Why I’m So Proud of My Portable Garages and Shelters Site!

A lot of people thought I was nuts when, in August 2007, I announced that I was launching a website dedicated to marketing portable garage and shelter structures. After all, I had been a writer, career coach, and resume writer for years! Many folks just didn’t see the connection between those former careers and marketing carports, party tents, and other such items.

You, too, may be scratching your head, wondering what the connection could possibly be. I mean… portable garages and shelters? Given the name of my blog – Truth & Integrity in Business – I assure you that there IS a connection.

To understand this, we need to go back to when I was about 7 years old, when my Dad asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I answered that I wanted to be either a fairy princess or a writer. My Dad, wise man that he is, assured me that being a writer would probably work better for me.

So, I have always had it in my mind that I would indeed, be a writer.

Being a writer is what initially enabled me to help others develop their resumes. I had studied copywriting (Yes, I’m one of those people who – if I were hired to do so – would be behind the catalogs and mail order offerings you all receive. I refuse to call it junk mail.), and used those skills to write winning resumes.

The problem I had with resume writing is that many of the people where I lived (in northern NH), were either out of work or going to be out of work and didn’t have a lot of money to pay for such services.

But, as I started looking around at how else I could market my writing skills, I came to realize that every website contains the written word. As I a little deeper, I further understood that my copywriting skills, along with my new-found knowledge of search engine optimization, are critical components in internet marketing.

I soon realized I could turn my skills and my values into marketing products online myself, and began searching for something to sell.

What is also important (at least to me), is that I really care about others. And I had to work with a company that cared about others the way I do.

I stumbled upon the good folks at MDM Rhino Shelters (who are the company behind all the products on my Portable Garages and Shelters website), and we hit it off instantly. A little more research on my part indicated a growing need for affordable, portable storage solutions. So, I became one of MDM’s dealers, and promptly began building my website.

I loved developing the site, because it was the perfect place for me to put my web copywriting skills to work while developing a stream of income.

In addition to loading the site with as much information as possible so that my customers could find answers, I also made it my goal to make my customers feel valued, and like family. In order to give everyone as much value as possible while still earning a few bucks, I took a hit on shipping charges and kept the product prices as low as I could.

This strategy evidently works, because I have amazing customers! I get calls from customers who will buy from me simply because they know I care about them. Sure, they save money and get good value for their dollar, but just as important, I value each one of them. I’ve helped get motorcycle shelters out to soldiers overseas (yes, we ship to APO and FPO addresses), mini greenhouses to families who have kids who want to learn about gardening, party tents to churches for their functions, portable garages to contracting companies who need shelter for their workers and equipment… The list goes on and on.

I have had the site up since late August, 2007, made my first garage sale by the first week of September, 2007, and today my business gets sales on a regular basis. I’m not knocking the cover off the ball yet, but I’m definitely getting on base! I will soon be adding our largest structure – a commercial 40x60x18 Domed Truss building – to the site so that I can serve an even wider, commercial clientele.

My customers get great service not only from me, but also from everyone at MDM – from the owner to his mom (it IS a family business!), to all the account managers, to all the guys loading the trucks day after day in the warehouse – everyone at the facility (and especially my own account manager and true right-hand man, Dave Clayton). Everyone there treats my customers with the same care and respect that I do. They are a family business, and they treat me like family as well.

So, aside from the products we sell – from the popular “evergreen” 1-car round top portable garage to the new “Cycle Shelter,” which is a cool tent-like shelter for motorcycles to the large commercial buildings – the fact that I’m dealing with a company of great integrity has resulted in a growing business for me. I’m proud of my website and my affiliation with everyone at MDM Rhino Shelters.

It all makes perfect sense to me!