By The Storage Group
If you’re not marketing your RV storage facility to classic car enthusiasts, you could be leaving a pretty penny on the table. Vintage car and hot rod owners, especially those who participate on the car show circuit, often need a safe and secure place to protect their precious belongings. Many of them will happily open their wallets for quality storage.
Most people think about RVs when they think about RV storage. But there is so much more that your facility has to offer in self-storage, and marketing that message in a targeted way will open up a revenue stream you may not have considered. Whether you provide indoor or outdoor storage, covered or uncovered, you may be able to attract and bank on car owners in a big way. Here are ways you can spin your strategy to entice a target market in the car industry.
Affordable
A classic car hobby is not exclusive to those with money. In fact, many hobbyists work hard to save up for the tools and parts needed to restore an old classic. Unless you are advertising to Jay Leno, chances are some of your customers collecting classic cars do not have a huge show garage to keep them. Many times, while working on a vehicle, a home carport or garage is the only means of storing it. You want to point these customers in your direction, showing them you have space suitable for their needs.
If you already have the space to do so, and you’re looking to gear your facility to car storage as well as boat and RV storage, your property might be easily converted to meet the needs of this new pipeline of tenants.
Accessible
Accessibility is going to be a huge factor when people consider where to store their muscle cars. If you’re already in the business of RV and boat storage, spacing shouldn’t be an issue. Having wide aisles and roomy space to drive in and maneuver around is already to your advantage. Make sure you highlight this feature, as the last thing anyone with a prized possession wants is to worry about dents and/or clearance for the side mirrors.
In addition, think about accessibility in terms of how often your tenants can visit their vehicles. Car enthusiasts are known for tinkering around with their pet projects. When it comes to restoring classic roadsters or building up collectible cars, people need space to work and move around. Do you have units that have enough space to adequately fit a vehicle with room to spare?
Consider your access hours: Are you open in the evenings, allowing those with a 9-to-5 job to stop by after work? The more hours you give them to play on their project, the happier they’ll be. Likewise, the more comfortable they are entrusting you with their significant investments, the more comfortable they will be to refer their friends to you for business.
Connect With Customers
One of the best ways to learn more about the needs of antique cars and hot rods is to talk with them in person. And, one of the best ways to do that is by attending a car show yourself. Lucky for you, we’re just entering summer, which is when many enthusiasts hit the road to attend events planned coast to coast. Chances are you’ll find one close to home.
While some shows are hosted by manufacturers interested in selling more cars, some are organized by people passionate about them. Either way, these events can provide you with a great opportunity to learn more about this niche industry and even begin passing out business cards to welcome attendees to your storage facility.
In Conclusion
A great way to begin your marketing campaign to attract car junkies is to start attending car shows. Hand out business cards and get involved in the local classic car community to find out what people in your area need most when it comes to storage. If your facility has the capacity, you might consider hosting a car show at your site. This is a great way to sponsor a money-making event that will also put you in touch with potential leads.
The Storage Group has a team of experts specializing in the self-storage industry that offers digital marketing services as well as innovative software solutions. The Storage Group provides a wide range of storage business owners with industry-leading marketing campaigns and online technology tools to improve their facilities’ online presence, drive higher conversion rates and increase revenue.
*****Learn more about all facets of marketing your facility from Steve Lucas, CEO and Managing Partner of The Storage Group, at the Toy Storage Nation Executive Workshop, June 16 in Denver/Boulder, Colo. Steve’s presentation will answer any of your questions about RV and boat storage, as well as share tips for attracting car enthusiasts to your facility.
