When the stress of finals week is finally over, the last thing a college kid wants to do is pack their entire dorm room into their car and haul it back to their hometown. Since most campus residence halls don’t allow students to keep their belongings at school over the summer, many college students utilize self-storage facilities. With the end of the semester quickly approaching, self-storage facilities have a unique opportunity to market themselves to the college student demographic. Keep reading to discover how your facility can appeal to the college market this summer.
Offer Small Units
Because college apartments and on-campus residential housing provide students with furniture, college students will most likely not require a larger unit. Target this audience with a smaller space, such as a 5’x5’ unit. The standard 5’x5’ storage unit is capable of holding a love seat, a dozen boxes, and home decor – perfect for a single student.
Consider Month-to-Month Rental Agreements
With factors such as summer classes, nearby internships, or study abroad programs, many students will choose to use a self-storage facility to bridge the gap between leases. Offering students storage on a month-to-month option will appeal to them without being stuck in a long-term contract.
Offer Student Discounts
The cost of tuition, housing, books, social activities, and meal plans quickly adds up. Offering a student discount is a great way to gain a competitive advantage and is an easy way to fill your otherwise empty units for the summer!
Go Mobile
When targeting the millennial market, studies show that millennials are most receptive to brands that reach out to them via mobile. As a result, app-based marketing strategies have proven incredibly successful when targeting this demographic. Consider investing in a tenant-facing app such as EasyCode for unit activity notifications, 1-click mobile gate, door, and elevator entry, and online payments on a mobile-friendly website.
Provide 24-hour Access
College students have early mornings, late nights, midday naps, and meals at all hours in-between. Because they typically don’t fall into the traditional 9-to-5 schedule, your facility will be more appealing to college students if accessible 24-hours a day.
Offer Moving Supplies
College kids wrapping up the end of the school year have a lot on their minds – the last thing they’re thinking about is how they’re going to efficiently organize a self-storage unit. Make their storage experience as convenient as possible!
With the summer months drawing closer, now is the time to start promoting your facility as a safe and affordable solution to the college student demographic. By offering student discounted rental rates, smaller units, short-term rental agreements, moving supplies, and mobile access, your facility will be a preferred choice among students this summer. Need help providing these best-in-class features? Contact a PTI Representative today by calling 800-523-9504 or by emailing sales@ptisecurity.com!
