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NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2014 BIGROCKSPORTS.COM 3

As 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 fi shing 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 fi rst shotgun—a little single-barrel, 20-gauge Stevens. Christmas at the Farlow house was indeed an outdoor holiday.

Although times have changed, and many kids these days prefer a fi shing app to a fi shing rod, the holidays can still be a profi table season for outdoor dealers. In fact, a recent Dealer INSIGHTS survey (p. 8) reveals that 90 percent of Big Rock Dealers report increased store traffi c 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 stuff ers to in-store parties, you’re sure to fi nd 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.

Outdoor Holiday Season

EDITORShannon Farlow

[email protected]

Sportsman is the offi cial publication of Big Rock Sports LLC, 1141 Jay Lane, Graham,

NC 27253 and is exclusively for Big Rock Sports Dealers.

Free to qualifi ed customers.

Send comments or questions to:

Big Rock Sports Marketing1141 Jay Lane

Graham, NC 27253Or email: Mitch Mitchell

Director of [email protected]

© 2014 Big Rock Sports, LLCAll rights reserved.

BigRockSports.com

Editor Shannon Farlow spent his childhood hunting from Maine to Missis-sippi and fi shing the coastal waters of North Carolina with his father. Now a father himself, Shannon enjoys spending time outdoors with his son and daughter.

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What’s Inside

6 INDUSTRY NEWS: Firearms sales aim for holiday peak, $1.2 Billion federal conservation program kicks

off , SHOT Show and more...

9 WE ASKED, YOU ANSWERED: How to make the holiday register sing—from special ordering and gift

cards to ice fi shing extravaganzas.

10 RETAIL GUIDE: Festive holiday gatherings off ering customers treats and tidings can foster

lucrative, long-term relationships.

16 DEALER INSIGHTS: Instructors are the expert salesmen you may be missing. Why off ering

training classes at your store can mean more customers, more loyalty and more greenbacks.

24 COVER STORY: Ice, two feet thick. Fish, moving. Th ink you can land one? 56 reasons why

you can.

12 GIFT REGISTRIES: No longer just a wedding technique. Organize wish lists and ease

buying for Mr. and Mrs. Claus. 21SUCCESSION PLANNING:

Every dealer should have a transition plan to pass down or

sell their store when the day finally comes. Advice to help you hand off your business and walk away with confidence.

26 HOT PRODUCTS: “While visions of [Augers, Handguns and Crossbows] danced in their

heads...”

28 ADVOCACY: Why restrictions to recreational fi shing in the Gulf may aff ect you.

30 BIG ROCK INSIGHTS: Business advice from Big Rock’s Division Presidents.

33 MARKETING: Earn big rewards by pleasing the little ones who come to your store.

34 SPORTING LIFE: We share a few of the trophy photos you send us.

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6 BIGROCKSPORTS.COM NOVEMBER–DECEMBER 2014

Industry NewsCOMPILED BY ROB PHILLIPS

WHEN COMPARED YEAR TO year, fi rearms sales in the fi rst seven months of 2014 are defi nitely 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 fi rearm industry’s history. Remove the extraordinary 2013 from the equation and sales of fi rearms in America still show an almost uninterrupted rise over

the past 10 years. For the fi rst seven months of 2014, total fi rearm 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 fi rst-time gun owners and women buying guns.

And, the year is not over. Th e industry’s most active sales months—November and December—lay ahead, a period when purchases are made for hunting and holiday gifts.

GOOD NEWS DESPITE SLOW FIREARMS SALES

Th e American Sportfi shing 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. Th e show is the world’s largest recreational fi shing 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.

ICAST 2014 A SUCCESS, RETURNS TO ORLANDO IN 2015

SHOT SHOW JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Th e Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show, better known as SHOT, is coming up fast. Th e show will run January 20–23 at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas. Th e SHOT Show is the largest trade show in the world featuring more than 1,600 exhibitors showcasing fi rearms, ammunition and shooting and hunting accessories, as well as products specifi cally designed for the law enforcement and armed forces markets. It includes over 600,000 square feet of exhibits. Th e show attracts more than 62,000 industry professionals from all 50 states and 100 countries.

Th ere is still time to make plans to attend SHOT, but hurry—it is just around the corner.

NEW USDA CONSERVATION PROGRAM A BOON TO SPORTSMEN

Th e US Department of Agriculture recently launched a fi ve-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. Th e new program should make it easier for local projects to get funding and speed up the implementation of programs to help fi sh and wildlife.


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Dealer INSIGHTS

of Big Rock dealers are planning a

holiday sales or in-store event.

69%

of dealers say they will decorate their store for

the holidays.

71% plan to sell store gift

cards/certificates during the holidays.

83%of dealers do not

extend store hours during the holidays.

75%

of dealers do not send “thank you” letters or

emails to loyalcustomers.

67%

are not planning to hold a Black Friday

in-store event.

55%

of dealers with more than 10 employees advertise holiday

specials or in-store events using Facebook

or Twitter.

82%

of dealers with less than five employees

advertise holiday specials or in-store

events using Facebook or Twitter.

53%of Big Rock dealers see increased store traffic

during the holidayseason.

90% say that November and December are

very good sales months fortheir store.

75%

of all Big Rock dealers say that Christmas is their favorite holiday.

50%

of dealers prefer to do their own holiday

shopping online.

28%

are not planning to take time off during

the holidays.

56%intend to give an

outdoor product as a holiday gift to family

or friends.

73%Big Rock dealers

reported enjoyingFestivus more than any

other holiday.

2

will stock specific products as “gifts” during the holiday

season.

34%ooff BBBi

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HOLIDAY OUTLOOKBig 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.



Phillip KelloggNichols Coushatta, LANichols-stores.com/cous-hatta-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

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 fi rst 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.

Th e 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. Th ey spend the extra money. Including the gift card itself, most people actually pay $200 or more. Th ey don’t just buy the gun; they buy the ammo, sometimes a scope, mounts and rings.

Ernie PlantFrank’s Great OutdoorsLinwood, MIFranksGreatOutdoors.com

Ice fi shing is our big busi-ness around Christmas. To kick off the season, every December, we do a “Shanty Days” promo-tion. We have manufactur-ers and pro staff experts give on-site seminars for an entire weekend—it is always a huge draw.

We off er everything from ice fi shing rods, combos, line, lures, augers and shanties—anything ice fi shing based. We display more models than any-body else in the state, probably more selection than anybody in the Midwest. In some years, we’ll carry in excess of 50 mod-els 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 bet-ter. We’ve become kind of a destination for the ice angler because of the selection, service and knowledge that we off er. A lot of other people aren’t able to adapt to the changing fi shery and the ever-changing trends. We cater to the local fi shery and provide the goods and the services that guys are looking for. We fi nd a lot of people buy ice fi shing or winter products as Christmas gifts for their family or friends.

Marla LemmThe Good PlaceLander, WYGuide.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 Th anksgiving. 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

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. Th e closest chain is 30 miles away. Th e 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 fi rearm 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 fi nd too many retailers willing to go fi nd 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.

Q: “How do you attract customers to your store during the busy holiday season?”

Dealer INSIGHTS



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 beat-ing down your doors like that. But you shouldn’t think the holiday season is just for big box stores and their crazy deals on fl at screen tele-visions. Th ere 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 in-season month, you’re about to go through a run of fi ve below-average months. At least we are here in New England, so we’ve got to make the most of it.”

Elizabeth Cowie of Surfl and 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 traffi c. 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 signifi cant oth-ers want is a gift certifi cate to Surfl and,” 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 Th anksgiving, 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 aff air, but the key to it is soliciting their Christmas wish lists.

Th en, a week later, Jenkins hosts what he calls a “signifi cant others party,” where he serves wine and cheese and sets up massage chairs for the wives and girl-friends of his regulars.

“Th e 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 fl at screens and we don’t sell bait on the fl oor so it doesn’t smell in here. Th ese 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 signifi cant 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 signifi cant money-maker for your store. BR

Retail GuideC H R IS GIGL E Y

How to Make Your Christmas Merrier



4 WaysTO K E E P YO U R S TO R E TO P O F M I N D

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Few 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.

Holiday Gift RegistryChristmas 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 gift-giving 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.

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.”

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

1

23



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.

Take an Interest in

Customer NeedsConducting 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

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Dealer INSIGHTS

BY SHANNON FARLOW

WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME in this magazine talking about ways you can increase store traffi c and grow your add-on sales. One time-tested and proven method is by off ering instruction to your

customers. It doesn’t matter if it’s hunting, shooting, fi shing 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.

Create Loyal Customers with Classes and Instruction

BOB SCHULTZ | TARGET SHOTGUNS, HENDERSONVILLE, NC

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.



SF: What types of shooting sports training do you off er 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. Th at way they can get some actual instruction plus get a feel for the gun that they may wish to buy at some point.

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. Th ey’ve won trophies at national, state and regional events and have, at least in the shooting community, a bit of notoriety. Th at brings customers back to our store because now they’ve got a confi dence level that has been established through the instructor. Th e instructor is now their mentor. Th at 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. Th ere are some fellows who are better at teaching children or young people. Th ere 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. Th eir 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 fi nd an instructor? What’s your fi rst 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 diff erent ranges or if it is fi shing, you can talk to the local fi shermen and say, “Are there guides in the area who off er instruction?”

SF: How do you let people know that you off er 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 off ered training? What is the fi rst 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. Th at is what brings the customers

into your store—the excitement over something new, something better. Th ere 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. Th e 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: Th ere 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 iff y. Other than that, I can’t think of a thing.

SF: Would you like to off er any additional advice about instruction?

BS: Just do it. Off ering instruction is a great selling tool. We generate a tremendous amount of repeat sales from our instructors. Th ey 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

JUST DO IT. OFFERING INSTRUCTION IS A GREAT

SELLING TOOL. WE GENERATE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF REPEAT SALES FROM OUR

INSTRUCTORS.

YOUR INSTRUCTOR IS YOUR SALESPERSON...HE CAN

SHOW ALL THESE PRODUCTS AND SUGGEST THAT YOUR CUSTOMER SHOULD BUY.


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S U C C E S S I O N P L A N N I N G

101BY C H R IS GIGL E Y

L etting go of a business is never easy. Not when you’ve spent years build-ing it, and the day-to-day work has

been such a big part of your life. Th e 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

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. Th e 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. Th e 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 fi nancial 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.

Th ere 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 fi nd that your store can’t survive without you. You’ll need to fi x that fi rst 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 fi lled with one task or another requiring you to think on your feet, this is a big shift. You need to sit back and refl ect.

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. Th e search will be an intense process during which you may look at employees who

potentially have skill and ability to lead the company. Having all your goals mapped out will help you narrow the fi eld.

It can defi nitely 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? Th at 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. Th is is when you have to start gradually letting go so your successor can

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

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? Th inking about all these possibilities keeps you focused on an exciting future.

Hopefully, it’ll make letting go easier when it’s fi nally 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



I C E T R O L L I N G W I T H T O N Y R O A C H A N D

THE NEW LITHIUM LAZER

BY G R EG HUF F

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T hink battery-powered ice augers are just for permanent shacks? Th ink 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 wheel-house or a permanent shack, but the new Lithium Lazer is blowing that idea out of the water,” says Roach, a fi shing guide, media personality and ICE FORCE pro-staff er 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 bonafi de 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 battery-powered auger can cut an impressive 56 holes through two feet of ice on a single charge. Call it the “Little Lithium Auger Th at 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 battery-powered auger,” Roach recalls. “Th e new Lithium Lazer allows you to drill as many holes as you need. Th is 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 com-ponents that deliver performance and reli-ability, 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 maxi-mum effi ciency with a lighter weight than ever before. When fi tted 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-

ping and ice trolling,” Roach says. “Th at’s really something that’s never been an option in the past, when it came to electric augers—not for the way I fi sh.”

Th e way Roach fi shes 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 fi shing large pieces of structure logically and effi ciently.

“If we’re fi shing something like a mid-lake hump, or a weed line, we systemati-cally drill down that weed line, spacing our holes apart—let’s say every fi ve to 10 yards—then circle back around, following the contours we drilled,” Roach explains.

“And then we just ‘troll’ and fi sh along ev-ery ounce of that structure, staying on top of the fi sh, knowing where the big pods of fi sh are, coming back and cycling through those areas.”

When fi shing for walleyes, crappies or bluegills suspending over deep basins, Roach adjusts his ice-trolling game plan. “It’s a little bit diff erent in basin-type situations,” he says. “Th ere, 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 fi nd pods of fi sh 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 fi sh don’t lug gear when they move, they’ve got a head start on ice anglers. If your auger is heavy and slow-cutting, 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 fi sh 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-

ing requires to be eff ective. “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 fi sh 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 fi sh.”

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, two-hour, two-amp battery charger. “So you can be back up and running in two hours on a com-pletely dead battery,” Roach says.

An over-sized throt-tle makes the Lithium Lazer easy to operate with gloves on. VANDAR long-fi lament, high-impact handles make for comfort-able operation for anglers who spend long days on the ice. Th e Lithium Lazer comes with a limited three-year warranty on its motor and a limited one-year warranty on its battery.

About Tony Roach, ICE FORCE

A successful fi shing guide, media personality and tournament angler in the northern Minnesota area for more than a decade, Roach spends most of the winter season fi shing in the Mille Lacs area. Having a vast knowledge of multi-species fi shing tactics, he conducts several seminars every season, teaching everything from Ice Fishing 101 to subtle adjustments anglers can make to put more fi sh in the boat.

ICE FORCE comprises the ice-fi shing industry’s premium brands, including StrikeMaster, Otter, MarCum, Rapala, Sufi x and Polaris, providing consumers and tackle dealers with a complete line of ice-fi shing products, including augers, shelters, sleds, electronics, lures, line, accessories, snowmobiles and off -road vehicles. BR

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ION Lithium Ice AugerIce melts before it. Controlled force: 22 pounds of punch ready for your command. Re-chargeable: this drill will bore more than 30 holes, through two feet of frozen water, in a single go-round. Green: for its environmentally friendly electric engine and its go-get ‘em attitude. Frozen water has yet to see such a challenger.Order now: 2380-0084

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Advocacy

BY GARY ZURNSENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

If you live near the Gulf of Mexico and own a tackle shop or are an avid fi sherman,

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 fi nd out.

Much like Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which started out slowly in the late ‘90s in California only to steamroll over recreational fi shing 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 fi sherman’s access to fi sh.

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 fi shery, 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 fi sh—if any—for recreational fi shing 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 fi shing days in the Gulf ’s Federal waters for 2015. Actual amounts will depend on how much of a cautionary buff er NOAA puts on the recreational fi shing allocation, since it’s the only allocation left to adjust and build a buff er against overfi shing 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 fi shing community, as evidenced by the historically low nine-day fi shing 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 fi shing 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 aff ect 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 fi sheries in their area of the country? With less

recreational fi shing access, comes fewer fi shermen, 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 eff ects on fi shing 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 fi shing, 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

BIG ROCK IN ACTION

Sector Separation: Is it the Next MPA for Recreational Fishing?


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Big Rock INSIGHTS

Making the Most of the Holiday SeasonBY BRIAN PHILLIPSPRESIDENT 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 traffi c at a time of year when many of you need it.

Black Friday is a big deal for the majority of retail stores. Th at one single day can serve as a momentum builder for the rest of the holiday season. Th e average shopper spends $407 over the Th anksgiving holiday weekend and shooting sports items make

up a larger percentage of those purchases than ever before. You will also fi nd 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 traffi c. Th ey often have one promotional product to drive foot traffi c, a tactic that can work just as well for smaller stores. It could be a slow-moving or overstocked item aggressively priced for promotion. Th e strategy will not only draw customers—it will generate add-on sales. It can also help reduce your inventory and free up cash fl ow.

Another idea is to take advantage of unique opportunities that will allow you to compete with the other promotions in your market. Th is year, for instance, Big Rock is providing a list of great gift ideas you can off er 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 rangefi nders, which are always popular gift items.

Th e 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

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Demand More from Your Distributors

Big Rock INSIGHTS

BY DAVE MARTINPRESIDENT 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 environ-ment, 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 op-portunities, 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. Th ere you will fi nd 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 off ering, cash fl ows 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 off er. 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

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Why are you waiting?Join KeepAmericaFishing today!

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photo by JASON STEMPLE

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Kick-start Sales by Being Kid-Friendly BY L OW ELL ST R AUS

WHEN I GO SHOPPING WITH my young children, my experience can be en-riched 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 KidsShopping 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 in-terested 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 fi rsthand.

Playful SolutionsTh ere is a better way. I gladly go to stores that are child friendly; they have safe, in-teractive product displays for kids, or strate-gically placed videos, even activities to keep children entertained. Once safely occupied, I am free to browse and chat with sales-people. I may come to a store to buy one

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 stress-ing 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.

1. Show them a videoVideos are a simple way of captivating a child’s attention. Th ere is good reason some dentists show videos to distract children from what is happening in their mouths. Being creative (think hunting and fi shing clips, nature videos) can turn this electronic babysitter into a special way to captivate the imagination.

2. Let them “hunt” and “fi sh”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 scaven-ger hunt. Sticks with strings attached to plastic hooks can pull up prizes from a “fi shing pond.” A row of plastic animals can be fun to “plink” at with a home-made marshmallow (pompom) gun.

3. Create a play areaSet 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 campfi re invites kids to crawl inside and explore. Use an under-water camera display to show video foot-age of fi sh. 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.

4. Feed them a snackFinally, 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.

Th e Power of ChildrenIf you take your children to a store they enjoy spending time at, they will remem-ber 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 LifeSend photos from your Big Rock Sporting Life to Shannon Farlow at [email protected]

Jeff Moss Nokomis, FL

Garrett SvirSales Representative

Big Rock Sports

Doug Seelbach, Clayton Schulz and Pete SchulzJupiter, FL

Sergei ShushunovLake Bluff, IL

Sergei ShushunovGarrett Svir

S l R tative

Doug Seelbach, Clayton Schulz and Pete SchulzJupiter FL


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