Top Searched: March 2017

As your partner in the industry, we want to keep you up-to-date on trends we are seeing with your potential buyers. With more consumers visiting our site than any other in the industry, we can give you and your dealership some great insight into search habits of your potential customers. In this first edition of our Top Searched, we’ve listed the top 5 RV makes and models on our site for the month of March.

Top Searched Models:

1. Travel Trailer
2. Class A
3. Fifth Wheel
4. Class C
5. Toy Hauler

The rivalry between towables and classic motorhomes, unsurprisingly, continues — but, in the end, travel trailer are the most searched model on RV Trader, with nearly 27% more pageviews than their closest competitor, the Class A motorhome.* With a large percentage of new buyers in the industry, travel trailers are an attractive option with lower price tags and often less demanding maintenance needs as compared to larger motorhomes.

As for the top searched makes, interbrand competition has heated up significantly from 2016 to 2017 as top manufacturers focused on targeting specific subsets of the larger RV audience. For example, Keystone launched their new Passport ROV — a lighter, luxury trailer meant to entice consumers with tighter budgets. These advancements and solid marketing strategies have allowed Keystone to see a 19% increase in pageviews in just one year, moving from the fifth most viewed manufacturer to the second.* Other top searched manufacturers are outlined below:

Top Searched Makes:

1. Forest River

2. Keystone

3. Winnebago

4. Jayco
5. Fleetwood

In an ever-growing RV marketplace, marketshare is there for the taking — so this list may change in the coming months as consumers discover new units that fit their travel and lifestyle needs. How does this data line up with what you’re seeing at your dealership? Comment below and let us know.

Towables vs. Motorhomes: What are your consumers searching for?

The RV industry is unique; it is an industry that is growing, with 51% of consumers being first time buyers. So how can your dealership best serve these new-to-the-market customers? Provide them with information. They are hungry for it — and the more you give them, the more likely they will view you as their partner in the buying process, rather than a pressuring sales team.

Since this is their first RV purchase, only 10% of consumers are loyal to a specific brand or manufacturer. They are far more focused on what type of unit will best fit into their lifestyle and budget. It’s important to remember to keep the conversation broad and low pressure in the beginning — focus on high-level details, such as by narrowing them down to a motorhome or a towable.

Towables, like the industry overall, are growing in popularity. Consumers like them for their lower price tag and lightweight frame. These units are easy to tow behind a buyer’s current car and are often lower maintenance than the larger motorhomes — perfect for a quick weekend getaway. Younger couples with no kids, a life-long tent camper just getting into the RV market or a current RVer looking to downsize may find a towable to be the perfect fit for them.

Motorhomes are what comes to mind when you think of a traditional RV. They come with enough space for the whole family and make it feel like you are taking home along with you on the road. From full-sized kitchens to king sized beds to incredibly comfortable driving chairs, many of these units are truly luxurious and could be the perfect fit for retirees, families looking to go full-time or a couple considering a cross-country trip.

Make sure to think about these unique selling points when it comes to positioning these units to your potential buyers — really listen to what a consumer is planning to do with their unit and help guide them to the RV that will fit their lifestyle best. By being honest about the benefits and drawbacks of a unit, consumers will come to trust you as they get ready to make their dream purchase.

RVDA Announcement: Industry Leaders Brief Congressional Reps on Capitol Hill

RVDA recently announced that the Outdoor Recreation Industry Roundtable held briefs on Capitol Hill to outline and promote the substantial impact the industry provides the US economy. According to the announcement on RVDA’s site, the following were the key focuses of the briefs:

1. Fast tracking the implementation of the recently enacted Outdoor Recreation Jobs and Economic Impact Act (REC Act)

2. Prioritizing recreation-related infrastructure improvements in federal agency budgets

3. Establishing more public-private partnerships to address noticed maintenance backlogs on public lands

4. Achieving better balance between recreation / conservation in federal agency decisions

5. Developing / deploying a digital info. strategy for outdoor recreation on federal lands

Another key message the Roundtable promoted was that the tightening of federal budgets shouldn’t reduce public access to or diminish the experience the public has with outdoor recreational activities.

According to the announcement, the briefings were quite well attended, and “opened doors to improved communication and partnerships” between ORIR Congressional representatives.

For more information on ORIR, the briefings, and the announcement from RVDA, click here.

Certification Reminder: RV Professional Certification Week is March 12-18!

Image source: IS Services

The Society of Certified RV Professionals and Mike Molino RV Learning Center have designated the week of March 12-18 as RV Professional Certification Week. Both service- and management-oriented trainings are available, and these certifications can prove incredibly valuable when it comes to proving your dealership's credibility and industry acuity. 

One example of such programs is the RVDA-RVIA Service Technician Certification offering, as well as the parts and management certifications. The goal of the program is to recognize businesses and individuals who are trained and knowledgeable in safe, smart practice when it comes to RV maintenance and management. 

Be sure to visit www.rvlearningcenter.com and www.rvtechnician.com to learn more about how you can get yourself and your business certified this year and bolster your business more than ever before.

RVDA NEWS RELEASE: RV Professional Certification Week is March 13-19

Image source: RVDA

The following content was published in a recent press release by the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association in Fairfax, Virginia. The Mike Molino RV Learning Center, in partnership with the Society of Certified RV Professionals, presented the publication to increase awareness for the upcoming (and formally recognized) RV Professional Certification Week. In this piece, which can be found in full on RVDA's website, dealers will he able to locate information on how best to utilize this week for testing, preparations, and promotion of certification assurance.

RVDA PRESS RELEASE

RV Professional Certification Week is March 13-19; Dealers are Encouraged to Promote Continuing Education

(Fairfax, VA) The week of March 13 – 19, 2016, is RV Professional Certification Week. The Society of Certified RV Professionals and the Mike Molino RV Learning Center have designated that week as a time to commit to expanding skills and professionalism in the workplace. Dealers are encouraged to support test preparation now so candidates will be ready to test during the designated week.

As an incentive, certification candidates who take and pass a certification test during RV Professional Certification Week will receive a free, one-year subscription to RV Technician Today, an online resource for RV technicians, service writers/advisors and service managers. Registered techs are encouraged to use this opportunity to move to the next level, joining other RV technicians and fixed operations professionals who will test and become certified during the week. The RV Learning Center gives dealership personnel access to an array of professionally-developed products and programs to help prepare staff for certification in fixed-operations or as technicians. 

Learn more about professional certification available for dealership staff on the Learning Center’s YouTube Channel, and on its website. Technician certification information is available online at rvtechnician.com. Certification can lead to a higher level of professionalism, increased employee retention, and greater dealership profitability. Certification can also lead to improved customer satisfaction since today’s consumers recognize certification as an indication of professionalism.

The Society of Certified RV Professionals promotes and recognizes certification among employees who work at RV dealerships. Certified personnel benefit the RV industry by improving the customer experience‐‐certification lets consumers know that the technician working on their RV has superior diagnostics and repair skills. Recertifying and maintaining certification show an individual’s ongoing commitment to staying current in an industry driven by changing technology and high consumer expectations. Information about the society and the recognition program is available at http://tinyurl.com/SocietyofRVProfessionals.
 
Established in 1993, the RV service technician certification program is administered by the Recreation Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA) and Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) under the auspices of the RV Service Technician Certification Governing Board.  The program tests, certifies and recertifies RV service technicians in either a traditional Certification or five specialty certification areas:  Appliance, Body, Chassis, Electrical Systems and Plumbing.  For more information, go to www.rvtechnician.com.

The Mike Molino RV Learning Center is supported by dealers, manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and other RV industry members who are committed to dealership education and the high level of customer service that is provided by educated employees. Headquartered in Fairfax, VA, it tests, certifies, and recertifies RV professionals in five areas of specialty: RV Parts Manager, RV Parts Specialist, RV Service Writer/Advisor, RV Service Manager, and RV Warranty Administrator. For more information, go to www.rvlearningcenter.com.

RV Business Reports on Colorado Teardrops 2017 New Model Line

Image Source: Boulder Weekly

A recent RV Business publication noted the highly anticipated release of the 2017 model lineup from Colorado Teardrops. The article below, published by RV Business on February 1st, is a sampling of information provided by the key news site for RV dealers. To read the entirety of the publication, simply click here or visit www.rvbusiness.com.


Begin RV Business Article

Colorado Teardrops announced the introduction of its 2017 line of consumer camping teardrops, offering new design and construction processes to increase durability and longevity.

According to a press release, the new line is built with structural aluminum to frame the sidewalls and ceilings, ensuring the trailer is impervious to water and weather damage. Instead of marine grade plywood, lauan and paint on waterproofing, the models also feature structural aluminum to form the cabin. 

Since its founding three years ago, the Boulder-based company has designed seven different styles of teardrop trailers to cover retro, off-road, and commercial teardrop uses. The company employs a rental fleet to serve as a testing ground for its trailers while also adopting a factory-direct selling model.

Features of the new 2017 product line include...

Click here to read the rest of the article!

 

Featured Resource: Roadabode Outdoor Hospitality Study

Recently, Roadabode Productions released a study denoting the crucial nature of solidified digital marketing strategies for businesses catering to the camping consumer - in order to truly evaluate your online presence for what it is to your target audience(s) and compare it to that of your competitors, it's critical to know what factors to use as analytical benchmarks.

Presented as a "virtual roundtable," the study especially focuses in on the importance of video usage when it comes to successfully marketing to outdoor-oriented demographics. While originally written and presented for park and outdoor recreational businesses, the validity and application of the information presented to the RV industry is immeasurable.

Check out the Benchmark Study here and find out how you can best develop your digital marketing presence and refine your strategy for the best possible results!










]