Dale,

Thought I would check in with you and let you know that we have essentially in 15 months turned the business around here, up just under 30% over the previous owners last year.  It has taken a lot of prayer, hard work, improved marketing, and employees to get it done.  We have 4 small children (under 8 years of age) and that has essentially eliminated my wife from the business picture.  It is important for us to have employees to keep things running and continue our rolling renovation of the park.  Off-season we have 3 employees plus myself and during the busy season we have between 5-7 employees.   As far as how big of a campground to buy, I would have probably been better off if I did not have the 35 excess acres that I have and had the a reduced business loan and tax burden...of course I will probably change my mind when some developer comes in here with a big checkbook wanting to buy condos or something.  Some keys that I have found to improve our business is as follows:

1) Website - We track where people found us and the Internet is a huge percentage of our business

2) Answer the Phone - Seems simple but the previous owner let most of the calls go the answering machine.  If you don't answer the phone people go to the next place on there list.

3) Credit Cards - Previous owner only took cash/check...I think we do a lot of business because it makes it easier for people to spend their money.

4) Marketing - Internet, Trailer Life/Woodalls/etc., Phone Book (Cabin & Boat business is fairly local for us), Welcome Centers

5) Be Nice - A smile and a personable greeting go a long ways.  People will give you some slack if you are nice.

6) Attention to Details - Probably my biggest job as a campground owner is sourcing all of the parts, materials, and services to keep this place running smoothly.  I tell people that a campground has 10,000 moving parts and at any one point something is not moving.  We have just completed painting all of our buildings and by the Spring everything else that can take a coat of paint or stain will be done.  People notice the details and will come back because you have done that.

7) Employees - The previous owner thought he could run the place with just him and his wife, but with a facility like ours there is no way to keep up with the daily chores plus make improvements.

I appreciate your consulting with us before we bought this venture, we still like it but it is an adjustment from the corporate grind that I came from.  

Happy Trails,

Note:  The name is withheld.  The campground is in South Carolina.