SLICE THROUGH THE ICE WITH STRIKEMASTER`S NEW LITHIUM

Transcription

HOLIDAY
SURVEY
VOL. 79
$6.95
Sportsman
NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2014
Results on pg. 8
AC C E S S M O R E W IT H B I G RO C K S P O RT S
SLICE THROUGH
THE ICE WITH
STRIKEMASTER’S NEW
LITHIUM LAZER AUGER
THE HOLIDAY ISSUE
DEALER STRATEGIES TO ATTRACT
HOLIDAY SHOPPERS
STOCKING STUFFERS AND OTHER
GIFT IDEAS
TIPS TO MAKE YOUR STORE A
HOLIDAY DESTINATION
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: BUILD A
STRATEGIC SUCCESSION PLAN
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2014
Most Improved Magazine:
Big Rock Sportsman
Outdoor Holiday Season
s a boy growing up in rural North Carolina, November
and December meant spending Saturdays outdoors
with my dad. Some of my favorite holiday memories
involve sitting in a deer stand or beating the brush with a
pack of rabbit dogs. Santa Claus almost always left a hunting
or fishing gift, boots and briar-proof pants or a new tackle
box, underneath our Christmas tree. In fact, it was Santa
Claus who gave me my very first shotgun—a little singlebarrel, 20-gauge Stevens. Christmas at the Farlow house was
indeed an outdoor holiday.
Although times have changed, and many kids these days
prefer a fishing app to a fishing rod, the holidays can still
be a profitable season for outdoor dealers. In fact, a recent
Dealer INSIGHTS survey (p. 8) reveals that 90 percent of
Big Rock Dealers report increased store traffic during the
holidays. According to the survey, 69 percent of you are
planning a special sale or in-store event this season.
Are you prepared to make the most of the holidays?
Do you have any festivities planned at your store? It’s not
too late to host a successful holiday event—and we have
just the tips and tactics you’ll need. So take a few minutes
to read through the rest of this “Holiday Issue.” From gift
registries and stocking stuffers to in-store parties, you’re
sure to find some ideas that will help with your holiday
planning.
We hope you’ll be one of the 44 percent of dealers
who plan to take time off during the holidays. You work
hard all year long, so make sure you enjoy some quality
time with family and friends. After all, 2015 is shaping up
to be a good year for retailers, so you may need that extra
bit of rest.
A
DEALER SHOW DATES
BigRockSports.com/Shows
WEST
January 5–7
LasVegas, NV
EAST
January 9–11
Raleigh, NC
EDITOR
Shannon Farlow
252.808.8274
[email protected]

Editor Shannon
Farlow spent
his childhood
hunting from
Maine to Mississippi and fishing
the coastal
waters of North
Carolina with
his father. Now
a father himself,
Shannon enjoys
spending time
outdoors with
his son and
daughter.
Sportsman is the official
publication of Big Rock Sports
LLC, 1141 Jay Lane, Graham,
NC 27253 and is exclusively for
Big Rock Sports Dealers.
Free to qualified customers.
Send comments or
questions to:
Big Rock Sports Marketing
1141 Jay Lane
Graham, NC 27253
Or email: Mitch Mitchell
Director of Marketing
[email protected]
© 2014 Big Rock Sports, LLC
All rights reserved.
BigRockSports.com
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What’s Inside
GIFT REGISTRIES: No longer
just a wedding technique.
Organize wish lists and ease
buying for Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
12
INDUSTRY NEWS: Firearms sales
6
9
10
16
aim for holiday peak, $1.2 Billion
federal conservation program kicks
off, SHOT Show and more...
WE ASKED, YOU ANSWERED:
How to make the holiday register
sing—from special ordering and gift
cards to ice fishing extravaganzas.
RETAIL GUIDE: Festive holiday
gatherings offering customers
treats and tidings can foster
lucrative, long-term relationships.
DEALER INSIGHTS: Instructors
are the expert salesmen you
may be missing. Why offering
training classes at your store can mean
more customers, more loyalty and
more greenbacks.
COVER STORY: Ice, two feet
thick. Fish, moving. Think you
can land one? 56 reasons why
24
you can.
SUCCESSION PLANNING:
Every dealer should have a
transition plan to pass down or
sell their store when the day finally comes.
mes.
Advice to help you hand off your business
ess
and walk away with confidence.
21
HOT PRODUCTS: “While
visions of [Augers, Handgunss
and Crossbows] danced in their
heir
26
28
30
33
heads...”
ADVOCACY: Why restrictions to
recreational fishing in the Gulf
may affect you.
SPORTING LIFE: We share a
34
few of the trophy photos you
send us.
BIG ROCK
INSIGHTS: Business advice from
Big Rock’s Division Presidents.
MARKETING: Earn big rewards
by pleasing the little ones who
come to your store.
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Industry News
COMPILED BY ROB PHILLIPS
NEW USDA CONSERVATION
PROGRAM A BOON TO
SPORTSMEN
The US Department of Agriculture
recently launched a five-year, $1.2 billion
federal conservation program that will
be a boon for outdoor sports enthusiasts
as well as private landowners. Known as
the Regional Conservation Partnership
Program, it will advance competitive
regional conservation projects designed
by local partners and combine existing
conservation programs into a single,
streamlined approach. The new program
should make it easier for local projects to get
funding and speed up the implementation
of programs to help fish and wildlife.
GOOD NEWS DESPITE SLOW FIREARMS SALES
WHEN COMPARED YEAR
TO year, firearms sales in the first
seven months of 2014 are definitely
down. But it is not as bad as it may
seem. By looking at background
checks, the National Shooting Sports
Foundation reports that while January
through July sales in 2014 are down
21 percent compared to last year, the
news is not all that gloomy. Last year
was a year unlike any other in the
firearm industry’s history. Remove the
extraordinary 2013 from the equation
and sales of firearms in America still
show an almost uninterrupted rise over
the past 10 years. For the first seven
months of 2014, total firearm sales
rank as the highest in the last decade,
with the one big exception of 2013.
Some reports in the national media
are suggesting gun sales are off because
people are losing interest in gun
ownership. Surveys actually show an
increase in first-time gun owners and
women buying guns.
And, the year is not over. The
industry’s most active sales months—
November and December—lay ahead,
a period when purchases are made for
hunting and holiday gifts.
ICAST 2014 A SUCCESS, RETURNS TO ORLANDO IN 2015
The American Sportfishing
Association reports that some 11,000
exhibitors, buyers and media members
were on hand for their annual ICAST
convention held in Orlando, Florida
in July. The show is the world’s largest
recreational fishing trade show and is
the showcase for the latest innovations
in gear, accessories, apparel and other
products for anglers.
ICAST 2015 will again be held at the
Orange County Convention Center in
Orlando from July 14 through the 17.
6 BIGROCKSPORTS.COM NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2014
SHOT SHOW JUST AROUND
THE CORNER
The Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor
Trade Show, better known as SHOT, is
coming up fast. The show will run January
20–23 at the Sands Expo & Convention
Center in Las Vegas. The SHOT Show
is the largest trade show in the world
featuring more than 1,600 exhibitors
showcasing firearms, ammunition and
shooting and hunting accessories, as well as
products specifically designed for the law
enforcement and armed forces markets.
It includes over 600,000 square feet of
exhibits. The show attracts more than
62,000 industry professionals from all 50
states and 100 countries.
There is still time to make plans to
attend SHOT, but hurry—it is just around
the corner.
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Dealer INSIGHTS
HOLIDAY OUTLOOK
69%
Big Rock dealers across the US
shared with us how they plan to
spend the 2014 holiday season.
Check out these statistics to see
how your store compares.
71%
of dealers say they will
decorate their store for
the holidays.
67%
of dealers do not send
“thank you” letters or
emails to loyal
customers.
90%
of Big Rock dealers see
increased store traffic
during the holiday
season.
83%
plan to sell store gift
cards/certificates
during the holidays.
50%
of all Big Rock dealers
say that Christmas is
their favorite holiday.
75%
say that November
and December are
very good sales
months for
their store.
56%
are not planning to
take time off during
the holidays.
34%
off B
o
Big
i Rock dealers
are
ar planning a
ho
holiday
sales or
in
n
in-store
event.
will stock specific
products as “gifts”
during the holiday
season.
75%
55%
of dealers do not
extend store hours
during the holidays.
are not planning to
hold a Black Friday
in-store event.
82%
of dealers with more
than 10 employees
advertise holiday
specials or in-store
events using Facebook
or Twitter.
53%
28%
of dealers with less
than five employees
advertise holiday
specials or in-store
events using Facebook
or Twitter.
of dealers prefer to
do their own holiday
shopping online.
73%
2
intend to give an
outdoor product as a
holiday gift to family
or friends.
Big Rock dealers
reported enjoying
Festivus more than any
other holiday.
Dealer INSIGHTS
Q:
“How do you attract customers to your
store during the busy holiday season?”
Ernie Plant
Frank’s Great Outdoors
Linwood, MI
FranksGreatOutdoors.com
Ice fishing is our big business around Christmas. To kick
off the season, every December,
we do a “Shanty Days” promotion. We have manufacturers and pro staff experts give
on-site seminars for an entire
weekend—it is always a huge
draw.
Marla Lemm
The Good Place
Lander, WY
Guide.County10.com/
the-good-place
We start off the holidays
by always having a Black
Friday sale that is exclusive to
the Friday and Saturday after
Thanksgiving. Lander is not
a big attraction for shopping,
so we try to put out an ad that
has some really deep sales. In
the store, we try to use red and
Phillip Kellogg
Nichols
Coushatta, LA
Nichols-stores.com/coushatta-la
Our annual event starts
November 9 and kicks off
our Christmas and holiday
season. We decorate the store
and then have a tax-free
weekend for all merchandise.
In the holiday spirit, we’ll
have anywhere from eight
We offer everything from
ice fishing rods, combos, line,
lures, augers and shanties—
anything ice fishing based. We
display more models than anybody else in the state, probably
more selection than anybody
in the Midwest. In some years,
we’ll carry in excess of 50 models of shanties. You can come
and try every single one. I can’t
name one other place where
you can do that.
We started a long time ago
and every year “Shanty Days”
has grown and gotten better. We’ve become kind of a
destination for the ice angler
because of the selection, service
and knowledge that we offer.
A lot of other people aren’t able
to adapt to the changing fishery
and the ever-changing trends.
We cater to the local fishery
and provide the goods and the
services that guys are looking
for. We find a lot of people buy
ice fishing or winter products as
Christmas gifts for their family
or friends.
green colors, or Santa Claus
and Frosty signs to help people
realize, “oh, this item is on sale.”
Over the last two or three years,
this has worked well for us.
In the little town of Lander
there isn’t a big store. The closest
chain is 30 miles away. The
closer it gets to Christmas the
more we see that people just
want to get the stuff. So, we
specialize in special ordering.
For instance, if somebody wants
a certain firearm and we don’t
have it in stock, rather than
saying, “I’m sorry, you’ll have
to look somewhere else,” we try
to get it here within a week. As
long as the customer pays for
the item during the sale, we give
them the sale price.
Customers have expressed
that, during the holiday season,
they don’t find too many
retailers willing to go find that
special item. My store is small,
I can’t have everything in here,
but if I can get it through special
order, that usually means a sale
for us.
to 10 trees decorated with
ornaments all throughout the
store. Customers like it; they’ll
actually buy the ornaments off
of the tree.
From the first of November
through Christmas is our
peak selling of gift cards—
we do really well. A lot of
people enjoy the gift cards
because they can come back
after Christmas and pick up
whatever they want. Gift card
sales by themselves do a pretty
good bit of our business.
The last week in December
is our biggest week. Our
minimum cards are $15, but
the sky is the limit. Most
people buy $100 cards. When
people redeem them, most
of the time they buy a $300
or $400 gun. They spend
the extra money. Including
the gift card itself, most
people actually pay $200 or
more. They don’t just buy
the gun; they buy the ammo,
sometimes a scope, mounts
and rings.
Retail Guide
CHRIS GIGL E Y
How to Make Your Christmas Merrier
THE TELEVISION news footage
every Christmas time is familiar
by now. Shoppers crowded at
the front doors of some large
retail store at some ungodly hour,
trampling over each other once the
doors are pried open by a drowsy
security guard.
Most, if not all, of you thank
your lucky stars you don’t have to
deal with customers literally beating down your doors like that. But
you shouldn’t think the holiday
season is just for big box stores and
their crazy deals on flat screen televisions. There is plenty of business
out there for you, too.
Peter Jenkins of Saltwater Edge
in Middletown, RI, looks at the
Christmas season this way.
“I think it’s important to plan
for Christmas and get it right,” he
says. “Even though sales may equal
what you’d get in an average inseason month, you’re about to go through
a run of five below-average months. At
least we are here in New England, so we’ve
got to make the most of it.”
Elizabeth Cowie of Surfland Bait and
Tackle in Newbury, MA, agrees. Her
store is open just on the weekends in the
winter, but she says even with the shorter
hours she gets a lot of Christmas traffic.
She says she doesn’t do much to get it.
For some customers, it’s merely a matter
of decorating, showing that the store is a
Christmas gift destination.
“My mother and sister are into crafts,
so it gets kind of festive in here,” says
Cowie.
Having what customers want for the
holidays doesn’t have to be complicated,
either.
“I have a lot of wives or girlfriends who
show up and say all their significant others want is a gift certificate to Surfland,”
says Cowie. “But we’ll also sell some of
the higher end stuff—certain rods and
reels that someone wouldn’t think about
buying for themselves. We sell a lot of
clothing, too.”
How many of those high-ticket sales
Cowie and other dealers make depends on
how hard they try to remind customers
they have great gift ideas.
Jenkins, for instance, starts the week
after Thanksgiving, leaving the hustle
and bustle of Black Friday to the mass
merchants, department stores and other
specialty retailers. He hosts a thank you
party for his regular customers to get them
in the store at a time of year when they
don’t visit as often. It’s a casual affair, but
the key to it is soliciting their Christmas
wish lists.
Then, a week later, Jenkins hosts what
he calls a “significant others party,” where
he serves wine and cheese and sets up
massage chairs for the wives and girlfriends of his regulars.
“The whole point is to lower the
intimidation factor for people who don’t
come in here all the time,” he says.
“We have carpet and flat screens and we
don’t sell bait on the floor so it doesn’t
smell in here. These are things that make
it less intimidating for them, and it really
works.”
Not only does the party attract people
whose friends and loved ones got the wish
lists, it also draws those who have already
made up their minds about what they’re
getting the sportsmen and -women in
their lives but tend to put it off until the
last minute.
“We have fun with the spouse party,”
Jenkins said. “We’re not looking to get
every last cent from them, we’re just
engaging them to make them feel more
comfortable.”
And make them more likely to come
back again for their significant other’s
birthday and/or Christmas the following
year. It’s the kind of strategy that turns the
holiday season from a so-so time of the
year into a significant money-maker for
your store. BR
4 Ways
TO KEEP YOUR STORE TOP OF MIND
WITH HOLIDAY SHOPPERS
BY LLOY D F RIDENBURG
ew outdoor sports dealers are
fortunate enough to have all
the space they need to display
their merchandise the way they want
and give customers plenty of room to
shop. But you don’t have to build an
addition onto your store to achieve
both objectives. You can do more with
the space you already have through
smart merchandising.
When we find something that
works it’s easy to rely on the same type
of holiday promotion year after year,
but opening your mind to new ideas
doesn’t need to mean increased risk
or cost. I’m certainly not suggesting
that you throw caution to the wind
and turn your back on tried and true
practices, but there are some strategies
that blend nicely with your existing
promotional campaign and can help
maximize profits during the holiday
season.
F
1 Holiday Gift Registry
Christmas request lists will soon be
prominently posted on the refrigerator
door and for the diehard outdoors
person the list can be substantial.
Family members might know what
their favorite Grizzly Adams wants but
not necessarily where to buy it. How
can you be sure that they buy it from
you?
One way to tip the odds in your
favor is to start a holiday gift registry.
The concept isn’t new. It has primarily
been associated with weddings, but
what an excellent way to cater to your
customer’s wants, help those that
shop for them and reduce the chance
of losing a sale at the same time. The
registry can be as sophisticated or
simple as you choose and can be
done manually, electronically or
completely internet-based as a
component of your website.
Family and friends simply
go to your store or visit
your website to see
someone’s wish
list. You
could
even
keep the
list going
year-round
to capture
birthdays and
other giftgiving events.
If you’re
already using a
barcode system for
inventory control, you
or your IT professional
can create an electronic in-store
registry. A unique file is set up for
each individual customer who wants
to participate. Then the customer
simply walks through your store with
a barcode scanner and scans
those items that they would
like to add to their wish list.
Encourage them to select
products that cover a broad
price range so that everyone
can find something on the
list to fit their personal
holiday budget.
It can also be as simple
as giving your customer
a printed form where they
write down the make, model and
price of each item they want included
on the list. Then set up a filing system
so that when someone asks for a
specific name you can just give them a
copy of the list. When they’re done, all
you have to do is cross off those items
that were purchased and you’re ready
for the next holiday shopper.
2 Point-of-Sale
Stocking Stuffers
When we think of stocking stuffers
we often think small and inexpensive.
Small is certainly the way to go but
small doesn’t necessarily need to
mean inexpensive. Setting up unique
holiday-themed point-of-sale displays
can help jog memories and loosen
wallets.
Getting your
employees to crank up
the creative juices and
come up with some
innovative stocking
stuffers is a great
way to involve staff
in the holiday
preparation
process. You
could even
create a staff
competition
or offer an
additional
bonus for
each one
of their
stocking
stuffer
picks
that
is sold.
The
reward
structure
could be volume
based, profit based
or both.
And don’t forget that the clearance
bin is not only a great way to move
some of those dust-covered items but
it can be a holiday season magnet.
Maybe even change the name from
“Clearance” to something like “Unique
Christmas Savings.”
3 Pump Up Your
Social Media Posts
Social media is a great way to keep
the ball bouncing in front of your
existing customers as well as attract
new customers. Posting specials on
Facebook a few times a week on a
consistent basis along with a couple of
tweets a day on Twitter will keep your
store in the forefront
of customers.
The term “gone
viral” has become a bit
of a modern mystery
and marketers are
constantly trying
to find the key to
this promotional
nirvana, but
what does “viral”
really mean?
Simply put it
means that
people found
a particular
post, tweet,
photo, video
or promotion
so interesting
that they wanted their friends to
see it. If one of your “followers” on
Twitter finds your holiday promotion
interesting, you can be sure that they
will “re-tweet” it to their own followers
and the pyramid can soon grow to
hundreds or even thousands. The same
goes for Facebook, YouTube, Google+
and a host of others.
Create a holiday countdown
where you offer a new special
every day. It will soon
become something that
customers watch for
and it’s an inexpensive
and timely way to
promote your
business and drive
traffic to your
website. This is
another strategy
that could be turned
into a contest for
employees by having
an “Employee
Pick of the Day”
promotion.
4 Take an
Interest in
Customer Needs
Conducting a pre-holiday season
staff meeting where you outline your
strategies and expectations for the
coming rush is one of the best ways
to ensure that your holiday strategy
is successful. It’s also a time to listen
to concerns and suggestions from
your employees. When employees are
engaged and involved in the process
they are more likely to take personal
ownership of the strategy, setting the
stage for increased profits and satisfied
customers.
Regardless of gender, customers
who are not hunters and anglers can
find visiting an outdoor store an
intimidating experience. The dealer
that takes time to understand the
customer and their unique needs, skills
or lack of skills, will earn a customer
for life. I know this can be difficult,
especially during the high-volume
holiday season, but common courtesy,
professionalism and customer service
shouldn’t be viewed as chores. They
need to be a fundamental component
of your business culture.
A solid promotion might get a
customer in the door, but it’s the
treatment they receive while there that
will keep them coming back. BR
EXTREMELY STRONG
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Dealer INSIGHTS
Bob Schultz has been a successful dealer for more than three decades. His secret? In-house instructors who send
their clients back to Schultz’s store to purchase accessories and other required products.
Create Loyal Customers with
Classes and Instruction
BOB SCHULTZ | TARGET SHOTGUNS, HENDERSONVILLE, NC
BY SHANNON FARLOW
WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME in
this magazine talking about ways you
can increase store traffic and grow your
add-on sales. One time-tested and proven
method is by offering instruction to your
customers. It doesn’t matter if it’s hunting,
shooting, fishing or camping, anyone new
to an outdoor sport will need some type
of training. And if your customers can
receive this knowledge from you, odds
are they’ll reward you at the register. Bob
Schultz, owner of Target Shotguns in
Hendersonville, NC, has spent more than
30 years perfecting this business model.
In this installment of Dealer INSIGHTS,
Schultz explains how you can create more
loyal customers by providing classes and
instruction.
SF: What types of shooting sports
training do you offer at Target Shotguns?
BS: I’m an instructor for shotgun shooting
and we’ve got three or four other gentlemen
who work as instructors for trap, skeet,
sporting clays, clay target shooting and
shotgun shooting. We are very fortunate to
have an association with clay target ranges
that are close to our store. We also have
a demo gun program. When a neophyte
comes in and does not have a shotgun, we
can give them a shotgun to use with the
instructor. That way they can get some
actual instruction plus get a feel for the gun
that they may wish to buy at some point.
YOUR INSTRUCTOR IS YOUR
SALESPERSON...HE CAN
SHOW ALL THESE PRODUCTS
AND SUGGEST THAT YOUR
CUSTOMER SHOULD BUY.
SF: How important is the shooting
instruction to your retail operation? Does
it help generate additional product sales?
BS: Your instructor has a captive audience
for an hour or two hours or however long
they are working with them—that is
something you can’t buy as a retailer. Your
instructor is also your salesperson, he is
your front man and he’s got a few hours
with your customer who he can show
all these products and suggest that your
customer should buy.
We’ve got people who are competition
shooters who have been shooting for
many, many years. They’ve won trophies
at national, state and regional events and
have, at least in the shooting community,
a bit of notoriety. That brings customers
back to our store because now they’ve got
a confidence level that has been established
through the instructor. The instructor is
now their mentor. That mentor may say,
“Come back to the store. You need this,
you need that.”
SF: Do you help customers choose an
instructor if you have more than one
available?
BS: I try and match them up according
to how I think their personalities will be
best served. There are some fellows who are
better at teaching children or young people.
There are some fellows who relate better
with ladies. We have a lot of customers
who are in the pre-retirement or retirement
ages, from 55 to 65. Their kids are gone so
they’re taking up this new sport and we’ve
got instructors who can relate to them. We
try and match them up with the instructor
that we feel is going to best suit their
personality or we will tell them, “Here’s the
phone numbers of a couple of them. Call
these two guys and see which one you like
the best.”
SF: How do you find an instructor?
What’s your first step?
BS: I think you would be surprised how
many of them walk through the door of
your store. You know, if you’re selling a
product that needs instruction, there are
probably local instructors who come and
look at the products in your store. You can
ask around at the different ranges or if it is
fishing, you can talk to the local fishermen
and say, “Are there guides in the area who
offer instruction?”
SF: How do you let people know that
you offer shooting instruction at your
store?
BS: In our case, the ranges in the area allow
us to put up a poster. We have information
on our website and there are posters in
our store. And so many of our customers
actually ask us, “I’m really interested in
learning how to shoot sporting clays, how
do I start?”
SF: What advice would you give to
other dealers if they have never offered
training? What is the first thing they
need to do?
BS: It is so important to have people that
are friendly, outgoing, happy and who are
truly excited about what they do. If they are
excited about their instruction with their
students, the student gets excited and passes
it along. That is what brings the customers
into your store—the excitement over
something new, something better. There
are a lot of people out there who have a
tremendous amount of knowledge who are
grumpy, for lack of a better term, and the
customer picks that up instantly. Get the
guys who have the outgoing personality
to get customers excited because they can
spend a tremendous amount of money
in your store if they are excited about
whatever it is they are doing. But they’ve
got to be excited because it’s discretionary
income, it’s their hobby, it’s fun. The
minute it becomes not fun, they walk out
the door. It’s just that simple.
SF: Is there anything that you would
caution dealers to avoid? Any potential
pitfalls?
BS: There are some age limits, you know,
particularly in the shotgun sports. Usually
for children under the age of 10 it’s just not
realistic unless they are really big kids and
even then it is kind of iffy. Other than that,
I can’t think of a thing.
JUST DO IT. OFFERING
INSTRUCTION IS A GREAT
SELLING TOOL. WE GENERATE
A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF
REPEAT SALES FROM OUR
INSTRUCTORS.
SF: Would you like to offer any
additional advice about instruction?
BS: Just do it. Offering instruction
is a great selling tool. We generate a
tremendous amount of repeat sales from
our instructors. They direct the customer
right back to us, suggest things that they
should buy or that they need for their
shooting game and they come back to
us and buy it. On rare occasions they go
some place else, but more than 90 percent
of the time they’re back to us because the
instructors are telling them “you need this”
and when the instructor tells you you need
it, you go buy it. So it works well both
ways. BR
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SUCCESSION PLANNING
101
BY CH R IS GIGL E Y
etting go of a business is never easy.
Not when you’ve spent years building it, and the day-to-day work has
been such a big part of your life. The
only way to ensure it keeps going after
you’re gone, however, is by planning for
the day when you do let go.
Succession planning helps you cash
out of the business when you’re ready
L
while ensuring the business transitions
smoothly to the next owner. Many small
business owners don’t want to think
about the transition, which is the main
reason why, according to an informal
CNBC poll, most don’t have a succession
plan in place.
Good planning, however, is good
business, and it’s never too soon to
start. The longer you put off creating a
succession plan, the greater the risk that
the plan won’t meet your goals and you’ll
lose control of what happens to your
store when you’re not there. The risk
only increases that your store will decline
should your health do the same.
So, get to work. Many experts suggest
the succession planning process should
begin 15 years before the hand-off
actually happens.
Succession planning starts with hiring
a financial advisor to help with the
process. Advisors often begin by asking
you to establish clear goals not only for
the business, but also your own personal
and professional goals. Only then will
you have a clear vision for how you want
the ownership transition to go and who
you want to take over.
There are several things to think about
when choosing a successor. One of the
most important is whether a candidate
shares your values and vision for the
company. Can you and your customers
truly trust that successor? Does he or
she understand the basic logistics and
technicalities of the job? And in retail,
of course, it’s crucial that the candidate
has the proper temperament and people
skills for the job.
Succession planning can’t be done
hastily. You have to be willing to set your
personal feelings aside to assess the value
of your business. You may find that your
store can’t survive without you. You’ll
need to fix that first to ensure you don’t
doom your successor to fail.
You also need to think like a big
business and have a contingency plan
in place in case something happens to
you before you pick your successor.
Make sure at least one of your employees
knows how to do your job. Consider
cross-training several employees so that
they are at least familiar with every part
of the business.
You also have to be honest with
yourself about what you want your life
to look like after you leave. As a small
business owner whose days have been
filled with one task or another requiring
you to think on your feet, this is a big
shift. You need to sit back and reflect.
Good succession plans are tailored to
the individual passing on the business.
Maybe you’d rather have no involvement
whatsoever after you leave, or perhaps
you don’t want to cede all your control
and income. It’s possible to keep some of
both and continue to build your legacy.
You can still run a business and be paid
for that role without the loss of title as
your successor learns the ropes.
When it comes to taxes, however,
passing at least a portion of ownership in
the early stages of a long apprenticeship
can have big advantages with income
taxes. Given the current federal gift and
estate tax exclusions and exemptions you
can use, you stand to save a lot of money
in both state and federal taxes.
Whatever the plan, all the time
you put in early will save you time as
you implement the plan. It can make
choosing a successor easier. The search
will be an intense process during
which you may look at employees who
grow and make mistakes he or she can
learn from before taking over.
You also need to make introductions,
easing your successor into all the business
relationships you’ve built over the years,
with long-term vendors who know your
store nearly as well as you do, faithful
customers and other key people.
While you want to give this whole
process plenty of time, you still want to
keep a schedule. You, your successor and
your staff should know who is in charge
potentially have skill and ability to lead
the company. Having all your goals
mapped out will help you narrow the
field.
It can definitely help if family is
involved. For instance, what if you’re
considering handing your store over to
your kids, one of whom is more involved
and interested in the business than the
others? That is who you want running
the business when you’re gone, even
if your other kids don’t think it’s fair.
Having your goals written down on
paper takes the emotion out of it when
it’s time to make the choice.
Whoever the successor is, a long
apprenticeship is smart. Not only do you
have to teach them all the operational
tasks. You should also immerse them in
all facets of the company, from customer
service to warehousing to buying, so they
grasp both the depth and breadth of the
operation. This is when you have to start
gradually letting go so your successor can
of what and when. Without a timeline,
you risk undermining your successor’s
authority. You also risk dragging the
process out and creating unnecessary
chaos.
As your successor takes over more and
more responsibilities, occupy yourself
with your own retirement plan. What
do you want to do when you leave?
Travel? Cook? Work on starting another
business? Thinking about all these
possibilities keeps you focused on an
exciting future.
Hopefully, it’ll make letting go easier
when it’s finally time for your successor
to take over. You may agree to take on
an advisory role in the interim. After all,
as comprehensive as the apprenticeship
was, you can’t prepare for everything. But
in general, you can begin a new chapter
in your life knowing you’ve left your
business in good hands. BR
ICE TROLLING WITH
TONY ROACH AND
THE NEW
LITHIUM
LAZER
BY GR EG HUF F
SPONSORED CONTENT
hink battery-powered ice augers are
just for permanent shacks? Think
again, says ice-trolling innovator Tony
Roach, who will hit the ice this winter with
StrikeMaster’s new Lithium Lazer auger.
“Many people have looked at electric
augers as useful tools in just a wheelhouse or a permanent shack, but the new
Lithium Lazer is blowing that idea out of
the water,” says Roach, a fishing guide,
media personality and ICE FORCE
pro-staffer who spends more than 90 days
a year on the ice. “I think it’s going to
change people’s views on electric augers as
a category.”
No half-pint trick pony, the Lithium
Lazer is a bonafide workhorse. It’s a true,
full-size drill, so you
need not hunch over
when you punch
holes—no sore backs
or extensions
necessary.
Harnessing
the most modern
technology available,
StrikeMaster’s new Lithium Ion batterypowered auger can cut an impressive 56
holes through two feet of ice on a single
charge. Call it the “Little Lithium Auger
That Could!” Other Lithium Ion-powered
augers boast only 40 holes in 24 inches of
ice.
“In the past, you were limited to a
certain amount of holes with a batterypowered auger,” Roach recalls. “The new
Lithium Lazer allows you to drill as many
holes as you need. This thing can blow any
other Lithium Ion auger out of the water,
as far as the number of holes and torque.”
“And of course, because it’s a Lazer,
it’s built tough and is going to be the
sharpest-cutting auger in the world,” Roach
continues. “When it comes to quality components that deliver performance and reliability, StrikeMaster doesn’t cut corners.”
Built on a proven StrikeMaster
American-made 25:1 transmission with
heat-treated steel gears and polymer gear
castings, the Lithium Lazer delivers maximum efficiency with a lighter weight than
ever before. When fitted with twin 8-inch,
Swedish-made Mora stainless steel Lazer
blades, the Lithium Lazer weighs in at only
24 pounds.
“I’m excited to have a battery-powered
auger that’s up for season-long use for what
I do—and a lot of anglers do—hole hop-
T
ping and ice trolling,” Roach says. “That’s
really something that’s never been an
option in the past, when it came to electric
augers—not for the way I fish.”
The way Roach fishes hardwater is
“pretty strategic,” he says. “It’s not just
grabbing my StrikeMaster and drilling a
bunch of random holes.” Much more than
mere hole hopping, ice trolling is a system
for fishing large pieces of structure logically
and efficiently.
“If we’re fishing something like a midlake hump, or a weed line, we systematically drill down that weed line, spacing
our holes apart—let’s say every five to 10
yards—then circle back around, following
the contours we drilled,” Roach explains.
ing requires to be effective. “Obviously, the
more holes you drill, the more strenuous
it is—the more work you’ve got to put
into it,” Roach acknowledges. “But when
schools of biting fish are on the move, you
don’t want to talk yourself out of moving
with them because you don’t want to lug
your auger around. So the quicker you can
carry this thing out, the less tired you’re
going to be, and the quicker you’re going
to get to the fish.”
With a removable 50-volt Lithium Ion
battery under the hood, the Lithium Lazer
provides consistent speed and torque from
hole to hole without reduced power or
slow-down from waning battery. Featuring
an onboard indicator for easy battery-level
checks, it comes with a
fast-charging, twohour, two-amp battery
charger. “So you can be
back up and running
in two hours on a completely dead battery,”
Roach says.
An over-sized throttle makes the Lithium Lazer easy to operate
with gloves on. VANDAR long-filament,
high-impact handles make for comfortable operation for anglers who spend long
days on the ice. The Lithium Lazer comes
with a limited three-year warranty on its
motor and a limited one-year warranty on
its battery.
HARNESSING THE MOST MODERN TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE,
STRIKEMASTER’S NEW LITHIUM ION BATTERY-POWERED
AUGER CAN CUT AN IMPRESSIVE 56 HOLES THROUGH TWO
FEET OF ICE ON A SINGLE CHARGE.
“And then we just ‘troll’ and fish along every ounce of that structure, staying on top
of the fish, knowing where the big pods of
fish are, coming back and cycling through
those areas.”
When fishing for walleyes, crappies
or bluegills suspending over deep basins,
Roach adjusts his ice-trolling game plan.
“It’s a little bit different in basin-type
situations,” he says. “There, I set up a grid
system, then systematically drill holes
throughout the grid. If I’m working in a
team, we’ll have people drilling in a certain
direction trying to find pods of fish that are
out in the main-lake basin.”
As labor-intensive as it is productive,
ice trolling requires anglers to stay on the
move and pop the top on the ice often. “I
drill a lot of holes,” Roach says, verging on
understatement. “Sometimes as many as a
thousand per season. I don’t know anyone
that drills as many holes as I do.”
Because fish don’t lug gear when they
move, they’ve got a head start on ice
anglers. If your auger is heavy and slowcutting, it’s hard to keep up with them and
stay on a bite. A light, fast-cutting auger
like the Lithium Lazer helps ice-trollers like
Roach catch up to biting fish quicker.
Not only can a heavy auger slow you
down, it can get in your head, deterring
you from drilling as many holes as ice troll-
About Tony Roach,
ICE FORCE
A successful fishing guide, media
personality and tournament angler in the
northern Minnesota area for more than a
decade, Roach spends most of the winter
season fishing in the Mille Lacs area.
Having a vast knowledge of multi-species
fishing tactics, he conducts several seminars
every season, teaching everything from Ice
Fishing 101 to subtle adjustments anglers
can make to put more fish in the boat.
ICE FORCE comprises the ice-fishing
industry’s premium brands, including
StrikeMaster, Otter, MarCum, Rapala,
Sufix and Polaris, providing consumers and
tackle dealers with a complete line of icefishing products, including augers, shelters,
sleds, electronics, lures, line, accessories,
snowmobiles and off-road vehicles. BR
SPONSORED CONTENT
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FISHING , C A MPING A ND M A RINE
Make ready for winter—from ice fishing to storage, what your customers
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What makes a great box? Different slots for various
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Vexilar FLX Ultra Pack
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An ice-fisherman’s best
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SHOO TING SP ORT S
From fall hunting necessities to holiday gifts, these innovations offer
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It’s dusk, nothing in your pack. Long day. Hope comes in the form
of a silhouette.Target at 1,000 yards. Closing…closing. Focus.
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Eliminator even accounts for your specific ammo type, adjusting
the aiming point for a perfect mark. Ye wise beasts, be wary.
H&K VP9 Handgun
Veteran engineers offer a fresh weapon.
From the originators of striker-fire comes
a potent sidearm ready to penetrate
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Advocacy
BIG ROCK IN ACTION
Sector Separation: Is it the Next MPA for
Recreational Fishing?
BY GARY ZURN
SENIOR VICE
PRESIDENT
If you live near the
Gulf of Mexico and
own a tackle shop or
are an avid fisherman,
there’s a good chance you know what
“Sector Separation” in the Recreational
Fishing Industry is all about. If you’re from
any other coastal state, you probably do
not, but may soon find out.
Much like Marine Protected Areas
(MPAs), which started out slowly in the
late ‘90s in California only to steamroll
over recreational fishing access along the
West Coast and other marine areas, Sector
Separation is starting slowly in the Gulf
of Mexico. It may be destined to become
the next freight train to run over the
recreational fisherman’s access to fish.
To back up a bit, Sector Separation is
a proposed program by NOAA’s Gulf of
Mexico Fisheries Management Council
that is targeted at the Gulf’s red snapper
fishery, of which current harvest is
allocated at 51% commercial and 49%
recreational. Sector Separation’s goal is
for the For-Hire Charter Boats in the
Gulf to get a guaranteed portion of the
above noted recreational 49% allocation,
leaving any remaining fish—if any—for
recreational fishing boats in Federal waters.
Best high-end estimates are this will be
slightly less than 25% of the red snapper
in the Gulf, and potentially as little as
no allocation and no fishing days in the
Gulf’s Federal waters for 2015. Actual
amounts will depend on how much of
a cautionary buffer NOAA puts on the
recreational fishing allocation, since it’s the
only allocation left to adjust and build a
buffer against overfishing as mandated in
the Magnuson Stevens Act by Congress.
Gulf red snapper has not been managed
in a way that addresses the needs of the
entire recreational fishing community, as
evidenced by the historically low nineday fishing season in 2014. For-Hire
captains are understandably looking for
some stability for future seasons, however,
Sector Separation is a proverbial Pandora’s
box and will have many more negative
consequences for the For-Hire sector than
positive ones. It is certainly not the right
solution for the entire recreational fishing
community in the Gulf, and therefore
needs to be stopped to allow time to
develop a management approach that
works for everyone involved.
So the proposed Gulf of Mexico Sector
Separation on red snapper in the Gulf
doesn’t affect you, why worry? If the Gulf
of Mexico Council votes in October to
move in this direction, what’s to stop
the Sector Separation from spreading to
other regions—be it the South Atlantic,
Northeast, West Coast, Alaska, etc.
and further squeeze out the everyday
recreational angler’s access to key fisheries
in their area of the country? With less
recreational fishing access, comes fewer
fishermen, fewer boats, less tackle sold
and fewer tackle shops in business in our
coastal marine waters. Seem like a stretch
or far-fetched? So did MPAs in the late
1990s in California, but they’re here to
stay now and have had huge effects on
fishing in California. What’s to stop Sector
Separation from undermining the tackle
business in your area, and becoming the
next MPA?
We at Big Rock believe that in the
best interests of the industry the For-Hire
segment and the private angling segment
of the Recreational Industry should remain
partners together in their management
of the resource, and not separate. To
succeed, together we need to increase our
allocation of the total resource available to
recreational fishing, and not just accept the
current 49% allocation. Our recreational
share percent should be based on our
economic value to the country, and our
investment in the resource through excise
taxes and license fees. BR
BUY NOW. SAVE UP TO $70.
VISIT A PARTICIPATING DEALER OR BUSHNELL.COM/PROMO FOR DETAILS.
Big Rock INSIGHTS
Making the Most of the Holiday Season
BY BRIAN PHILLIPS
PRESIDENT
SHOOTING SPORTS
DIVISION
BLACK FRIDAY and
the Christmas season
in general are gifts that
keep on giving for shooting sports dealers.
Emphasizing the right products and pricing
them to grab attention can draw more traffic
at a time of year when many of you need it.
Black Friday is a big deal for the majority
of retail stores. That one single day can
serve as a momentum builder for the rest
of the holiday season. The average shopper
spends $407 over the Thanksgiving holiday
weekend and shooting sports items make
up a larger percentage of those purchases
than ever before. You will also find that
many shoppers who come in to browse
your store on Black Friday will remember
the experience and return later as repeat
customers.
Big box stores spend months preparing
for the holidays, creating plan-o-grams,
developing signage and running national
ad campaigns to draw traffic. They often
have one promotional product to drive foot
traffic, a tactic that can work just as well for
smaller stores. It could be a slow-moving
or overstocked item aggressively priced for
promotion. The strategy will not only draw
customers—it will generate add-on sales. It
can also help reduce your inventory and free
up cash flow.
Another idea is to take advantage of
unique opportunities that will allow you
to compete with the other promotions
in your market. This year, for instance,
Big Rock is providing a list of great gift
ideas you can offer at big discounts for
a holiday promotion. In addition to the
promotional items, customers often end up
buying shooting sports accessories such as
binoculars, scopes and rangefinders, which
are always popular gift items.
The bottom line is the promotional items
you choose will help get more people—
many of whom are friends and family of
your regular customers—into your store.
If their shopping experience is positive, the
holidays won’t be the last time they buy
from you. BR
GET $30 TOWARD YOUR TAG TODAY,
SAVE AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER OR VISIT SIMMONSOPTICS.COM FOR DETAILS.
*Original Retail Price must be greater than $49.95.
Big Rock INSIGHTS
Demand More from Your Distributors
BY DAVE MARTIN
PRESIDENT
FISHING/CAMPING/
MARINE DIVISION
TODAY’S FISHING
tackle market is more
competitive than ever.
It’s also changing faster than ever. In order
to succeed in such a complex retail environment, you need a partner whose mission is to
understand your business and help you grow
your bottom line. We are working hard to be
that partner.
I am willing to bet that, for many of
you, price is the primary factor behind your
purchase decisions. But there is much more
that you should consider when stocking your
shelves. Big Rock Sports can add value for
your store in a broad spectrum of ways that
other distributors can’t match.
We have several resources, including
industry-leading dealer shows, booking
programs, exclusive specials and exciting new
categories that we will bring you in 2015. To
keep from missing out on any of these opportunities, please pay careful attention to the
emails and other communications that you
receive from Big Rock Sports.
If you have never attended a Big Rock
Sports Dealer Show, our upcoming East
and West Shows in January are the perfect
opportunity. There you will find the best
performing new products from the industry’s
leading manufacturers, plus new and unique
categories. You can also take advantage of
exclusive dating and booking programs to
maximize your product offering, cash flows
and margins.
Be sure to stop by the Dealer ACCESS
booth at any of Big Rock’s shows to get a
hands-on demo of the resources that we offer.
You can try out Brandmap, our exciting new
tool that helps you create custom marketing
and promotional campaigns. If you’re in the
market for a website or online storefront, you
can test our exclusive SiteBuilder program.
While the current marketplace can be
tough for independent retailers, as a Big Rock
Dealer you have an advantage over your
competitors. You have a true partner who will
work alongside you and provide the resources
you need to thrive. It’s up to you to leverage
those resources. BR
join us today
A Million Anglers Can’t Be Wrong
Through policy, science and conservation,
KeepAmericaFishing™ is working to minimize
access restrictions, promote clean waters and
restore fish populations.
Your voice CAN influence the policies and
decisions that impact the sport you love.
Why are you waiting?
Join KeepAmericaFishing today!
Look
L
ook ffor
or tthe
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NEW
EW 2015 CALCUTTA A
Apparel
pparel a
att tthe
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BIG ROCK SPORTS East and West shows!
AVA I L A B L E
e x c l u s i v e l y t h ro u g h
BIG ROCK SPORTS
photo by JASON STEMPLE
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Kick-start Sales by Being Kid-Friendly
BY LOW ELL ST R AUS
item and if I have time, I may discover the
accessories to go with it or even a cool gift
for another person on my list. Upselling is
easier when your customers are not stressing over their little ones.
When thinking about my ideal shopping
experience, great customer service and a
friendly sales staff trump a slightly lower
price every time. Smaller dealers can excel
at this attention to detail. As a business
owner, making your store a family-friendly
place is only limited by your imagination.
Here are a few ideas that keep everyone in
a young family happy.
WHEN I GO SHOPPING WITH my
young children, my experience can be enriched or eroded depending on how “child
friendly” the store is. A store where my
whole family is treated as valued customers
has a much better chance of making a sale
today, and again in the future.
Shopping with Kids
Shopping with children can test anyone’s
patience. Kids want to touch and play with
things, and as a responsible parent I don’t
want to mess up, or worse yet, damage the
retailer’s goods. If they are tired or not interested in the store, they quickly progress
through “Are you done yet?” to whining, to
a full-blown tantrum. In the worst case, we
simply leave without buying anything.
I typically don’t count on having any time
to browse when shopping with my kids. I
do my research in advance, call the store to
see if they have the item in stock—even ask
them to set it aside for me—and zip down
to the store to make the purchase. I may
even order the item over the internet if I
feel it’s something that I can buy without
seeing it firsthand.
Playful Solutions
There is a better way. I gladly go to stores
that are child friendly; they have safe, interactive product displays for kids, or strategically placed videos, even activities to keep
children entertained. Once safely occupied,
I am free to browse and chat with salespeople. I may come to a store to buy one
3. Create a play area
Set up displays that kids can play with.
Choose tough items to resist damage.
A camp with a tent, cots, folding chairs
and even a fake campfire invites kids to
crawl inside and explore. Use an underwater camera display to show video footage of fish. I’ve been in a store which had
a basic wooden play structure with a low
ramp, a mini-playhouse and windows to
peek out of. It was simple yet kept the
young ones entertained.
1. Show them a video
Videos are a simple way of captivating
a child’s attention. There is good reason
some dentists show videos to distract
children from what is happening in their
mouths. Being creative (think hunting
and fishing clips, nature videos) can turn
this electronic babysitter into a special
way to captivate the imagination.
2. Let them “hunt” and “fish”
Host an event where kids can “hunt”
for, or try to “catch” an inexpensive gift.
For example a teenage employee could
put camo face paint on holiday gift
“hunters.” Set up a small visual scavenger hunt. Sticks with strings attached to
plastic hooks can pull up prizes from a
“fishing pond.” A row of plastic animals
can be fun to “plink” at with a homemade marshmallow (pompom) gun.
4. Feed them a snack
Finally, kids love snacks. You need to be
cautious in our current society of food
allergies. No peanuts, please! But trust
me, non-sugary snacks such as popcorn,
pretzels or jerky will salvage all but the
worst melt-downs.
The Power of Children
If you take your children to a store they
enjoy spending time at, they will remember and ask to go back. My wife’s favorite
children’s clothing store has a wooden train
set on a small table which my kids love—
they frequently ask to go to that store just
to play!
A happy shopper is good for business not
only this time, but again and again in the
future. Take care of the children and their
parents with thank you with smiles and
open wallets. BR
The Big Rock Sporting Life
Send photos from your Big Rock Sporting Life to Shannon Farlow at [email protected]
Garrett Svir
R presentative
SSalles Re
Big Rock Sports
Doug Seelbach, Cla
yton Schulz and Pet
e Schulz
Jupiter, FL
Sergei Shushunov
Lake Bluff, IL
Jeff Moss
Nokomis, FL
OFFERS VALID ON PURCHASES MADE BETWEEN JUNE 15 – DECEMBER 31, 2014
(SEE PRODUCT LIST FOR QUALIFYING PRODUCT)
PURCHASE QUALIFYING PRODUCTS FROM PARTICIPATING WHOLESALERS & RECEIVE CASH BACK BY MAIL.
Remington®
Model 770™
$50
Remington®
Model 783™
$50
CASH BACK by mail on all
Model 770™ Rifle Purchases
(Scope Included, dependent upon model)
Model 783™ Rifle Purchases
Bushmaster® ORC
DPMS® Recon
(Optics Ready Carbine)
$100
$100
DPMS® Rifle Purchases
Bushmaster® Rifle Purchases
Remington®
1911 R1™
PARA®
Model 1911 Expert
$100
$100
CASH BACK by mail on select
PARA® 1911 Handgun Purchases
CASH BACK by mail on select
Remington® 1911 R1™ Purchases
PROGRAM DETAILS
· Only Qualifying Products ordered and received by a Retailer from a Participating Wholesaler between June 15 – December 31, 2014 are
eligible for the RSA Program. The program is not retroactive.
· Show orders are excluded from program.
· Orders must be placed at standard Wholesaler pricing.
· MUST be new orders which are written and shipped inside the program window; excludes pre-existing orders.
· Wholesaler invoices and bills of lading showing the Brand, RAMAC, Item #, Description, UPC, serial number, and number of units of Qualifying
Products received during the previous month must be submitted by the Retailer to Remington/ROC at rocrsa.com no later than the 15th of
every month during the program. Serial # may only be submitted to the ROC RSA Program one time. Remington/ROC reserves the right to
audit the retailer’s sales data for this Program at any time for any reason.
Remington/ROC reserves the right to modify or cancel this Program at any time. For complete details, go to www.ROCRSA.com.
SIGN UP AT ROCRSA.COM
© Remington Outdoor Company, Inc.
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