ForumsStarting a Business

Hello there, misterc! Marketing can be fun, especially when it pays off!!!! Everyone needs extra space, but who needs it most? Boaters, RV owners, and businesses that generate lots of paperwork for example. Not knowing where your facility is located, I can't give you many specifics, but do recommend you take a look at your overall demographics to determine who lives/works in moderately close proximity and why they might need space. You also might want to contact local attorneys (folks getting divorced need space and they usually need it quickly). Construction companies always need storage space for expensive tooling. Basically, you want to build a network of strong referral sources by going to the people who your customers already do business with (RV dealers, marinas, lawyers, home builders/architects). Remember, Coca-Cola never sent a sales rep to your house; they only sell to folks who will sell to you...apply that same methodology...it works!

WE ARE STASTING A SELF STORAGE fRANCHISE USING OUR sPACE cUBES AND WOULD BE INTERESTED IN TALKING, OUR SYSTEM DOES NOT REQUIRE A LARGE BUILDING SINCE OUR SYSTEM CAN BE STORED AND STACKED OUTSIDE

To start you need to know your audience. This is true for anything you do ever. From food to books and beyond.

Who is most likly to buy your service?

I saw a post in here about students, that's a good one. How about tapping into the fact Americans are sitting on around $3billion in adjustable rates... yep. Lots of homeless people in the near future.

Fear is a huge motivator. In fact, I would say it's more powerful than pleasure. People will run from fear because it's a real/right-now pain. However it's harder to get people to move towards pleasure. People can become "comfortable" where they are.

So perhaps your best road would be to #1: Figure out who you're going after and #2: Figure out where they hang out, what they do, what they want and #3: Get in front of them.

If you're a local cat I'd say use the media. I'm a fan of using the net AND media, as people see it in the news and then tend to Google it.

Shoot me an email and I'll give you some deeper info. I don't want to go off on a rant here if I'm completly out in left field with what you're looking for.

JonnyAndrews30 (at) gmail.com

Replace the (at) with @

Ahhhhhhhhh! Very cool.

Is this like PODS?

In that case you want to create a very benifit driven campaign aimed at people who would like to start a business.

Lots of magazines going to that group.

If you're using a mobile container system you have lots of options: biz to biz as well as to the consumer.
Something like what you offer would be a great up sell for moving companies. Perhaps another service to offer their clients.

You can also target home builders. As the market is slowing down quite a bit they'll need something to ramp up revenue.

And never forget the power of slapping a big-freaking sticker on the side of your current vehicles. "Wana Get In On This?" Something like that.

You should also look into getting writeups in any sort of paper, newsletter or magazine catering to your market. That's the best stuff 9 times out of 10.

Hope that helps!

The media. Use the media.

I'm taking a shot in the dark you can afford a publicist? If not you can DIY, however it can sometimes take a load off just to outsource.

What you'll want to do is find some way to get on the radio/paper/TV and talk about not your product, but what your product does for people.

For example: a realtor can jump on a radio show and tell everyone about the falling market and the top 3 ways to shield yourself from deflated home prices.

This realtor would not sell their services, but they would be announced as "So and so from bla bla bla". That's all it takes.

In fact, you could make a big joke about how motorcyclists tend to look like dorks with these huge things on the back... people love good humor.

Try to be entertaining and educational at the same time.

And I know this would sound odd but if you never mention your product you'll get way more interest. People hate ads, they hate to be sold... but they love to buy!

Show off your knowlege of what these things do for people in a non-sales way, get into a paper or on a radio program and from there figure out who your best target audience is.

Does that make sense? If you DIY this method it won't cost a thing and you'll get both sales as well as market research.