Self storage continues to be one of the best real estate investments you can make. If you’re planning on acquiring new facilities in 2019, we recommend having a pre-launch marketing strategy in place so that you make the most of the time leading up to acquisition. Make the transition a success from day one by staying on track and getting as much pre-acquisition marketing done ahead of time.

Two-to-Three Months Until Acquisition

Start your acquisition process by planning ahead: develop a marketing plan, set occupancy goals, make a budget, and create a timeline of future events and to-dos. This is also the time to plan a rebranded website, and all online business listing accounts, including Google My Business, and other digital assets. Before starting your website redesign, conduct an audit of the current website and any integrations.

One-to-Two Months Until Acquisition

Prepare for your acquisition by working with the current ownership, as well as establish partnerships with any contractors and agencies you’ll need to assist you with the acquisition. Ask the current ownership to transfer all online marketing assets to you. If approval is not granted, you will need to have professional photographs taken for the website as soon as acquisition is final. Next, find a digital advertising partner to establish goals and begin designing ads. Take the time now to create content for important SEO web pages – Unit Sizes & Prices, Facility Features, Climate-Controlled Storage, and RV & Boat Storage.

Month Leading Up to Acquisition

Focus on social media in the month leading up to acquisition. Tasks should include a content calendar for social media posts, including relevant community events and topics, videos, and photo galleries. Make a list of community organizations and nearby businesses to follow on social media. Write blog and social media posts now, so you don’t have to worry about creating content after acquisition. You won’t be able to access social and review site accounts yet, but your content calendar should include when to schedule and pre-publish posts so it’s a streamlined process after acquisition.

Property Acquired

Immediately after acquisition, publish your rebranded website, digital advertising campaigns, business listings, and social media accounts. Know ahead of time if you need to redirect the domain from a previous site, or update the url on existing online business listings. Your digital advertising campaign (including Display, PPC/Search, and Remarketing) should be designed to move highly qualified traffic toward conversion and reaching stabilization. Be sure to announce the change in ownership on all social and review platforms (Google My Business, Yelp, Facebook, etc.) It’s always a good idea to encourage renters to leave an online review after a positive experience, but remember to not incentivize reviews.

Elevate your New Acquisition with G5

G5 is the partner you need to make the most out of your acquisition. As the leader in real estate marketing, we offer everything from website development and SEO to digital marketing and data-driven insights. Kick off this partnership by downloading our Self Storage Acquisitions Checklist.