Hitting the target: join a jamboree and watch your sales soar.

Archery organizations across the United States and Canada hold weekend shoots called jamborees that are not only a lot of fun for archers, but also money makers for dealers. The shoots are open to all ages and abilities, and offer many shooting styles with 3-D the most popular.

Jamborees are a great opportunity for the dealer to go to the consumer. At the Colorado Bowhunters Association Jamboree, held near Leadville, Colo., there were 1,275 registered participants; with approximately 3,000 total atttendees. Smart dealers and bowmakers from near and far set up their displays in "Dealer Alley."

At the Colorado Jamboree, the dealers present included Bob and Alberta Taylor, of Bob's Archery Sales, Denver, Colo., and Veto and Claris Butler, of Butler Traditional Bowhunting Supplies, Evanston, Wyo. Bowmakers included Dick Boss, of Boss Bows, Elizabeth, Colo., and Herb Meland, of Pronghorn Custom Bows, Casper, Wyo.

Attendees of the shoots were obviously interested in buying bows and archery tackle. "We turned $6,000 over the weekend," one dealer confided. "Not bad gross sales for two days."

The jamboree was a show-and-tell event; a perfect opportunity for shoppers to look, handle products and ask questions, all in a setting that built great customer/dealer relations.

At Keith Chastain's Wapiti Archery booth, a customer asked about cedar arrow shafts. Chastain, who had 18,000 top-quality compressed cedar shafts in stock, asked how many the customer wanted. Sales reached their peak on the last day, when Chastain's supplies dwindled quickly in a brisk buying spree.

Along with one-on-one customer/dealer tech talk. there were seminars where knowledgeable people shared information with interested bowbenders. Learning prompted buying. "I'd like a tree-stand," one bowhunter said. "but I don't know what to get." A few minutes later the options were laid out before hun anti he was able to make an informed purchase.

Jamboree shoots are a family event. Husband, wife and children teams were everywhere. Young archers were given equal consideration at the jamboree. That's smart. Taking young archers seriously shows a commitment to the future. Every question was given a polite, qualified response, even when it was posed by a shooter who could barely see over the dealer's table top.

Club members responsible for the jamboree also made sure youngsters felt welcome by setting up interesting events. In the industry, youth bows have made a comeback. with dozens of scaled-down models available for the young bowshooters.

The jamboree also provides an opportunity for other-than-bow vendors. Long lines were seen at booths selling odds and ends bow lovers can't live without: knives, carry bags, compasses, GPS units. camouflage clothing, hunting boots, tents, ground blinds, tree-stands, and camp cook gear. One of the biggest non-bow draws at the Colorado shoot was Berry Smith of Alpine Taxidermy.

At a jamboree, club members do most of the work which makes it a bargain for the vendor. The area is cleaned before and after the shoot by these dedicated people, who also organize everything. Signing up for a booth at a jamboree is as easy as a phone call to the administrators of the archery club handling the shoot. Booths are not free. since the clubs do have expenses. Booth spaces average about $75 for the entire weekend. Part of the funds go to the U.S. Forest Service and to the bowhunting organization. It's a small fee for a chance to meet and speak with potential customers, while also handing out catalogs and brochures advertising your business. Overhead is low for dealers, who generally camp alongside attendees.

It's a great way to capitalize on a good time with a ready-made force of interested potential customers.