“Be Less Busy”: Using Technology to Grow Your Camp
RegPack CEO Asaf Darash shares how smarter registration systems can increase enrollment, reduce receivables, and simplify camp operations.
Running a camp today means juggling more than ever—marketing, staffing, programming, parent communication, and a growing list of administrative tasks. And somewhere in the middle of all that sits your registration system… quietly shaping whether families actually complete the process or drop off along the way.
In this episode of the Grow Your Camp Podcast, Mark and Carl sit down with Asaf Darash, CEO of RegPack, to unpack a powerful idea: your registration system isn’t just an admin tool—it’s a growth engine.
They explore how camps can increase completed registrations, reduce unpaid balances, and free up their teams to focus on what really matters.
And it all starts with a simple but often overlooked question: how easy is it for families to say “yes” to your camp?
Quick Camp Marketing Tip: “Eat What You Kill”
Mark’s tip in this episode challenges a mindset that’s common across camps: treating sales as a shared responsibility instead of a dedicated role.
“Eat what you kill” means hiring experienced, motivated salespeople and compensating them based on the results they produce.
For many camps, this feels uncomfortable—especially in nonprofit or ministry settings. But the reality is clear: when sales is just one of many responsibilities, it doesn’t get the focus it needs.
If one person is answering phones, managing programs, and trying to book groups, follow-up suffers
If sales and service are handled by the same person, opportunities fall through the cracks
If there’s no clear ownership, there’s no accountability
“If sales is one of 12 things someone does, you’re losing sales.”
Mark points out that many camps struggle with group bookings for predictable reasons:
No experienced sales leadership
Limited training
No performance-based compensation
Lack of clear goals or pipeline visibility
Little to no CRM or measurable marketing
The result? Missed opportunities and inconsistent growth.
For camps that don’t have the internal capacity, there’s another option: virtual sales teams. Instead of trying to build a sales function from scratch, camps can plug into experienced professionals who handle inquiries, follow-ups, and closing—then hand off confirmed bookings back to the camp.
The takeaway is simple: someone needs to own sales—and be equipped and incentivized to do it well.
Personal Camp Story: From Fear to Confidence
Asaf’s connection to camp isn’t rooted in business—it’s deeply personal.
When his family moved to the U.S. for his PhD, his young son arrived not speaking English, not knowing anyone, and unsure of how he’d adjust. Like many parents in that situation, they made a decision that felt both hopeful and uncertain: they sent him to camp.
The first few days were tough. His son clung to him, overwhelmed and hesitant. Asaf stayed nearby to help him feel safe.
But something shifted.
Within a few weeks, everything changed.
“By week three, he was jumping out of the car, ready for camp.”
Through camp, his son found confidence, learned the language, and built friendships. When school started, the transition was seamless.
They repeated the experience with their second child—and saw the same transformation.
It’s a powerful reminder of what camps actually do. Beyond programs and schedules, they create environments where kids grow, connect, and find belonging.
How Smarter Registration Systems Actually Drive Camp Growth
Registration Isn’t Just Admin—It’s a Growth Engine
Most camps think of registration as a backend system—something that collects information and processes payments.
But Asaf challenges that idea.
Every registration is a moment of decision. It’s the point where a family moves from “interested” to “committed.” And the experience they have in that moment matters more than most camps realize.
Think of it like this: every parent entering your registration form is walking into your store.
What happens next determines whether they walk out with a purchase—or leave frustrated.
Removing Friction Increases Completed Registrations
One of the biggest issues with traditional registration systems is friction.
Parents encounter:
Questions that don’t apply to them
Confusing navigation
Dead ends (like full sessions discovered too late)
Payment limitations or surprises
Over time, that friction adds up—and people drop off.
RegPack approaches this differently by using conditional logic to create a personalized path through registration. Instead of showing everything to everyone, the system adapts in real time based on the user’s responses.
The result is a streamlined experience where everything feels relevant.
“Everything applies to me—so I just keep going.”
When parents don’t have to think, guess, or backtrack, they’re far more likely to finish.
Making Registration Simple for Real Life
Asaf has a simple test for good software design:
“Think of a parent holding a baby, making dinner, and registering their child. Now make it that simple.”
That’s the real-world context most families are in. They’re busy, distracted, and trying to make quick decisions.
If your system requires too much effort, they’ll come back later—or not at all.
But when the process is intuitive and smooth, it fits into their life instead of competing with it.
And that’s what drives completion.
Flexible Payment Plans Remove the Biggest Barrier
For many families, the biggest obstacle isn’t interest—it’s cost.
A large upfront payment can create immediate resistance, even if they fully intend to send their child to camp.
RegPack addresses this by offering automated, flexible installment plans tailored to each user. Instead of a one-size-fits-all option, the system adjusts based on timing, behavior, and other factors.
That means one family might see six monthly payments, while another sees a different structure that better fits their situation.
The impact is significant:
Lower upfront cost perception
Reduced sticker shock
More families completing registration
Many camps see 20–30% growth simply by introducing this flexibility.
“Most camps don’t need the money right away—but families need flexibility.”
Reducing Accounts Receivable (and Stress)
Unpaid balances are a major challenge for camps.
It’s common for camps to carry 20–25% of their revenue in accounts receivable—money that may never actually come in.
With automated billing systems, that number drops dramatically.
By collecting payment information upfront and automating the process:
Payments are scheduled and processed automatically
Missed payments are retried
Staff no longer need to chase down families
The result is not just better cash flow, but less administrative burden on your team.
Tracking Marketing ROI All the Way to Registration
Another overlooked growth lever is understanding what’s actually working in your marketing.
Many camps track impressions, clicks, or website traffic—but those metrics don’t answer the most important question:
Are those efforts turning into registrations?
RegPack integrates directly with tools like Google Ads and Facebook Pixel, allowing camps to track the full journey—from first click to completed registration.
That visibility changes everything.
Instead of guessing, camps can:
See which campaigns drive real results
Allocate budget more effectively
Make data-driven decisions about growth
A Real Example: From “Digital Duct Tape” to Growth
One of the most compelling examples shared in the episode is Camp Englewood.
Before adopting a unified system, they were piecing together their process with spreadsheets, emails, and payment tools—a kind of “digital duct tape” that worked, but required constant attention.
It was time-consuming, fragile, and hard to scale.
After switching to a more integrated system:
Registrations became faster and smoother
Families had a better experience
The camp grew by 30%
But the biggest change wasn’t just operational—it was cultural.
“Thank you for letting us focus on what we actually love to do.”
Instead of spending their energy managing systems, the team could focus on serving campers and families.
What This Means for Your Camp
Growth isn’t just about getting more leads—it’s about what happens after someone decides they’re interested.
Your systems either help families move forward… or quietly push them away.
This episode highlights a few key takeaways:
Registration is part of your sales process, not just admin
Simplicity and clarity increase completion rates
Flexible payment options remove major barriers
Better systems reduce both financial risk and staff workload
And maybe most importantly:
“Be less busy.”
When your systems are working for you, not against you, you create space to focus on what matters most—serving campers, building relationships, and delivering meaningful experiences.
If you’re feeling stretched thin or wondering where growth is getting stuck, your registration process might be the place to start.
From there, the path forward gets a lot clearer.
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