|
Inside Shooting Industry’s first-ever Range Issue, content provides range operators with a look at innovative technologies, the merits of pursuing NSSF’s range-rating program, how to make facilities more welcoming to women and more.
Doug VanderWoude recently achieved a unique milestone: his 500th range visit. His takeaways in “500 Range Visits And Counting” shed light on what is setting successful operations apart from the competition — and why attracting first-time shooters is an essential part of the equation.
“We all talk about making ranges more inviting for those new to our sport,” he lends, “so upgrading a small area of your range can go a long way toward the goal.”
Older shooters may be content to plink at paper targets and mark their shots with spotting scopes, but the up-and-comers want flash and high tech. Carolee Anita Boyles article, “Cool New Range Tech,” explores how innovative systems are helping attract a younger demographic to the shooting sports.
“[Younger shooters] have been playing games on some sort of a console their whole lives,” explains Doug Hague, owner of Evolve Range Solutions that manufactures the EV-R live-fire target projection system. “This fact is where we drew the concept from, and we went from there.”
In “The 5-Star Treatment,” Ken Perrotte speaks with three facilities that have earned an NSSF 5-Star rating and reveals how the accolade drives multiple benefits. B.A. Stear, founder of Shoot Indoors Franchising LLC, poses an important question: Are we nearing the end of large ranges? Stear suggests smaller footprints in urban centers have the potential to be more lucrative than large suburban facilities. No range? No problem: SI Editor Jade Moldae considers four ways retail-only locations can add value to customers by replicating a range experience.
Making women feel welcome on the range requires intentional effort. The Arms & The Woman installment, “7 Keys To Make Your Range More Welcoming To Women,” lists elements to ensure this dynamic consumer understands their business, participation and experience is important to a facility and its staff. To expand offerings and increase profits, consider hosting range events. Best Practices explains how this concept not only boosts the bottom line, but also creates a bond with customers — and another reason to keep coming back. And in the Personal Defense Market column, striking up a casual conversation about personal illumination devices with a customer is an easy way for dealers to “lead them to the light(s).”
Discover more at ShootingIndustry.com: Easy-to-navigate sections, new products, online exclusives and digital issues are just a click away. Sign up for Dealer Advantage emails to get the latest industry news and new product introductions every week. Join the conversation anytime: comments@shootingindustry.com or facebook.com/shootingindustry.
CONTACT: JADE MOLDAE