Of course you do. An easy way to do this is a create a 'membership' card. This card could be free or for a fee based on the services afforded. The simplest card is like those used by restaurants like Subways. Each time you purchase a sub, your card is stamped until you have enough for one free. It works!

 A newsletter is a very economical and yet powerful marketing tool to insert into your site map, and with today's technology, it is also possible to create a digital copy to email to your mailing list. 

Recently I noted yet another campground owner attempting to legislate rules requiring potential guests visiting his town to stay in his park. That is a little like standing in the highway with a shotgun and forcing everyone that comes down the road to pull in and pay for a night. I can't imagine hotel owner doing the same. Some cities have passed laws making it illegal to park overnight at a Walmart, but they are missing the point. What is the reason these RV units are parking there? 

Training is the key to making your employees as good as you are! (That's a compliment!) Put all your procedures down in writing, and test or quiz your new folks as to exactly what you expect them to do when an event happens. Schedule re-training prior to a new season. Never assume they know what you're thinking, or will remember from year to year. Many park employees may have only a few months to just a couple of years of experience, so they must receive instructions from you as if you're going on an extended vacation. 

Last month I read of several accidental deaths in RV Resorts across America. This is so horrendous! Folks are visiting to enjoy some time away, an extended vacation, or they're full timers seeing America, and then suddenly tragedy happens.

A few accidents involved an RV backing up over a human. Another was hit by a car leaving the park. Several children have been injured, but mostly it has been adults. 

 This is a busy time of the year as many parks are finally organizing last summer's photos for use on their website, advertising, brochures, or post cards. If you're storing your digital photos at their original large size or about a 1 meg per photo, you probably have the best resolution possible from any print work. However, if you plan to use those some of your photos for either an email campaign or your new website, you'll need to make the photos smaller for faster loading. 

  Invest in your future reservations by looking for opportunities to do one last thing to put a smile on the faces of your guests. If you're really clever, you'll also find ways to use good marketing techniques to enhance their experience as well. Here's some quick ideas to get you started: 

As our Tipsters read 'Tips For RV Resorts' each week, if the tip applies, they probably store the idea in the back of their brain, or print it out. However, if you forgot the idea or didn't print it out, you can also go online to our website (www.GoGti.com) to Tips/News and Tips Online. On the right hand side in the upper corner, you'll see a blank search box. Above the search box is the list of the categories to choose.

Here's my list of the tools you'll need for a great year:

1. If you can afford it, buy, lease, or rent a backhoe tractor with a bucket scoop on the front. You can easily dig new ditches for power, water, or sewer, or help the rainwater drain away. The bucket scoop makes it easy to level a site, haul in more gravel, or fix those darn potholes. If you can swap out for a blade, you can keep your road smooth, and if need be, clear the snow on your roads and sites faster.

I read a great article in Highway Magazine about how Rvers can set up their own clubs and groups. The article was all about choosing the right folks and planning trips, etc. Because the groups wish to stay together in the parks and resorts they visit, they book well in advance. What caught my attention was this: One of the groups said that if the park will not put their group together as in side by side, they take their business elsewhere! Ouch!

It is almost that time of the year when some managers are counting down to a peaceful winter, while others are counting the days until their winter crowd arrives. Many managers create a 'todo' list for major projects that often aren't applied until just before the next season. However, getting ready to open for a new season is probably already filled with too many things to do.

It is almost that time of the year when some managers are counting down to a peaceful winter, while others are counting the days until their winter crowd arrives. Many managers create a 'todo' list for major projects that often aren't applied until just before the next season. However, getting ready to open for a new season is probably already filled with too many things to do.

Halloween arrives on the last weekend of the month, and thus a great time to plan a special weekend and boost your falls sales a notch or two. If you're a family park, then planning for the kids is easy with a little decorations and games. While most kids can operate almost any video game far better than their parents, it is shame they are often not exposed to the games that you might have enjoyed as a child.

Yeah, I know. I told you to capture email addresses from everyone that visits your park for your monthly newsletters and marketing campaigns for special events. If you did, you probably now have a list with several hundred or even a thousand addresses. That is a good problem!

I read a great story a few weeks ago about the increase of onsite dining opportunities for tired travelers. A long drive through construction traffic can drive a visitor to almost lose their cool. Sometimes, they do not want to unhitch the tow car, clean up and fix their hair, and then go back out into rush hour traffic to find a restaurant. Can you blame them?

I have written tips on the importance of using your guest registration form to collect your customer's email and mailing address to continue your marketing. (If you missed those tips go our website “Tips Online” & do a search) The same applies to those that visit your website. If a guest is interested after visiting your website, they are likely to fill out the sign up form for occasional newsletters and special offers.

The most important goals when shooting and selecting photos for your website are Quality and Resolution! Whether you are replacing a page or an entire website, make a list of the shots you'll need for each page, then shoot them.

You'll never know how effective an advertising program is unless you ask how they heard about the park. Many resorts began their website service with a single page featuring contact information, a few details and a couple of pictures, and often designed by a relative or friend. Everybody has to start somewhere, but if they haven't moved up to a site with numerous pages providing more information and pictures of their park, they are missing a grand marketing opportunity.