Home > Case Studies > Vacation Campers
New image and fresh website gives this camper trailer manufacturer the competitive edge in a tough industry
When Theo and Pauline Snyder of Vacation Campers decided to step up their marketing efforts, they turned to Crockford Carlisle for help.
“We were looking for a fresh image and a strong sales message that conveyed our commitment to quality and professionalism, as well as the accessible value of our products,” said Theo.
Developing focus and direction
Jerry and the team from Crockford Carlisle discussed the direction Vacation Campers wanted to take and devised a corporate image that characterised their business and its ethos. The necessary foundations involved a new logo, positioning statement and the development of a new website.
The new brand image was designed to convey the exceptional quality of camper trailers designed and built by Vacation Campers.
The challenge
Like so many Australian manufacturers, Vacation Campers, must constantly face the challenge of competing against cheaper, imported products.
Jerry explained that, although Theo and Pauline were supplying their prospects with information, it wasn’t doing their product justice. Their existing marketing material and website contained specifications and features — but in a competitive industry such as leisure and recreation, this was just not enough to motivate people to make the purchase.
He suggested that Vacation Campers’ marketing material be re-vamped so as to highlight benefits rather than features. The objective was to lift the perceived value of their camper trailers and reduce the frustration of losing sales because of price — which occurred when the purchaser didn’t fully appreciate the difference in quality between a Vacation Campers trailer and cheaper, inferior products.
Creating confidence
Vacation Campers’ existing website was also very much ‘features based’ and, as a result, was underselling their trailers. It lacked the necessary content to convincingly convey the company’s commitment to exceptional standards of integrity and quality.
Also, when buying a leisure product, such as a camper trailer, the buyer will usually be interested in all the intricate details. Crockford Carlisle ensured that this was taken care of by introducing a gallery section with explanatory captions. Here prospective purchasers can examine quality photographs covering almost every aspect of the trailers on offer.
The layout and design of the new site focussed on Vacation Camper’s commitment to producing very HIGH quality products, while the copy motivated the reader to TAKE ACTION.
The personal touch
One of Vacation Campers’ strengths is the personal involvement of the owners. Theo and Pauline are passionate about their product — because they build each trailer themselves!
The copywriting team at Crockford Carlisle used a warm, conversational tone to communicate the personal touch that Theo and Pauline bring when they talk to customers face-to-face in the showroom.
“There are so many small details that make up a good camper trailer,” said Theo. “Crockford Carlisle handled this very well. The website keeps people interested, while giving them all the information they need. Customers are already telling us how much they enjoy looking at the website and how helpful it is.”
The power to persuade
The Vacation Campers website also needed to persuade potential customers to come in to the showroom in person. A succinct and persuasive message was required to motivate the reader to pick up the phone, write an email or visit in person.
It is paramount to provide the prospect with some reassurance when making a big request like a personal visit. They must feel confident that they won’t be pressurised into making a purchase if they visit the showroom.
“Pauline and I aren’t particularly good sales people and we certainly don’t put people under any pressure to sign up for a camper trailer,” Theo explained. “Jerry and his team made sure that this is conveyed in the website. It is clearly working. People now feel comfortable about coming to see us.”
Generating high quality leads
The other vital function for the website was to capture the contact details of visitors so they can be followed-up.
Crockford Carlisle produced a friendly, easy-to-use form that can be reached via attention grabbing links from every page on the website. Each carried the same simple, yet effective request: “Tell us what YOU want in a camper!”
This open-ended request made it possible to get detailed information about what people are REALLY looking for in camper trailer. Most importantly, it resulted in a steady flow of high quality responses that form the first stage in building a relationship with prospective customers.
Real results
Theo and Pauline now have a far stronger positioning in the market and a swell of new customers. With its new image and website, Vacation Campers has become a confident competitor in this tough industry - and the company continues to gain ground.
“We’ve had numerous new customers — all gathered by voluntary contacts, solid enquiries and positive responses to our new image and website,” said Theo. “Our new brochure is a first class sales piece. We need only look at the increasing number of responses from people who have seen us at camping and outdoor shows to know it’s working. Many of them don’t mind telling us they looked at our competitors, but after reading our brochure, decided that we are the better option!”