Success Stories

Premium Partner Success Story: Tommy Bronson's Sporting Goods in Memphis, Tennessee

Where Product Knowledge is King

There are many ways to be successful in the sales of ammunition and hunting supplies. There are demographic studies on your local area in which you discover the exact wants and needs of your target market and match them with the proper inventory. There are multi-media advertising blitzes that saturate your audience with the name of your store, your products and your prices. And there are product demonstrations, promotional weekend sales and special celebrity appearances that draw customers into your store. All of these methods can work and often do when it comes to selling your supplies.

But behind them all is a tried-and-true method that still can't be beat for moving inventory: a good product, a knowledgeable and experienced sales staff that knows the product, and people who are motivated to sell it because they love the product and use it themselves. It's basic, uncomplicated and effective.

In selling ammunition, Bronson's employs plenty of sales tactics, including pyramid ammo stacking, displays, promotions, product demos and manufacturer rebates.

Co-owner Cliff Hunter says he prefers television advertising to print: "We sponsor a local hunting and fishing show where I do a two-minute hunting tip of the week, and it includes a one-minute commercial. It works great. It'll air on Saturday and the customers are in the store for the product on Monday. It reaches our core customer."

Still for Hunter, the best method is hands-on knowledge of the product, a strong belief in it and the ability to pass that along to the consumer.

That extra confidence can be used to drive sales, too. "I think the sales staff needs to shoot it and know that it works," Hunter says. "They've got to believe in the product. They've got to see it in action. The main thing is they've got to believe in the product and [translate] that to the customer."

And that belief results in additional sales.

Keys To Selling:

• Know Your Product
• Use It In the Field
• Sponsor Local Hunting and Fishing Shows
• Sell Your Product with Passion