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In honor of National Shooting Sports Month, Shooting Industry’s second annual “Range Issue” is packed with content geared toward helping range operators welcome customers and tips for expanding profits.
No one builds a new indoor shooting range on a whim. It’s an undertaking that demands an enormous investment in both money and time. If it’s something you’re considering, a trio of new range operators share their experiences with Tim Barker in “Opening A Range? Here Are Some Do’s & Don’ts.” As those interviewed contend, putting an emphasis on customer satisfaction is important from day one.
“We get so many compliments on how friendly and welcoming we are,” shared Julie Beyer, co-owner of The Range in McKinney (Texas). “Our customer service is excellent and our facilities are nice. And those are exactly the things we wanted.”
Technology on the range is changing almost daily. Whether it involves hardware, programming of target systems or management software, ranges that take advantage of the tools available can improve relationships with customers and profitability.
In Carolee Anita Boyles’ “Technology + Range Management Solutions,” Jacquelyn Clark, owner of Bristlecone Shooting & Training Center in Lakewood, Colo., stated, “The way we can track things and then slice and dice the data has been extremely helpful.”
Additional highlights in the August issue include “Boosting Summer Traffic” with ideas to bring in business during the slow season from Doug VanderWoude, and how a hands-on approach to flashlight sales favors gun stores by Brian Armstrong. Additionally, FMG Digital Editor Ashley McGee explains how the firearms industry can better support youth shooting sports organizations in “Investing In The Next Generation.”
Captivated by the phenomenon of this summer’s “Barbenheimer” event, SI Editor Jade Moldae ponders whether the shooting industry is capable of creating a similar movement. In his Industry Link column, he notes, “If a lesson can be gleaned from the ‘Barbenheimer’ hype, it’s that consumers are hungry for unique experiences and connections. Your facility already offers both in droves — let them know!”
Massad Ayoob believes there’s a reason some shops that stock older-style firearms keep selling them: nostalgia. In the Personal Defense Market column, he discusses the finer points of “Selling Retro.” There are five easy ways to make women feel at home on the range and in your store: Nancy Keaton addresses each in Arms & The Woman. Interested in adding $25,000 in profits per year? B.A. Stear has discovered the shocking profitability in paper targets and recommends a simple adjustment to the sales approach to net this gain in Best Practices.
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