Successful space marketing at the click of a mouse

Düsseldorf, 14 October 2008

The Detmold-based company SM Logistic used LAGERflaeche.de to find tenants for logistics properties in the new federal states.

"I was immediately enthusiastic about the idea of using a provider to advertise on several specialised exchanges," says Claus Wettlaufer, Managing Director of SM Logistic in Detmold, recalling the moment he found out about lagerflaeche.de. "It was the opportunity I had been looking for to reach as many potential interested parties as possible."

The internet portal is aimed at companies offering or looking for available warehouse space. Over 700 logistics service providers, around 300 companies from industry and trade as well as around 150 specialised real estate agents and development companies use the B2B platform. And the number of customers is growing: In 2007 alone, the number of customers rose by 35 per cent and the portal was visited a total of 40,000 times.

This acceptance on the market is one of the unique selling points of the online platform. "We initially tried to find customers for the vacancies by advertising in local newspapers," recalls Wettlaufer. "However, the response to these adverts was so poor that we decided not to do this. Especially as the texts and presentations had to be resent each time and each individual campaign was billed by the various publishers. That was also quite a lot of work."

The "carefree package" from lagerflaeche.de convinced him all the more. With this service, the space on offer is published on lagerflaeche.de and six other online portals, which has a corresponding multiplier effect. If an interested party requests further information, the customer is automatically informed. The service also includes monthly statistics on call-ups. High-quality properties can also be marketed on the platform with their own microsite in a customised design.

Claus Wettlaufer and his team used two of these carefree packages to place two adverts online at the same time. Specifically, this involved four logistics properties in the new federal states. The switch in distribution from distribution via regional warehouses, even to small consignees, to centralised distribution from two main locations to specialist retailers had meant that these properties were no longer as fully utilised as originally planned.

SM Logistic's strategy worked: "We found a total of three tenants via the portal," says Wettlaufer happily. "Two of them were for the same property, as the first tenant had moved out in the meantime and the new tenant also got in touch with us via the portal. We are still in negotiations for another project." The leased properties also include a logistics centre in Wittstock on the A24 motorway between Hamburg and Berlin. "Although the location of the property directly at the motorway junction is ideal, demand has been rather restrained in the past due to the economic and structural conditions in the surrounding area. We have now let most of the space so that we have been able to achieve optimum utilisation by using the remaining space ourselves," explains Wettlaufer.

"Our advantage is that we can reach interested parties beyond regional borders," says Marc Possekel, Managing Director of Logvocatus GmbH. The Düsseldorf-based company operates the internet platform and combines many years of industry expertise with an extensive network in the logistics industry. "Thanks to the high market penetration of lagerflaeche.de, our customers have completely different opportunities than with an advert in regional newspapers."

Herr Wettlaufer
SMLogistics GmbH
Geschäftsführer der SMLogistics GmbH

Claus Wettlaufer
SM Logistic
Geschäftsführer der SM Logistic