There are many benefits to joining the National Portable Storage Association (NPSA). One of them is a year of free access to the Global Equipment Trader Network, or GETnet. GETnet is a technology platform that lets you list available equipment for sale, search for equipment you need, and negotiate the best possible deals – live 24 hours a day, seven days a week.The ContainerRental.com network maintains GETnet, which links a growing network of traders for two-way searching and matching. The platform connects all kinds of transportation and storage equipment suppliers with companies searching for good deals on equipment. GETnet is providing a year of this service complimentary to all NPSA members as part of member dues.

“The NPSA is pleased that GETnet is providing this valuable access to portable storage industry players who choose to become members of our industry organization,” said John Finnessy, CMP, Executive Director the National Portable Storage Association, or NPSA, a nonprofit membership association dedicated to the advancement of the portable storage industry. “There are many advantages to GETnet that will enhance your ability to do business locally and globally.”

When vendors post equipment for sale on the GETnet platform, for example, they receive offers from potential buyers. Likewise, when buyers are searching for equipment they post the makes and models and what they are willing to pay. A variation of the popular eBay online auctions, buyers and sellers can enter into live negotiations. Users can also find network suppliers who are willing to pay to transporters to move equipment for them. It’s a one stop equipment trading shop.

“GETnet technology offers NPSA members a chance to make money – and to save money,” said NPSA Operations Manager Joel Rathbone. “Our members also save time with this tool that makes searching and selling equipment a snap. The automatic features for searching and posting notifications by text message is an innovative use of technology that marks the high-tech side of the portable storage industry.”

For more information about becoming an NPSA member, visit http://www.npsa-us.org.

Portable storage containers aren’t all about helping schools save money, helping the construction industry keep its tools safe, and otherwise lending support to businesses large and small. Sometimes portable storage is about spreading holiday cheer.

Just as you see Santa Claus jingling his bell for the Salvation Army in front of retail stores, you may also see a few portable storage containers in shopping center parking lots this Christmas season. That’s because National Portable Storage Association members are donating them for good causes, like the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program.

“Each year, charitable programs collect and distribute toys, food and other goods to communities in need. The National Portable Storage Association applauds portable storage vendors for lending a helping hand,” said John Finnessy, CMP, Executive Director the National Portable Storage Association, or NPSA, a nonprofit membership association dedicated to the advancement of the portable storage industry. “This is the time of year to give back, and we are glad to help with portable storage units that can be filled to overflowing with toys and goods that will put smiles on kids faces this holiday season.”

Click here to read the rest of this release. Or click here to visit the NPSA.

The National Portable Storage Association, or NPSA, has announced a new symbol that demonstrates the membership’s commitment to better portable storage products, businesses and industry. NPSA members banded together to develop the symbol, officially dubbed the “NPSA Seal.”

The NPSA Seal is a round sticker that dons the association’s logo (a grey portable storage container with the acronym “NPSA” along the side) and important text, along with the association’s e-mail address and toll-free phone number. The text reads: “This seal designates that this portable storage unit was leased or sold through a National Portable Storage Association member who adheres to a Code of Ethics pertaining to superior standards of conduct, integrity, quality, professional service and honesty.”

“We are pleased to introduce the NPSA Seal. Our members have worked hard to bring this important initiative to pass,” said John Finnessy, CMP, Executive Director the National Portable Storage Association, or NPSA, a nonprofit membership association dedicated to the advancement of the portable storage industry. “As the industry grows, it is important to distinguish between operators and containers that adhere to strict industry guidelines and those that don’t. The NPSA is committed to continue building a safe and ethical portable storage industry.”

The NPSA Seals are available to NPSA members for an introductory price of $1 each. The NPSA recommends members attach a seal to each unit in their fleets. The NPSA is currently accepting new members, from solo practitioners to large companies with any number of units. “The benefits are clear to all our members, from obtaining new business through customer referrals to knowledge sharing and more,” said NPSA Operations Manager Joel Rathbone. “Together, we can ensure the quality and protect the interests of portable storage operators in the U.S. – and now we have a seal to demonstrate that commitment to the masses.”

For more information, visit www.npsa-us.org.

t’s the holiday season. That means consumers are shopping until they drop, both online and in bricks-and-mortar stores. In fact, more than 147 million shoppers hit U.S. stores this Thanksgiving weekend, according to the National Retail Federation.Some retailers are relying on their Web sites to push traffic into stores. Other retailers are selling their widgets exclusively online. Both are stocking more merchandise than they do any other time of the year. That means it may not all fit on the store shelves – or even the stockroom. Savvy retailers are tapping into the power of portable storage containers to keep seasonal merchandise overstock just a few steps away.

“With portable storage, retailers can breathe a sigh of relief,” said John Finnessy, CMP, Executive Director the National Portable Storage Association, or NPSA, a nonprofit membership association dedicated to the advancement of the portable storage industry. “It’s a safety hazard to overload stock rooms with boxes of merchandise, yet retailers need to keep enough product on hand to break last year’s sales record. Portable storage units ensure the goods are nearby without risking injury to employees.”

Portable storage units also mean retailers don’t have to under-order and sell out of popular items because they didn’t have enough storage space to keep merchandise safe and dry. It also means convenience. While traditional self-storage is an alternative option, it demands retailers drive off site, load the goods into a vehicle, drive back to their shop, and unload the goods into the store. With portable storage, retailers can take a hand truck to the back of the building and quickly grab just what is needed.

“Portable storage is a boon for retailers at any time of the year,” said NPSA Operations Manager Joel Rathbone. “After all, November and December aren’t the only peak shopping months. Portable storage gives retailers the liberty of buying goods from wholesalers in bulk, at deep discounts, and storing it securely until the merchandise sells.”

For more information, visit www.npsa-us.org.

Making the most of portable storage containers demands three considerations: location, location and location. The National Portable Storage Association’s (NPSA) new training video offers tips for ensuring portable storage units are situated in the right location on a property.”One of the most important considerations is finding level ground,” said John Finnessy, CMP, Executive Director the National Portable Storage Association, or NPSA, a nonprofit membership association dedicated to the advancement of the portable storage industry. “You also have to be sure not to block septic tanks, manholes and other objects that you or others may need access to.”

The NPSA video also reminds portable storage consumers to allow enough space in front of the container for the truck to back away from the unit once it’s grounded. As a general rule of thumb, you should place the portable storage unit in an area that offers enough space to accommodate two containers. That ensures the delivery truck has room to safely maneuver.

Vertical clearance is another common “location” issue. Depending on the delivery method, the container could tilt as high as 14 or 15 feet. If there are tree limbs, electrical wires, roofing, or other objects in the delivery path, property damage could result. Finally, dirt or grassy surfaces should be dry before a container is placed there. Wet dirt could shift and settle and make it difficult to open and close the doors.

“The NPSA is committed to helping you find a solution to get your container into the proper storage area,” said NPSA Operations Manager Joel Rathbone. “Our members are experts at dealing with deliveries and pick ups at even the most challenging locations with safety always top of mind.”

For more information, visit www.npsa-us.org.

Check out an excerpt from the Mini-Storage Messenger Xtra and then let’s consider the implications…The article by David Lucas reads:
The tragic murder of a self-storage manager during an armed robbery in Houston, Texas, in September shocked the industry. Unfortunately, robberies, assaults, and other crimes do occur at self-storage facilities, although, according to an industry expert, they are rare.

“It’s so rare that if we have an armed robbery, we don’t really address it much,” says Tom Litton, president of Lodi, Calif.-based Litton Property Management. “As an industry, we don’t do a lot of training on how to handle an armed robbery.”

Shaken by the violence at the Texas facility, some self-storage operations are putting personal safety policies in place and providing training on how to behave during robberies and other potentially dangerous activities.

The article goes on to offer some general guidelines on how to handle yourself during potentially violent encounters. But have you considered the public relations implications and guidelines? I submit to you that the industry, through its national and state organizations, needs to get proactive about counteracting all the negative media we see about crime in self-storage. Rare as it may be, that’s not the message consumers are getting.

The industry needs is own “McGruff” style branding campaign to get the message of safety and security out to the market. We’ve already lost ground to the ongoing media headlines and we’ve already seen the government amping up its spotlight on the industry. We can’t just sit still and fail to communicate how much more sophisticated our technology and security is today.

Let’s get busy.

There’s a great article in the News Observer on RV and boat storage — and the self-storage industry. This sort of third-party endorsement is priceless:

An increase in sales of boats and other recreational vehicles is rubbing against increasing restrictions on where cities, towns and homeowners associations will let people store them.

But the headache for many boat and RV owners from Cary to California has become big business for an emerging corner of the commercial real estate world: self-storage.

Kudos to this reporter for finding all the locals and including their perspectives in the article, or did he? It could be possible that the reporter contacted others who didn’t make it into the article because they didn’t offer anything worth quoting.

Don’t let that be you.

Understand your key messages, your value proposition, your industry, the statistics, the trends, etc., etc., etc. Contact us for a free PowerPoint presentation on PR tips, including how to get quoted in the media.

You’ve heard about the saints marching in, but what about the Blue Devils? The Blue Devils, a marching band from Concorde, Calif., has won 11 world championship titles. Roughly 400 students participate in the dynamic band each year. Each member wields an instrument at sporting and other events as they entertain jubilant crowds. Portable storage containers are a vital part of the Drum & Bugle Corp’s team effort.

“Containers have saved us money – for a nonprofit that’s really important – and helped us increase efficiency because our staff doesn’t have to run around town to all the different places where we were trying to store things,” said Brett Rios, director of operations for the Blue Devils Drum Corp., which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. “Nonprofits have to look for ways to be efficient and cut costs and portable storage has allowed us to do both.”

Click here to read the rest of this release on PR.com.

Growing churches are relying on portable storage containers to make more room for families instead of building materials, books and other items that go hand-in-hand with running a ministry. Alamo, CA-based Creekside Community Church Senior Pastor Nick Vleisides, says portable storage units are a critical asset to his church.