Welcome back to Self Storage Lab, the podcast where we deconstruct how operators are adapting to today’s technology-driven landscape and what it means for the future of the industry.
This episode’s guest is Susan Hovey, Director of Marketing at Strat Property Management, whose career path spans tech, wine, and now self storage. Susan is known for blending creativity with data, grounding modern marketing tactics in timeless fundamentals, and building brands that feel human in an industry often reduced to square footage. From fax blasts to AI-driven search, she’s seen every evolution, and brings a rare combination of storytelling, operational alignment, and pragmatic strategy to the table.
In this episode, we explore:
• How a background in theater, tech, and wine shaped Susan’s marketing philosophy
• Why marketing should be viewed as operational infrastructure, not a discretionary expense
• How AI search and zero-click experiences are reshaping visibility for operators
• The do’s and don’ts she wishes every owner understood—from Google habits to FAQs
• Why attribution is still the holy grail (and why most people chase it wrong)
• How brand authority and authenticity now matter more than ranking alone
• The future of storage marketing and the growing role of retention and community
If you’ve ever wondered how to elevate your brand, navigate a shifting search landscape, or align marketing with operations across dozens of properties, this episode offers a masterclass from one of the most thoughtful voices in the industry.
In this Episode
(00:00:00) Why marketing isn’t optional anymore
(00:01:03) From theater storytelling to fax blasts to AI
(00:04:23) Catching the “self storage bug”
(00:07:26) What wine, tech, and storage have in common
(00:09:52) Serving customers across personas, preferences, and channels
(00:11:28) Google's chaos, AI overviews, and the new search reality
(00:14:55) The messy truth about attribution
(00:17:19) How AI is already impacting storage rentals
(00:21:39) Brand authority as the new SEO
(00:26:11) The first things to fix when taking over a facility
(00:30:00) Storytelling as the foundation of every great brand
(00:33:30) What operators get wrong about their audience
(00:37:17) Winning internal debates and making the case for marketing
(00:42:08) Marketing don’ts: Google searches, Q&A neglect, and chasing rankings
(00:48:00) The future of storage marketing: retention and brand-led strategies
(00:50:41) Rapid fire: rituals, routines, tools, and staying grounded
Frameworks & Philosophies
• Storytelling as strategic foundation
• Brand authority over pure keyword strategy
• Meeting customers exactly where they are
• The importance of community and belonging
Tools & Practices
• Google Business Profile essentials
• Schema markup and FAQs for AI-driven search
• Brand reputation platforms
• Personal rituals for clarity and grounded leadership
Favorite Nuggets
• “Marketing is not the only cost with a price tag. We just see it more clearly.”
• “Don’t Google yourself every morning.”
• “Self storage isn’t about belongings. It’s about helping people feel like they belong.”
• “Attribution is the holy grail and no one has it fully figured out.”
🔗 Connect with Susan:
LinkedIn: Susan Hovey