The Pursuit of Excellence

At Christensen Arms, “good enough” simply isn’t good enough

Willie Vernon came aboard Christensen Arms last September as executive vice president of marketing. Prior to joining Christensen Arms, she worked as head of marketing for several well-known companies such as BOTE, SilencerCo, the tactical business unit of Vista Outdoor, and, most recently, Rex Specs. In all, Vernon brings more than 13 years of industry expertise and experience spearheading successful marketing efforts targeted to the outdoor and firearms industries.

One of Vernon’s key tasks at Christensen Arms will be to lead the marketing team as it strives to introduce new audiences to the brand. At the same time, she and her team also intend to cultivate existing areas of strength by growing the overall presence and footprint of the firearms market. Her experience across multiple industries and product categories, as well as her knowledge in both B2B/B2C channels, are invaluable assets as Christensen Arms seeks continued growth through innovative product development.

SHOT Business: What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the industry in the next five years?

Willie Vernon: In the next five years, we as an industry will need to focus on educational efforts across the board. There is a lot of misinformation being spread about our industry and products, and it’s up to us to set the record straight and showcase the facts about the things for which we all share such a great passion. In doing so, we can not only retain the things we love and value, but we can turn the tides and help to share our space with those who otherwise would not have been introduced to it.

SB: What opportunities do you see?

WV: I see great opportunity in the younger age brackets who show an interest in hunting and the shooting sports. As people become more attuned to where their food comes from, to prioritizing the health of their families, and to the sustainability of their lifestyle, more and more people are embracing hunting and the innumerable benefits it brings to our family unit in particular and to our society as a whole.

SB: When you get up in the morning, what gets you excited about working in the industry? 

WV: Good people, amazing products, and the great outdoors. Our industry centers around a lifestyle of exploration, consistently pushing yourself to be better, self-sufficiency, self-reliance, and adventure. What could be more exciting than that?

SB: How will you meet the expectations of your customers?

WV: We will meet the expectations of our customers by exceeding our own expectations, because at the end of the day, we’re a company made up of shooters. Of hunters. Of outdoorsmen and women. We have a passion for what we do, and it allows us to always be pushing ourselves and the limits of what was previously thought possible. Our goal is not to meet the expectations of our customers, but to exceed them.

SB: In a very competitive world, how does Christensen Arms stay ahead of the pack?

WV: We never settle. We never want “good enough.” We never aim to make something that is just slightly better; we aim to break the mold entirely. We stand firmly on our robust history and the lessons it has taught us, all the while keeping our focus fixed on the future. We aren’t just dreaming of the future, we’re creating it by developing great products that serve our customers in their pursuit of excellence.

SB: The Ram’s Club is your ambassador program. Why is such a program important to the company?

WV: The Ram’s Club is a group of exceptionally passionate men and women who live and breathe what Christensen Arms represents: a commitment to stewardship of our natural resources, a passion for excellence in both self and gear, and an unending love of the shooting sports. This group is invaluable to us, as they not only serve as ambassadors for the brand and our products, but vice versa. They provide a crucial channel through which we receive incredible community feedback as we continue on our quest of continuous improvement.

SB: What is Flash Forged Technology?

WV: Flash Forged Technology is our groundbreaking innovation. It is 100-percent zero-waste manufacturing, Furthermore, the process creates stocks and components so light you have to feel them to believe it while still maintaining the supreme durability and quality you’d expect from Christensen Arms. It truly represents the latest in carbon-fiber structural manufacturing.

SB: In your career how has the job of marketing changed?

WV: When I tell people I’m in marketing, I still get the response, “Oh, so you post to Instagram?” Which is to say, there is a lot that marketers do that no one ever sees or knows about. The role of marketers has gone from the days of Mad Men and old school clever advertising campaigns to nearly full-on psy ops. That’s not to say some of us aren’t still Mad Men at heart, but the needs have evolved. As marketers, we must be a seamless blend of the creative and the analytical, discerning enough to know what our customers want before they know themselves. We also must possess a thorough understanding of technology and digital practices and at the same time be cool like Fonzie. The role of a marketer continues to broaden. This ain’t your grandpa’s Madison Avenue anymore.

SB: How will your experience across multiple industries and product categories, as well as your knowledge in both B2B/B2C channels, combine to support the growth of Christensen Arms?

WV: Christensen Arms isn’t a one trick pony, and it needs someone who has an equal number of tricks up their sleeves. With my background in both the firearms and outdoor industries, I have an extremely broad understanding of the many ways in which customers experience the great outdoors as well as a passion for how our shooting sports segment plays a vital role in the conservation of the great outdoors. Christensen Arms serves customers through a wide range of channels, each of which has its own nuances and needs. Being a multi-faceted marketer will help me to serve the needs of both Christensen Arms and its beloved customer base—both in the present and in the future.

SB: How will you introduce new audiences to the brand?

WV: Conservation is key. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, there are countless people who enjoy the outdoors. As people become more acutely aware of the fragile nature of the wilderness we love and cherish, they also become more and more curious about what they can do to help protect that same wilderness. This is an incredible opportunity for Christensen Arms, in particular, and the shooting sports industry, as a whole, to show new audiences how activities such as hunting can and do play a vital role in the conservation of the lands and animals on which we all so heavily rely.

SB: How do you intend to grow the overall presence of Christensen’s footprint in the firearms market? 

WV: Through superior customer care and our intense dedication to innovation and producing the highest quality products possible. Customers in this space are highly discerning, and it is our goal to provide them with the absolute best gear possible. As customers continue to seek out the best of the best products, their search will continue to lead them to Christensen Arms. (christensenarms.com)