Open Air Business December 2018

GLAMPSITES
From Build
to Bookings
Essential tips from Quality Unearthed’s Geno Cleal
on letting your brand new glamping structure
TARGET AUDIENCE
You need to consider what type of
holiday you’re trying to create and who
you’re trying to attract. Whether you’re
catering for families, groups or couples,
each demographic has a different kind
of expectation. Again, it is important to
know who is coming and why. What type
of holiday are they looking for? Striking
a balance between catering for different
audiences and focussing your attention
can be tricky. Catering for everyone
increases your audience, but you may
end up muddying the waters. With that
in mind, it’s best to focus your marketing
efforts towards one specific holiday
type.
Just like any business, you’re trying
to create a brand, and every good brand
has an interesting theme or story to tell.
Whether you’ve used local materials,
incorporated historical features, or
if you have a particular penchant for
badgers, telling your story is important.
It adds to the richness and clarity of
your brand. It doesn’t matter if your
theme is completely wacky as long
as it offers some kind of intrigue or
appeal. Choosing the right name is
also important. A good name should
be warm and welcoming, but also
memorable and with a tie into your
theme.
SO, YOU’VE set up your glampsite
– the location is set, structure type
chosen, and you’ve pained through
the trials and tribulations of the
planning office. You’ve designed,
dug, drilled, occasionally dozed
and spent far too many late nights
deliberating over whether to include
a smart tech eco-toilet or just dig a
great big hole in the ground.
After all the drama and hard
work you’ve finally made it; your
new money-making machine is
ready. You stand there triumphantly
admiring your indubitable
masterpiece, waiting for the chaching
of coins to start piling up in
your pockets… But now what!?
How to get the money rolling in
may not seem as straightforward as
you first envisaged but luckily we’ve
been through the mill a few times,
so here are a few basic tips to get
you started. Of course, you’ll have a
few marketing options to consider,
there are a few techy bits to get your
head around, but ultimately you will
need to start creating a brand or a
theme that people can relate to.
THE MARKET
First up, market research – know your
product. What’s new, what’s trending,
what’s selling? You should at least
have a rough idea already. The term
‘glamping’ is expanding and evolving
extremely quickly. What’s cool and
what’s relevant now may not be true
in five or 10 years’ time. The discerning
public are continually looking for new
and interesting places to stay. There’s
an ever-growing variety of unique and
unusual holiday types, whether it’s a
weird or funky structure, or a wild or
crazy location.
As the market evolves it’s important
to stay one step ahead of the trends.
Study the competition, particularly
in your area. This should give you a
firm idea of what works and what
doesn’t. Is your welcome pack up to
standard? Are your basic facilities up
to scratch? Where do you price your
structure? There are so many things you
can learn and incorporate to give you a
competitive edge.
In terms of the facilities and extras
you offer, the market shows that
expectations are increasing. Customers
commonly expect a higher level of
service and a basic range of facilities.
We tend to find the more extras you offer
– fresh flowers and local produce in the
welcome hamper, or a lit fire for guests
on arrival – the more impact it will have
“THE TERM ‘GLAMPING’
IS EXPANDING AND
EVOLVING EXTREMELY
QUICKLY. WHAT’S COOL
AND WHAT’S RELEVANT
NOW MAY NOT BE TRUE
IN FIVE OR 10 YEARS’
TIME”
on your success. Glampers are looking
for a special or memorable experience,
so whatever you can do to improve this
experience will ultimately lead to more
bookings. As a general rule of thumb,
price your structure conservatively, with
the aim to push the value up as your
reputation and demand grows.
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