Sharing Knowledge Benefits the Camping Industry
We’ve all met those people who are at the top of their game but don’t attend conferences. They typically do not feel they can learn enough to justify taking time off from work to go to these events.
The common rationale they use traces back to social media advice we see all the time – “If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.”
However, the camping and retreating industry is different. We are a generous group! We understand that a rising tide raises all ships and that if one of us struggles, it hurts all of us.
We need to realize that we all can have something to contribute to the camping scene, and the comradery that takes place in conference and convention settings may yield new inspiration you might not have expected.
Let’s walk through a few cornerstone aspects of participating in the generous and communal industry of camping.
Build Relationships with Camp Organizations
Ideally, we want to grow a quality culture in the camping world where people are inclined to help each other and offer what they know, all for the purpose of making this form of recreation accessible and fun!
The camping and retreating industry hold a variety of businesses, sites and facilities, and various organizations that all work together to support others in the mission of building a strong community.
You can begin by joining groups like the American Camping Association (ACA), faith-based affinity groups or association groups, and any other possible denominational camp affiliations, which can serve as a public forum to share industry news, innovations, safety tips, careers, learning programs, new camping sites, and upcoming events.
Staying in the loop with these kinds of groups is a great way to build rapport in the industry and will ensure you have a constant funnel of information keeping you up to date with the latest industry trends and developments.
Engage in Social Media
Participating on social media can be one of the most direct methods of communicating with both your audience and fellow industry leaders and brands. Camping and outdoor ventures are, after all, best when shared with others! Documenting and sharing your brand through social media can be a great way to share your expertise, lend your unique take on things, and create a sense of community with other brands and their followers as well.
Start by identifying brands on social platforms that share a similarity with yours. Try to discern something about them that you can highlight or interweave with your own brand. This is all part of the fundamental process of building links in your industry that will create a comfortable space for knowledge exchanges.
Join camping collectives, like the ACA on Facebook, as we mentioned prior. Inquire how you can lend knowledge of your niche to the camping community at large. By the same token, you’ll also open the door to events, tools, and information you might not have been aware of before.
Be ready to contribute content of your own to these Facebook groups as guest posts which might include pictures or recipes. Start by building a relationship with these camping groups and discover how you can get involved with them.
Blog Content
Don’t underestimate how often people in the industry desire to read content about camping on the internet. Remember that people are eager to learn more about the recreation of camping, and it will motivate them to seek community commentary on what opportunities for adventures they have available to them.
Partnering with a site you trust and sharing a guest blog post can be a terrific way of spreading your industry expertise on a particular topic. You can also invite other sources you trust to post a guest article with their original material on your own site.
There’s a whole host of ways that content can be shared from one group to another. Have an open mind and be willing to partner with others!
Leading Workshops or Webinars
Pointing back to our original observation, industry experts can still make a difference by attending conferences like the ACA conference we just attended!
Not only are they still bound to learn something new that they didn’t know before, but they can also build their authority in the camping industry by leading a workshop or seminar.
Let’s take, for example, you’re the president of a nature center that specializes in hosting water activity programs like kayaking and canoeing. If you believe you might be one of the leading organizations in this category, you can provide a great service to fellow groups in your vertical by offering to speak in a session during an upcoming event.
Or perhaps there’s a certain skill that you feel you could improve upon, or possibly offer instruction on how to improve for others. A lot is expected from leaders in the camping industry, and seminars devoted to skill building and training can be beneficial for all, no matter how seasoned a leader they may be.
Foster Community, Togetherness, and Fun
At the end of the day, we all want to be included and enjoy life together amid the great outdoors! Whether you’re a staff member in a camp, an executive of a park, or a business owner that sells camping gear, we all share the same love for community and adventure through camping.
It behooves all of us to contribute in our own little way that can evolve the industry to make it more enjoyable for kids, teenagers, and adults alike. At Kaleidoscope, we endeavor to share new and different takes on industry developments through the act of frequent blog posts and social media involvement. It’s our hope that we can lend consulting and planning advice and resources to camps, retreat organizations, and outdoor centers all over the country.
Own the spirit of generosity with your organization. Keep your ear open to current trends, and constantly explore how you can fit into all of them!