If you think that wants and needs are basically the same thing in marketing, you might be missing out on significant footfall! Knowing the difference between the two - and the barriers that can impact campers' decisions - is key to marketing your campsite effectively.

Fulfilling Campers' Needs

Think of needs as the base layer of your marketing funnel. You want to ensure visitors find your site, know you have pitches available, and understand your basic amenities. This is the bread and butter, the tent stakes of your offer. Fulfilling need builds trust, and by ensuring clean facilities, easy booking, and a comfortable stay,  campers know that these non-negotiables are a reliable part of your campsite offer.

For example: a camping family pulls up to your site late in the evening, tired from travelling and desperate for a shower. They need a good pitch to rest and somewhere to freshen up. This is where you step in, offering a friendly welcome, a pitch close to the facilities, and a piping-hot shower.

Needs met; campers happy ...but this is not what will make them rave about your campsite. After all, you've met their expectations - nothing more.

...and Satisfying their Wants

But wait. Heading back from their shower, they see a crackling campfire, marshmallows roasting, with kids from various families playing hide and seek together between the trees. Within moments, their children are off making new friends, and they are enjoying an evening by the fire.

Now you've just satisfied your campers' wants - the extras that take their stay from comfortable to memorable - and keep their kids busy 🙂

The things you offer that campers want are what set your campsite apart. These might be guided forest hikes or your kids' playground. Or perhaps it's little touches like hairdryers in the toilet block or dog bowls, freshly refilled each morning. Satisfying campers' wants ignites excitement; it builds anticipation and creates a story that they will want to share, leading to more bookings. Further, additional touches they don't expect are a pleasant 'surprise' that will leave a far more lasting impression.

However, long before your visitors are unfolding their camping chairs, you need to entice them to book. And even if you tick their boxes, other things can get in the way. These barriers can be what leaves your pitch booking hanging in their basket.

Anticipating Barriers to Booking

By ensuring that you cater to campers' needs and wants on your website copy and social platforms, you're building a relationship your kind of people who want your kind of campsite. If dates and budget fit, you've got a booking. Those who don't want what you have will click away and find it elsewhere. And that's ok.

But between these two clear-cut circles of 'yes' and 'no' customers, there's a huge intersection of potential visitors who want to book with you. There just might be something in the way. And perhaps it's something you could fix.

By looking for - and addressing - potential obstacles for specific audiences, you can sway your 'floating voters' in the right direction. Barriers such as a temperamental booking system, are obvious things you can work on by checking your customer journey. Similarly, a lack of good imagery on your website can be fixed with a sunny day and a good camera. But some barriers are a little more subtle - and that's where it pays to know your audience better.

Thinking Wider and Deeper about Your Campsite Audience

For example, some older visitors may think, from your family-friendly images, that your site will be overrun with kids - and that's a barrier for them. So, by promoting your 'quiet pitches' (need), perhaps even a board games cupboard (want), and featuring images of retirees enjoying your site, you can sell the concept of a restful experience for those who don't have little darlings with them.

Barriers can be emotional, too. Think of new campervan owners who are a little nervous about the etiquette around campsites. Make your campsite a great place for first-timers to come with clear instructions on site (need). Also, have an offer of help for first-time campers from your friendly team (want). Just knowing you're there to help them might make a campervan noobie more likely to book with you.

Social Post Example

So how does this look in practice? Your socials are key to marketing your campsite effectively, so let's start there.

A post which meets the needs, wants and barriers of fresh-out-of-the-box campervanners might look like this:

'We love it when noobie campers choose us for their first time out and about! We know it can be a little nerve-wracking (barrier), so we make everything super easy on our campsite for you, with our welcome pack (want). Luckily, too, we also have Joe, our avid campervan enthusiast, on hand for all those little first-time niggles - just in case! (need) Start your exciting new adventures with us 😊 " (Image of Joe, smiling and holding your welcome pack)

With one post, you have drawn in the new campervan owner demographic by removing a barrier and appealing to their wants and needs. Try this with each of your audiences, tweaking your messages along the way, and gauging responses from those you connect with.

Customer Relationships Take Time (and a little homework!)

Interestingly, many campsite clients I meet don't value the importance of reading their audience - at first. They are often more business-focused than customer-centric (eg., 'this is what WE offer') and think of campers as one group. However, it quickly becomes clear how time spent understanding their customers works, as engagement and bookings increase. Through this process, they often also discover new audiences to target. Which is always great 🙂

Everyone wants (or rather, needs) to feel understood; it's the basis of our deepest connections. Marketing your campsite to your audience is no different. Show them you've taken time to get to know them, and they'll respond in kind.

In the meantime, why not look at your campers' wants, needs and barriers and build your own loyal tribe of happy, returning customers? With an expected 9 million camping or caravanning trips expected to take place in the UK this year, that's a lot of reasons to do a little homework!