Sales Tips

Want to Increase Sales? Plan the Year Out

You will vastly improve your store's bottom line if you simply sit down and plan 12 months out. This means serious planning as in meeting with manufacturer reps to get their advice and determine what promotions they have coming down the road.

When you've got information from the manufacturers, plan month to month so you know exactly how to approach your business.

When you have the year planned out then advertise it in the store, so your customers know that there will be opportunities on savings later in the year. In other words, give them reasons to return the store.

Does your store adhere to the four P's of marketing (price, product, place and promotion)? You should always keep these in mind as your walking the aisles.

You need to be continually monitoring your business in order to improve it.

Monitor other successful businesses to come up with new ideas for your store.

Look at how the shelves of products are organized at the local grocer. You will find all of the products pushed to the front and neatly displayed. Look for dust or dirt.

Be sure your firearms are at the back of the store.

You can also get a lot of great ideas on merchandising your hunting apparel by visiting a men's clothing store. See how they display clothes and the various sizes of shirts, pants, accessories, etc. and then apply what you learn to your clothing department.

In other words, you can learn a lot by looking at what other successful dealers are doing.

When it comes to shotshell and rimfire ammunition, show the price per box and per case.

We suggest placing centerfire ammunition behind the counter.

• Dress properly - Make sure your sales staff dresses appropriately. Don't let them wear baggy pants or walk the sales floor with an untucked shirt.
• Old merchandise - Get rid of it by putting it onto a discount "make us an offer" table where you are practically giving it away. Or literally give it away to a local range.
• Remember to use reminders - As seasons approach, make up signs that remind hunters of the important tasks they need to get done such as sight-in their rifles or pattern their shotgun.
• Reloading - Make sure your customers can get their hands on presses and other reloading equipment. It is also a good idea to hold clinics on reloading. You can charge $5 for these events and donate half of the proceeds to the local gun club.