Click here to download the catalog as a PDF file. To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. Ray Oeltjen Southwick Associates’ Data Gives Businesses An Edge W ith so many consumers entering to hunt, fish and spend time at the range,” “We know that, and we’re not going to the firearms market for the first Southwick said. “As lifelong sportsmen waste other people’s time with that useless time, retailers have an opportuni- and women, with 20 years in this business, nugget. Also, we don’t fool around outty to substantially grow their businesses. But we know the story behind the numbers bet- side the natural resources field, so we’re how do dealers get to know these new always up on the issues and latest customers? What are these customers trends,” Southwick said. looking for in products? How can they Frank Briganti, NSSF’s director of make new customers feel welcome? Industry Research and Analysis, says More than ever before, knowledge Southwick Associates’ research — of the market is power, information is collected via HunterSurvey.com and king, and understanding how all the TargetShootingSurvey.com — offers elements of the shooting sports tie the industry a rare look at today’s actogether is critical. But, how do you tive hunters and shooters. obtain this information and, just as im“There are very few sources of portant, can it be trusted? information available that provide Enter Rob Southwick, founder of reliable data in terms of brand share, Southwick Associates. consumer demographics and expendiSouthwick started his hunting-andtures,” Briganti said. “I would encourfishing research company in 1989, age companies to use this information and since then, Southwick Associates to fill in the gaps within their existing has become the leading research and data sources. As an industry, we must analysis group in the hunting, shootbegin to better utilize dependable reing and fishing industry. Southwick Southwick collects invaluable information about hunting search, and become less reliable on and his firm have done extensive proj- and shooting activities via Internet surveys. hunches, guesses and decisions based ects for over 35 different state fish and on antiquated research methods.” wildlife agencies, as well a continuing Mike McStott, market research anresearch role with the NSSF. Southwick ter than most, and we know when informa- alyst with ATK/Federal Cartridge, vouches also provides information to companies tion is of value and when it is not.” for the quality of Southwick’s data. such as Winchester Ammunition, Plano, Southwick says there’s nothing worse “Rob and his company always provide Leupold, ATK, Yamaha, Hodgdon, BASS/ than seeing analysts without hunting ex- timely information that truly helps us unESPN and many others. perience embarrass themselves by saying, derstand our competitive landscape. We “When it comes to helping the industry for example: “The data reports more peo- appreciate the fact that Rob is readily availand companies within the hunting-and-fish- ple use a shotgun for turkey hunting than able to answer our questions, generally on ing community, we are data geeks that love any other firearm.” the same day we ask,” McStott said. Making Sense Of The Numbers B drugs; you just don’t know what to expect,” Southwick said. Many companies have a mountain of information available usinesses in the shooting sports may obtain market information from their customers, but don’t know how to use it properly, from a number of sources, but receiving a dizzying compila- which is where Southwick Associates’ HunterSurvey.com and tion of random numbers and statistics is TargetShootingSurvey.com come in. frustrating. Often these sales and manufacThe Internet-based surveys use a turing numbers reflect what has happened Rob and his company always panel of thousands of hunters and tarmonths or even years ago, making them get shooters to collect information each provide timely information month about hunting and shooting acvaluable only from a historical perspective. The challenge: Finding valid and current tivities, tracking trends and filling in the information, along with an educated analy- that truly helps us understand information gaps. The results are then sis of what the numbers are really saying. analyzed and weighted to our competitive landscape. scientifically “Good market analysts compile inreflect all U.S. hunters and shooters. formation from a wide variety of sources, and then put them together like pieces of a puzzle to under- Wealth Of Data Southwick offers annual and monthly industry reports, which stand their market and their brand. Basing a strategic plan on the wrong information is like taking someone else’s prescription include activity- and expenditure-specific data, such as: “ 16 JUNE 2009 ” Read SI DIGITAL www.shootingindustry.com