ask them how they found you.

Think digital

For most self storage businesses, attracting new customers from the immediate community through local advertising will be paramount. Traditionally, local advertising would have involved small regional newspapers, radio stations and community newsletters, but with the rise of online media, there are now many more effective and budgetfriendly digital options available. These tools enable businesses to make stronger use of their budget and to better target the right customers in the right area.

Google My Business

One of the first places your customers will search for your business is Google and having a business profile will ensure that customers can easily find you. Through ‘Google My Business’ you can create a listing, include contact details, a website and business hours, and ensure that your business appears in Google Search or Google Maps. When someone searches for ‘storage near me’, a local list of storage locations appears. If you’ve set up a profile, your business will be included in the list.

When customers review your business on Google, it will boost your search position. Therefore, if you’re confident in your service, you should encourage customers to review their experience of your facility. Make this as easy as possible for them by sending them a personalised message with a review link. Rebecca is Founder and Managing Director of That Comms Co. She has extensive experience in advising executives and boards in Australia and in Europe with their communication needs, and has worked across a range of different businesses and sectors.

Search Engine Marketing

Sometimes referred to as ‘paid search’ or ‘paid per click’, search engine marketing allows you to place text adverts in the search results when people are looking for products or services related to your business. Every time someone clicks on your ad, you pay a small fee to the platform. Google Ads is the best-known platform for paid search and is a cost-effective way to advertise to customers already looking for services relevant to your industry.

It’s entirely possible to manage by yourself. You can set up an account and have ads running in no time; however, to fully understand the

success of your ads and to optimise them for the best results, you may decide to seek counsel from a digital advertising specialist.

Social Media Marketing

Advertising through social media channels is another lower cost option that allows you to target customer groups at a highly granular level. Not only can you reach people in specific locations, but you can also specify the gender, age and interests of the group you’d like to target. If for example, you’re trying to attract customers looking for vehicle storage, you can select ‘car enthusiasts’ as an interest of your desired audience.

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube are four of many social media platforms that offer paid advertising, but as with all promotional activities you should prioritise only those platforms where you know your customers are.

Referral marketing

Getting loyal customers to refer their friends and family to your business is another great way to grow your customer base. Word of mouth is an incredibly powerful tool and you can encourage customers to recommend your business by offering those who make a referral that ends in a new customer, a discount on their next payment or a small gift of thanks.

“Getting loyal customers to refer their friends and family to your business is another great way to grow your customer base.

Building respect and relationships in your local community

If you’re looking for a more grassroots form of marketing that will raise the profile of your business in the local area, consider either hosting or having a presence at a local get together. Creating or participating in local events will help you become better known by the local community.

Sponsoring a local sports team or organising a fundraiser for a local cause, will build your fanbase and create a buzz around your business. Contributing to the local community, building key relationships and raising awareness can drive news sales and increase referrals.

Don’t forget the basics

Never forget that your website is the online face of your business, so don’t neglect it. Keep it up to date to ensure that when a customer lands on your page, all the information they need to consider your service is current and readily accessible.

Check also that your marketing materials like flyers, business cards, etc. include correct information so customers are clear on the best ways to get in touch.

Marketing your business doesn’t have to be time consuming or complicated. Taking just the simple steps listed above will ensure that customers looking for storage solutions are easily able to find and connect with your business. l

Need more help with your customer communications? That Comms Co. is the SSAA’s preferred public relations and crisis communications service for its members and is able to be engaged to prepare holding statements and customer communications as required.

For more information. Free call 1800 067 313 (Australia); 0800 444 356 (New Zealand); or email admin@selfstorage.com.au.

18 months after COVID-19

by Anthony Rous, Chief Financial Officer, Kennards Self Storage

Well, here we are in June 2021 and it’s almost a year and a half ago the entire planet went into lockdown in confusion about a worldwide pandemic.

What a difference 18 months makes. Each of our Australian states and territories along with New Zealand have been through different lockdowns of varying lengths and restrictions. In Australia we have fared far better than most of the world and things are starting to look and feel positive… or are they?

Should we be concerned or getting the champagne out? Here are some indications from the wider economy and globally: l The USA has just delivered a massive $1.9 trillion support package which will be a massive boost to the entire worlds’ economy. It will be a bit of a sugar hit but will certainly boost the worlds’ economy. l China had positive growth in the year to December 2020 and is forecast to grow at around 10% in 2021 – this is a very good sign for the world and in particular for Australia who supplies many raw materials and minerals, specifically iron ore which accounts for just over half of all Australian exports. l Vaccines are being rolled out across the world and significant reductions in cases and hospitalisation is being seen.

Hospitals are freeing up spaces for other medical events which takes enormous strain off the medical sector. l Australian property prices are expected to grow approximately 10% for the next two years.

Great for owners but harder for buyers to get into the market. This is mainly for single dwellings and not apartments where there is some oversupply. New

Zealand are also seeing surging property prices. l Interest rates are at all-time lows. The Reserve Bank of Australia are saying rates will not go up until 2024. The US have also locked in interest rates at zero until at least 2023. l Australia has seen a massive reduction in tourists however, we do spend $30 billion more on overseas travel than tourists spend within Australia. So, while international borders are closed and hopefully domestic borders do not close again, the spending by locals in

Australia will far outweigh the loss of tourist dollars. l Business confidence is at a 10 year high which is a sign of optimism and encourages people and businesses to spend. l Great rains have delivered bumper farming crops across the country and with follow up rains, things are looking good. l Australian savings are at an alltime high. Cash balances are available to be spent to boost the economy, despite most

Government support stopping at the end of March. l Some issues being faced are exports to China no longer being accepted. New markets for items like coal and barley have already been found and areas like wine looking for new market. l Students are a concern for the entire industry and also associated residential study programs like MBA’s etc. Based on all of the above factors it appears things are looking positive and Australia and New Zealand should fare well in the next few years. We should therefore feel fairly optimistic and positive about the future and look to enjoy our return to ‘normal’ life, whatever that looks like.

Pull up a storage box and toast yourselves to getting through an incredible 18 months. Hopefully many positive events and experiences such as travelling and reuniting with family and friends are in the near future. l

“Business confidence is at a 10 year high which is a sign of optimism and encourages people and businesses to spend.