I'am a small brand new facility in a still rural area with groth before the enconomy slid back wards where are a year old and about 48% filled until I reach 85 % capacity I think I need to offer some incentive to have customers come to my facility even though we are new, clean, gated, fully fenced, lighted, 24/7 access/ security cameras ect. wish we didn't but we moved in 22 customers last month and we need to grow, so I think I'll keep the $ 8.00 move n spec for 2008 and try $ 9.00 for 2009
I also offer 7 th month free to encourage customers to stay longer?

Not sure if these are the best ideas, we also offer 10 % to students, teachers, seniors/ companys/ military

two months free with 12 months paid in adv
like I said not sure whats correct, new at this but I have been in retail my whole life and just beleive one thing for sure customer satisfaction will go along way on adv word of mouth treat people the way you would like to be treated, but I'am out here in rural america so its easier then in the hustle and bussal of the city, but i will take any input or advise how to be more successful than I'am after 1 year of operation thanks chuck HWY P STOR IT & PARK IT Billings, Mo.

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Pirates Life for Me

Chuck - I like the $8 special for 08, $9 for 09. I do believe right now you have to have something to offer besides excellent service! Our facility is in a small town also, but very near a big city. We have 3 facilities within 5 miles of us, and probably 12 within 10 miles, and people are willing to drive, even with the gas prices, a couple of extra miles to save $10! And also to get a free month. We have many customers come to us by word of mouth, and also many repeat customers that don't care about the free month, they know they are getting the best with us! But still, I had to "get on board" and at least offer the free month if people tell me others are - then I just tell them I'll match it at 2 months for 1/2 price, paid up front. We also offer a special if you pay 6 months in advance, you get the 7th free. That's always been a special here.

We are 8 years old and from what I can tell, we've been around 80-90% for the past 5 years. When I joined the company 10 months ago nobody had done an auction in quite some time, so once I cleaned up the mess that we had, we went down to 77%, but I've got it back up to 83% since, which I'm glad I was able to do that, but, I won't be satisfied until I'm at 95%!

I think you have to play the game sometimes to stay afloat!

Hi Wendyrose, like I said I'am very new at this and really just trying any way I can to fill my facility after being open a little over a year, I won't little a customer walk out/ I will do what ever it takes to rent the unit!
That being said I'am like everyone else when I get up to 85 to 90 % I will retain full price, as I lose one I will replace them.

But until then I'am going to continue to try to build my reputation as fair and friendly customer service satisfaction garanteed or your money cheerfully refunded guess I was in management to long for K-Mart and I really do think word of mouth is the best and the cheapest advertisement you can get, I also offer a $ 10 customer referral and have had to send several of them to my customers, any way unless they just hit the first day or the first week on my $8 move n spec for 2008 or next year my $9 move n spec for 2009 or even the next year $10 for 2010 I'am not really giving the store away most cases especially after the 15 th or 20 th of the month but it is offered on any size unit so like on my 5x10 or 10x10 not to bad but 10x20 or 10x30 or 12x30 hurts a little more but I haven't had one customer just stay for the $8 move n I have atleast got one full month and most cases 3 or 4 or more, seems to be working for us, the $1 offered I dont really get, think that is to low, guess it keeps it legal $1 instead of free ?

Also WENDYROSE YOU HAVE A VERY NICE LOOKING FACILITY IF ITS THE ONE ON YOUR WEB SITE!

thanks Chuck HWY P STOR IT & PARK IT

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Pirates Life for Me

Wendy sent you a email about the book thanks chuck mattco79@hotmail.com

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Pirates Life for Me

A couple of thoughts - when you start dropping rates, you are signaling that price is negotiable. If you'll come down $10, someone will sooner or later ask you to come down $20.
The focus on price, price, price sends a signal that you have nothing, nothing, nothing else to offer. When I lose a sale based on price, that is a lick on me because I did not do a good enough job of showing the value that the customer would get. People will pay for value; otherwise, no one would ever drive a Lexus or other quality vehicle.
I used to work for a company (totally different industry) that put a premium on price, ahead of anything else. That approach set a tone of "joe's discount house of whatever"; no emphasis on the quality of the service, nothing that would make a customer want to refer new business, nothing more than saving bottom-feeders a few bucks a month. That type customer will be the first to leave when he/she finds someone else who's a dollar below your price.
Finally, don't be afraid of trends. Brand new ideas are virtually impossible; variations of existing ideas, however, are another matter. Though it is closing some stores, Starbucks remains a successful enterprise having convinced Americans to drop $4 and more for a cup of coffee. The iPhone is a variation of something that has been around for years. What is the variation in your market?

Fair enough, Dirkwood. I think moving supplies is different from unit rates and, for you, that might be the variable I mentioned earlier. Those moving supplies are one-time expenses; if you cut someone a break on those in return for their paying the going unit rate, that sounds like smart business to me. I'm sure whatever you lost on the supplies was more than recouped in rental fees.

Moving supplies could well be your version of the loss leader that a lot of businesses use to get folks in the door. A lot of places sell a particular item at a loss, knowing that customers will subsequently cover that gap with other purchases. Sure has worked for Wal-Mart.

I just had a customer in the office asking if we offered the first month free or anything like that - I said

"No, but then you know what your payment will be every month"

they smiled and rented from me!

Most people are starting to catch on to the $1.00 move in and how you pay for it in the end!

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Wayne
All American Self Storage
Palmdale, CA.
webmaster@all-americanselfstorage.com

That is so true Wayne . We are also seeing ppl. will go look elsewhere and return here. When we ask why they usually say that the other units were not as tall on the inside( we have 8-9 feet ceilings) after realizing that they can stack it they are getting a way better deal here.We also do the anniversary day billing and the competitor does not. And we are alot friendlier is what we are being told.
Most ppl see the $1 move in and don't read the small print and that is what they should be reading. Because in the end it will get them. Gotta love those small prints

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Proud Karate Mom

This may not sound like much, but we don't offer 1st month free (or 1st month for $1) anymore. I actually changed our language to, "we prorate at move-in". I explain to the potential customers that they only pay for the days that they actually use the unit the first month. People seem to understand that. It must translate as "fair" or "no strings attached".

Our local competitors don't offer 24/7 access, so I always mention that. Having 24/7 access compared to one month free rent seems to be more valuable to them. At least for now

Dirkwood, that's a good idea about pro-rating at move-out if the tenant gives a 10-day notice. I'm going to mull that over. We have too many tenants that move out on the 1st or 2nd of the month, then pitch a fight about being charged a full month's rent. I almost always waive that rent and let them move out (well honestly there's nothing I can do about it unless it's the 8th of the month, when they are overlocked), but now I feel as if tenants are pushing the 4th, 5th, 6th of the month moving out...