Dealers who know their market reap rewards.

Statistics put the women's market at about 10 percent of the shooting population and the numbers continue to increase. As of 2005, more than 3.4 million women hunt, representing slightly more than 16 percent of the entire hunting population, according to National Sporting Goods Association statistics. Of that 3.4 million, 786,000 hunt with bows. The average age of women hunters is 34.4 years. The same statistics show there are 5 million women target shooters, or 15.5 percent of the target shooting population. Women aren't being left out of the paintball market either, comprising about 12 percent of that market.

Armed with these statistics, it's easy to appreciate the growth in the women's market, as well as its untapped potential. There are several programs that introduce women to the shooting sports, but once the introduction has been made, it's the dealers' time to shine. Your expertise, products and love of the shooting sports can be passed on to new women shooters, creating loyal customers and ensuring the future of the shooting sports.

Gun Smoke Outdoor Sports sales representative Joe Moore said the women's market is growing in his area and that most of the firearms bought for or by women are primarily for hunting.

"The Ruger 77 MK II compact and Remington Model 7 are the more popular choices in this market segment," he said. Moore attributes the rifles' popularity to the fact that they are readily available, they have the most variations in cartridges and calibers, and the guns are good quality.

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"The guns fit people well and ladies like the styling," he said. "Most women are after comfort, a light weight and price point."

Gun Smoke Outdoor Sports is located in a rural, agricultural area in Belle Fourche, S.D. Moore said there is about 1,800 square feet of retail space and the store's owners, Bill Mason and Steve Job, work hard to maximize the space.

"This part of the world is pretty unisex when it comes to guns. Women here don't care if a gun is made for women. They just want it to work," Moore said.

Gun Smoke Outdoor Sports stocks basic, quality firearms and the staff is willing to special order any exotic guns or accessories they don't carry. "We'll take the time to find them exactly what they want," said Moore.

This is a great strategy for any firearm dealer who has always wanted to better serve women customers, but has felt he just doesn't have the shelf space. By stocking basic, quality goods that meet most shooters needs, you can usually satisfy customers who are in a hurry to make a purchase. If female customers want something you don't carry, you can always special order it and both of you benefit.

Quality is very important to women shoppers, Moore noted, saying that Leupolds are some of their best-selling scopes because of the company's lifetime warranty. The warranty covers manufacturers defects as well as some man-made errors, "which is definitely value added," he said.

When it comes to ammunition, Moore said price point is always important and his best sellers tend to be the least expensive. "The .243 is always popular and we sell some of the .308. Federal Fusion and Remington Cor-Lok sell well. Overall, the Federal Fusion has been popular," Moore said.

Selling Archery Products

Archery is also an important part of Gun Smoke Outdoor Sports' sales.

"We have about half a dozen avid female bow hunters and more are getting into archery each year," he said. "We are constantly working to build our market share. With time and reputation, we have grown the number of lady shooters to about 10 percent of our steady archery customers. As we move into more markets and get our name further out into the area as a reliable, fair, honest and courteous store, the number of women has increased."

Statistics and dealer experience show that the women's market is a force to be factored into any smart business plan. Knowing your market, stocking the basics to fit that market and providing excellent customer service are the keys to a successful business.

RELATED ARTICLE: Let Women Select The Gun

Gun Smoke Outdoor Sports also does a fair amount of self-defense gun business.

"The essence of any business is knowing who you sell to," Moore said.

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And his store's shelves are stocked accordingly. "For many women in this part of the world who work in the farm/ranch industry, a handbag is not an option, and many simply choose to carry openly, preferring to choose a gun that fits their need and hand over the ability to conceal," he said. "These are normally full-size Taurus and Smith & Wesson medium-frame revolvers, often in .357 or .38 Special. When looking for concealability, the smaller automatics like Springfield's XD-40 and -9 are popular because of the way they fit a smaller hand, as are the Taurus 85 series of 2-inch revolvers."

When women come to Gun Smoke Outdoor Sports to purchase a firearm, Moore said one of their goals is to make sure the person using the gun is the one who selects it.

"Frequently, a boyfriend or husband who wants to help their partner into the shooting sports for either recreation or self-defense looks to the purchase as a way to get a new gun for themselves," he said. "But, by encouraging and working with the lady rather than the gentleman in the transaction, we can often work out his prejudices about certain products to fill the bill correctly.

"Often a 7mm-08 will work better for a smaller stature or for a new shooter rather than the .300 WSM the husband says his wife wants," Moore continued. "Listening to and answering questions about the products without getting too incredibly technical, but fleshing out concepts and some theory, helps all parties during the sale. The customers often learn a bit more about what they are actually looking for than they realized."

Gun Smoke Outdoor Sports doesn't have the facilities to offer classes or live-firearm instruction to women, Moore said, but when the opportunity presents itself, "We take the time to show the correct shooting positions or grip methods, and answer questions regarding any aspect of shooting without being derogatory or demeaning," he said. "The surest way to ruin a sale and spark bad publicity is to treat any customer as ignorant, male or female."