Go RVing has big plans for reaching potential buyers by partnering with events around the country to bring RVs to unexpected places and introduce festival-goers to the world of RV adventures and outdoor recreation.
The organization has a full schedule of appearances across the nation, from food and music festivals to air shows and state fairs. At past similar events, attendees have been delighted to tour RVs and surprised by their roominess; additionally, many showgoers enjoy reliving RV trips in the past with parents or grandparents.
These events also allow the opportunity for Go RVing to collect valuable leads from attendees, with participating manufacturers or dealers to have the first pass on collected leads. It may also provide an opportunity for RV-storage operators to make the connections they need to generate future business.
According to Chris Koenig, managing member of Kingsland Companies LLC, who has a successful career in vehicle-storage development, investment and management, attending local RV and boat shows can help provide a stream of future clientele for facilities. In a recent article on marketing RV and boat storage, Chris recalled an experience of attending a local RV show touted as “the Biggest in California.”
“I attended with a partner, 250 business cards in hand, ready to hook some customers to rent at our new facility,” he begins. “We spoke to 0 potential customers. But in talking to the dealers/salespersons at this show, it became evident that forging an in-person relationship with these dealers would open a portal for them to know about our facility, what we offer, the value-add propositions we have over other facilities and that we are genuinely nice people offering a Class-A service, same as they are.
“Several dealers said they have customers ready to buy but they say ‘not yet!’ because they haven’t been able to find a place to store their boat or RV yet. The dealers loved that we provided them with new information about nearby storage; it enables them to close their sale ASAP, and we all know time kills deals.”
In addition, Chris recommends printing up fliers with information about your facility to have-at-the-ready for handing out in addition to business cards. The investment in these printed materials is minimal compared to the potential return. Beyond attending tradeshows, Chris advocates that owner/operators visit local dealerships regularly to put a name to the face and foster ongoing relations that will likely lead to higher occupancies at your facility.
For more great tips on marketing your facility, read Chris’ article Guerilla Marketing for RV and Boat Storage Facilities. Chris is also presenting at the upcoming Toy Storage Nation Executive Workshop, which provides the A to Z on all topics regarding developing, building and operating a successful RV and boat storage facility. For more information, visit https://toystoragenation.com/las-vegas-2023-event/.
