What’s The Fuss About Content Marketing?

Consumer expectations have changed over the years, and now more than ever before, people are expecting more from brands. They don’t just want a discount on products – they are craving information, personalization, and relevant content that fits their specific needs.

 

But what is content marketing, exactly? Content marketing is a type of marketing that involves the creation and sharing of online material (such as videos, blogs, social media posts, etc.) that does not explicitly promote a brand but is intended to stimulate interest in its products or services.¹ This approach is strategic, effective, and comes across in a more authentic way to consumers. Many top companies are using this style of marketing in order to reach new audiences and to show consumers they aren’t just a brand trying to sell them a product – they are also a useful resource.

So whether you sell Class A, travel trailers, or any other kind of RV, you might be wondering, “what exactly can content marketing do for my business?” Glad you asked. Let’s dive into five overall advantages of content marketing:

1. Builds Brand Awareness

Now more than ever before, customers are researching extensively online before making purchases – both large and small. They crave information and by creating relevant content, you’re not only meeting their needs, but elevating your brand to a higher level in the process, and who doesn’t want that? When creating content, you have the power to tell your brand’s story and showcase what makes your business unique. It also gives you the opportunity to position yourself, and your business, as an expert in the industry – subtly gaining trust with a consumer before they walk through your front doors to buy something.

2. Cost-Effective

There are all different kinds of marketing methods, but that fact is, consumers are becoming less receptive to in your face sales advertisements; with 71% of readers say they were turned off by content that seems like a sales pitch.² Don’t get us wrong, those type of ads can still work, but they typically cost A LOT more than content marketing. In fact, content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and generates about 3X as many leads.³ Time is certainly the biggest investment of content marketing because creating high-quality content isn’t always quick and easy, but the rewards are worth it – trust us.

3. Increases SEO

“Just Google it” has become a common phrase we hear on a daily basis because we use search engines for just about everything these days. In fact, 93% of all buying decisions start with an online search.⁴ So when a consumer searches for something relevant to your business, are you showing up in the first few spots of the rankings? Good content (educational, relevant, unique, not overly self-promotional) can help heighten your organic search rankings, ultimately driving more traffic to your website. It is important to note, search engine algorithms are constantly changing but if you continue to produce new and relevant content, your website will rank higher than other dealerships that don’t invest in a content strategy.

4. Feeds Your Social Strategy

If you’re not on social media, it’s time to join the bandwagon considering 90% of marketers consider social media marketing to be important to their overall marketing strategy.⁵ The great thing about content is that it doesn’t have to live in just one place (your website). Content can also help build and strengthen your social media strategy. If you’re not sharing engaging content on social, you’re not going to have an audience. On the other side of the coin, if you’re creating content your followers care about, they are more likely to like, comment, and share your posts – getting more eyes on your brand. 

5. Builds Deeper Customer Relationships

You are already an authority in your field – there’s no doubting that. Why not share the knowledge and expertise you have with your visitors? Content marketing is a great tool that can help you build trust and loyalty with potential buyers. Even if a consumer is just starting their research, they are more likely to buy from a business they have built some kind of relationship with – even if it’s just online. This “relationship” can be as simple as reading your blog or watching the videos you produce over time. These customer relationships can result in leads, and when these consumers are ready to buy, your dealership will be top of mind.

Conclusion: Creating content is an essential component of any digital marketing strategy, and 78% of CMOs believe custom content is the future of marketing.⁶ The time is now to leverage content marketing for your business in order to ultimately sell more inventory. When you're ready to sell your RV inventory, list it on RV Trader’s nationwide online marketplace.

1. Webster’s Dictionary

2. Inbound Rocket 

3. Content Marketing Institute

4. Mr-SEO 

5. Shane Barker 

6. Neil Patel

Why Renters Want to Rent From You

 

Service. Reputation. Affordability. Trust. Comfort. Personal attention. Maintenance.

These are the reasons RV renters want to rent from you over a private party renter.1 You - the dealer - can deliver exceptional customer experiences that will generate revenue for your business, build long-term relationships with the customers, and turn these renters into buyers.

Renting actually becomes a marketing tool for your dealership (that makes you money - not the other way around)!

The current rental market is dominated by peer-to-peer options - and while renters may not initially mind renting from a peer, most of the time, the actual experience ends up not being exactly what they expected. Our research shows that there is often little owner screening on the part of these third-party rental sites, meaning that potential renters never really know what they’re getting into, and that certainly doesn’t make for the best vacation experience.1

Per our survey, and to your benefit →  

78% of our 2,000 renters surveyed stated that they would prefer to rent from a dealer because they have trust in the experience they will receive.1

Imagine renters coming to you to rent an RV and loving their experience! Imagine them even loving the RV so much, they want to buy it.

That is exactly how it happens. 

Renters come in, they have the experience of a lifetime, and they are sold - literally! Renters want to make memorable experiences (as discussed in Why Renting Matters To Your Business ) and the RV is a means to do just that. Renters don’t want to run into any snags as they head out on the road, and if they can be assured that the RV they are renting is properly maintained, that the dealer can help walk them through the process of getting it on the road, and they are insured properly through the dealership, the renter is more willing to rent from you. 

Trust is such a big factor when it comes to who renters will rent from, and while there are a number of rental options out there that accommodate the peer-to-peer market, a peer doesn’t always understand the intricacies that can come along with RVing the way a dealer would - giving you a distinct advantage when it comes to the experience you can provide renters.

This new business opportunity opens you up to a new audience as well. The renter audience is different from your current RV buyer customer (we go into more detail about that in Who’s Renting? And How Are They Different? ) Because of this, it can open up an entirely new market, as well as provide you with a new revenue stream.

Renters want to work with you, but maybe they rent from a peer instead because you aren’t listing any units available to rent. Have you tried it? Have you thought about it?

Helping connect dealers to potential buyers has been RV Trader’s business for the past 30 years. While we have been focused exclusively on delivering buyers in the past, the market is evolving, and renting is becoming a new way to turn customers into buyers. We have evolved, just as the market has.

Considering that 30% of our current visitors have already used RV Trader as a rental resource, even before a dedicated rental offering was available, we are ideally positioned to help connect not only buyers - but also renters - to dealers.1

So, how does starting a rental business work?

In our free “How-To Guide for Renting RVs” we cover everything from acquiring a fleet to generating a rental business, to preparation, maintenance, bookings, and legal considerations.

Download the free guide to get started on your path to rental success > click here!

1*RV Trader Survey 2018

Who’s Renting? And How Are They Different?

As an RV dealer, you likely know what the average buyers look like: married boomers who make over $50K annually and come from single-family homes. They are nearing retirement, or are already retired (only 44% still work), and they have finished raising their families, creating more disposable income. They are ready to get out and see the world - and RVing provides a great way to do that.1 

While this may be what the average buyer looks like, this is NOT what the average renter looks like. In fact, the average buyer makes up the smallest percentage of renters, accounting for only 7%. The typical renter is almost the exact opposite of this.

Are you surprised?

Typical renters are:

• Young (63% are between 21-35)
• In the throes of raising their kids (59% come from 3+ person households) and 
• They actively work (74% are employed)1

One other significant difference from buyers is that renters have a penchant for renting - and not just RVs. They are less likely to buy homes, and companies like Uber have sometimes eliminated the need to own a car altogether. 

Yet, just because buying an RV may not be in the cards for them right now, it does not mean they won’t sometime in the future. A recent RV Trader survey uncovered another group within the RV industry that often isn’t talked about - the renter who buys.

The group almost exactly mirrors the exclusive renter in terms of demographics, with one notable exception - 48% make over $100K per year, as compared to only 34% of renters.1 The renter-buyer is slightly more affluent and has rented at least once before purchasing an RV. Renting an RV is a way to determine if RVing is something that they enjoy and that fits into their current budget and lifestyle. 

And sometimes, this can take a while, and many rental bookings later! More than half of renter-buyers rented two to three times before purchasing and a ¼ rented more than four times.1

No matter whether they are lifelong renters, or renters who ultimately become buyers - this overarching group of RV renters are extremely engaged with the lifestyle. They are looking for a way to make memories while traveling (see Why Renting Matters To Your Business ) and renting is the perfect solution; which is why 78% plan to rent multiple times and the average RV rental consumer has already rented over 5 times in the past two years.1

Renters also spend a lot of time researching and dreaming about their next RV rental and vacation, with 55% spending between seven months to two years researching!1 To put this in perspective, this timeline is similar to how long it takes a buyer to decide on what unit they plan to purchase; showing what a big decision the rental is for prospective RVers.1 They also consult multiple sources - from dealer consultations to word-of-mouth to RV-specific rental sites, renters are researching and taking their time to determine the best RV rental for them.1

If you’re a dealer looking to learn more about renting RVs, we can help. Click here to download our free “How-To Guide for Renting RVs” with everything you need to know to start your rentals business!

1*RV Trader Survey 2018

Why Renting Matters To Your Business

A local campground BBQ. A sunset over the lake. A calm morning out on the paddleboard. A little farm where the kids can see the animals and play in the fields. 

Renting an RV is about making memories. It’s about opening up the windows, letting the sunshine in, and doing it in a safe and manageable way. It’s about getting out of the house, or out of town, without the effort and financial expense of renting, towing, parking, and storing an RV.

That’s why consumers are renting RVs. 

This past year has turned many American lives upside-down. With forced stay-at-home orders, air travel grounded, fear about safety, virtual learning for children and remote working for adults, the Covid-19 pandemic has certainly impacted how families “vacation.” 

But, it opened up new opportunities for the recreational vehicle space, and if you lived it with us, you know.

Families are camping. They are renting RVs. They are searching rental-related keywords and using RV Trader as a rental resource. Since 2014, 6 million+ households started camping, and the number of campers who camp three+ times annually has risen by 64%.1 By 2025, Americans between 55 and 74 will reach 79 million, 15% higher than in 2015, and 72 million millennials will be 30-45 years old.2 

Rentals provide dealers with an additional stream of revenue that they cannot obtain through sales alone. And that’s why it matters to your business.

An RV Trader survey asked consumers what motivates them the most to rent. Their answers?3

43% - spending time with family and friends

43% - looking for adventure

41% - experiencing nature and outdoor activities

39% - experiencing new things

36% - it’s an affordable way to travel

35% - freedom to travel anywhere

34% - renting is a home away from home

29% - enjoying spending time and traveling with pets

Renting provides you with an opportunity to diversify your product offerings and start building relationships with potential buyers early on in the buying cycle. Renters tend to rent multiple times, and a large portion of them go on to ultimately purchase an RV after their rental experience. 

Interested in learning more about the average RV renter? They may not be exactly who you think! Click here to learn more about RV renters.

And, if you’re interested in learning more about how to start a rental business, click here to download our free “How-To Guide for Renting RVs.”

1*KOA North American Camping Report, 2018

2*RVIA 2018

3*RV Trader survey 2018

5 Reasons to Use Geofencing for Your Dealership

Since the first pop-up and banner ads in the 1990’s, digital advertising has evolved and expanded into the highly-targeted and strategic advertising experience that consumers encounter online today. With the overwhelming amount of information presented to buyers each day, you as a dealer have to find ways to strategically position your business in front of buyers at the right place and time.

One effective and strategic way you can do this is with geofencing. Geofencing is a location-based service that allows you to target consumers in a predefined location, a “virtual fence”, with actionable ads for your business. Geofencing is the next level in powerful marketing tools to put your brand in front of consumers.

5 Reasons to Use Geofencing for Your Dealership

1. Reach consumers in real time.

With a focus on local shoppers within a virtual fence, you can reach the right individuals at the right     place and time with targeted messaging. Reaching consumers as they enter a designated barrier increases the likelihood of an unplanned visit to your business.

2. Increase your brand’s awareness.

Putting your brand in front of your audience gets consumers thinking about your business. Your brand at the forefront of their thoughts is a reminder for your audience to choose you over your competitors.

3. Drive additional engagement.

Connect with your target audience with a customized offer or personalized message, increasing the chances of consumer engagement with your brand.

4. Build your fence around the competition.

Give your business the competitive advantage of targeting your competitor and bring their prospects to you.

5. Improve local sales performance using geofencing.

The hyper-local targeting capabilities of geofencing allows you to target consumers within your immediate geographical location. This precision targeting leads to higher converting ads, increasing your local sales.

Geofencing is a powerful advertising tool which allows you to capitalize on an audience of motivated buyers, motivating them to discover your inventory - online or in-person. These are just some of the benefits of using geofencing as part of your marketing strategy. Understanding your local consumer and their needs will allow for a strong target audience. Stay ahead of the competition and put your brand in front with geofencing.

If you’d like to learn more about the Geofencing opportunities offered by Trader Interactive, please contact marketing@traderinteractive.com.

Lead Enrichment 101: The Basics

More than ever, consumers have turned to the Internet to learn about, browse for, and complete transactions. For RVs this trend feels different than the shopping process of years past. Instead of dealers like you talking with consumers face-to-face while they contemplate their purchase, now, a huge portion of that process has moved online.

As a dealer, accurate inventory listings on our marketplace and up-to-date contact information, helps you provide valuable information and participate in the pre-purchase process.

But what happens when an interested buyer picks up the phone to inquire about one of your units they saw online? How do you have a conversation with the lead naturally, helpfully, and in a way that shows you understand their personal goals and needs?

Lead Enrichment!

One of the most powerful features in TraderTraxx, Lead Enrichment closes that information gap between a shopper's independent online research and the moment you connect with them one-on-one. It's the literal lightbulb moment you need to convert that inquiry into a sale.

Here's how it works:

• A consumer sees a listing in your inventory they like and submit an inquiry to learn more.
• The TraderTraxx system sends you an email in real-time, like this one:

*example of email received by RV Trader dealers 

• This notification provides customer data you need to have to strategically tailor conversations, like:

- How long has this lead been shopping for a unit?
- What is the lead's desired price range?
- How many listings has the lead reviewed?
- When was the lead most recently browsing, and which listings did they view?

Lead Enrichment gives you insight into what happened BEFORE a lead reached out to you. As a dealer, you benefit by:

• Increasing personalization and better framing the conversations you have with leads. For example, you can quickly identify other listings in your inventory within a lead's price range and desired features, delighting them with unexpected choices.

• Having the option to integrate the tool on your website. Lead Enrichment doesn't just capture the behavior on RV Trader's marketplace. Thanks to a simple script on your site, lead insight gets captured when a lead jumps from RV Trader's Marketplace to your website,

• Closing deals faster because you focused your efforts to match your leads' goals. Not only does Lead Enrichment save you time, but customers feel more confident with their purchase thanks to your concentrated sales approach.

Helpfully, TraderTraxx reports includes all the same information you receive as an email alert. Empowering your team to provide consistent service and have an easy-to-find historical record of your leads' behaviors and preferences.

Ultimately, Lead Enrichment empowers you to better serve your customer and reach your sales goals.

Scrappy Marketing on a Budget: Measuring Email Campaigns

In our Scrappy Marketing series finale, we'll be covering how to measure the success of your campaign. Once you have planned and implemented an email strategy, your campaign is off and running. If all goes well, you are effectively engaging prospects, generating leads, and retaining consumers. Of course, simply starting an email campaign is not the end of your journey – the next step will be to analyze the success of your efforts and see what lessons you can take on to your next campaign. To do this, you’ll want to:

Monitor Your Campaign: It can feel great to finally hit that “send” button after a great deal of preparation, but you’re still not done. As the campaign progresses, it is important to monitor the campaign for changes – either successes or issues – so you know if any changes need to be made even as the campaign is ongoing. In other words, you cannot manage what you do not measure. Keep in mind that you should not overreact to initial data, as it may not be representative of how the entire campaign will perform and you don’t want to impulsively and unnecessarily disrupt all of your planning. However, if more data comes in and you see troubling trends emerging, then it may be time to consider making some changes – we’ll talk more about those potential changes in the next point.

Here are the 4 key performance indicators (KPIs) to pay attention to (1):

1. Deliverability: The rate at which emails successfully reach the inbox of your intended recipients

2. Open Rate: The rate at which recipients who have received the email decide to open your message

3. Click-Through Rate (CTR): The rate at which recipients who have opened the email click on your Call-to-Action (CTA) links

4. Unsubscribes: The rate at which recipients who have received your email remove themselves from your subscriber list

Making Changes: You should not only monitor your campaign as it is happening, but also measure your total campaign results once the campaign is complete so that you have a complete picture of your overall achievements and shortcomings. Collecting and analyzing campaign performance data allows you to make changes and improvements, either to a current campaign or future campaigns. Here are some basic recommendations that may help you make effective changes to your campaigns in order to improve your KPIs, depending on what adaptations the data suggests are needed (1):

1. Deliverability

• Double check that you are adhering to CAN-SPAM best practices (federal guidelines for sending emails) and not ending up in recipients’ spam folders

• Remove inactive recipients or email addresses from your subscriber list so your numbers are not artificially deflated and to maintain your email database accuracy

2. Open Rate

• Use A/B testing (comparing 2 emails with 1 difference between them) to experiment with various subject lines in order to find the most appealing for your audience

• Experiment with sending your email during various times or on different days in order to find the best window of opportunity for audience engagement

3. Click-Through Rate (CTR)

• Be sure your CTAs are offering actual value to your audience

• Be sure the language in your CTAs is clear and understandable

• Be sure the imagery and design of your CTAs are appealing and capture attention (consumers most often see them as a colored button or as blue underlined text)

4. Unsubscribes

• Ask if your email has:

• Actually provided value, or has just wasted their time

• Strayed from your brand or your audience’s preferences

• Inadvertently confused or tricked them with unclear meaning

Segmenting Your Audience: Before launching your campaign, you should consider dividing your subscriber list into different groups, based on factors that are important to you, including age, income, geographic location, or inventory interest. Doing so allows you to target specific groups with individualized campaigns that are catered specifically to that group, increasing your campaign’s odds of making a connection. As you analyze your campaign after it ends, you can also use the data to further segment your audience based on how they interacted with previous campaigns.

For example, after a campaign concludes, you could classify your audience into those who did not open the email, those who opened the email but did not click on the CTA, those who clicked on the CTA but did not contact your or make a purchase, and those who did contact your or make a purchase. Going forward, then, you can send future email to your audience segments based on where they are in the purchase lifecycle, which enhances your ability to get them the information they want or need at the time that is most relevant to them, thus helping you nurture your leads and close sales.

Eventually, after a number of campaigns, you may even be able to develop specific buyer personas – including ideal customer profiles (ICPs) – in which you group your audience into segments based on variables that collectively group together and predict the likelihood of a campaign’s success with that persona segment.

In conclusion, we hope this series has helped you understand the basics of email campaigns. When the marketing budget is tight, and the money just isn’t there for an expensive advertising campaign, crafting dynamic emails is a great way to successfully maximize exposure and grow sales. 

1 https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/email-marketing-guide