How would you describe your best customer? I’d be willing to bet that many readers of this publication would start with words like passionate, serious, or dedicated. You may even start building the picture in your mind of the man or woman who always has the latest gear, spends hours a day behind the bow or scouting their favorite piece of hunting property. Without fail, they are in the woods or on the tournament line every weekend. While this may be exactly what you want in a customer, remember that for every die-hard archer or bowhunter, there are countless casual hunters and recreational archers that play a big part in paying the bills and protecting our sport.
At this time of the year, when many archery businesses are at their busiest, it’s natural to focus all of our time and energy on meeting the needs of that devoted customer. But, there are several reasons why the casual customer deserves just as much attention.
One of the biggest hurdles in the future of our industry is reduced access to hunting land and overly restrictive regulations that make it difficult for the average person to hunt or shoot. How do we combat this? Power in numbers – more people who consider themselves archers and hunters who advocate for our sport and vote accordingly. How do we keep these folks picking up their bow every now and then and keep them actively engaged with preserving the sport? Make them feel welcome and important to your business. Encourage these customers to keep participating in a way that is fun, and make it known that a person doesn’t need to be “serious” to be part of our community. This is one of the fundamental goals of our Bowhunters United membership organization – welcome all bowhunters, no matter how they participate or what archery equipment they choose to use. Taking this approach means garnering a wider audience and ultimately more influence on our government agencies to act in the best interests of archers and bowhunters. Bowhunters United membership is free for you and your customers at bowhuntersunited.com.
Casual customers likely have less focus on the intricacies of their equipment, but may be more keenly aware of how they are served by a brand or retail business. While a serious archer may overlook a less-than-perfect interaction with an employee (as long as their equipment is setup perfectly), the casual customer will be much less tolerant of a similar situation. It’s likely they spend less time in your store or interacting with your brand, so you need to make it positive! What’s the gain? The casual customer who is treated well and feels valued will be an advocate for your business. They may have friends or acquaintances in their circle who pursue outdoor recreation in similar ways, and they will surely talk about a brand or business that has treated them well. In our “Best of Masterclass – Business Operations Excellence” on the ATA Learning Center, we talk about the lifetime value of a customer. And one of the most important aspects in this equation is how many additional customers will be created as a result of word-of-mouth advertising. Remember, you’re not just selling that entry level bow to the customer. You are selling it to everyone they know as well. ATA members have access to the learning center and can view this Masterclass as well as others anytime.
Casual customers contribute to conservation and shooting opportunities. This isn’t a new notion, but I was reminded by a recent Outdoor Life article “Quit Expecting Every Hunter to Be So Hardcore. We Need Casual Hunters, Too”. The author, Christine Peterson, shines a light on the fact that those who hunt once a year still buy a license that helps fund state wildlife agencies. Those people also purchase equipment that is subject to Federal Excise Taxes. In our case, most archery equipment is taxed under the Pittman-Robertson Act which collects funds on equipment sales that are in turn allocated to states to use for conservation, hunter education and recruitment, and improvements to shooting opportunities. While their purchases may not equal the same dollar value of the more serious archer or bowhunter, they are helping move the needle in the right direction. Through our government relations efforts, the ATA works tirelessly to ensure excise tax dollars are used in effective ways. But we are also currently working to help level the playing field for our manufacturer members who diligently remit tax dollars by closing a loophole that is allowing foreign sellers to bypass the system through online sellers. Success in this effort will help domestic manufacturers compete more fairly with foreign entities while increasing dollars available to states to further invest in the future of archery and bowhunting.
Now that we talked about the “why”…let’s talk “how”. How do you show the weekend warrior, the casual customer, that they are valued? First of all, take a genuine interest in how they participate and why they enjoy getting out when they can. Don’t turn every conversation or social media post into a competition, but instead celebrate the lifestyle by talking about and showcasing folks who are casual hunters and archers. Next, take a hard look at your product offerings to see if you are making or stocking equipment that fits into their lifestyle and budget. Most occasional hunters and shooters are perfectly fine with .006” straightness tolerance arrows or a bow with plastic limb pockets. But don’t just stock it, get excited about selling it when it perfectly fulfills their need. And lastly, express gratitude freely with this crowd. Too often, casual participants in any sport feel shunned by the elites. Thank the customer that spends $50 on a set of arrows just as much as you do the one that spends $2,000 on a new flagship bow. Doing so will not only increase your chances of getting them back, but also the likelihood they will continue to be advocates and contributors to our sport for years to come.
Questions? Contact me directly at kurtsmith@archerytrade.org.
WE ARE HERE TO HELP THE INDUSTRY, TO HELP INDIVIDUAL BUSINESSES GET THE MOST OUT OF THE INDUSTRY, AND TO HELP YOU.
