Camping and Marketing Connections

During these blog posts I related many aspects from my marketing class into writing each post. Marketing relates to blogging because when I was creating each blog post topic, I had to think of the target market I was hoping and seeking to address. Doing this, I achieved many course objectives such as when I made the decision to have my target market be mainly people interested in camping related topics because it is a passion of mine. I also wanted to gain people’s interests who may not be into camping because I believe some people would truly enjoy camping if they knew and understood it more. I tried to intrigue non-campers by making my blog topics both informative, but also interesting. To me camping is all about friends, family and fun, so I wanted that be felt and seen in all my blog posts.

In my blog posts I really aimed at targeting more current campers because I knew they would already be interested in the topic, but I also wanted to try to attract non-campers as well. I did this by incorporating the marketing mix into my posts and informing my readers that the marketing mix isn’t only used in marketing, but in everyday life, such as camping. People typically hear camping and associate it with going out into the woods. Most people don’t realize how broad the term camping or marketing can be and in my blog I tried to use product/ service re-positioning to get my readers to view camping aspects in a different way, while also demonstrating how camping and marketing relate. Camping can include everything from how people decide which campground to go to, all the way to what campground owners are doing to operate the campground in the different seasons.

Personally I learned a lot from this blog because it allowed me to use a topic I am very interested in, which is the camping industry and then connect it to marketing topics and terms I learned in class. I now know that marketing relates to more aspects of businesses and isn’t just all about commercials and social media. Marketing includes the interactions between everyone from customers all the way up to the owners and even includes distributors as well. The customer relationships that are formed between the campground owners and the campers can either form lasting bonds of business loyalty, or those interactions could ruin the experience for the customer. These relationships formed between people such as campground owners and their customers are extremely important because once these customers come to enjoy and trust a campground and its owners, they are likely to continue camping there in the future. This is like a brand loyalty that is formed and people are truly the most important part of any business because marketing is centered around them.

Friendships are formed!

Everything I have learned in my marketing class and especially through these blog posts, I have realized how I use marketing all the time without really knowing it. I also know I have a better understanding of how it is used and how I will be able to incorporate it in future jobs and life decisions. An important outcome I will take away from these blog posts and the marketing course is a better understanding of marketing and its roles and functions. By evaluating and doing some research on camping, I was able to extend my knowledge on the subject and then also share it with my readers. Finally, I would like to thank all of you who have read my blog posts and I hope you have enjoyed reading them as much as I have enjoyed writing them. I hope you were able to gain some new and hopefully interesting knowledge on camping and also marketing, even if you didn’t realize it.

Sources:

http://vasoft.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/k6316329.jpg

https://ak.jogurucdn.com/media/image/p15/media_gallery-2015-12-15-12-meeting_strangers_outdoorsgeek_21948606dca9f677305da1a63d238814.jpg

The Changing of Camping and Trailers

"Bigger is better!"

Over the years people have had different views and expectations when they refer to camping. Camping used to only refer to tenting on the ground, but as times have changed, so has camping. In the past, people would pitch tents and enjoy the outdoors, while escaping from the rest of the world and their work. Now less people are tenting and prefer to camp in a trailer or even stay in cabins because they feel this is their kind of camping. I believe all these people are right because as people change, we must also acknowledge that camping will as well. Today there are different forms of how people can go camping to accommodate their own wants and needs. With busy lifestyles and high demand jobs, some people need to bring their work with them on vacation. This need for aspects such as Wi-Fi and cable influence and change how people are going camping. Changes in people’s lives such as the high demand to have access to work while camping, alters the product/ service life cycle because it forces campgrounds themselves to introduce new or modified amenities at their campground. Campgrounds must provide Wi-Fi or cable to attract customers and grow. There then comes points in time when there are fewer people going camping because of reasons potentially such as fewer people buying tents or campers. This decreasing rate of customers leads to the decline stage of the life cycle because fewer people are going camping. A few years ago when the gas prices were high and had increased, the camping industry suffered a decline because fewer people wanted to travel. Now with gas prices fairly low, people are willing to travel and go camping. The campers themselves are changing today because of the new demands people want. Trailers such as motor homes are more sought out and trailers are getting bigger and wider. People are demanding and wanting larger trailers because of the "bigger is better" attitude.

Since the trailers are getting longer and more people want larger trailers because they offer them more space, campgrounds must have larger sites to accommodate these larger trailers. They have more amenities offered and this directly effects the campgrounds. Larger trailers also tend to use more power and may need a 50 AMP instead of the standard 30 AMP that is usually offered at campgrounds. This means that campgrounds have to consider these changes if they plan to continue competing with competition and stay current with the changing times. Trailers also are beginning to look and feel more like a house on the interior because that is what people are seeking in trailers now. They want a trailer that is like a home away from home for them to use while camping. This means modifications need to take place at campgrounds such as making sites larger to fit these new trailers or they could lose customers. Campgrounds want to reach new customers and by accommodating people with different camping style preferences, they are able to expand their customer market.

A campgrounds name isn’t just a name, but it becomes its brand name. People who stay at a campground remember their experience and associate it with the campgrounds name. If customers had a good time at a certain campground, they will associate the campgrounds name with having a good time. This is an example of how people create a customer-based brand equity relationship. This relationship helps a campground build a strong and favorable association between their campground and their customers, which creates a brand loyalty. Campgrounds seek loyal customers because people are the most important aspect of camping. Camping wouldn’t exist without all the people who love it like I do!

Enjoy your own tour of a 2017 fifth wheel now in the video below.

Sources:

http://www.gocampingamerica.com/blog/how-camping-has-changed

http://www.jsonline.com/story/money/business/2017/02/11/dealers-expect-strong-rv-sales-season/97716330/

http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/ec/8a/7b/ec8a7b88e57ee7cac9b2af18c1f2be69.jpg

http://pictures.dealer.com/s/sunvalleyrvtc/1376/ce16fff0d12e256e9542c672aa670f73x.jpg

Behind the Scenes of Campground Owners in the Off Season

Only about two more months until a majority of campgrounds begin opening for the camping season, so how are they preparing? What do campground owners do when their campground is closed? People may think that running or owning a campground is all fun and games, but there is a ton of work that goes into it behind the scenes and in the off season. Just because a campground closes in the winter, does not necessarily mean that the owner(s) close up and go on vacation all winter. When they close, they go through their own stages that are similar to those of the decision process to figure out what work needs to be done and then what they can do to prepare for the next season. It isn’t just a job to most owners, but a type of lifestyle that they chose to live because they love to do it. They get to constantly meet new people from all over the world in some cases, which you might not get to experience in any other type of career or place. Camping at a campground is special and it’s not for everyone, but the people are what make it for both the owner(s) and the other campers. You never know you may just meet the love of your life while camping, or even reunite or reconnect with family.

          

  Once the season comes to an end, the owner(s) will review their number of reservations for the season to see how busy the season was and compare them to past year numbers. While viewing these records, they can try to recognize any potential problems and perceive any needs that should be addressed for the following season. The owner(s) do their own information search both internally and externally, but also do an alternative evaluation to evaluate what they can do to improve their campground and keep up with other competitors. There is always maintenance to be done such as cleaning up sites by raking or cutting trees. The owner(s) may attend campground shows to market and advertise their business, but also may even attend campground conferences and trade shows. These conferences offer campground owners the opportunity to attend classes and lectures that they may find interesting, so they can learn from other owners experiences. Just because campgrounds may be competing against each other, doesn’t mean that the owners aren’t friends. In New Hampshire there is a state campground association, known as the New Hampshire Campground Owners Association. This association is made up of many campground owners from all over New Hampshire and they all communicate and often work together. They always say, “no one understands campground owners better, than other campground owners themselves.”

           

Attending trade shows such as the Wilcor International Inc.’s show, are a great opportunity for campground owners to view and even test out new potential products they may want at their campground. They are specifically targeting campground owners as their marketing segment through these types of events and offer special deals to them. Another large conference and expo that happens in New Hampshire is the arvc outdoor hospitality conference and expo. This conference and expo offers classes and lectures, while also offering an expo for owners to view and test products such as ice cream machines or other products. Everything from toys for kids to tools for trailers are displayed at the shows and by attending them, campground owners receive some of the best deals possible. It is at these shows that many purchase decisions are made based on how the products are viewed and experienced by the owner(s), but also based on the post purchase behavior of other owners that may have those same products and are sharing their satisfaction or dissatisfaction of the products. 

Sources:

http://campnca.com/shows.html

http://www.arvc.org/about_arvc/outdoor_hospitality_conference_and_expo.aspx

http://www.wilcor.net/

http://www.wilcor.net/buyer-show.cfm

http://beechhillcampground.com/beechhill/events.htm

Getting into the Camping Mood

When camping season is over and winter comes, people either think more about how they can’t wait for camping to begin again, or they may become sad because of the cold weather. There is no reason to fret though, because even in the winter or camping off-season, you can stay in the camping mood by attending camping shows or expos. These shows and expos are great venues to attend to be reminded that the warm camping weather will be coming back soon. They also enable people to get information on a wide variety of campgrounds based on different demographics. There are shows that advertise and aim towards campers who are looking to camp in a certain area or state. Other expos are targeted more towards a wider range of both campgrounds and other camping related items such as wood carved signs or even outdoor grills. Some shows even have trailers on display and for sale for those people who may be looking for one.

At these shows and expos, each campground or other type of exhibitor needs to know the type of customers they want to be their target market. Some campgrounds are family friendly and are seeking campers more from Generation Y and Generation Z, while campgrounds that only allow adults may be seeking more people from Generation X. When the exhibitors set up their booths, they are trying to portray their business or service, but also the culture incorporated in their business. Every campground will have its own type of culture that it values and not every person wants the same type, so there are multiple choices at these shows and expos. Also, as technology changes, so does camping and you can see this at these shows and expos. People may not realize, but fancier and more advanced trailers are being sought out by people. Trailers are getting bigger, wider, and having more technological advancements inside them as well. This may affect what type of campground a person is seeking because they may need a place with larger sites and amenities such as cable or 50 amp plugins. At these shows and expos people are able to see a ton of competition among the camping world, but it’s in an organized and convenient environment for people to enjoy and make the choice themselves.

Campers don’t have to worry as much about feeling obligated to visit all the booths and exhibits because there are regulations exhibitors have to follow. Every exhibit has certain restrictions on the size and height it can be. There are also common norms at these shows and expos that all exhibitors just know, such as not intentionally sabotaging the booths next to yours. They are all there to market and advertise their business to customers, but they typically do so in a fair competitive way without any espionage or bribery. They all share the same love of camping and many campground owners consider themselves friends because no one understands campground owners better than other owners. Many will even recommend customers who are looking for certain amenities to other campgrounds if their campground doesn’t have them. It shows how all campgrounds make up a larger society of the camping world in hospitality and tourism, and each individual campground has a social responsibly to keeping camping alive. 

Sources:

http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/02/photos_springfield_rv_camping.html

http://www.arvc.org/about_arvc

http://www.ucampnh.com/camping-rv-show/

http://www.rvbusiness.com/2016/02/winter-shows-on-a-roll-as-rvers-in-buying-mood/

https://fb-s-a-a.akamaihd.net/h-ak-xfp1/v/t1.0-9/s720x720/14725742_1079311442116624_2199369551040591880_n.jpg?oh=a91e604ac734f642ef2c313a12f5b78e&oe=591198B5&__gda__=1493858659_d48e574eb07ed9a0c337e5de1ad96fca

https://static.expocheck.com/5/30115/AVJEk2JZPxcIzhXrbggL/200x200.jpg

Finding the Right Campground for You

The process of trying to find the right campground to stay at can be a complicated task, unless you know what makes a campground right for you. You may not know exactly what features and amenities you are looking for at a campground, but you certainly have an idea. In order to navigate and narrow your search you need to decide on the location or at least the area you are looking to stay in, such as in the mountains or maybe near an ocean. The location of a campground is essential because it will be where you are spending your vacation and making memories. To figure out the location, you should brainstorm what activities or plans you have for your vacation trip. If you want to go hiking, then you should look at areas near or in the mountains because you won't find many hiking trails in the city. Next, you will want to research what campgrounds are in the area you want to camp in. The internet is an excellent source to use to further narrow your search and many campgrounds will have websites to view. The websites give information on each individual campground and will show you typically what their rates are. Rates of a campground should be important to you because everyone has different preferences on what price they are willing to pay. The price for the campground is part of the marketing mix in two ways because it covers the controllable factors of price and place. You have the ultimate decision on where you go camping, so it's up to you to review the options and choose.

Another factor to consider when trying to find the right campground is type of campground. Many people fail to realize that there are different types of campgrounds and camping. There are campgrounds, RV Parks, Federal Parks, National Parks, State Parks, and etc. While they are similar there are distinct differences that you should consider. They each may offer different amenities including bathrooms or pools, and may also offer different types of sites. One campground may only have tent sites without any water or electricity, which might not be what you want. If you have a larger trailer and need a larger site to accommodate your trailer, then you will have to find a place that offers large sites. Pictures on campgrounds websites are a good way to see real examples of what their sites look like, but I also suggest if you have time, to go and tour or visit the campground beforehand in person. Pictures are great, but are also only a snapshot of the whole picture. If you aren’t able to visit a place before making a reservation, a good substitute would be to check out and read what other people have written for reviews on that campground. Remember that reviews are biased, so might not give the whole truth, but they can help to give you a better idea of the campground before you make your reservation.

Lastly, when you do pick the campground and finally go there, have fun and take full advantage of the amenities and location. Also, not every campground is for everyone, so if you do have a bad camping experience don’t give up, but keep looking because I believe there is a place for everyone in the camping world. When you do find that perfect campground for you, consider all the memories and people you met. Those customer relationships that are created between campground owners and campers can last forever and lead to loyal customer relationships. One family may continuously camp at the same campground over the years and that could lead to their children then bringing their own families back.

Sources:

http://www.backcountry.com/explore/choosing-a-campsite#

https://www.customermagnetism.com/industry/camping-marketing/

http://www.woodalls.com/articledetails.aspx?articleID=1150705