Pictured above: Leanne and Dan with ‘Ivan’.
The team at Quirky Campers has transformed a niche campervan rental business into an award-winning enterprise, celebrated for its innovative marketing strategies and commitment to customer experience. Honoured at The David Awards 2023, Managing Director Leanne Edwards reflects on the significance of this accolade and the strategic moves that propelled her company to new heights.
For Leanne Edwards, winning at The David Awards 2023 was a momentous occasion. “The David Awards 2023 was the first time we’d ever entered any business award competition, so then to go on and win a category was amazing. We were very humbled,” she shares. She says that the recognition provided a morale boost in what can often be a solitary entrepreneurial journey. “Running a small business can be a lonely affair – and you sometimes doubt if you’re doing the right things to grow and succeed. Winning the Most Inspired Use of Marketing award was validation that we had done well and stood out from our peers.”
Leanne notes that while the award may not have directly translated into increased sales, it certainly enhanced brand awareness and credibility. “We proudly display the digital badge on our website and used the opportunity to share the achievement with our followers… and it feels like we’re a more credible business.”
The decision to enter The David Awards was driven by Quirky Campers need to stand out in a crowded market. “We operate in a very competitive market. There are estimated to be about 7,500 rental campervans in NZ, and we only have 32 of them! We need to stand out so when the opportunity arose to collaborate with three Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs) – Central Economic Development Agency (Manawatū), Venture Taranaki, and Whanganui & Partners – to bring their Coastal Arts Trail to life, we jumped at the chance.”
The result of this collaboration was “Vallery” a campervan transformed into a mobile gallery showcasing over 50 artworks by 26 artists. Edwards highlights the success of this project, “It took six months to bring Vallery to life and the highlight was when she featured on Seven Sharp and Hilary Barry had the grand tour… and even tried out the bed!” The creation of Vallery not only garnered media attention but also resonated with both local and international audiences, making it a centerpiece of Quirky Campers’ marketing strategy.
Building a unique brand
Quirky Campers was founded in October 2019 by Leanne and her husband Dan, just months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenging start, the company has experienced significant growth. “We started with three vans and currently have 32 for hire across New Zealand (Auckland to Dunedin). While the vans are often based in our larger cities, when they hit the road they travel the length and breadth of Aotearoa which means they contribute to distributing the tourism dollar around the country.”
Leanne attributes their success to a strong focus on customer service and unique selling points. “A common theme in our hiring customer reviews is our responsiveness. We aim to answer customer queries within hours (seven days/week) and always try to be proactive and thoughtful, providing options to customers.”
One of the company’s key differentiators is their pet-friendly policy, which does not involve extra charges or security deposits for pets. “We’re very proud to be pet-friendly (not just pet-tolerant!) so we don’t charge any extra for pets – no scary security deposit or cleaning fee – and it makes our day to see hirers so happy they can bring the whole family.”
Since their award win, Quirky Campers has significantly increased its marketing investment by 50 percent. Edwards explains, “We sent our Marketing Manager (and talented photographer) around the country to capture on-the-road images and videos of our vans and also partnered with a digital marketing agency to make the best use of our content.”
This strategic investment has paid off, with increased demand leading to a waiting list for new vans. “Our marketing was so successful last year that demand outstripped supply,” says Edwards. “We managed our growth carefully and strategically meeting the majority of the demand. If we didn’t have a van available or in the pipeline for a customer’s planned dates and location, we referred them to other small players in the campervan hire business that we admire.”
Building connections with industry peers has been rewarding for Leanne too, fostering a supportive network among competitors. “When things have not quite gone to plan with a customer trip we’ve been able to help our peers and conversely lean on them to help us out of a pickle! And this can only be good for the reputation and growth of tourism in NZ.”
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Adapting to market changes
The past year has brought its share of challenges, including a slowdown in bookings and changes in vehicle self-containment regulations. “We have seen bookings slow a little in comparison to last year which is likely to be related to the economic climate,” says Leanne.
The new regulations, requiring campervans to have fixed toilets instead of portable ones, posed a significant challenge. “Over 90 percent of our vans had portable loos and our van owners faced significant costs to upgrade them – if it was even possible,” Leanne explains. To address this, Quirky Campers has sourced a compact fixed loo and placed a bulk order to minimize costs for van owners, ensuring that most vehicles will meet the new standards by the deadline.
Quirky Campers’ marketing strategy has evolved to address both seasonal trends and these regulatory changes. “We are super busy with back-to-back bookings from October to March, with a much quieter period April to September,” says Leanne. “We reflect that in our marketing campaigns. For example, as we’re nearing the end of the peak season onwards we promote shoulder-season and winter trips with cosy imagery and discounts to attract more bookings.”
In response to the self-contained vehicle laws, Leanne and her team have focused on educating the public. “We created materials like one-page guides and blogs as well as posting regularly to clarify the rules and reassure people. We have been recognised for our educational contribution and often see the content we created tagged and shared by other businesses and industry partners.”
Leanne encourages other small business owners to consider entering awards. “Aside from the fact you might win – which is a great accolade – we found it to be a fun and rewarding process just to answer the questions for the entries. We stopped and stood back, reflecting on how far we’ve come and what we’ve achieved. Even if we hadn’t won anything, we felt an enormous sense of pride telling our story.”
Winning The David Awards has not only been a significant achievement for Quirky Campers but also a catalyst for further growth and innovation. “It was a great exercise to go through and has spurred us on to do and be more in future.”
The David Awards
NZBusiness is a proud supporter of The David Awards, NZ’s popular small and home based business awards. If you’re a locally owned small business doing great things, you should consider entering. You have until Friday, August 9 to enter. Check out their website to learn more and take the first steps towards getting your business the recognition it deserves.
