A knowledgeable staff, quality products with added consistency will put profit on your bottom line. Staff must maximize on the opportunity to mention key features that go far beyond selling storage. The front counter staff is the gateway to increase sales and profit. Tell clients on the phone before they come in “should you need some clean boxes and bubble to prepare yourself before storing your items … we can take care of that for you“.

The front line staff needs to be trained on all items and services that your business offers. Today the number one complaint we all have is service and service is directly related to training and company policies, a lack in either will cause service failures and revenue declines. Find a supplier that will assist in the accessorial training for your staff.

Quality of products is key to increasing sales, a box is not just a box, and it’s a clean new carton that meets industry standards. A mattress bag is not just a cover for your mattress, what about pillow tops?? Is the bag strong, how about ventilation holes to prevent possible mould, are they in a re-usealable package for future use.

Are your products labeled in both English and French after all we do have two official languages and it’s a government policy? Are your products labeled with imperial and or metric conversions? Being a baby boomer I prefer imperial (pounds and inches) my children now in there thirties enjoy metric (meters and kilograms).

Consistency in the products you display adds value to your clients, we do live in a hurry up world and as a result easy to read self selling products will be of benefit, proper industry standard products labeled well with a knowledgeable staff will over time bring great benefits to your business. Pick a supplier that understands your business and has flexibility in their presentation and product knowledge. What Defines your Business and Accessorial Business?

Your logo, staff, service, location, accessibility, and hours of operation, security, and the products you provide. Theses are just a few of the things we talk about on a daily basis.
Having the proper accessorial products for your location is the key to building your business. “LISTEN” to your clients, your business depends on it. Have your staff ask your customers questions about the products you have on display and keep notes on the requests, is their something else we could add to the box section (shipping boxes, pizza boxes, meat boxes, picture corners, multi level and tape less boxes) is the bubble selection to the benefit of your clients in your area. Do you offer a high end and a low end tape gun one being offered to the commercial client and the other for the student just packing up a few items.

Offer your clients a variety; change your show room products around monthly to promote a more visual presentation. After all most self-storage facilities do offer a variety of different size units, perhaps its time to offer different show room products based on your clients needs. All too often I see the same show room with the same products all in one color. Do remember what sells in Toronto Ontario well may not sell with the same success in Chicoutimi, Quebec, Nanaimo, British Columbia or Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Remember no matter how large or small your show room is, its what you have on display and how its displayed that counts, big and flashy doesn’t always work, its your staff and proper products that will make the difference in your sales.

In this all so competitive market we must look for other revenue sources to off set the growing costs of doing business. Your expenses are growing and your competition is reducing their storage rates, add the correct retail products and give potential clients a reason to visit your location and pay more for added value.

Marketing the Products

You’re in the Self Storage business and your marketing dollars should be spent on selling storage, as that is your main revenue source. Your location has potential to attract new business opportunities .Its been my experience that added value and name recognition do go hand in hand .You already have the add in the phone book, a web site and signage, just simply add a caption Moving Supplies and Packaging supplies also available. Have your staff add to their introduction a phrase should you require boxes, bubble or tape we have a generous stock available at our location.

Think outside the BOX, I have a client in a small northern Ontario town that struggled with sales of their moving supplies, since adding a FedEx drop off, some shipping boxes, shoe covers for a local contractor, stretch wrap, commercial plastic containers and appliance cart rentals to their supply line their business and local name recognition has increased to the point that 100 new storage units are being erected this spring as they are now sold out of storage space.

Renting space to your commercial clients is a must; they create a constant revenue source and with word of mouth still the best-marketing tool look at your commercial clients needs. Do they need a specific shipping box, special bubble pouches, lifting straps, ratchet tie downs or perhaps overseas wrap for that piece they need to ship? Just be careful not to add products that will only sit and collect dust, make it beneficial to your clients needs.

Renting space to retail moving customers in between homes opens the door for you to sell boxes, paper, and tape and on moving day rent an appliance cart. If you have ever moved yourself or a friend, renting an appliance cart is a must.

After all we still do business with people we like. It’s our nature, add some value to your location and make it fun. Its been my experience that when thinking of moving,” storage” wasn’t on my mind, we have friends who sold their home and then realized their was a two month time frame between homes, lucky for them that they had already purchased moving supplies from a local self storage facility not identifying them for storage but as a place where they could get boxes to prepare for their home sale. The retail friendly staff started with a box sale and ended up with storage rental as an added bonus.

Your marketing must be built around giving them a reason to come in to your facility. Send out a monthly newsletter, advertise moving supplies in May in your local newspaper, and drop flyers off to your local real estate agents and business in the area.

You’re a local business “put your personal stamp on your community” Partnering with other businesses that share common clients, spread the word that your more than a storage facility, you must reinforce in your customers minds why their choosing your facility and why you are the best, remember it costs five times more to win a new customer than to keep existing ones.

“People do business with people they like”,” your customer must always feel comfortable“, “always sell your company to your customers“,” word of mouth”, “up-selling”, these are the factors that will make you a part of the community and carry your self storage and accessorial business in to the future.

Have fun with your staff, customers and products you offer.

Picking a Supplier in the Canadian Market

Well labeled industry standard products, knowledge of the products their supplying, what is their quality control, how long have they been around, do they have a diverse product line, are their products printed in English and French, do they have a bilingual staff, how quick can they react to your needs, these are questions that you must ask before picking a supplier, remember just because you have the accessorial products in your show room, there is no guarantee they will sell.

Exploring Canadian and North American made products may benefit your business, your client’s needs and help diversify the product lines you display.
Pick the products that best serve your personal client and area base, there is more to selling boxes and accessories, your supplier must assist your business with product and staff training if required.

Bio: Mark Stone is the Account Manager at Dollies & Boxes Unlimited in Toronto Ontario,
Working in the moving and storage industry for 30 years and now in his 7th year at Dollies & Boxes Unlimited. Working with two owners Louise and Sylvie has allowed our company to grow at a smooth controlled rate. A mixture of age and youth bring new excitement and ideas to this very unique self-storage industry.

Dollies & Boxes Unlimited are a full service supplier to the Canadian retail self-storage market, we have been in business from 1986 and have the ability to change with our clients needs. We are a Canadian manufacture and converter. Offering over 1400 products to our client base.

We started serving the self-storage industry 10 years ago when there became a need for local supplies to your industry; we have changed our packaging to meet our client’s needs. We look forward to continued growth and thank all our clients for their support over the years and look forward to many more exciting years serving the self-storage industry in Canada.

Mark Stone
Dollies & Boxes Unlimited
40 Continental Place
Scarborough, Ontario
M1R 2T4
416-293-6293
Fax 416-293-7545
Mark@dollies-boxes.com
www.dollies-boxes.com