Understanding the optimal distribution channels for your campground or RV park marketing is vital for reaching new campers and revenue growth. Explore distribution methods and various channels to provide you with a comprehensive guide for crafting an effective campground marketing strategy to maximize outcomes. Explore the key types of camping industry distribution channels as well as a step-by-step distribution channel strategy you can implement for your campground or RV park marketing.
Types of Distribution Channels
Explore the 3 main types of distribution channels for campground and RV park marketing, each offering unique tools and benefits for reaching new campers and overall revenue growth.
Direct
Direct distribution channels for campground marketing include your website, phone bookings, direct email campaigns, and social media marketing. Website integration with Property Management Systems (PMS) streamlines the reservation process for both the campground operator and customers while providing valuable tools for managing daily operations. Learn more about choosing the right PMS for your park here. Direct distribution channels are crucial for campground marketing as they enable park owners to establish direct relationships with customers and gather valuable data insights to enhance campground and RV park marketing efforts and improve the guest experience.
Indirect
Indirect distribution channels in campground and RV park marketing utilize intermediaries to reach customers, expanding your park’s reach to a wider audience of campers. Indirect distribution channels can provide added convenience for customers by offering multiple booking options and facilitating reservations through well-recognized platforms, ultimately increasing trust, consumer base growth, and revenue for the campground.
Online Travel Agencies (OTAs)
OTAs leverage their extensive reach and marketing expertise to promote campground listings to a diverse audience of travelers searching for accommodation options. By connecting with these platforms, campgrounds can tap into a larger pool of prospective customers, ultimately expanding campground visibility and attracting new campers who may not have otherwise discovered their campground through direct channels. Unlike most OTAs in the industry, Spot2Nite does not charge any setup costs, credit card processing fees, or commissions back to the campground operator. Through direct integrations with top property management systems, including Checkfront, Good Sam Campground Solutions, MYSites, Newbook, Premier Campground Management, ResNexus, ResortForward, RMS, Roverpass, and Staylist, Spot2Nite seamlessly displays real-time availability on all of your outdoor accommodation site types, and travelers searching for campsites can instantly book within a convenient, centralized marketplace. All reservation details and inventory adjustments are managed automatically within your existing PMS. Click here to explore more benefits of OTAs and how they maximize campground revenue.
Consumer Base Integrations
Tap into an existing customer network of companies that provide outdoor hospitality services such as camping gear, RV rentals and sales, memberships, and outdoor adventure booking. By leveraging these integrations and partnerships, campgrounds can access a ready-made pool of potential campers with the intent to book and enhance overall visibility.
Spot2Nite partners with the leading outdoor hospitality services on the market to provide connected parks with comprehensive indirect campground marketing opportunities, all in one simple solution. Parks connected with Spot2Nite gain exposure to a vast network of over 60 million campers through popular distribution channels including Camping World, Good Sam, ReserveAmerica, Roadtrippers, Adventure Genie, OpenRoads, RVshare, and RVezy.
Digital Advertising
Target specific camper demographics with precision and track real-time performance metrics with the freedom to adjust campaigns for optimal results. Digital advertising offers a wide range of formats and platforms including Google, social media, and YouTube making it easy to find your prospective camper audience where they are and increase visibility and revenue for your park. Discover more campground marketing ideas and ways to leverage digital media here.
Offline
Offline distribution channel marketing for RV parks and campgrounds offer the advantage of reaching potential customers who may not be as active online, expanding the campground’s reach beyond digital platforms. Offline marketing tactics like print advertisements, local partnerships, and roadside signage can establish a physical presence and enhance brand recognition within the local community, fostering trust and loyalty among visitors.
Events
Having a physical presence at community events, fairs, and consumer-based RV and camping tradeshows can establish trust and offer campground owners the valuable opportunity to get to know campers on a deeper level.
Local Partnerships
Harness mutually beneficial collaborations with camping related businesses, attractions, and events to cross-promote and attract visitors, all while deepening your park’s ties to the local community. Partner with National and State Parks near your campground to offer discounted tickets and camping packages. Explore opportunities with local tourism: fishing charters, recreation rentals, horseback riding, cave tours, wildlife encounters, the possibilities are endless. Campground and RV park marketing opportunities through partnerships can include displaying campground print media in their storefront, advertising space on print media for other local businesses or magazines, and displaying rack cards for your campground at rest stops.
Signage
Billboards and signage provide high visibility to passing motorists, effectively capturing attention and generating awareness about the campground’s location and amenities. Strategically placed signage can prompt impulse visits from travelers seeking rest, prompting them to discover and potentially visit the campground.
Distribution Channel Strategy
Tailor your campground or RV park distribution channel strategy with a combination of direct, indirect, and offline tools to effectively reach new campers. Follow these steps to build a winning marketing strategy for your park.
Set Goals
Determining your goals is the most important step of your campground or RV park distribution channel strategy. Define Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as occupancy rate, reservation conversions, and average length of stay as benchmarks for your campground distribution channel strategy. Wider distribution channel strategy goals may include:
- Increasing occupancy rates during specific seasons or events.
- Attracting new demographics, such as families, solo travelers, or campers interested in specific accommodations such as glamping.
- Promoting new amenities or facilities to enhance the guest experience.
- Expanding brand awareness within local or regional markets.
- Encouraging repeat visits and fostering guest loyalty through rewards or membership programs.
- Differentiating from competitors by highlighting unique features or services.
- Improving online reputation through positive reviews and guest feedback.
- Increasing revenue by upselling additional services, such as guided tours or equipment rentals.
Your goals will determine which channels and tactics to employ, helping you make the most of your campground marketing budget to meet those goals.
Identify Tools
Find the right tool for the job by identifying where you are most likely to reach your target demographic, as every camper has their own preferred method of booking campsites. While 82% of campers today are finding campgrounds online (source), it may benefit you to employ offline distribution channel tools in addition to online tools if your target audience of campers is 65+. Millennials and Gen X prefer online booking, discovering campgrounds through OTAs and online searches, as well as social media. Gen Z are primarily discovering campgrounds through social media and content creator recommendations while utilizing the simplicity of booking directly through apps.
Set Budget For Each Channel
If you’re aiming to attract a younger clientele, allocate more funds towards direct and indirect channels while minimizing offline strategies. When targeting local campers or a specific geographical location, focus on indirect channels, specifically digital marketing and geofencing opportunities. Understanding your target demographic enables you to craft a balanced mix that enhances both profitability and visibility for your campground.
Examine Results & Adjust Strategy
Assess the effectiveness of each distribution channel related to your pre-established goals to make informed adjustments based on KPIs. Your strategy should evolve as new analytics roll in, so don’t be discouraged if you don’t meet your goals immediately, this is an ongoing process of learning what works best for your campground and campers. Fine-tune your strategy based on these adjustments to ensure your budget is being used wisely to meet the goals you set for your campground or RV park marketing efforts.
When developing your distribution channel marketing strategy, it’s vital to define your objectives, target audience, chosen metrics for evaluation, and methods for ongoing adaptation and optimization. By selecting the appropriate blend of channels and tools, you can position your campground for growth and prosperity for years to come. Get connected with Spot2Nite today to reach new campers through a dynamic marketplace and supercharge your campground success.