As more women enter the shooting world, they like to make it a family affair. Most ranges offer the usual ladies’ night or youth classes. Offering kids’ programs has, historically, been a great way to draw in women, as most of the classes require an adult to attend with their child. So, these classes are actually family-oriented because of parental involvement.

For example, Training Manager Mark Covington of Reno Guns & Range in Reno, Nev., requires parents to attend youth classes with their kids in the 6–11 age range, and they have the option of staying for the classes for kids 12–17.

“Most of the parents do choose to stay,”  Convington shared. “If they’re interested enough to sign up their kids, they’re interested enough to stay and see what’s being taught.”

Family Classes

Changing things up and advertising as “Family Classes” or “Parent-Child Classes” may be even more effective advertising for women who prefer to learn and participate with their kids.

C2Tactical, with locations in Scottsdale and Tempe, Ariz., offers “Family Protection Courses.”

“We’ve always offered classes for adults, but we wanted to get more into family awareness and family education,” explained Managing Partner Vincent Vasquez. (The Family Firearm Safety classes are where parents and kids come together to learn.) “We try to educate the whole family about safety and awareness, and we speak to all ages. For instance, when the kids are really young, we talk to them about what to do if you’re at a friend’s house and your friend shows you his dad’s gun; what should you do?” 

Vasquez reports the classes are very popular.

“I think as things get a little crazy and people grow up and have families, they start realizing they have something else to protect beyond just themselves now,” he reasoned.

According to Vasquez, feedback on the class offering is phenomenal.

“It’s super positive even for people who have had firearms safety training in the past. They come and say things like, ‘Gosh, that was really good, a good refresher. It was good for my family to hear it.’ I think one of the bigger benefits is that all of the family members hear the same information. So now when questions come up over the dinner table, they can talk to it as a group and they’re all on the same page. People hear so much conflicting information, it’s nice to be able to educate them properly,” he elaborated.

Osseo Gun Club & Pro Shop in Osseo, Minn., offers a “Parent and Child Intro to Firearms” class. Director of Training Jeff Luther explains the class is based on NSSF’s First Shots program.

“Anyone 11 years old and older can take it. We typically offer it in the fall, but also other times as requested,” he shared. “People see it on our website and call to ask when it will be offered again. It’s also a great complement to our Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Youth Firearms Program.” 

Luther confirmed the class is very popular and is attended by many moms. 

“Typically, after class they’ll ask, ‘What can we do next?’ We have a variety of classes for them to take next and their children can take the classes with them as well,” he said.

When researching online for family classes or parent/child classes, very few results appear. Multiple ranges indicate they do offer family training, yet it’s not readily apparent. Specifically identifying and marketing classes for the family could help drive women to this type of class.

Even simply advertising private lessons for families could increase attendance because customers may not realize there can be more than just one-on-one, adult training. Women may also be more comfortable with this type of training, knowing their family will receive individual attention. Removing the “intimidation factor” of having a lot of other people around could be beneficial.

“Most of the parents do choose to stay. If they’re interested enough to sign up their kids, they’re interested enough to stay and see what’s being taught.” Mark Covington Training Manager Reno Guns & Range

Mark Covington, Training Manager
Reno Guns & Range

What If You Don’t Have A Range?

What if you have a retail store only and no range to provide live fire, but want to draw families in? Don’t count yourself out; there are several options you could take advantage of.

You could offer educational programs such as the NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program or a 4-H or scout program. 

A great program called Kids Safe Foundation, based out of Eugene, Ore., will come to you. While they do offer hands-on shooting education at ranges, they also offer non-shooting safety education classes. Parents are required to attend and hear the same information so they are on the page. Kids Safe Foundation can also bring their Daisy inflatable gun-range system to set up in your parking lot to teach safety with BB guns.

Another idea for retail stores without a range might be a book party. You could hold a fun family event presenting a variety of books written to help children learn gun safety. Some suggestions to get started are Toys, Tools, Guns & Rules (also available in Spanish) written by champion shooter and mom, Julie Golob, and USCCA Associate Editor and mom, Beth Alcazar’s Children’s Firearms & Safety Fundamentals: A Guide For Families, Parents, Instructors and Gun Owners.

Bonus tip: Providing snacks is always a plus for these kinds of events. 

Classes For The Whole Family

Sometimes women want to learn other less-lethal self-defense options and want their children to learn them, too. You can offer a variety of classes that would be useful for the whole family, such as:

• Personal Protection
• Situational Awareness
• Stop The Bleed
• Trauma/Gunshot Wound Treatment
• Tourniquet Use
• Mini-Baton Use
• Pepper Spray
• Taser Use
• Alternative Weapons

If there isn’t a separate meeting space in your store, hold the events after hours within the retail space or rent a tent and hold the classes outside in the parking area.

Resources Abound

There’s such a multitude of information you can offer to families that will simply get them in your doors, looking around and learning. If you need help with any topics, just ask within the firearms community. There are a variety of groups (A Girl & A Gun Women’s Shooting League, Armed Women of America, NSSF, NRA, etc.) more than willing to send someone to present the information for you.

The one thing all the training has in common is for parents and kids to hear the same information together so they are on the same page for safety and awareness.

Once you open the boundaries to the wide variety of educational opportunities available, you’ll easily be able to tailor your advertising to draw in women and their kids. And we know that once they start learning, they’ll want to learn more — and buy more products — and you will be right there ready to help them take that next step.

“One of the bigger benefits is that all of the family members hear the same information. So now when questions come up over the dinner table, they can talk to it as a group and they’re all on the same page. People hear so much conflicting information, it’s nice to be able to educate them properly.” Vincent Vasquez Managing Partner C2Tactical

Vincent Vasquez, Managing Partner
C2 Tactical

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