Last time, we looked at using camouflage caps to grow businesses within the hunting sector. Today, we’re going to discuss selling them to other companies targeting fishermen and other outdoor enthusiasts.
State Regulators
Consider reaching out to the Game and Fish Commission or Parks and Recreation Committees of the states within your sales territory. Perhaps a logoed camo cap is the only thing missing from their staff uniforms.
Hunting/Fishing Supply Stores
Hunting and fishing supply stores are where outdoor enthusiasts go to purchase guns, bows, ammo, blinds, fishing poles, tackle, and any other gear they may need. There are small locally owned stores as well as large national chains.
Mom and pop supply stores can use camouflage caps as part of the employee uniform as well as giveaways in the community at events to advertise their business. These types of companies are much easier to get in direct contact with the decision maker on the first try.
Corporate supply stores will be much more difficult to reach a buyer, especially if their headquarters are not located in your territory.
Focus on the Human Resources and Marketing Departments, as you are more likely to find a decision maker on one or both of these teams. They can use logoed caps as gifts to their corporate clients, or for employees, as part of the new hire onboarding package, for example.
Gun Ranges
Gun ranges are local businesses where you can go to practice shooting, sight in your gun, get advice from experts, as well as purchase firearms, ammunition, and other accessories related to the sport of shooting.
Set up a meeting with the owners of these small businesses to discuss how camouflage caps can increase traffic to their gun range. One way to pitch headwear and close a sale with the gun range owner is to encourage him to run a special in which he offers a free cap with every gun purchase or transaction over a specified dollar amount.
Campgrounds
Whether they have an RV outfitted with the latest technology, or just a tent and a sleeping bag, outdoor enthusiasts will spend much of their leisure time at campgrounds or parks.
The summer months are spent on the lake with a fishing pole and the winter months in a tree stand with a rifle. But they always end up back at camp to rest and rejuvenate.
Camouflage caps are a great addition to the camp’s staff uniform. They can also be given out to valuable customers as a way to say thank you for coming back each year, especially those who rent a space all season long.
Bait Shops
Although camo is not necessary for fishing like it is for hunting, most fishermen are also hunters and vice versa. Bait shops are catering to the same psychographic—outdoor enthusiasts.
Bait shop employees can wear caps branded with the store’s logo as part of their uniform.
Headwear is one of the most inexpensive yet effective means of advertising, so if the owner wanted to pass out hats to every single customer until maxing out his advertising budget, it wouldn’t be out of the question. And the best part is he can rest assured that they will act as walking billboards for his business.
There are around 185 million hunting trips taken in the U.S. With so many different types of businesses serving the outdoor sports sector, it is easy to find new clients.
Don’t forget to check out the first blog in this series. What market would you like us to cover next? Let us know in the comments below. You can also follow us on Instagram using the hashtag #hatswork.
