Foolproof Way to Always Have Gun Store Sales

Getting and Keeping Customers as a FFL dealer

This is a down and dirty guide of how we get and keep our customers. This is an easily duplicated method that is applicable across any ecommerce store.

Have and maintain an easy to navigate ecommerce website

This is the overlooked first step of any ecommerce effort. A bad website that is slow to load or unorganized with outdated content will torpedo any sales effort you will try. Your website should be targeted to your ideal customer. For a typical gun shop that means neutral colors in background, bold contrasted colors in the highlight sections (red, black) and try to avoid stereotype themes like military or western unless your shop only specializes in a certain niche market. Then, and only then, do it sparingly.

As a general rule the 25-55 year old sporting gods type male customer responds better to simple and direct websites and marketing. Try to keep the fluff to a minimum.

Images should be clear and plentiful. Videos should be 30 seconds or less that clearly outline the functionality and condition of every item.

About 70% of your web traffic and sales will be from a cellphone or mobile device. Design and plan accordingly.

Post on Social Media

As a FFL you will be very limited on the type and content you will be able to post publicly. Generally anything that goes boom or has a sharp edge will be immediately flagged if you attempt sell anything online through those platforms. The important thing is regular engagement. Content is king and you should make a point of posting regularly. Try to not get banned.

Collect Email Addresses

Scattered through your website and as a default setting on your Checkout page you should have multiple ways of grabbing customer emails. Any social media giveaway, contest, order form etc should be viewed as a new way to get a customer contact. These contacts will go into your marketing list and about twice a week you need to send them a short email that links to your website products and services. Marketing emails are inexpensive and noninvasive. They make up about a ⅓ of my total sales volume. We add about 25 new entries a week.

Follow-Up on Orders

This is one I struggle with as I am super busy just like you are. When was the last time a vendor called or emailed you to ask how the purchase went? Would you remember them? Everyone is chasing the same purchases, almost nobody is checking after the sale. It is much easier to stand out as exceptional when you are doing something that nobody else is bothering to do.

If you do these things over the long term you will build a reliable customer base that will stay with you through the ups and downs of the gun market.