PDM action and trap shooting here. We offer basic training for first-time purchasers. Our female clientele is now about 30 percent, and has grown since we opened.” Sonia reported her strong sellers: “We have four really popular handguns among women: the S&W Shield, the BERSA Firestorm .380, the SIG P238 .380 and the Ruger LCR .38 Special revolver. The Shield is the single most popular, in 9mm.” She added, “We sell a lot of long guns to female clientele — mostly shotguns, 20-gauge pumps. The light recoil sells the 20-gauge, often with youth stocks. Mossberg and Remington are the most popular. MSRs were really popular among our female clientele and were building a lot of momentum before they were banned at the end of 2016 here in California.” For carry gear, “corset holsters” from Femme Fatale are the best seller to female customers. Designed for women, they hide subcompact handguns well on a variety of shapes under an equally wide variety of ladies’ fashions. During my visit, Ukiah Gun Shop was heavily promoting a CCW class taught through the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Department. “We have a good relationship with the Sheriff’s Department,” Sonia said. “Our Sheriff is pro-Second Amendment and has promised to continue to issue CCWs as long as he can. It’s pretty much ‘shall-issue’ here.” Shared Success Even in a still-male-dominated business, Ukiah Gun Shop and Harry Beckwith’s Gun Shop have flourished after earning a 30 percent female customer base. There were some common approaches in the way they conduct their business: • Gun-savvy women behind the counter, like Michelle Pickett and Sonia Lau, with whom female customers can relate and identify. • Staff who furnish women with guns to fit their hands, with controllable trigger pulls that don’t require strong fingers to shoot fast and well. • Concealment holsters in stock designed Ruger LCR specifically for female shapes and wardrobes. • Emphasis on training to accompany the products they sell, to build skill with the tools their customers buy to protect themselves and their families. These are some crucial ingredients in the formula for success in cultivating and responsibly serving this particular segment of the defensive firearms market — but there are others, of course. What strategies have served you well in growing your customer base? Let us know at comments@shootingindustry.com. 16TRIJ11414-1/2 SPEEDPLUS ACCURACY EQUALS BRILLIANT. Introducing HD XR™ Night Sights from Trijicon NEW - Trijicon HD XR™ Night Sights ORIGINAL - Trijicon HD™ Night Sights Expanded Field of View Thin front post promotes larger eld of view for fast target identi cation at longer distances. Enhanced Front Sight Photoluminescent painted front outline paired with black rear outlines quickly draws eye to front post. Superior Illumination Tritium phosphor- lled glass lamp illuminates sights in no light or low light situations. Improved Recoil Protection Tritium gas lamps contained within protective aluminum cylinders have additional silicone rubber cushioning. THE SCIENCE of B R I L L I A N T ™ . Find out more at trijicon.com © 2017 Trijicon, Inc | Wixom, MI | 1.800.338.0563 | MADE IN THE USA www.shootingindustry.com MAY 2017 21
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