How Firearm Retail & Range Centers Win
Featuring a modern, open floor plan, Magnum Shooting Center maintains diverse inventory. At a glance, this organized
presentation helps make the store more inviting for customers to peruse products.
Retail sales are challenging, but firearms retail sales can be daunting. We have all watched good stores fail in recent years due to political challenges and internal missteps. There is a new crop of gun enthusiasts in the market these days and paying attention to the fact that firearm sales aren’t only made to “good ol’ boys” is also essential.
I spend a fair amount of time in gun stores reviewing products and using their shooting ranges. I also worked at Magnum Shooting Center, a major retailer/range, for five years in both sales and executive administration in Colorado Springs, Colo. I have seen the challenges gun stores face firsthand and know something about navigating retail firearm sales.
First Impressions
Creating a welcoming store isn’t difficult but understanding you want to invite men and women of all ages, ethnicities and skill levels means you should consider what people encounter when they connect with your business.
• Phone Etiquette: My favorite gun stores answer their phones. Wait, don’t they all? Nope, they don’t. When possible, set a company goal of answering phones in less than three rings.
Listen to how your salespeople answer the phone. Are they friendly and welcoming? Do they identify your business and speak clearly? Have them practice smiling on the phone whenever they answer. A smile truly does reach through the phone.
• Clear Signage & A Clean Parking Lot: A clean, well-lit parking lot free of weeds and trash, with attractive, clear signage, goes a long way to making a customer feel welcome. Can you see your business sign from the road? Are your hours of operation posted? How about adding a lighted “Open/Closed” sign?
• Welcoming Entrance & An Inviting, Well-Laid-Out Store: Have someone not related to your business do a walkthrough to help spot problems with a fresh eye. We often see the same things repeatedly and fail to notice them anymore. Are your shelves clean, orderly and well stocked by category? Are product signs well-marked and professional-looking?
(Be careful of your décor. That sexy poster or girly calendar might have been great in the past, but is it pushing professional sales and comfort to everyone coming into your store?)
Sales Training & Vendor Representatives
Successful salespeople understand sales are created by forging a relationship with the customer. Knowing about guns doesn’t necessarily make your staff good at sales and customer service.
Pay attention to good salespeople when you are out in public, and what makes you want to hand over your hard-earned dollars. Impart this wisdom with your staff and get them professional training if necessary. Offer your salespeople resources to take a class, read books or watch sales training videos. There are oodles of resources available. It only takes a short Google hop to see what is out there.
Pro tip: Take advantage of your manufacturer sales representatives. I have seen gun store staff get annoyed by having sales reps call on them. But why not turn them into valuable tools for building your business? Require sales staff to sit with them and experience their products so they can better highlight the features.
Invite reps to give seminars to your customers or even create an event and have several of them bring swag and hire some food trucks. If salespeople don’t know why a product is impressive, what’s the point in offering it?
Marketing To The Ladies
In the past 15–20 years, the industry has welcomed women in a big way to a traditionally male space. Gun stores want customers of all shapes and sizes, and most stores welcome all customers, but I also see stores misstep when marketing to women. Welcoming women into your store is not about telling them what they need, but giving them the information to choose products for themselves.
• Ditch The Stereotype: Women prioritize performance, reliability and comfort over color and shine. Offering only gimmicky pink or purple choices is insulting. Present various options and let them decide what feels best and raises their confidence.
• Don’t Assume Knowledge Level: Make it your mission when a couple enters your store to not only speak to the man, thereby assuming the woman is only there as clueless eye candy. I have personally been talked down to or ignored when I enter a gun store with a man when I am the more experienced purchaser. You don’t know, so don’t assume.
• Hire Female Staff Members If Possible: We women are pack animals and love to share and experience things together. We compare notes on everything, and a one-on-one with a knowledgeable new friend will increase your bottom line and bring them back. Many excellent men teach women, but good female salespeople can be a tremendous asset.
• Take A Genuine Interest In Stocking Female-Friendly Products: This will require homework and input from your female customers. Don’t just stock some pink guns, throw a rack of sparkly concealed carry purses on the wall and call it a day. Offer guidance on comfortable carry options, storage solutions and safety gear.
Host female-focused events and classes and partner with local women’s organizations to co-host self-defense seminars, intro to firearms training, ladies’ nights and more. Build a sisterhood.
Don’t Skimp On Good Advertising
When the gun industry experiences tough times, shop owners can panic, and frequently, the first thing cut is the advertising budget. It’s scary to spend dollars that don’t seem to give a visual ROI.
When times get tough, get creative and promote more. You might not have as large of a budget, but adding things such as loyalty programs and thank-you events help bring customers back in the door during harder times.
Todd Lockburner, COO of Magnum Shooting Center, said, “When things get slow, gun shops cut their advertising budgets — and that’s a big mistake. They must make a big effort to continue engaging customers via email campaigns, radio advertisements, TV and text messages.”
Melissa Lockburner, senior manager of Magnum Shooting Center, offered the following idea: “When searching for cost-effective ways to engage with customers, consider using texting services such as OtterText. These services can keep you in constant communication with your customers, providing updates on new products, promotions and events. This can significantly improve customer engagement and keep your business on their mind.”
Consider NSSF Resources
NSSF has a wide variety of programs and resources to help gun shops grow and stay informed of changes in the firearm industry. NSSF puts on the coveted trade-only SHOT Show and welcomes thousands of industry professionals to view and learn about new products and practices each January.
NSSF offers an opportunity to add your store and shooting center to its prestigious Star Rating system. The Star Rating gives customers confidence that your business is held to a higher standard. Range/retail centers can apply to receive a 3-star, 4-star or 5-star rating.
One of the best tools we used at Magnum Shooting Center was the NSSF Star Rating system application. It is a thorough guide to help indoor retail and range businesses and has an application for outdoor ranges. There are four categories (Appearance, Management, Shooting Sports Development and Amenities) for the rating, with in-depth sections for each category. Even if you don’t want to be a part of the rating system, using the application as a business checklist is invaluable.
Zach Snow, NSSF director of member development, noted, “I encourage gun centers to ‘strive for five’ on the application. The checklist is especially useful in helping centers identify gaps in their operations.”
Find out more about the NSSF Star Rating system: nssf.org.
NSSF’s Premium Range Membership is available for both range and retail members. It offers many benefits, including mock OSHA inspections and a mock ATF compliance audit to help your center identify potential problems.
Keep Up The Good Work
Running a successful gun store and range is challenging, but the rewards are numerous. Meeting wonderful people, sharing products and expertise to keep them safe or to find a new hobby is to fully appreciate your purpose. Creating ways to succeed is important. Using some of these tips will enhance customer engagement — and your bottom line.
