Training Your Managers:Training Your Managers:Maximizing Sales EffectivenessMaximizing Sales Effectiveness

Nick BilavaNick Bilava

Purpose of Today’s SessionPurpose of Today’s Session

Making your managers effective sales peopleMaking your managers effective sales people The moment of truth – closing the saleThe moment of truth – closing the sale

Measuring your marketingMeasuring your marketing Why it’s important and how to do it accuratelyWhy it’s important and how to do it accurately

Maximizing your marketing spendMaximizing your marketing spend How to cut marketing spend yet increase occupancyHow to cut marketing spend yet increase occupancy

How do People Shop for Storage?How do People Shop for Storage?

The WebThe Web Need to have a web presenceNeed to have a web presence Can display large amount of information to potential prospectsCan display large amount of information to potential prospects Can even offer online rentalsCan even offer online rentals

Yellow PagesYellow Pages

Word of mouthWord of mouth

Drive by and external signageDrive by and external signage

Contact those that have the right fitContact those that have the right fit Unit typeUnit type LocationLocation PricePrice

Do business with people they likeDo business with people they like Great customer serviceGreat customer service Easy to do business withEasy to do business with Available, knowledgeable, helpful, friendlyAvailable, knowledgeable, helpful, friendly

How do People Shop for Storage?How do People Shop for Storage?

The Importance of Closing the SaleThe Importance of Closing the Sale

Company with 5 facilitiesCompany with 5 facilities 400 units per facility400 units per facility 2000 rentable units per year 2000 rentable units per year

Current occupancy: 88%Current occupancy: 88%

Increasing occupancy to 93% Increasing occupancy to 93% equates to 100 more rentals and equates to 100 more rentals and $100,000 additional revenue per year!$100,000 additional revenue per year! Plus revenue from ancillary product sales!Plus revenue from ancillary product sales!

Keys to Closing the DealKeys to Closing the Deal

Answer your phone…….. and be ready to Answer your phone…….. and be ready to helphelp

Understand your customers’ requirementsUnderstand your customers’ requirements

Be patientBe patient

Solve the problemSolve the problem

Ask for the businessAsk for the business

Secure the dealSecure the deal

Answer Your Phone!Answer Your Phone!

28%28% of all calls are not of all calls are not answered or answered or go to voice mailgo to voice mail

Based on a Based on a 65%65% first call close first call close rate, money is walking out rate, money is walking out your door!your door!

Understand Your Customers’ Understand Your Customers’ RequirementsRequirements

Ask questionsAsk questions Validate their needsValidate their needs Many have not used self storage beforeMany have not used self storage before

Be helpfulBe helpful Do they really need a 10X20 or would something smaller sufficeDo they really need a 10X20 or would something smaller suffice Do they need climate control or can they do withoutDo they need climate control or can they do without

Set yourself apart from your competitionSet yourself apart from your competition Focus on facility strengths that meet their needsFocus on facility strengths that meet their needs

Be PatientBe Patient

Most customers are going through some life changing Most customers are going through some life changing eventevent DivorceDivorce Military deploymentMilitary deployment Child leaving for collegeChild leaving for college DeathDeath OtherOther

A little understanding can go a long way!

Solve the ProblemSolve the Problem

Make the process easyMake the process easy Lead the conversation by asking key questionsLead the conversation by asking key questions Explain the details of storing & what they can expect Explain the details of storing & what they can expect

from youfrom you Convey why your facility best meets their needsConvey why your facility best meets their needs Handle potential customers how you would like to be Handle potential customers how you would like to be

treatedtreated

What tactics would close the deal for you?What tactics would close the deal for you?

Ask for the Business!Ask for the Business!

Don’t just “quote and hope”Don’t just “quote and hope” Can’t rent if you don’t askCan’t rent if you don’t ask

Repeat the offer and why you are the best facilityRepeat the offer and why you are the best facility Create urgencyCreate urgency

Logical next step after solving their storage problemLogical next step after solving their storage problem Getting a commitment to “come in and take a look” isn’t Getting a commitment to “come in and take a look” isn’t

very strongvery strong Odds are they will continue to shop around & your competition may ask Odds are they will continue to shop around & your competition may ask

for their business!for their business! Offer up a definitive next step if they are not ready to rent on the phoneOffer up a definitive next step if they are not ready to rent on the phone

Secure the DealSecure the Deal

Ask for a deposit – double the odds of a rentalAsk for a deposit – double the odds of a rental 65%65% of callers will reserve with a credit card on the 1 of callers will reserve with a credit card on the 1stst call if asked – call if asked –

without a visit to the facility!without a visit to the facility! 90%90% of those that reserve with credit card move in of those that reserve with credit card move in Only Only 45%45% move in if no credit card deposit is given move in if no credit card deposit is given

Additional advantages of getting a credit cardAdditional advantages of getting a credit card Can set customer up for auto-billingCan set customer up for auto-billing

Fewer delinquenciesFewer delinquencies

Better billing proceduresBetter billing procedures

Measuring Your Marketing - The Measuring Your Marketing - The Importance of Tracking ProspectsImportance of Tracking Prospects

KnowKnow where your rentals are coming from where your rentals are coming from Tracking numbers, coupon codes, web analyticsTracking numbers, coupon codes, web analytics

Don’t just ask the customer!Don’t just ask the customer! 90-95%90-95% of managers forget to ask or don’t drill down when given a of managers forget to ask or don’t drill down when given a

nebulous answernebulous answer 50%50% of your customers will make something up when asked, “How did of your customers will make something up when asked, “How did

you find us?”you find us?” Evaluate each marketing effort on true ROIEvaluate each marketing effort on true ROI Cut ineffective marketing to save precious marketing $Cut ineffective marketing to save precious marketing $

$$$$

Trust…but Verify!!

Using Tracking Number TechnologyUsing Tracking Number Technology

Verify call volume from each ad Verify call volume from each ad sourcesource

Track rental volume & true ROITrack rental volume & true ROI Spot call trendsSpot call trends

Seasonality, Geographic trends, etc.Seasonality, Geographic trends, etc.

Gather caller data for advanced Gather caller data for advanced marketingmarketing

Mystery shop using actual customer Mystery shop using actual customer callscalls Reinforce positive phone sales techniquesReinforce positive phone sales techniques Correct & train when necessaryCorrect & train when necessary

Maximizing Your Marketing SpendMaximizing Your Marketing Spend

When you correctly track marketing When you correctly track marketing and effectively close sales you will and effectively close sales you will see much better marketing returns.see much better marketing returns.

Odds are you will be able to spend Odds are you will be able to spend less on marketing yet see more less on marketing yet see more tenants!tenants!

SummarySummary

It’s more competitive than ever, you need to advertise It’s more competitive than ever, you need to advertise – but spend wisely– but spend wisely What worked yesterday may not work todayWhat worked yesterday may not work today

You get one chance to make a first impressionYou get one chance to make a first impression Don’t let revenue fly out the doorDon’t let revenue fly out the door

Be thereBe there Be helpful & friendlyBe helpful & friendly Ask for the saleAsk for the sale

Track marketing channels and verify data to ensure Track marketing channels and verify data to ensure your ROI is the best it can beyour ROI is the best it can be

Thanks for Joining Us!Thanks for Joining Us!

Nick BilavaNick Bilava nbilava@usstoragesearch.com 866-880-0742866-880-0742