Business Strategy, Marketing Strategy

How Marketing Automation Saves Time and Boosts Bookings

Amber Simpson

The True Cost of an Empty Site

We have talked a lot this month about how marketing automation saves time and boosts bookings. But, the real truth of it all is this: every empty campsite is lost revenue—and not just a few dollars. If your average nightly rate is $65 and a site sits open for 20 nights per season, that’s $1,300 of unearned income. Multiply that across 10 sites and you’ve got a real problem. Want to do this true math on your own for your campground or resort? You can use our Vacant Transient Site Calculator for FREE.

But here’s the kicker: most of those sites didn’t go unbooked because no one wanted them. They went unbooked because no one knew they were available. Or worse, your team was too busy managing the day-to-day to market them properly.

That’s where marketing automation comes in.

What Is Marketing Automation, Really?

Marketing automation isn’t just a fancy CRM or email system. You might be wondering how marketing automation saves time and boost bookings for the outdoor hospitality industry specifically. It’s a time-saving toolset that helps campground and resort owners:

Re-engage past campers with personalized email sequences
Remind abandoned cart users to complete their bookings
Trigger SMS alerts for last-minute availability
Send automated weather-based upsells or discounts
Create seasonal booking flows tied to your calendar

And best of all, once it’s set up—you don’t have to think about it again this season. Just tweak and monitor results. Then, either rinse and repeat next season, or make the changes you need after learning what worked and what didn’t this year.

Tangible Use Cases for Outdoor Hospitality

Here’s how automation can go from buzzword to booked solid at your campground:

Abandoned Booking Recovery

Someone visits your website, selects dates, and bounces.
An automation triggers an email or SMS reminding them of their trip, offering help or a small incentive.
Why it works: Cart abandonment emails have been shown to convert at rates of 10–15% (Campaign Monitor). For campgrounds, that means turning a lost lead into a weekend-long stay worth hundreds of dollars.

Weather-Based Campaigns

Rain in the forecast for this weekend? Set up automation to send a promo to your glamping or cabin list.
Why it works: This helps fill in non-traditional campers who might be more weather-sensitive and brings in extra income during otherwise slow weekends.

Post-Stay Review Requests

Set an email to go out 24 hours after a guest checks out, asking for a Google review.
Why it works: Improves your SEO, builds social proof, and you didn’t have to lift a finger after setup.

Anniversary or Birthday Booking Reminders

Pull past data from your booking engine and set up personalized messages reminding guests to rebook for the same weekend next year.
Why it works: Repeat bookings without having to hustle.

How This Saves Time (and Your Sanity)

Your front desk team shouldn’t be manually following up on bookings, sending birthday emails, or guessing when to post on social. Automation saves time for your campground or RV park with:

Less manual marketing work
More consistent outreach
Round-the-clock booking support
A small team that feels like a full-time marketing department

Implementing abandoned cart email sequences lead to a conversion rate of approximately 10.7% by the end of 2023, meaning a significant portion of users who click through complete their purchases (SendLane)

Imagine what that could do at your park—especially during shoulder season.

Recap: Your March Guide to Marketing Automation

We’ve spent all of March unpacking how marketing automation can save time and boost bookings for your campground, basically, it can change the game for outdoor hospitality. Many parks are already catching on to this, make sure you aren’t left behind. You can catch up here:

Final Thoughts: Let’s Fill Those Empty Sites

Whether you want to dip your toe into automation or overhaul your entire guest journey, we’re here to help. From abandoned cart emails to custom rebooking sequences, we do it all—so you can focus on delivering incredible outdoor experiences.

👉 Book a free consultation
👉 Or ask us how we can set this all up for you—so your bookings increase while your workload shrinks.

As always, you can check out our free resources here: www.martrekdigital.com/resources

AND, make sure you are following us on Instagram and Facebook

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