Step 1: Identify Target Markets

Before you start outreach, you need a clear view of where to focus.

Identify Target Markets – Watch Video

Use TractIQ to filter for:

• Facility Filtering: Filter storage facilities by size (net rentable square feet) and management type (non-designated).

• Market Analysis: Filter areas based on growth rates, median income, and square footage per capita.

• Granular Search Options: Enhanced capabilities to drill down to MSA, county, zip code, or census tract levels for targeted searches.

• Detailed Property Insights: Users can view detailed information about properties, including owner contact details and market analysis data.

Shortlist 5–10 MSAs that align with your investment thesis and goals. Look beyond headlines and target markets with development potential, fragmented ownership, and rent momentum.

Step 2: Direct Owner Outreach

Transforming Cold Calls: How to Engage Storage Property Owners Effectively – Watch Video

This is where most teams fall short — not because they don’t reach out, but because their outreach adds no value.

Here’s the sequence I recommend:

1. Build a verified list of owners using TractIQ

2. Personalize outreach with insights (e.g., new competition nearby, rent growth)

3. Follow up with handwritten notes or even a photo taken at their site

4. Test different messages — credibility vs. curiosity vs. market data

Bonus tip: Hire two well-spoken associates and turn it into a game. Track booked meetings, calls held, and signed NDAs.

Controversial Take: Most owner calls fail in the first 5 seconds.

Here’s what the best buyers do differently:

Don’t ask if the owner wants to sell. Tell them 90,000 SF of new competition is about to open next door.

Instead of an immediate “I’m not interested,” the owner will pause and say: “Wait… where’d you hear that?”

This one data point changes the entire conversation. 

Now you are in control, and they see you as a resource, not a salesperson.

Unfortunately, most outreach starts with:

“Are you interested in selling?”

But the best buyers start with:

“Did you know 3 new projects just pulled permits within a mile of your site?”

Why? Because sellers tune out people who want something. But they listen to people who know more than they do.

Here’s how I’d approach every owner conversation:

→ Research their market like I’m buying it tomorrow

→ Check housing growth, rent trends, and upcoming supply in TractIQ

→ Find one attribute of their property that genuinely excites you

The result?

✅ Better replies

✅ More conversations

✅ Faster trust

Lesson: Owner calls don’t work unless you differentiate and add value. If you want better deal flow, show up with something useful.

Step 3: Befriend Honest Brokers

The best off-market deals often come through brokers — but only if they trust you’ll close.

Strategies to build trust:

– Take brokers in your target markets out to coffee, lunch, or dinner

– Be the first to respond (even if it’s a pass)

– Send a one-pager that outlines your criteria and timeline

– Congratulate them on closings — even if you weren’t involved

Your job is to make their life easier. You want to be the buyer they call before a deal hits the market. I created a list of top brokers you can find here.

It’s important to note that good deals can be found on- and off-market. Just because a deal is off-market doesn’t mean it’s a good deal, and just because a deal is broadly marketed doesn’t mean it’s a bad deal. Closing on-market deals with brokers not only builds trust, but sends a signal. Once you’ve demonstrated your dependability by closing on-market deals with brokers, they are more willing to trust you with their truly unique and valuable off-market offerings.

Finding deals with the help of brokers takes time, effort, and patience. Relationships don’t solidify overnight. It’s important to play the long game here. If you do it right, it’s only a matter of time until you start to see unique opportunities with the help of brokers.

Step 4: Partner with Local Operators

Great local operators know which sellers are quietly thinking about exiting — and which properties to avoid.

Why they matter:

– Local operators often lack capital but have deep market knowledge

– JV opportunities let you share upside while reducing risk

– You gain credibility in markets where you’re not the local expert

Start by offering to underwrite together or share deal flow. Partnerships build over time.

Step 5: Be Visible, Curious, and Add Value

Visibility compounds. If you want deal flow, you need to be seen.

Here’s how:

– Attend SSA, ISS, and regional meetups

– Host small dinners or happy hours for owners and lenders

– Share meaningful data (even if it’s just 2 sentences) in conversations

– Ask better questions than other buyers

– Use social media to connect, learn, and add value

When people see you consistently providing insight, you become someone they want to work with.

Conclusion & Tools

The best deal sourcing strategies are consistent, valuable, and informed by real data.

The result of this approach?

✅ Better replies

✅ More conversations

✅ Faster trust

✅ Off-market deals before they hit listings

Recommended Tools

– TractIQ: Market selection, owner data, permits, rents

– Instantly/Clay: Cold outreach automation

– Postable: Handwritten follow-ups

– Airtable or Notion: Deal pipeline tracker