Not every shopper who walks into an RV dealership is ready to buy—and that’s okay.
In fact, pushing for a sale too soon can actually push people away. But what if there were a smarter way to nurture on-the-fence customers? One that builds trust, creates future buyers, and earns extra revenue in the meantime?
That’s where rental referral programs come in.
By partnering with rental management platforms like RVM, dealerships are turning casual browsers into engaged renters—and those renters often come back ready to buy.
In this post, we explore how rental referrals are helping RV dealers build stronger customer pipelines, increase engagement, and boost overall sales velocity.
Table of Contents
- The Problem: Not Everyone Is Ready to Buy
- The Solution: Rentals as a Nurture Path
- How Rental Referrals Work for Dealers
- Real Revenue: Passive Earnings from Referrals
- Turning Renters Into Future Buyers
- Case Study: A Dealership's $28K Referral Boost
- Creating Brand Advocates Before the Sale
- Closing the Loop: From Referral to Dealership Sale
- Tips to Launch a Successful Referral Program
- Conclusion: Sell More by Selling Less (At First)
1. The Problem: Not Everyone Is Ready to Buy
You’ve seen it before. A couple walks into your lot, excited and curious—but hesitant.
- “We’re just browsing.”
- “We’ve never used an RV before.”
- “We’re not sure if this lifestyle is right for us.”
You give them the best tour, answer every question, and offer a test drive. But ultimately, they walk away—not ready to commit.
The traditional approach? Let them go and hope they come back.
The smarter approach? Give them a way to experience the lifestyle before buying—with a clear path back to you.
2. The Solution: Rentals as a Nurture Path
Instead of losing that prospect, imagine saying this:
“Not ready to buy? No problem. Here’s a trusted way to rent this exact model for a weekend. You’ll love it. And if you decide to buy later, we’ll apply a portion of your rental toward the purchase.”
That changes everything.
You’re no longer selling—you’re guiding.
Rental referral programs give dealers a valuable off-ramp for hesitant buyers. And more often than not, they return more confident, more excited, and more committed.
3. How Rental Referrals Work for Dealers
The mechanics are simple:
- A customer expresses interest but isn’t ready to buy
- The dealer refers them to a rental operator or management company like RVM
- The rental is logged and tracked to that dealership
- If the customer rents, the dealer receives a referral commission
- If the customer later purchases, the dealership keeps the sale
🟦 Bonus: Some rental platforms offer co-branded follow-ups, promo codes, or rent-to-own options that funnel customers right back to your sales team.
4. Real Revenue: Passive Earnings from Referrals
Rental referrals aren't just good-will gestures—they’re an additional income stream.
🟦 Example: A mid-size RV dealership in Oregon referred 41 customers to a rental partner over 12 months. Of those:
- 28 booked a rental (earning the dealership ~$125–200 per referral)
- 9 came back and bought within six months
Total additional revenue? Over $28,000—with no extra sales effort.
5. Turning Renters Into Future Buyers
Renters who enjoy their first trip are often your best future customers.
Why? Because:
- They’ve used the product
- They understand the lifestyle
- They’re emotionally invested
In RVM’s latest consumer survey, over 1 in 4 renters said they planned to purchase within 12 months—and most said they’d buy the same or similar model to the one they rented.
🟦 Example: A first-time renter in Texas tried a Coachmen Class C referred by a local dealership. Two weeks later, he was back—credit card in hand—ready to buy the same floorplan. He told the sales rep, “The rental sealed the deal for me.”
6. Case Study: A Dealership’s $28K Referral Boost
Sunrise RV, a regional dealership in Colorado, was seeing a growing number of walk-ins who were curious but undecided. The sales team started offering referral cards to rent through RVM, personalized with the customer’s name and the unit they liked.
Here’s what happened in year one:
- 56 rentals attributed to Sunrise RV
- $7,200 earned in referral bonuses
- 17 units sold to former renters
- $28,400 in total margin attributed to the program
It cost them nothing—and made their sales process more human and helpful.
7. Creating Brand Advocates Before the Sale
Even if a renter doesn’t buy right away, they often become your biggest advocates.
They post photos. They tell friends. They leave reviews.
🟦 Example: One couple who rented a Jayco travel trailer via a dealer referral posted a glowing YouTube review about the trip. That video led to five new rental bookings—and at least two confirmed dealer leads. All from one positive rental.
8. Closing the Loop: From Referral to Dealership Sale
The key to rental referrals that lead to sales? Follow-up.
- Have the rental partner send post-trip emails that mention your dealership
- Offer a small purchase incentive (like $500 off if they rent first)
- Keep a record of who you referred and when
- Check back in after their trip with a personalized call or email
🟦 Tip: RVM helps facilitate these handoffs with co-branded campaigns and unit-specific promotions.
9. Tips to Launch a Successful Referral Program
Want to get started? Here’s how:
✅ Choose a rental partner that aligns with your brand
✅ Offer renters a clear path back to your dealership
✅ Train your team to pitch rentals as a “lifestyle preview”
✅ Track referrals and follow up after their trip
✅ Share stories—customer testimonials build trust
You’re not sending customers away—you’re sending them forward.
10. Conclusion: Sell More by Selling Less (At First)
Not every customer is ready to buy—but almost every customer is ready to dream.
By embracing rental referrals, RV dealers can:
- Build longer customer relationships
- Earn extra revenue
- Fill their pipeline with educated, excited buyers
- Reduce sales pressure and increase trust
Rental referrals aren’t a detour from the sale. They’re often the first real step toward it.
RVM makes it easy to start today—with tools, tracking, and support for dealers who want to stay ahead.
Let’s turn browsers into renters—and renters into buyers.
— RVM Team
