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July 29, 2024
Elizabeth Pun
Get strategies and inspiration to cross-sell and upsell effectively at your campground.
Cross-selling and upselling are pillars of successful sales strategies across industries. With research showing that cross-selling can boost sales by 20% and profits by 30%, campground operators have the huge potential to drive greater revenue and improve guest satisfaction by employing these techniques.
With reservation software like Campspot, you can take advantage of the many opportunities to drive more business during and after the booking process. Read on to learn the advantages of cross-selling and upselling, tips to cross-sell effectively, and inspiration and ideas for the countless add-ons you can offer campers.
Cross-selling is offering a customer additional, related products that complement their purchase. For instance, through Campspot’s Add-Ons feature, you can promote firewood and firestarters to campers during their checkout flow, so they can seamlessly add those to their cart.
On the other hand, upselling refers to getting customers to purchase a higher-priced or upgraded version of the product they intended to buy. An example might be promoting a higher-category accommodation—like going from tent to cabin or glamping yurt—or site location, like moving from non-waterfront to waterfront.
The clearest and most immediate impact of cross-selling and upselling is, of course, to your campground’s bottom line. Promoting add-ons through Campspot generates more revenue for your park, while enhancing your guests’ overall stay.
Therein lies the other important advantage of cross-selling: increasing customer satisfaction. These offerings are meant to improve their experience, enjoyment, and ease during their time at your park. Thoughtfully provided add-ons can help visitors feel like you appreciate and understand their needs, sometimes even before they do themselves.
When your guests feel like your campground not only consistently meets their expectations, but is also ready to go above and beyond, you’re more likely to win their trust and repeat visits—increasing their overall customer lifetime value.
Cross-selling requires a thoughtful approach to produce optimal results. Follow these campground tips to cross-sell successfully.
Effective cross-selling requires a solid understanding of your visitors and their needs. If you haven’t already, create buyer personas for your campground—different profiles of your ideal guests based on market research and your existing data.
For instance, the needs and wants among families, couples, groups, and single campers can vary. Take the time to understand their preferences and their budgets. Over time, review guests’ purchases, as well as their direct feedback, so you can understand what they gravitate toward and how to make your add-on selections more appealing.
In the same way grocery stores know customers will grab a last-minute chocolate bar or pack of gum right at checkout (and stock them there accordingly), you need to evaluate your visitors’ needs and purchase behavior to understand the best time to present your offerings.
Right at checkout is, indeed, a strategic time to promote ancillary purchases. Campspot users can conveniently display add-ons in the booking flow—anything from firewood to 24-hour kayak/canoe rentals—so visitors can seamlessly add these to their cart and lock in these items ahead of time, while campground operators benefit from the ancillary revenue.
This also means you can have these items ready for guests when they roll into camp, making for an even smoother visitor experience.
Campspot also provides an opportunity to upsell during the camper’s stay. The pre-departure email is a customizable, automated email you can send to all guests before their checkout. It allows campgrounds to offer last-minute upsells like late check-out fees, incentivize future bookings with exclusive promotions, or even encourage guests to stay longer.
Beyond checkout, cross-selling opportunities abound once visitors arrive at your campground. Whether they want to shop add-ons, supplies, or any other campground store merchandise, you need to make their buying experiences as easy as possible in order to drive as much revenue as possible.
Campspot has several features to help you manage and optimize these sales:
Deals, package discounts, and promotions are a common cross-selling and upselling strategy to encourage guests to buy more at a cheaper rate.
For example, you might offer a discounted rate on your cabins or glamping options on eligible days to upsell visitors who might’ve been considering cheaper accommodations.
Another option is to offer deals for extended stays. If guests see they can get a discounted rate if they stay a little longer, they might just jump on it, resulting in more revenue for your campground.
As you monitor your visitors’ purchasing behavior and collect more feedback, improve your add-ons and promotions accordingly. Understand which are popular and brainstorm new ones with your staff. A consistent tracking and evaluation of your cross-selling and upselling opportunities will only drive greater revenue and improve your ability to delight guests.
Enhance your visitors’ experience and drive ancillary revenue for your campground with these add-on ideas below, which include some of the most popular selections by Campspot users. Customize these based on the preferences of you and your guests.
Supplies are an important cross-selling opportunity. Offer camping items that are frequently used and often needed, such as:
You could even throw in refreshments or goodies that campers would love, including:
These are amenities you can offer for a set amount or time, or on a per day/night basis. Popular ideas include:
Read Next: Top 11 Add-On Campground Amenities to Increase Revenue
If you’re hosting an event on-site, advertise that special activity through Campspot’s reservation workflow.
If you offer many family-friendly activities, you might benefit from promoting a “fun pass” as an add-on that combines several paid on-site attractions or treats into one pass at a discounted rate. You could even bundle it with a campground souvenir or other merch.
Cross-sell experiences that capitalize on your campground’s location and available amenities, while creating memorable moments for your campers. This includes on-site activities right at your campground, as well as off-site activities you might connect campers with as a concierge service.
Ideas include:
Dark sky campground or not, nighttime observation items can provide a unique ancillary revenue stream and delight your guests in the great outdoors. These can include:
Read Next: Astrotourism, Dark Skies, and Campground Revenue Strategy
Evaluate your guests’ preferences and purchasing behavior to continually optimize your cross-selling and upselling strategies. Get creative with the add-ons and amenities you offer, and show visitors you’re dedicated to going above and beyond for their experience at your campground!
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Elizabeth Pun writes for ecommerce and SaaS businesses. A former content marketing manager, she has over a decade of experience helping brands grow through compelling content. She loves scouring for vintage finds, exploring the outdoors, and getting her glamp on.
Image credit: Adobe Stock user – Yuto Photographer
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