Archery Shop Sales Tips
There are few things more difficult to control in a retailer’s day than time. Along with managing employees, tracking inventory and responding to customers, many managers and salespeople barely have a clue when it comes to tracking just how much is involved to make a sale. Your time investment in a customer is often just a perception—or even a blurry guess. Then, when late summer comes and the counter activity is brisk, some shops are just trying to get through the day.
Archery Business asked four shops near the peak of their pre-season to follow the sale of a bow priced above $600 from beginning to end. They tracked the time with the customer at the counter, how long the bow was on the tuning bench, and the time spent at the target. Other considerations included accessories sold and any related giveaways.
The Shops
Our four experienced retailers totaled 95 combined years in the bow business. They included A-1 Archery, in Hudson, Wisconsin; Brian’s Archery, in Barrington, New Hampshire; Mark’s Outdoors, of Birmingham, Alabama; and Two Bears Archery, in Springfield, Illinois.
Archery Business created a time sheet and asked each retailer to track the sales of two different bows during one of the busiest days of late August. Three of the stores were exclusively archery shops that sell some softgoods and hunting accessories, while Mark’s Outdoors is a full-line hunting and fishing dealer with an archery-dedicated pro shop.
Critical First Meetings
Every aspect of the first interaction that starts at the counter will determine the outcome of the sale. Like many parts of the survey, each of the stores had the same overall goals—but approached them quite differently. Everyone agreed that closing the sale during the first visit was the goal. Once serious buyer intentions were identified, the sale could be closed on average 75 percent of the time during prime season.
Not every store sold their “high-end” bows exclusively to existing customers.
“I really hate to see it happen, but we’ve had a lot of shops close in our area. That has driven in customers we’ve never seen before looking for product. Two years ago, nearly 90 percent of our premium-selling bows were sold to existing customers. This season it’s about 50-50,” said Brian Brochu, owner of Brian’s Archery.
All the dealers stress to their counter people that listening is a must-have skill set.
“We find out what the customers like to do and how they like to do it. We become their friends and look for ways to make an honest connection. Most importantly, we listen to their stories with respect. Being engaged with the customer about his first big deer, or the one he missed last year, is all part of determining what they need and want. Sometimes listening to a golf story, or about their kid going away to college, can be just as important as the 150-inch deer they killed two years ago,” said Bill Volkert, manager at A-1 Archery.
Time is of the essence, but Volkert did mention that his customers responded to the pressure of a busy store. “When a guy walks in and sees the counter is three-deep, there is a heightened sense of urgency. We’ve found that when the shop is full, a customer will commit to a large sale quickly. We use the off-season time to foster those relationships, and the ‘in-season’ time to close the sale,” said Volkert.
At Mark’s, the goal is to lock the sale expediently. Like A-1, a fast pace at the counter seems to close more bows. “Our counter guys have regular weekly sales meetings, and we’ll always review closing techniques. Closing the sale is part of the crucial vocabulary. Each person in the pro shop understands it and responds to it,” said Mark Whitlock, owner.
“A closing phrase like, ‘What accessories do you want with your bow?’ has proven effective. There’s always an interest in the customers’ activities; however this staff makes an effort to only engage in small talk and stories when there are few customers in the store.”
Whitlock also mentioned that unwanted employee behavior—such as responding to a text message when talking to a customer—can be a first-class ticket to the unemployment line.
When Two Bears Archery is on the hunt to close a premium bow, the technique is simple:
Ask questions. “We find out what they’re shooting and why they might be looking for a new bow. In most cases, we’re pretty sure what they’re going to do, in about five minutes,” said Darin Brauer, owner.
When it comes to a customer who has his mind set on a specific bow, Brauer is careful to only push so far. “Younger customers can be totally obsessed with speed and short-braced bows. Unfortunately, the product they’re dreaming of may be just beyond their skill level. If that conflict arises, we are very gentle to let them know that they may not enjoy a bow that’s so unforgiving. As the season progresses, if they find that shots much past 30 yards are out of their reach, we never say ‘I told you so,’ and make it as easy for them as possible to get into the right product. From that point on, we’ve built the necessary trust to create a loyal customer,” said Brauer.
At A-1 Archery, each staff member has been in the store a minimum of five years, and most sales are followed to the tech bench by the same person who sold the bow. “We can’t always follow the sale through the bench when it’s a madhouse, but everyone in our shop is highly capable. We usually can move a bow through in about 30 minutes,” said Volkert.
