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08/05/2019

Embrace Change to Compete Today

By Anne Mari DeCoster, AZSA Executive Director

That’s the challenge, isn’t it? Competing in today’s self-storage market requires change: adopting new approaches, mastering new technology, using different advantages. New facilities opening all over the state and rising consumer expectations create formidable challenges for all self-storage businesses, but particularly for independent owner/operators.

Embracing change to compete today is our focus for this year’s conference, the 21st Annual Arizona Self-Storage Conference, September 25-26. Early bird pricing expires August 11. 

Register Here

Owners Summit

The conference commences on September 25 with our 4th Annual Owners Summit, as Dr. Chris Thornberg, Beacon Economics, asks, “Will the Real Economy Please Stand Up?” Economic data still looks strong, but how long will this expansion last, where will the next crisis come from, will it tip the US economy into recession? Dr. Thornberg’s answers promise to be insightful.

Next the focus narrows to the Arizona market, with Radius+ data, followed by CubeSmart’s Guy Middlebrooks, on “New Supply: Misconceptions & Reality of this Development Cycle.” Travis Morrow of National Self Storage Management tackles “Automation: Fact or Fiction?” Lonnie Bickford of Appletree Storage and StorageAuctions.com identifies technology that makes an impact in “Pivoting: Technology that is Changing the Self-Storage Industry.” G5’s James Malone addresses digital marketing, and Heidi Henderson of Engineered Tax Services advises on “Improving Cash Flow Through Tax Strategies.” This year’s industry legend is a local hero: National Self Storage’s Robert Schoff, an early recipient of AZSA’s Pioneer Award and now inducted into the SSA Hall of Fame.

Operational Symposium

Jim Ross of Self Storage Domination headlines manager training in the Operational Symposium on September 26. He will help you “Dominate Your Competition,” training managers on Marketing, Move Ins, and Money. Joining him will be online review expert Coleman Bakker of Podium, a technology company focusing on reputation management. Coleman will help you evaluate how much onlines reviews are worth, and how much you are losing if you don’t manage them well. We close the conference with a Q&A session featuring Jim Ross and Richard Marmor, AZSA’s legal expert.

Contact us at 602-374-7184 or AZSA@AZSelfStorage.org.

Bill Alter at AZSA Conference 2017

Bill Alter, Anne Mari DeCoster, and Sandy Alter at the AZSA Conference

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