Many camps struggle with visibility—not because their programs lack value, but because the right families, churches, and retreat planners never discover them.

Mark opens the episode with a practical camp marketing tip on following up with retreat inquiries that have gone silent, sharing a simple email subject line that can restart conversations and recover lost bookings. Then Carl shares how an unexpected project at Refreshing Mountain Camp introduced him to Google Ads and ultimately launched a career helping camps grow through digital marketing.

The conversation then turns to one of the biggest opportunities available to nonprofit camps: the Google Ad Grant. Carl explains how eligible 501(c)(3) organizations can receive up to $10,000 per month in free Google advertising, walks through the application process, campaign setup, keyword strategy, and the common mistakes that prevent camps from seeing results. He also shares real examples of camps using the grant to generate more registrations, retreat inquiries, and community engagement, along with his perspective on how AI is changing search and what camp leaders should be doing to stay visible online.

Keywords

Google Ads Grant, nonprofit marketing, camp marketing, retreat center marketing, Google advertising, camp enrollment, nonprofit advertising, digital marketing, summer camps, retreat bookings

Sound Bites

"About fifty percent of the camps I talk to have no idea the grant program exists."

"One of the biggest mistakes camps make is they apply for the grant and then they never do anything else with it."

"The reality is organic listings just continue to get pushed further and further down."

"You could start showing up at the top of Google and not have to pay for the ads."

Hosts

Mark P. Fisher, Inspiring Growth

Carl Lefever, Improve & Grow

Resources

How to Apply for a Google Ads Grant
https://growyourcamppodcast.com/blog/how-to-apply-for-google-ad-grant/

Google for Nonprofits Program Website
https://www.google.com/nonprofits/

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Many camp leaders assume the only way to grow revenue is to add more guests, build more facilities, or create more programs. But what if growth starts with better stewardship of the capacity you already have?

Mark Fisher shares the personal story that reshaped his career, including the health crisis and board decision that led him from camp leadership into consulting. That journey sets the stage for a practical conversation about one of the most misunderstood topics in camping: pricing.

Mark and Carl discuss why many camps underprice their highest-demand dates, how waitlists reveal hidden opportunities, and why demand-based pricing is about stewardship—not simply charging more. They break down practical ways to get started, including seasonal pricing, using waitlists as a decision-making tool, giving booking teams flexibility to solve problems, and creating pricing options that help both camps and guests succeed.

The episode also opens with a practical marketing tip on expanding your camp's online visibility through free directory listings, including Google Maps, Apple Maps, Yelp, tourism websites, and camp-specific directories.

Keywords

demand-based pricing, camp pricing strategy, camp revenue growth, camp sustainability, seasonal pricing, camp waitlists, retreat center pricing, camp stewardship, camp capacity management

Sound Bites

"Our fifth son is being raised by a different father."

"That day, that generosity unlocked the future for me."

"The F word. It's four letters and it's full."

"We're full, we're full. And I'll say, that's a cuss word we don't use. We say, we have a wait list."

"Waitlisting is really the indicator on a leader's dashboard."

Hosts

Mark P. Fisher, Inspiring Growth

Carl Lefever, Improve & Grow

Chapters

00:00 Episode Soundbites

00:13 Introduction

01:17 Quick Camp Marketing Tip

06:55 Mark's Story

18:10 Camp Pricing

22:15 The Waitlist: Your Demand Signal

34:15 Putting Demand-Based Pricing to Work

42:20 Communicating Price Changes

47:32 Real Results & Camp Stories

52:08 Baby Steps to Get Started

Resources

Camp Directory Listings Guide

Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss

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Refreshing Mountain has doubled revenue over the last decade while maintaining a strong focus on guest relationships and retention. In this episode, Administrative Director Justin Harnish shares the principles that helped the camp grow without losing the culture that built its reputation.

Mark opens with a personal dedication to his mother’s 85th birthday and reflects on the people and experiences that shape camp leaders over time.

Carl’s quick marketing tip explains why camps should stop sending every audience to the same homepage and how dedicated landing pages can improve conversions and lead generation.

Justin then shares his personal camp story and how a formative camp experience shaped both his faith and belief in the long-term power of camp ministry.

The conversation explores the two “Christian marketing principles” guiding Refreshing Mountain’s growth strategy. “Relationships Trump Everything” focuses on intentional guest care and personalized communication. “Return Business Is Worth Investing In” covers stewardship, rebooking strategy, guest retention, and why long-term relationships drive sustainable growth.

Justin also shares lessons around guest feedback, occupancy planning, and how adding meeting room capacity became a major growth driver for year-round bookings.

Keywords

camp marketing, camp retention, rebooking strategy, retreat center growth, guest experience, Christian camp leadership, landing pages for camps

Sound Bites

• “Relationships trump everything.”
• “Return business is a metric of integrity.”
• “The camps growing fastest online make visitors instantly feel: ‘This is exactly for me.’”
• “Happy returning guests are your best marketing.”

Hosts

Mark P. Fisher, Inspiring Growth
Carl Lefever, Improve & Grow

Guest

Justin Harnish, Refreshing Mountain

Chapters

00:05 Welcome & Episode Dedication
02:38 Quick Camp Marketing Tip
08:40 Justin's Camp Story
09:29 The Power of Camp Experiences
11:57 Refreshing Mountain Background
14:51 Balancing Business and Ministry
15:57 Org Challenges During Season of Growth
22:52 Principles of Relationship-Driven Service
24:53 Understanding Rebooking and Customer Feedback
26:42 Enhancing Customer Experience Through Personalization
30:09 The Importance of Rebooking and Customer Relationships
37:13 Investing in Return Business
45:20 The Impact of Meeting Room Capacity on Revenue
45:57 Growth Partnership with Improve & Grow
48:22 Making Way for Innovation at Camp
53:22 Episode Debrief with Mark & Carl
59:42 Closing Message & New Website Features

Resources

Refreshing Mountain Christian Marketing Principles

Have a question you'd like us to cover?

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If you’re enjoying the podcast, be sure to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes.