How to Prepare Your Self Storage Facility for Moving Season

Most moves happen between Memorial Day and Labor Day, as homeowners want to move before school starts and as students transition to new college campuses. Combine that with a hot housing market, and your business may be seeing more tenants during the summer months. If you are in the self storage industry, this is the time to prep your storage facility for the peak season.

Preparing Your Self Storage Facility for Peak Season

Moving season is great news for storage unit owners. It means more chances for business and more opportunities to maximize the season for your self storage business. Here are a few ways you can get ready:

• Start marketing: Now is the time to send out your newsletter, get ads online and update your blog. Get your message in front of people who may be thinking about moving. Consider taking out ads in local real estate pages or on real estate websites and advertise on college campuses.
• Offer special deals that matter: Moving is stressful for your potential tenants. Can you offer something to make the process easier? Providing free use of trolleys on-site, making yourself available after hours or even offering a discount can all attract new tenants who need your service.
• Hire extra staff if needed: If your business can’t handle the influx of expected tenants, prep your storage facility for the busy season by hiring a seasonal worker or an extra person. You can work with a temp agency if needed to get additional people answering the phones and processing applications. This way, when tenants come to you, someone can always promptly answer their questions and process their applications.
• Train your staff and managers: Before the busy season really gets underway, consider offering managers and staff some added training so they’re ready to put their best face forward. Good training can help your staff feel more confident, even when the days get hectic.
• Take a closer look at your facility: Before the busy season starts, do a facility audit. Notice whether there are any abandoned units, broken lights or peeling paint. This is the time to freshen up the appearance of your units and ensure you have someone on hand to clean out empty storage spaces so they’re ready for new tenants. Remember to clean up your files, too. Are there any units that have been abandoned or unpaid? You may want to get serious about evictions to ensure you have space for new tenants.

Are You Ready for the Busy Season?

As you prepare for peak moving season and your self storage company’s busy time, you get a fresh chance to generate new business. It’s an exciting time for the industry. If you would like to take advantage of this moment by investing in self storage, Investment Real Estate, LLC can help you find the right opportunities. Give our team a call at 717-779-0804 or fill out our contact form to learn more information.