JOIN SSA AS A DIRECT MEMBER NOW!
The old "rules of thumb" in the self storage industry are taking quite a hammering. It’s a whole new industry out there – much more competitive than ever. Ground-up development is giving way to renovations, conversions, expansions, diversifications and consolidation. It takes an educated and up-to-date owner-operator and facility managers to keep up with all the changes. And that’s what current members will tell you that SSA does best: educate its members as to what is current and what is next.
Join – Participate – Benefit – Profit – Succeed – Lead
We can only go so far without you.
You can become an SSA Direct Member today! It’s fast and easy to join.
WHY SHOULD YOU JOIN?
So much is going on in the self storage industry these days, that if you are not a Direct Member of the Self Storage Association (SSA), you’re simply not getting all that you can -- and should -- be getting in terms of critical information that you need to be viable, competitive and profitable.
SSA members receive the benefits they need to keep their business running efficiently and successfully. There's no other place in the industry where you can receive a list of benefits as expansive. The national SSA is making a positive difference to the industry these days; and by becoming a direct member now, you and your staff will start to realize the benefits right away. Your company's SSA membership extends to your staff. Like you, your employees receive discounted member rates for all conferences, seminars, and publications. Also, they have access to the Member-Only section of the Web site, using your SSA Member ID number.
THE "VALUE PROPOSITION"
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS ARE MANY:
 Data & Information
SSA has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to publish the new 2007 Self Storage Demand Study and
the 2007 Financial & Operational Characteristics Study. Both are available on the SSA Web site
at substantial discounts to direct members. SSA direct members will receive first notice on all future data releases. These studies are revolutionizing the way owner-operators and managers look at this industry and how they market to their residential and commercial customer base. If you haven't read these SSA data studies - you better hope that your competition hasn't read them. The data changes decade-old perceptions.
 Advocacy &
Government Relations
SSA is working effectively to stop the Defense Department from building monopolistic self storage facilities on 200-plus US military bases and to prevent the Department of Homeland Security from regulating the self storage industry. Our Washington office staff executives have worked on Capitol Hill and have many strong contacts in the Administration and in the federal regulatory agencies.
 Networking & Meetings
SSA holds two huge national conferences and trade shows each year. The Fall meeting is held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas each September. The next Spring conference will be held at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando, FL on April 1-3, 2008. More than 4,000 owner-operators attend SSA conferences each year. These are the best national meetings in the industry, designed specifically for people who've already made a major investment in this industry - like you! Our trade show exhibitors state that "91% of all attendees are 'qualified buyers,'" a statistic that is unparalleled in the industry. As always, SSA direct members receive substantial discounts on their registration fees. Click
here for upcoming event information.
 Communications &
the SSA Globe Magazine
The SSA Globe is the only not-for-profit magazine serving the self storage industry. Published monthly, the SSA Globe is the primary communications vehicle that keeps more than 13,000 direct SSA members, indirect state association members and associate/facility members in-the-know about the self storage arena. The SSA Globe magazine gets better and more informative each and every month. Learn more about the SSA Globe. Also, SSA direct members receive the weekly electronic newsletter "Monday Morning Memo," also posted on the front page of our Web site under Current Events. SSA
members are kept totally up-to-date and plugged-into what’s going on in
the industry. SSA dues-paid facility manager receive the monthly Facility Managers Memo, an electronic "best practices" newsletter.
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 Executive Education & Employee
Training
SSA holds several Super Seminars across the nation each year on topics designed expressly for owner-operators - on topics like business planning, family business succession, marketing, legal actions, etc. Also, SSA holds its Owners-Investor Executive Course twice each year. This graduate-level course is taught using the case study method utilized at the nation's leading business schools. This advanced program will cover facility sales, acquisitions, expansions, conversions, management turnarounds and property diversifications, using real data from real deals in the industry. (NOTE: Only current owner-operators and investors who are SSA direct-members can attend the Owner-Investor Seminar.) The Annual Winter Executive Workshop combines first-class industry education for advanced operators with world class accommodations at nationally known ski resorts each January or February. Also, SSA educates more than 1,000 facility managers each year through its
Managers Certification Course, an intensive four-module course that directs attendees toward a formal designation as a CSSM (Certified Self Storage Manager). For detailed information about the course, exam and certification,
click here. SSA direct members can save hundreds every year on executive education and employee training.
 Rewards & Benefits
The SSA has assembled a "Value Proposition" that is unequalled in our industry. The Association can easily provide you with ten times more benefits than you provide in dues -- if an individual owner-operator takes full advantage of all SSA sponsored programs and discounts.
 Technology Tools
SSA has become the recognized "innovator" in the self storage industry. For example, SSA wholly owns "ODE*SSA 2.0" a powerful, customized national facility database that SSA direct members can access online. They can "drill down" into SSA's exclusive data depot to explore customer demand (both residential and commercial) in a 1 to 10 mile radius around any facility in the United States. It's strictly an SSA member-only benefit; and it's the most inventive technology tool in our entire industry. Later in 2008, SSA will introduce AURORA (Automated Unit Rental & Occupancy Rates Access) another members-only on-line data tool. Click
here, for more information.
 Research and
Studies
SSA continues to outpace the entire industry in terms of generating new research and cutting-edge information programs. Three years ago, no one knew exactly how many facilities there were in this industry or how much inventory of rentable space there was...now SSA knows with great certainty. There are some 52,000 "primary" facilities in the industry today (and we know the latitude and longitude of each and every facility via SSA's potent National Facilities Database). Self Storage is now a $22.6 billion dollar industry (in terms of gross sales) -- much larger than even the recorded music industry or the US motion picture production industry. Collectively, the industry represents 2.2 billion square feet of self storage space -- a land area of more than 78 square miles -- or the equivalent of three times the size of Manhattan Island, under roof. As always, SSA direct members get first notice of all upcoming research and new studies at special introductory prices before they are released to the entire industry.
Association
Relations
The SSA now represents some 6,300 owner-operator firms -- both direct members and (indirect) members of the international and state associations that are now formally affiliated with the national SSA -- and a total of some 20,000 facilities in the US, Canada and 18 other nations. SSA is working together with its affiliates on key government relations issues, revenue-sharing ideas and other programs of great importance to the affiliates. SSA brought this exceptional coalition to the table and now virtually the entire organized industry is not only talking -- but working - together for your company's benefit and for that of the whole self storage industry. For a list of state and regional associations,
click here.
 Membership
Services
SSA is known for, and prides itself, on its responsiveness.
If you do not believe it, give SSA a call and ask a question. You will get a
timely and helpful response. We believe in same day/one day service. You should seriously consider becoming a direct
member of the national Association. To review SSA membership categories and dues,
click here, or if you're ready to join now,
click here for the Membership Application. Like more than 6,000 companies you will find that SSA dues are the best investment in your livelihood that you will make this year. SSA is doing something right because it enjoys one of the highest membership retention rates in the entire Association Management industry - at 95%!
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 Publications
and Content
SSA generates several new books, manuals and studies each year, such as the "Self Storage Demand Study" and the annual "Financial & Operational Characteristics of Self Storage Facilities" study. SSA has extensive catalogue of current publications. To explore all the books and studies available to you on the SSA Web site,
click here.
 Legal Resources
and Information
SSA direct members (only) receive six copies of the "Self
Storage Legal Review" each year – a detailed
legal newsletter that is a major benefit (valued at $295/year). It’s chocked
full of legal information and reviews of court decisions as well as legislative
initiatives and regulatory actions across the nation. Also, SSA members can tap
into the
Self Storage Legal Network for a small fee to receive detailed legal information in response to
their specific questions from SSA’s hand-selected panel of expert attorneys who
specialize in self storage law.
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