2012 Convention Program
NOTE this is a draft program only and is subject to change, some speakers and topics are yet to be confirmed. The final program will be available in March
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Tuesday August 7 |
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8:30 |
Specialist Workshops - Concurrent Sessions – Choose One only Do it legal and do it right Learn from Simone Hill, the ultimate expert in self storage law, about all the changes to the legal framework in 2012. This session provides an in-depth breakdown of the new MAP, recent changes to all three self storage agreements plus the new legislation including the Personal Property Securities Act. Delivered in easy to understand terminology, you will become equipped with fundamental legal knowledge essential for any self storage manager.
Matching sales to customers buying styles People are diverse, they respond to things differently... are you changing your sales strategy to suit your customers? Learn how to use tools such as the DISC profile to identify the differences in your customers and then apply selling strategies that will work more effectively on them. Sales is not a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Increase your sales by creating a range of selling approaches. Essential for anyone who wants to sell more storage or ancillary products. Selling self storage on the web Google Adwords, Search Engine Optimisation, Social Networking, Facebook, Mobile websites, iPhone apps, online ordering…. online marketing is becoming an increasingly complicated but also essential medium for any self storage business. If you just don’t know where to start, or you are not sure if your current strategy is really working then this session is for you. Learn how you can position your business effectively in a range of digital mediums, and importantly which ones are more likely to work for your business. Even if you use a third party for all your digital marketing, this session will help you understand more and maximise sales for your business. Simple operat ional tricks to improve your business No matter how good your marketing is, it’s how your managers perform in the centre that will convert your enquiries into sales. Learn the simple techniques that will make your self storage business stand out from the rest. Make your staff a point of difference from your competition, improve the efficiencies of your office and manage your customers to reduce bad debts and sell ups by adopting these simple, yet often overlooked management techniques. |
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12:30 |
Lunch for Workshop Attendees |
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1:00 |
Repeat Do it legal do it right Workshop |
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1:30 |
Facility Tour |
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5:00 |
Special General Meeting |
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6:00 |
Welcome Event |
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Wednesday August 8 |
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8:30 |
Welcome |
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8:40 |
Personalities: How to work with and sell to people who are not like you Bruce Sullivan People naturally like people that are like themselves. The reality is that we have to negotiate, manage, work and live with people that will prefer to energise, take in information, arrive at decisions and live in the world differently to us. The old adage suggests that we should treat people the way that we would want to be treated. That’s great if we meet people that are like us! So what do we do with the other 80% of people that are not like us? This interactive session will enhance your ability to relate to all members of your team (and family!), your customers and improve your understanding of what they can bring in terms of different styles of thinking. |
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9:40 |
Making the most of social media to enhance your reputation Greg Gillies What role does social media have for self storage? This session explores this question. You will learn how to manage your reputation online, use web content to your advantage and publicise your brand within the marketplace to give you a competitive edge! What is the world saying about you that could impact your business? Google+, Google customer reviews, Twitter to Facebook pages: your storage customers are learning about your business and forming an opinion via your online reputation. It is essential to learn how to manage this resource, convert negative perceptions to positive and build a reliable online brand for your business over the internet. |
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10:40 |
Morning Tea |
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11:20 |
Legal Masterclass: Self storage law changes and best practice Simone Hill and some industry operators from Aust and NZ Learn from the ultimate experts in self storage law about what has changed and how to avoid the common pitfalls that could lead to legal strife. This session provides an in-depth breakdown of the new MAP, recent changes to all three self storage agreements plus the new legislation including the PPS. Delivered in easy to understand terminology, you will become equipped with fundamental legal knowledge essential for any self storage manager. You don’t have to be a legal expert to learn from the experts in the field! |
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12:20 |
Lunch & Trade Show |
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2:00 |
Investment Metrics of Self Storage How to make the best self storage investment possible? Does management matter? A close look in to the drivers and metrics of self storage investment. Understand the pitfalls, assumptions and common mistakes. How does a facility’s size, occupancy, pricing, discounting, operating expenses and so on alter your acquisition decision making? What do lenders look at? . In this session you will hear a detailed analysis from financiers, investors and owners on why self storage is a good investment and what motivates people to invest in the industry. |
Your Family in the Business This session details the challenges of family owned (and operated) storage business and ways to overcome them. The best in family business will educate you on the methods you can employ to create your own enduring family business success story. Here you will learn how to make the most of the energy of the next generation and harness the wisdom of the founders. How to handle the management transition? What are the common practices for ensuring smooth ownership handover? All this and more, in a must-attend session for anyone involved in a family run self storage business. |
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3:00 |
Afternoon Tea |
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3:30 |
Self Storage Managers Masterclass: Debtors, Discounting and Diversification Hear from our panel of leading self storage managers on how they overcome the daily challenges of managing a self storage business. A broad panel, with a wealth of information, they will provide insight into problem solving across a range of topics. Anyone can sell self storage at the lowest price, but these managers have maximised profitability with skilful pricing and debt management practices. They also put effort to appealing to and attracting the right sort of customers. This is a masterclass not to be missed! |
Motivate! Stimulate! Educate! Inspiring your staff to new heights! In this session you will develop strategies to engage your staff to become part of the success of your business! Learn developmental, motivational and reward techniques that are easy to implement and see your staff productivity, morale and attitude achieve new peaks. Your staff are all individuals and in this session you will learn to distinguish differences in your staff, from Gen Y’s to Baby Boomers, in order to achieve the best possible rewards and recognition and pave the way for enthusiastic and productive staff. |
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4:30 |
Mixing it up! Using your site for more than just Storage Explore the opportunities of mixed use development with self storage. Car washes, advertising signage, telco towers, cafes, retail stores and even a McDonalds are all co- located with Self Storage businesses in Australasia. This session will cover how you can increase your profitability by creating a mixed-use site. Hear from industry experts with a track record in this area. The possibilities are really are endless . |
The Science of Marketing to Women for increased Profits It’s a documented fact…! Women love to shop. And as such, women control the majority of purchasing decisions in households across the world, either directly or through influence. Surprisingly, few self storage businesses target women directly. Could this be the unexplored marketing edge your business needs to drive it forward past it’s competitors? In this session you will learn to adapt your marketing techniques to access the real decision makers in the households of your potential customers and open up a new world of sales opportunities. |
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6:00 |
Dinner with Industry Leaders |
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Thursday August 9 |
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8:30 |
Self Storage Owners Guide: Legal Essentials for owning a self storage Business This session will deal with how owners of self storage need to consider the legal implications about their decisions, above and beyond the day to day management of their business. This detailed session will explore topics such as due diligence when acquiring businesses, risk management on the types of storage offered, employee fraud, managing family and employee units and other aspects that should be in every owner’s handbook. Never before heard at an SSAA convention and indispensable for owners and senior managers |
Beating the Mistakes when Starting a Self Storage business Starting a self storage business is not as easy as it looks. In this session you will hear about some of the chief mistakes leading operators made and the steps you can take to avoid them. You will develop a checklist from this detailed session on essential start up fundamentals such as design, marketing, fill up strategies, developing a site and acquiring a site. This is vital for anyone new to the industry or thinking of expanding into a new site. |
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9:30 |
The Global Economic Impact on Self Storage in Aust & NZ Learn about global economic trends and what this means in relation to consumer confidence. Discover if the current economic instability will become the new ‘norm’? Learn how much influence Europe and the USA really have on Australia and New Zealand. Decide if we can rely on China and the emerging economies to shelter us. Hear from renowned economic experts on all this and it’s impact on the self storage industry. |
Self Storage across the Globe: Focus Asia Our self storage neighbours in Asia are embarking on an exciting journey into the newest self storage market in the world! As a seasoned industry, we have an abundance of knowledge to learn from an emerging marketplace which breathes a new perspective on our tried and tested methods of operation. You will learn from some of the leading Asian operators about how self storage is different in Asia and what challenges they have needed to overcome. Is self storage really the same world over? Come along for the ride and decide for yourself! |
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10:30 |
Morning Tea |
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11:00 |
Self Storage across the Globe: Focus the USA. The Self Storage market in the Northern Hemisphere is enduring ongoing challenges with the declining global economy. In this session you will learn from a self storage business that has profited and expanded during this turbulent time and how you can better “shock proof” your self storage business during challenging times. A wealth of information from across the globe awaits you with practical tips and methods to help you weather the storm. |
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12:00 |
Closing Keynote Speaker TBC
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1:00 |
Close and Preview of 2013 |
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1:15 |
Lunch & Trade Show |
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2:45 |
Round Tables |
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4:00 |
Free Time |
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6:30 |
Awards Dinner |
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Self storage has been a huge benefit to my business as I only pay for the storage I need. This website was a great resource for me.
Dwayne Henderson
Myco Supplies
I got 3 quotes within about 15 minutes. I was not aware of how much difference there was between the services and security that some sites have
Susan Robinson
Personal Use