RV Marketing to Millennials

Camping has evolved significantly since I was a kid. I remember sleeping in a small tent, sitting around a campfire and a general lack of hygiene. Now… we can’t seem to survive unless the campsite has Wi-Fi and access to a shower.

Millennials are definitely responsible for this transition to glamping, with their heavy reliance on technology. In fact, a KOA survey found that younger campers valued having Wi-Fi almost as much as access to toilet paper.

   RV REVIVAL

Old, retired couples used to be the face of the RV industry, but now millennials have become a major target market for RV companies. Even though millennials only make up 31% of the general population, they make up 38% of campers, according to the 2017 North American Camping Survey.

In response to this new target audience, the RV industry started making major design changes to appeal to this demographic. Most people in RVs will now have full access to TV, Wi-Fi, charging ports, showers and other modern necessities.

This facelift to the RV industry has resulted in record sales over the past few years. Wholesale RV shipments in 2017 reached their highest annual level on record at 504,600 units, which was a 17.2% increase over 2016, according to the RV Industry Association. The luxury lifestyle may have been meant for millennials, but the older demographics are enjoying the upgrades as well.

   HOW TO MARKET TO MILLENNIALS

The industry already has the most important RV marketing strategy covered: selling an appealing product. Now you just need to make sure your target audience knows about it!

We live in the Information Age and content marketing is becoming more and more valuable. People that are genuinely interested in RVs will be doing their own research online to weigh their options. Intrusive ads and obnoxious commercials are more likely to push your potential buyers away.

If you don’t believe me, just look at some of the recent statistics from VIEO Design:

• Pop-up ads are the most resented by consumers, with a 73% disapproval rating

• Online video ads (like the ones before YouTube videos) are dislike by 57% of consumers

• Publishers lost $22 billion to ad blocking software in 2015 alone and it’s anticipated that by 2020, $35 billion per year will be lost

• Even if people click on your ads, 34% of those clicks are done by mistake

   CREATE VALUE-ORIENTED CONTENT

Think about what your customers want to know before they purchase an RV. Put yourself in their shoes and develop content that would be helpful along the buyer’s journey. For instance, as a millennial, I would want to know:

• Pros and cons of buying an RV

• Benefits of RVs

• Is an RV worth the money?

• What are the most common uses for RVs

• Best places to travel with an RV

• Most popular types of RVs

I think you get my point. If you create content around these topics, people will naturally come to your website. So, make sure you have a functional website that will keep these potential buyers engaged with your brand.

   RV MARKETING TOOLS FOR YOUR DEALERSHIP

Your customers will usually do some extensive traveling through the marketing funnel before they ever make a purchase. It’s important to have RV marketing tools and materials ready for every stage of the buyer’s journey. If you’re not quite sure where to start, here are 10 things you can start to develop or improve: Start a blog with strong SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

1. Create helpful videos

2. Develop email drip campaigns

3. Set up a referral reward program

4. Take advantage of social media

5. Manage online reviews and seek testimonials

6. Build a well-designed and functional website

7. Get involved in your local community

8. Print helpful collateral pieces

9. Create valuable PPC ads

As the market continues to evolve, it’s critical to stay on top of all the trends. Now is the time to take advantage of the glamping appeal for your millennial markets and increase your sales.

   ABOUT MEDALLION BANK

Medallion Bank specializes in non-prime consumer recreation loans (though we finance prime credit, too!). Using years of professional lending experience, Medallion works directly with dealerships and financial service providers to offer quality recreational vehicle financing for their customers, including those with past credit challenges. We offer:

• Financing for units up to 15 years old

• Loans range from $5,000 – $75,000

• Fixed rate contracts and no prepayment penalties

• Generous advances including back-end product financing

The underwriting team looks at each customer’s entire profile to offer dealers an alternative to stringent credit scoring requirements. Take advantage of Medallion’s competitive financing programs to help you finance more customers and sell more units today.