By Brom Hoban, TSSA Director of Communications

When most self-storage owners ponder their marketing plans, they fall back on familiar tactics like door-hangers, direct mail, flyers and mass e-mails. Those are tried-and-true methods that work. But they may not represent everything you can do.

According to Terri Langhans, a marketing guru and author of 7 Marketing Mistakes Every Business Makes, you should expand your definition of marketing. Instead of thinking of it as something you “do,” Langhans advises us to think of marketing as anything that helps or hinders the sale or use of your product or service.

Which reminds me of something that happened a few years ago during a sporting event.

Just as the 2007 Boston Marathon got underway, Jared Nyamboki and Josphat Ongeri of Kenya moved into the lead and opened up a huge gap on the rest of the field. In addition to being way out front, the two unknown Kenyans were wearing bright yellow racing shoes, impossible to miss.

As it turned out, that was the whole point. The shoes, manufactured by a small El Paso-based company named Spira, were considered controversial because they feature a metal spring in their soles that is intended to give athletes a better “energy return.” The controversy itself had already brought attention to Spira, but the shoe company needed to generate more publicity to help jump-start their sales, no pun intended.

Boy, did they get it.

The Boston Marathon, the most famous footrace in the world, is televised on major sports TV channels and is followed via streaming video on countless websites worldwide. Leading the race for one hour and 32 minutes before fading back into the pack, Nyamboki and Ongeri guaranteed tremendous exposure for Spira and its bright yellow, elite racing shoes that stood out on international television.

Darren Rovell, of CNBC’s show “On the Money” was prompted to praise Spira’s marketing efforts, calling it “genius” and “guerilla marketing at its best.”

The point is that Spira, a tiny company compared to mighty Nike, won the day without spending a dime on advertising. No print ads, no billboards featuring celebrities, not even a clever slogan.

So next time you think about marketing, think creatively, and maybe try something new. Langhans suggests that before you write a promotional word, make a “help or hinder” list of what’s helping you attract business and what’s getting in the way.

Your goal, she says, should be to “create marketing messages that have more impact; are memorable and influence choice in your favor in order to distinguish your products and services from the competition; and create a competitive edge that no one can copy.”