Going Public

Are consumer shows worth your time?

By Scott Bestul

It's pretty easy to get pumped up for shindigs like the annual SHOT Show, rep group events, and dealer group meetings. That's where we get to see the latest and greatest products, order inventory, and hobnob with industry colleagues and insiders.

"But consumer shows? Sounds like a long weekend (or more) of putting up with a sea of tire-kickers who ask dumb questions and keep their hands on their wallets--unless they're buying a $10 glass of beer or a ticket to watch Twiggy the Water-Skiing Squirrel.

Joe Keffer doesn't see it that way. Keffer, owner of The Sportsman's Shop in New Hol land, Pennsylvania, and the SHOT Business 2011 Retailer of the Year, has attended the Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show for the last 24 years. Located in nearby Harrisburg, this nine-day extravaganza in early February is among the largest of its kind.

Many retailers view consumer shows as a drain on staff and finances, offering more browsers than buyers. But when approached properly, the right show can help you move exciting new product and introduce your store to a larger customer base.

It's also an event that Keffer views as a gold mine of opportunity. "I don't see a whole lot of gun shops that maintain a big, or lasting, presence at Harrisburg," Keffer says. "But it's an important show for us, and one that's an annual event on our business calendar. Sure, it comes at a busy time, but I look at it this way: 300,000 people come through that place in one week. That's a lot of potential customers, and most of them are within a day's drive of my shop."

Keffer has learned a lot about succeeding at consumer shows from his experience at the Harrisburg event. What follows, then, are his four top tips for doing just that.

CALL IN THE CAVALRY: "We keep our home store open while we work Harrisburg," Keffer notes. "So I call in every warm body I can to help me out at the consumer event--friends, family, and every part-timer that can fit a shift into his schedule. It takes a lot of people to keep our booths running. I tell everyone to wear comfortable shoes and bring plenty of Red Bull!"

LEAN ON COMPANIES: "We currently work with 12 different companies that are involved in varying capacities," Keffer notes. "Some just send us really great displays and signage that we use in our booth, and some send reps that stay for the entire show. In my opinion, this is the best way, as consumers get a great look at their new product from someone who's intimately familiar with it. We're getting bigger and bigger in this area; as more companies learn about our presence at this show, they're approaching us and asking, 'How can we get in?'"

PROMOTE THE LATEST AND GREATEST: "One thing that's really driven traffic for us and keeps people coming to our booth is that we try to get delivery of some new product that's creating buzz and let people buy it right there at the show," Keffer notes. "This year we were able to get the new Thompson/Center Dimension--a switch-barrel rifle that shooters were really excited about--and have it for display and sale. We were told that we made the first retail sale of the Dimension for 2012 at the show. That's a nice feather in our cap, and everyone was pretty excited."

SEND'EM TO THE SHOP: Obviously, having a presence at a huge venue creates all kinds of marketing opportunities for Keffer's home store, and he takes full advantage. "One of the golden rules of selling is to find ways to expand your shop without the costs of physically expanding your shop," he says. "Our presence at Harrisburg has resulted in many, many long-term customers who travel to our store now, and their first exposure to us was that show."

Create a Footprint Joe Keffer's The Sportsman's Shop has been a growing presence at the Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show each year, but he cautions that how you grow is as important as the growth itself. "When we first started expanding, we thought it was a good idea to have a presence in each of the venue halls there," he says. "That was a logistical nightmare, and confusing to show-goers. We've learned it's much more effective and practical to keep everything in a central area. Creating a big footprint makes your booth a destination spot that show-goers seek out every year."