The saying goes, “the devil is in the details.” But we here at Bonfire have a slightly more positive take.
To us, the difference is in the details. In a country full of campgrounds, and at a time when camping has arguably never been more popular, it may be tempting to find a big way to set yourself apart from the competition.
Instead, we recommend focusing on one or two small things you can do to further enhance the camping experience for your clientele.
Let’s start with yurts. (Yeah, we know. It is a funny word to say.)
Add a New Sleeping Option
This may be the “biggest” upgrade on our list, but a yurt might just be the perfect fit for your campground. Think about it: They require far less time, money and manpower than a cabin, and they will likely score you more points with the millennial and Gen Z crowd. Glamping is rising in popularity, and yurts provide an affordable way for you to entice some would-be glampers while adding more options for your campers.
Embrace Your Lake
Having a lake, river or body of water on your campground opens up plenty of exciting opportunities for your campers. And here’s the best part: The most expensive element (the water) is already taken care of. Consider adding a ladder, a diving board (if you have a dock) or a couple of kayaks or canoes to give your clientele more ways to experience an aquatic adventure.
You can even charge for kayak rentals and add it directly to their tab if you are using a reservation and POS software like Bonfire. If you know kayaks go fast, you can offer them the choice to reserve their rental during their reservation for a seamless experience.
Add Some Free (or Cheap) WiFi
In addition to an increased interest in glamping, the last couple of years have seen an uptick in “digital nomads,” i.e. folks who work out of their RVs while traveling the U.S.A. Plus, plenty of parents like to log on to their work laptops while the kiddos are enjoying the great outdoors. So, if you don’t have WiFi connectivity at your campground, consider adding it either for free (or even at a small charge for your campers). Click here to read our blog on extending and/or making your wifi connection more powerful.
Set Up a Business Center
You might already have WiFi, and you likely have a coffee machine somewhere on your campground. This means you have two of the seminal ingredients for any great business center. We’re not talking about a grand, gleaming metropolis complete with the latest and greatest laptops and printers. In fact, all you need for a business center is that aforementioned internet, some cups of joe, a couple of computers, and a printer. This new facility won’t cost you much, and it’ll keep the busy bees happy when they have to send off an email or two.
Add Some Funtivities for the Kiddos
Camping has long been an American family institution, and now more families are getting in on the excitement. Like a lake, this creates all kinds of interesting opportunities for you and your campground. Consider adding a movie night on the lawn, complete with some scrumptious s’mores, which you can upcharge for. Or host some craft classes and a stargazing night. You could even consider partnering with a local theater to host some family-friendly plays on your campground. The options are practically endless, and they’re definitely affordable.
Make Your Campground Pet-friendly
This is the best kind of upgrade: one that costs you next to nothing. In fact, your campground might already be pet-friendly, and all you need to do is advertise it. To make your property even more conducive to your campers’ furry friends, consider adding a pet washing station or clearly marking off a space where pets can relieve themselves. You could even cordon off an off-leash play area. Each of these small but effective upgrades will signal to your current and future campers that every member of their family is welcome on your campground. Click here to read our article on this very subject - creating the “Pawfect” dog park at your campground.
Add Workout Equipment
Like the business center, this new room will give your visitors the option to quickly catch up on boring life tasks (i.e., work and working out) before returning to paradise (i.e., your campground). But in all seriousness, don’t worry about decking out a room on your campground with the fanciest, priciest equipment available. Rather, some solid weights (even if they’re placed outdoors) will make some of your campers happy — especially those staying with you for a while.
Add Laundry Services
This is yet another way to make your long-term campers feel right at home. Whether you charge for the service or offer it for free is up to you, of course, but a couple of washer and dryer units on your campground (and advertising on your website) will show prospective long-termers that you have what it takes to make them and their loved ones comfortable.
Personalize, Personalize, Personalize
Think back to your favorite stay at a hotel or campground. What made it so special? For one, people probably knew your name (cue the Cheers theme song). For another, they may have added some personal touches to make your stay all the more enjoyable. It doesn’t take much effort to make your campers feel at home. In fact, it might be as simple as remembering their name and interests or giving them a gift card to their favorite local spot. This will be especially valuable for the folks who have visited your campground a couple of times but aren’t quite frequent flyers just yet. A couple of small gestures might be all it takes to convert them into regular visitors.
Enhance Your Reservation and Communication Process
And speaking of personalization: The right campground management software can help you understand your clientele better than ever before. With Bonfire, for instance, you can run precise, detailed reports of your inventory to see what’s popular and what’s not, and you can tailor communications to specific members of your customer base. Plus, Bonfire will help you centralize payments into one convenient location. Now that’s a pretty great upgrade.
If you would like more tips like these, or if you want to learn about Bonfire's easy-to-use, all-in-one management and reservation software, please reach out to us at howdy@letsbonfire.com. To learn about the common management mistakes you should avoid on your campground, read our blog on that very topic.
