The Place to Be

One of the best things we ever did at our old store was to try an “event.” In the beginning, we did not know exactly what to do or how to do it. But we were brave enough (okay, maybe crazy enough) to try and set in motion what rightly became known as a “phenomenal gathering of like-minded and other interested souls.” 

I need to also share this initially was not about sales.  It was about bringing folks into our store and getting them comfortable with the shooting sports world. That, however, led to excitement and acceptance, a process in which we gained the respect of those who attended. And that eventually led to sales.

The first event was at the original store. We were not selling much of any real inventory then. We wanted to just be a good gun range and training center, so we teamed up with Southwest Shooters, a wonderful local gun shop. The event focused on one gun company—Colt. Our guests would be able to meet the factory reps and a few local collectors. They would learn about the brand and the products and get to go out on the range and shoot one or more of the guns brought in specially for the event. We charged a small rental fee ($2) and donated that to our children’s heart center.

We named the event “The Colt Sports Weekend” and promoted it as such. Because the event was so novel, KTOK 1000, local news-talk radio station, asked if they could join in. We did not know how many people would actually show up, but like a good Oklahoma host we had cookies in the shape of guns and targets, drinks, and big smiles, and hoped for the best. 

The response from the community was overwhelming. Cars were backed up on 10^th street for over a block. Folks filled the parking lot and their cars spilled over to the neighboring grass areas on both sides and behind the building. Consequently, we raised just over $1,300. That was from 650 or so folks. Not bad for a two-day event.

We watched, listened, and learned from it all. The guests were thrilled and told us they looked forward to another such event. We also learned from the factory folks. They were incredibly professional, and given the large and never-ending line of folks, excited by the success of the event.

For the next event we paired with Smith & Wesson and greatly benefitted from the help of the late Ken Sedlecky. Ken was an amazing soul who believed in us and the business. He helped make it all come together by working with a distributor to get us 90 units on special terms. This event turned out to be bigger than the first. We raised more money for the children’s heart center, which was fantastic. However, we did not sell the 90 or so units; we actually sold more than 120 units. 

As the years progressed, other manufacturers asked to be a part of our events. We now had enough experience to go big and decided to set up a large event we called the “Shooting Sports Expo.” We scheduled it in July, the month with the lowest traffic count. It grew nicely and well over 100 companies were now attending.  

At this point we started hearing how guests were rearranging their summer plans so they and their families could attend. A newly married couple from another state stopped by while on their way to their honeymoon cruise. We set up a special arrangement with the hotel next door for those who would come for all three days.

I knew we were really on to something when a TV/radio helicopter flew overhead, giving afternoon traffic updates. At one point the airborne reporter cut into his live report and said, “Wow! What in the world is going on at H&H? There are hundreds of cars and folks down there.”  Gotta love that! The guest count eventually hit more than 6,000. 

     This outreach program is a fun way to grow the shooting sports in your area as well as your operation. If you would like to create an event, here are a few notes to follow, gained from my own experiences.

1. Start small. This way you can work out the bugs. Focus on just one or two manufacturers.
2. Plan out the “how it will work, look, and feel” for your guests. This was a big save for our first event, and the guests had a wonderful time because of it.
3. Cookies and other light bites and drinks will go a long way in relaxing the guests and increasing the enjoyment of everything.
4. If you have a range, designate a couple of lanes just for the event. Many of the reps would take guests out to the range where they could demonstrate product features. This is also a great place for photo opportunities.
5. Take very good care of the reps and their teams who are helping you. Water, mints, or small candies are perfect. Because we were open 9 a.m to 9 p.m., we would also bring food into another room so they could eat lunch and dinner in a calm, quiet room for a few minutes.
6. Thank everyone who comes in. Celebrate throughout the day, and make sure to show your excitement and gratitude to all who come to experience the event.

The Simple Truth is that by doing events, and doing them well, you will become “the place to be.” And, being “the place to be” not only helps grow your business, it helps grow the shooting sports as well. I think they call that a “win-win.”