Bowhunting sales 101: gun shop

Shooting Industry, Oct, 2003 by Carolee Anita Boyles

You'll also need to pick up a few accessories to go with the bows, such as arrows, quivers, broadheads and extra strings. Here's where the time you've spent with your distributors and sales reps is important. They can tell you very specifically what you need in your marketplace.

"For instance, we carry accessories that match the major bow lines," Pittman said.

Beyond that, tie your existing inventory to bow sales. You're already carrying optics, camo, scents, calls, perhaps clothing--products that gun hunters need. Bowhunters will buy them, also. Take advantage of what you have with basic cross-merchandising techniques.

"Doing that will give you add-on sales and profitability," Culberson said. "You can use all those products to bring gun customers over to your bowhunting department."

According to Pittman, that's a key element in building bowhunting profits.

"If you know what you're doing, when you sell a bow you can match up accessories that will equal the sale of the bow," Pittman said. "When a customer buys a $300 bow, you should be able to sell him $300 worth of accessories. Plus, there's more profit in accessories."

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Step 5: Hire (Or Train) For Service

One of the major objections some gun dealers have to adding bowhunting to their shops is the technical knowledge required to work on their customers' bows.

Let's think about that. Do you work on all your gun customers' firearms? Or, do you have a gunsmith--either on staff or an outside contractor--who mounts and bore-sights scopes, cleans guns and does repairs?

Hiring a bow tech accomplishes the same thing, and is actually more important.

"You can survive without a gunsmith," Culberson said. "You can't survive without a bow technician. It's necessary to have someone who can work on bows."

It's also important to your bottom line. Much of your business will come because of the service you offer, such as tuning customers' bows after the sale.

Finding a good bow tech is easier than you think. If you know a college student who's already a bowhunter and likes tinkering, offer him part-time job working in the bowhunting department. To boost his skills, send him to a couple of manufacturers' schools or seminars during a semester break.

According to Pittman, another source for bow techs is local archery clubs. Competition shooters are pretty savvy when it comes to adjusting and tuning bows. Find a shooter who wants to work on bows, send him off for some training and you'll have an employee who brings a high level of service to your shop.

"There are a lot of young people shooting archery today who are pretty knowledgeable," Culberson said. "You just need to find someone with basic knowledge and grow from there. Training is available through a number of manufacturers."

Be sure your bow tech knows how to build arrows as well, a small thing compared to tuning bows.

"It will be a little time consuming, but you'll have someone who's better trained than the average store personnel,"

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Pittman said. "But that's where your profitability comes in."