by John Stevens
May 11, 2011 2:09 PM
One of the toughest things that an owner of a self storage unit has to do is figure out who the facility is going to be marketed to. This does not just refer to what sort of marketing strategy that the facility is going to adhere to, but the general appearance of the site as well. Who do you want the look of your facility to appeal to?
A number of facilities subscribe to the thought that the majority of self storage customers are female, so they work their marketing strategy around appealing to female clients. The notion may be pretty surprising, but according to some companies there is some truth to it, and some of them are willing to spend a significant amount of money in order to appeal to more women.
SmartStop Self Storage in Phoenix recently spent $300,000 to give its facility a face lift and make it more customer-friendly, especially to women. According to data the company compiled, 60 percent of renters are female so they might as well make the facility more female-friendly.
The idea that the majority of self storage customers are women is nothing new and one that industry experts have been promoting for some time. At the 2010 retreat for executives held by the Texas Self Storage Association the key note speaker Delia Passi, founder of WomenCertified, impressed upon those in attendance the importance of making their facility appealing to women.
“Convenience is a major factor in a consumer’s decision to rent storage space, but safety, cleanliness and security are equally if not more important considerations, especially among women,” Passi said. “…My goal was to inspire these self-storage companies to achieve women’s expectations since they tend to have more particular preferences than men. In doing so, they can increase customer satisfaction across the board.”
While the aforementioned traits are ones that appeal to women, what Passi fails to recognize is that they are not female specific. Just because you’re a guy it does not mean that you just want to throw your belongings into a random room in the middle of the worst section of town.
The desire for a secure, clean, and safe facility is something that every self storage customer wants, regardless of sex. So by focusing on these three qualities, not only is your self storage facility going to be marketed to women, but it will appeal to anyone in need of self storage.
Sources Used:
“Genderizing the Self-Storage Experience: Good Business or Senseless Strategy?” Inside Self Storage; 07 May 2011.
“Texas Self Storage Association Speaker Highlights Spending Influence of Women.” Inside Self Storage; 28 June 2010.