Complete The 2012 Self Storage Almanac Survey Today!

For the past 20 years the Mini-Storage Messenger's Self Storage Almanac has become the most comprehensive statistical reference guide for the self storage industry. Investors, developers, operators, financial institutions, real estate brokers and other business publications worldwide turn to the Self Storage Almanac for reliable information about the self-storage industry. Being informed is essential, especially in today’s constantly changing self storage market. The industry we know today has evolved into a professionally run business that far surpasses the expectations of its earliest pioneers.

And with 2012 quickly approaching, the Mini-Storage Messenger has begun to accumulate data for the next edition of the Self Storage Almanac, and we're putting out the call to our loyal Owners and Operators to help us with this endeavor.

So if you haven't already, please take a couple of minutes today to complete the 2012 Self Storage Almanac Survey.

CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE 2012 SELF STORAGE ALMANAC SURVEY

New Webinar Presented By OpenTech: Analyzing Your Phone Data for Profit

 

Self-storage operators of all sizes rely on the telephone to make sales and serve customers. In this webinar, self-storage industry experts Cynthia Abraham Hansell and Sue Haviland will share the best practices that large operators rely on to maintain a competitive edge. Whether you operate one facility or one hundred, with or without a third-party call center, this webinar will empower you to make better business decisions based on real data.

TOPICS WILL INCLUDE:

* What phone data you should be collecting
* Which reports you should review on a monthly basis
* What to look for on your reports
* Using data to improve conversion ratios and staffing
* Identifying training opportunities

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, July 27, 2011, at 2 pm ET / 1 pm CT / 12 pm MT / 11 am PT.

OpenTech Alliance, Inc., is the sponsor for the webinar.

PRESENTER INFORMATION: 

Sue Haviland is the owner of Haviland Storage Services and a partner at Self Storage 101. She has a stellar record of operational excellence and performance with 23 years of self-storage leadership. Sue is a former vice president for Extra Space Storage, Inc., and Price Self Storage and was a District Manager for LAACO. She has served as a senior faculty member for the Self Storage Association (SSA), currently holds a position on the SSA Committee for Education and previously served three years on the California SSA Board of Directors.

 

Cynthia Abraham Hansell is responsible for the INSOMNIAC Live! call center business unit of OpenTech Alliance, Inc. As a sales and operations professional with over 20 years of experience, she has served as an invaluable leader on several high-profile teams for companies including AuntMinnie.com, RightFax and CallMaximizer. Cynthia is a well-known and highly respected leader in the self-storage industry and is sought-after as a trusted resource for the development of innovative and profitable communication solutions. 


CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS FREE WEBINAR!

Aran Insurance Services Group Announces Aspen American Insurance Company as Additional Carrier for Self-Storage Product Line

Aran Insurance Services Group (MiniCo and the Mini-Storage Messenger's parent company) today announced Aspen American Insurance Company as an additional carrier for property and casualty subsidiary MiniCo Insurance Agency, LLC. Aspen will provide MiniCo a specialized business owners policy with enhanced specialty coverages and expanded geographic and perils support for the self-storage industry.

Coverage through Aspen AmericanInsurance Company will commence on July 1, 2011, with availability in all states by the fourth quarter. This announcement regarding a new carrier and product enhancements is the first of several planned initiatives in 2011. MiniCo continues to work on other new specialty programs and product enhancements that will expand the company’s offerings beyond the self-storage industry and bring greater value to the independent agency network.

Aran Insurance ServicesGroup President and CEO John LaCava commented, “Along with our long-standing partner Liberty Agency Underwriters, Aspen American Insurance will allow MiniCo to more completely support and service both self-storage owners and their tenants.”

Tim Kenny, Executive Chairman of Aran Insurance Services Group, said, “We are confident that the partnership between Aspen American Insurance and MiniCo will yield positive results for our respective companies as well as our agents and policyholders.”

Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited and its operating subsidiaries have been assigned a rating of “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best and “A2” (Good) by Moody’s Investors Service.

About Aran Insurance Services Group

Aran Insurance Services Group is a multi-faceted company offering diversified insurance and financial services to the United States and Canadian markets. Aran specializes in both developing and acquiring insurance underwriting facilities, agency acquisitions and strategic consulting.

Voting for Inside Self Storage Best Of Business Award is Now Open!

Inside Self Storage's "Best Of Business Award" voting is now open. The annual opinion poll is a chance for industry professionals to acknowledge their favorite companies and services in such categories as: Best Builder, Best Management Software, Best Tenant Insurance (MiniCo Insurance Agency, LLC--The Mini-Storage Messenger's parent company--has been nominated in this category.) as well as 27 other categories. Please make sure to read the voting stipulations below:

Voting for the ISS Best of Business campaign has now re-opened. In response to reader concerns about the previous unrestricted voting process, all votes placed prior to May 20 have been nullified. A new, more protected process has been established.


A verified e-mail address is now required for a vote to be considered valid. The first time you vote, you will receive an e-mail with a link to confirm. Until you do, any votes you submit will be pending and will not count toward the final results. (Please note: Voting from different computers will require additional verifications.)


We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your time. It is our goal to provide the most accurate voting process possible.

Voting is open through June 30th and the awards will be presented at the ISS 2012 World Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada March 14-16

CLICK HERE TO VOTE

The 2011 Buyer's Guide is Now Available

The annual Self-Storage Buyer’s Guide is an essential tool for self-storage businesses. The 2011 edition includes approximately 600 listings indexed by supplier/vendor name, product/service, and geographic location. An index of state, national and international self-storage associations is also included.

Topics include:

• Supplier/Vendor Listings

• Product/Service Index

• Association Index

• Geographical Index

And For a Limited Time, Save $5 off the Buyer's Guide by entering the Coupon Code BG11 at check out, or mention it to me when you call in at: 1-800-528-1056

CLICK HERE TO ORDER TODAY!

Mobile, Social and Local Online Marketing is The Subject of Derek Naylor's Next MiniCo Webinar

It’s no secret that online marketing is a must to compete in today’s market. But the game is shifting fast. Smartphones are the computers of the future, and people increasingly rely on them to find local businesses. Add in the explosion and growing relevance of social media, and you must be prepared to make the shift. In this webinar, world-renowned self-storage marketing expert Derek Naylor will teach you what you need to know about this rapidly approaching shift and give you the tools to gain the competitive edge by going mobile, social and local with your online marketing efforts.

TOPICS WILL INCLUDE:

* Why Google might finally get the beating it deserves
* How social media is now more relevant than ever
* What mobile marketing is and how to beat your competitors at it
* What local search marketing is, how that game has changed over the past year, and what to do about it
* How to accomplish all this at a world-class level without wasting a single penny or worrying about wasting time on Facebook all day

The webinar will take place on Wednesday, June 22, 2011, at 2 pm ET / 1 pm CT / 12 pm MT / 11 am PT.

The webinar will be presented by Derek M. Naylor, President of Storage Marketing Solutions, and sponsored by Storage Marketing Solutions.

PRESENTER INFORMATION:

Derek M. Naylor is the President of Storage Marketing Solutions (SMS). Over the past seven years, Derek has incrementally increased sales revenue for his clients more than $250 million through innovation and advanced marketing strategies. In 2003, he directed his talents and unique growth strategies exclusively to the self-storage industry and founded SMS. SMS now helps hundreds of operators from coast to coast to increase their occupancy and profits through the company’s unique Outsourced Marketing Director program and other tools. He is a regular contributor to industry magazines and a dynamic speaker at trade events. Derek lives in Pleasant View, Utah, with his wife and two daughters.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THIS FREE WEBINAR

MiniCo’s Marketing Campaign Signals Change and Paves the Way for New Insurance Products and Enhancements

MiniCo Insurance Agency, LLC, has launched a new advertising and marketing campaign in anticipation of changes the Phoenix-based company will be unveiling over the next several months. The campaign is targeted to the company’s core customer bases, independent insurance agents and self-storage industry professionals, and will evolve over several months as new products and coverage enhancements are announced.

MiniCo is the leading provider of specialty insurance products for the self‑storage industry including commercial property and casualty insurance and tenant insurance programs. The company was acquired by Aran Insurance Services Group in May 2010.

MiniCo President and CEO Mike Schofield commented, “We have been extremely busy examining our operations and investigating new and innovative products that we can offer customers within the self-storage industry and beyond.”

 “Our number one priority will continue to be service,” Schofield continued, “and we will be offering self-storage insureds enhanced insurance products. In addition, we will be offering insurance products that are outside the scope of the self-storage industry.”

Since 1974, Phoenix-based MiniCo Insurance Agency, LLC, has been a self-storage leader providing superior specialty insurance programs, informative publications and valuable products and services created expressly for the self‑storage industry.

For More Information:

MiniCo Insurance Agency, LLC – www.minico.com

MiniCo Agent Portal – www.minicoagentportal.com

Aran Insurance Services Group – www.aranins.com

Mini-Storage Messenger - www.ministoragemessenger.com