The Value of Social Media Communities

As a marketer in the RV industry, I’ve always sought innovative ways to connect with our audience. In 2020, my wife, Amanda, and I created the Camping in North Dakota Facebook group. What started as a simple platform for sharing camping adventures has transformed into a powerful marketing tool for our family’s business, Corral Sales RV.

Starting a Community

It began as a casual way for friends and family to share camping experiences, but I quickly saw the potential for something bigger. We opened the group to everyone who loves camping in North Dakota. The first year was slow, but in the last four years, the group has grown to nearly 18,000 members.

This rapid growth presented both opportunities and challenges. To maintain the group’s integrity, we implemented a careful vetting process, requiring prospective members to answer specific questions. Collecting email addresses during this process laid the foundation for our future marketing efforts while ensuring the group stayed focused on its core purpose: sharing camping adventures in North Dakota.

Turning Community Into a Marketing Tool

As the group expanded, I recognized its potential as a powerful marketing tool for my family’s business, Corral Sales RV, co-owned by my father-in-law, Tim Helbling. My challenge was finding ways to leverage this engaged community without compromising the trust and goodwill we’d built. The key was striking a delicate balance between community engagement and subtle marketing initiatives.

My strategy hinges on collecting valuable data while providing genuine value to our members. The email addresses gathered during the membership process became the cornerstone of our sophisticated marketing approach. This data allows me to implement targeted email campaigns for Corral Sales RV, ranging from weekly updates to quarterly newsletters.

It’s important to note that our marketing methods are constantly evolving. Using the collected data is an ongoing work in progress. I’m continually refining our approach, adapting to new technologies and marketing trends. This flexibility ensures our efforts remain effective and relevant in the ever-changing digital landscape.

Amanda is the biggest help, managing the page and keeping me focused on why we started the group. I continue to explore ways to develop and implement marketing strategies that benefit Corral Sales RV, always with an eye on maintaining our community’s trust and respect. This partnership allows us to balance the group’s original purpose with its potential as a marketing tool.

Expanding Our Digital Footprint

To complement the Facebook group, we launched a dedicated website, CampingInNorthDakota.com. This site serves as a comprehensive resource for campers, offering detailed information about campgrounds, blogs and other valuable content. The website not only enhances the user experience for our group members but also plays a crucial role in our digital advertising and retargeting efforts.

I believe in leading by example, so I regularly share my own camping adventures with the group, both on and off Facebook. To reach an audience outside of Facebook, I’ve expanded our presence to other social media platforms. As RV Chad, I’m particularly active on Instagram (@rv_chad), where I share my camping adventures, product reviews and other camping-related content. We’re also experimenting with other platforms like TikTok to broaden our reach and connect with diverse audiences.

This multiplatform approach allows us to engage with our community in various ways, providing real-world experiences and insights while subtly promoting our brand and services. By sharing my personal adventures and product reviews, I aim to offer practical value to our audience and reinforce the community aspect of our group.

Building Brand Loyalty Through Tangible Experiences

Understanding that effective marketing goes beyond digital interactions, we’ve implemented several innovative strategies to strengthen brand loyalty and community engagement:

1. Surprise & Delight Campaigns: We occasionally surprise group members at their campsites with custom gifts bearing both the Camping in North Dakota logo and our company logo, Corral Sales. This initiative has become incredibly popular among our community members.
2. Exclusive Merchandise: We introduced membership stickers, which have served multiple purposes. Initially offered for free, these stickers allowed for additional data collection while fostering a sense of community. We’ve since transitioned to a paid model, turning this into a revenue stream while still providing valuable marketing data.
3. Community Events: The group’s popularity was dramatically demonstrated when a winter meetup, promising free gifts to the first 300 attendees, drew over 700 people to our RV dealership. This event underscored the strong sense of community fostered by the group and its tangible impact on brand engagement.

Measurable Impact & Future Directions

While it’s challenging to attribute sales directly to the Facebook group, we’ve observed a notable increase in brand awareness and customer loyalty for Corral Sales RV. Our long-term strategy of building a community first and a customer base second is paying off in terms of brand perception and market position.

The success of the North Dakota group has led us to create a similar group for South Dakota, applying the same strategies to build community and drive marketing efforts across state lines.

Key Takeaways for RV Dealerships & Beyond

Through this journey, I’ve learned several valuable lessons that can benefit other businesses looking to leverage social media for marketing:

1. 

   Community First: Prioritize building a genuine community around shared interests rather than focusing solely on sales.

2. Value Exchange: Offer real value to community members through information, experiences and exclusive benefits.
3. Data-Driven Approach: Collect and use data responsibly to inform targeted marketing efforts, while remaining flexible and open to new methods.
4. Cross-Platform Integration: Create a seamless experience across social media, email and web platforms.
5. Tangible Engagement: Complement digital interactions with real-world experiences and merchandise to strengthen brand loyalty.
6. Patience & Persistence: Recognize that building a community and seeing marketing results takes time and consistent effort.
7. Continuous Evolution: Be prepared to adapt marketing strategies as technology and consumer behaviors change.

Connecting With Customers

The Camping in North Dakota Facebook group has opened a new avenue for connecting with potential customers in the RV industry. By fostering a vibrant community centered on shared interests, we’ve created a platform that serves both our members and our business.

Our journey demonstrates the power of authentic engagement in the digital age. As we continue to grow and adapt, we’re excited about the possibilities this community-driven approach offers. It’s not just about selling RVs; it’s about building relationships, sharing experiences and creating value for everyone involved.

The success of our group shows that when businesses prioritize community building, marketing opportunities naturally follow.

As we look to the future, we remain committed to our core purpose: celebrating the camping lifestyle in North Dakota while exploring innovative ways to serve our community and grow our business.

This approach has not only transformed our marketing strategy but has also enriched our understanding of our customers’ needs and desires. In the end, that’s the true value of community-building — it’s a two-way street that benefits everyone involved.

Join our community on Facebook by searching for Camping in North Dakota and Camping in South Dakota or by visiting the following links:

• Camping in North Dakota — https://www.facebook.com/groups/454935822035194
• Camping in South Dakota — https://www.facebook.com/groups/748502012392894

Follow me on Instagram and TikTok at @RV_Chad.

For more information, visit campinginnorthdakota.com or corralsales.com.