Just Do It

Red Bull Gives You Wings. Finger Lickin’ Good. The King of Beers.

Whether they’re inspirational, aspirational, or downright silly, a good slogan can add millions to a brand’s value. 

My personal favourite is Nike’s.

Just Do It.

In Nike’s own words, this pithy little phrase instantly “became both universal and intensely personal. It invited dreams. It was a call to action, a refusal to listen to excuses and a license to be eccentric, courageous, and exceptional.”

This little motto doesn’t just apply to athletes. It works for glamping rookies and experienced operators alike. 

Allow me to explain.

‘Just Do It’ - The Starting Point for Any Glamping Business

I’ve talked about glamping being a beautiful business. One that repairs relationships and creates moments of calm in otherwise chaotic lives.

But there’s a dirty side too. You need hard work, relentless determination, and a boat load of grit. It’s not the type of business you start without becoming a little more grizzled in the process.

Every top operator has had to dirty themselves up to get to where they are today. Bygnal Dutson of Open Sky ran out of money several times. Ben Wolff of Onera had his funding pulled at the last minute. Under Canvas’ first location was a total failure. The list goes on.

Are those operators hard working, determined and full of grit? Yes. 

Are these traits exclusive to them, and unattainable for the rest of us? Absolutely not.

Everyone has it in them to push through adversity and open a successful glamping business. But before you can even think of letting those attributes emerge, you need one thing.

Forward momentum.

Without momentum, you won’t be able to draw on the reserves you’ll need to push you through.

It’s easier to deal with a funding challenge when you’ve already raised half a million. A hitch in your marketing plan is more navigable when construction has begun.

It all starts with that first step. Paying for your first consultation. Visiting your first property.

Way too many prospective glamping operators are petrified of taking the first step. Don’t let that be you.

The fun stuff happens when you gain momentum. Because this is when you start to figure things out.

The First Step Leads to Revelation

As you build that momentum, you’ll make discoveries that will take you in surprising directions. This is the case for new glamping developments, but it’s equally true for established operators.

Take Derry Green of Secret Garden Glamping. His site is the most successful independent operation in the UK. It’s booked out years in advance.

The reason for this success is simple. Derry has mastered the art of short-form social media videos (e.g. TikToks and Instagram Reels). His videos regularly go viral, and Secret Garden Glamping has accumulated 1.2 million followers across its social platforms.

But what looks simple on the surface is the result of a sophisticated, TikTok-first strategy. And discovering this strategy took a lot of figuring out.

Derry posts several versions of the same video on TikTok before he posts on Instagram or Facebook. The differences between each version are subtle. A caption tweak here, a music change there. He’ll track which version is performing best over the course of a week, delete the others, and post the winning version to Facebook and Instagram.

It all started with a couple of baby steps, which triggered some surprising discoveries.

To get to this point, he:

• Started experimenting with short-form video

• Posted enough content to generate meaningful data

• Studied the social platforms in great detail. He found out that Facebook and Instagram’s algorithms take your previous posts into account when deciding whether to push your videos. More importantly, he learned that TikTok’s algorithm doesn’t. It’s a blank slate every time.

• This triggered the realization that he could use TikTok as an unlimited testing ground, before posting the winning content to Facebook and Instagram

• He then tested the theory to prove that it worked (it did)

Looking back, you can see how several distinct discoveries led to a killer social media strategy. None of those discoveries would have happened had he not taken that first step of experimenting with short-form video. In other words, ‘just doing it’ set off a chain reaction that elevated him to his dominant position in the UK market.

This principle is just as applicable to someone at the start of their glamping journey. A meeting with a manufacturer can introduce you to a new glamping unit. A conversation with a consultant may change your whole guest experience plan. None of these discoveries happen if you don’t take the first step.

Now there’s one more thing I need to say.

Just Do It … and Keep Doing It

Momentum is great, but it can run out. Some days, you just won’t feel like loading up Zillow again, or filming another social media video. 

That’s where discipline comes in. The ability to do something when you don’t want to.

The difference between those who make it in this business and those who don’t is a willingness to put one foot in front of the other, no matter how tired they are.

There are hacks you can use to make this easier. Assigning a regular spot in your calendar for a recurring task is a good way of ensuring it gets done, regardless of how you feel about it.

Remembering why you’re on this journey can also give you the boost you need. If I find myself wavering on a job for Posh Outdoors, I remember the friends and family who have invested their hard-earned money in our crowdfunding campaign, and it invariably pushes me through. 

But sometimes, a job won’t be on your calendar, and you’ll have used up your ‘why’ on other tasks. 

Then, Insiders, we go back to where we started. You have to decide whether you make an excuse and skip the work, or if you simply get it done. In cases like this, I refer you to those famous three words.

Just Do It.

💡Idea of the Week - Popup Social Proof

This one comes from outside the glamping world.

Ryan Holiday is an author who specializes in teaching the philosophy of Stoicism. On his website, he sells medallions that remind you of core Stoic principles, such as “Memento Mori” (“Remember you must die” - how cheerful). 

When you visit the product page, you’ll notice little popups saying something like “Dale in Indiana purchased this medallion 2 minutes ago.” This is a textbook example of social proof, a psychological phenomenon where people are more likely to do something if they see others doing it. Savvy marketers know it’s a powerful tool for convincing customers to buy.

On your glamping website’s booking page, consider employing a similar method. “Dale in Indiana just booked a stay in the mirror cabin” may just convince a guest to hit checkout.

📰 The Posh Report

Are you interested in working with me on your glamping project, and getting free glamping units, cutting-edge marketing services and a sophisticated backend setup in the process?

Posh Outdoors is lining up its next set of revenue share partners. We want to talk if you:

• Own an iconic property in a strong market. Think 10/10 views.

• Are capable of creating a world-class, hospitable experience on the ground

•  Are fun to work with

Sound like you? Email [email protected] with pictures of the property, info on the market, and an explanation of why you’d be a killer operator.

🌎️Insider’s World

Interstellar is my favourite movie ever. It’s just been re-released in movie theatres for its 10th anniversary. On Sunday, I watched it on the big screen for the first time.

So, so good. 

It’s about a small team who travel through a wormhole in a desperate quest to save humanity, with Planet Earth on the verge of total destruction. What makes it great is the contrast between this big story and the smaller, poignant tale of a father’s quest to get back to his daughter.

I believe tonight is its last night in the theatres. If you’ve been thinking about buying a ticket, JUST DO IT.