Your website is the backbone of your digital marketing efforts and is the most likely place that a potential client will begin their engagement with your company. Below are five key components that self-storage websites can use to stand out from their competition and help improve their customer experience:
1. Online Payment Portal
An online payment portal allows you to accept your tenant’s payment directly from their bank or credit card account via a module on your site. This offers a convenient, safe, and inexpensive way to ensure that your tenants are paying on time. Offering an auto-pay option through your online payment portal makes it even more convenient for your customers because invoices automatically get paid in full on their due date.
Online bill pay and SMS reminders are a winning combination for reducing delinquency. These reminders can link them directly to your online payment portal and even promote your auto-pay option.
2. Reservations Over Rentals
Offering online reservations instead of rentals are a great way to maximize your new customer acquisitions. Online rentals convert at a lower percentage because it requires a higher level of commitment. When customers are shopping online for storage, they are looking for the best deal. An online rental can be intimidating and can make them feel as though they have to commit right there and then. With reservations, your tenants are able to hold a unit at a fixed price while they without having to feel locked in. Additionally, because an online reservation requires the tenant’s information, this strategy creates an opportunity for your facility to reach out to the potential customer and follow up with them. Providing an online reservation service to your tenants is a great way to nurture leads and build a connection by assisting them with their storage needs.
3. Pricing Guide
One of the hardest decisions for almost any business owner is whether to post pricing information on their website. However, your rental rates will always be a factor in a tenant’s buying decision. Potential customers will continue to search until they find the best price. If your pricing information is not on your website, you are not a contender in their buying decision. By openly sharing what a unit is going to cost a tenant, you have the ability to acquire more customers.
4. Customer Reviews
Online customer reviews are like personal recommendations, and by allowing your customers to share their experience with your facility you gain invaluable credibility. While browsing online for a storage unit offers convenience, the lack of personal touch can lead to uncertainty about quality. Reading positive online reviews of your facility gives potential tenants greater confidence in selecting your facility over others.
5. High-Quality Images
Adding high-quality images and videos of your storage facility is a simple yet effective way you can improve your site’s user experience and, at the same time, give your SEO a bump. By providing an attractive visual aesthetic, you can use high-quality imagery on your website to increase the amount of time a potential customer is on your website, ultimately allowing your facility more time to sell its products and services. If your goal is to facilitate an online rental or reservation, you’ll want users to spend as much time on your website as possible. The images displayed on your website are a tenant’s first impression – so use the opportunity to tell the story of your facility and explain the services your facility offers by providing easy-to-process information.
Your self-storage company’s online success depends on an inviting, attractive website that effectively converts interested visitors into paying customers. The 5 components listed above are a great start but if you’re interested in delivering a top-notch online experience for your existing and future tenants, contact the experts at Automatit. With over a dozen years of experience and over 2,000 successful self-storage websites, there’s no one better in the industry to give your facility the website it needs to drive more revenue to your bottom line.
