Bringing Clients to the Range

[tom_92673]

Hi all,

I'm in software sales, and I've started bringing my clients to the range as an outing before dinner to kind of mix things up. I suck at golf so this is an opportunity to bring people to a place that they are typically not used to going and I find that it creates a bonding opportunity that is helpful in the sales process. Anyone else do this with clients and / or any advice on how to make this a good experience? I typically take them to an indoor range and bring a few handguns and an AR to get them excited. The downside to this is that some times people can start thinking you're a freak when you break out an AR, but I'm usually able to get a read on them before I go as to whether or not they'll be freaked. I'm just looking for ideas to make this a better experience for often first time shooters or folks that haven't shot in a long time.

thanks,
Tom

[Conversekidz]

I can see the close now

"This is my AR-15......now please sign on the X for your order of XYZ software"

[code33]

Slightly different...
At an annual conference that I usually attend, there is a half day of free time where the vendor sponsors the afternoon at an amusement park. One year, I ended up taking a bunch of their staff, including the VP to the range. Others learned about it afterwards and said they would have wanted to go.

[AraiGuma]

Depends on the type of client / guest, but I usually take them to an indoor range where you can rent a gun for several reasons.

1) Unless they are my real close friends, I don't feel comfortable letting someone to shoot my guns.
2) I see quite differences on their face between bringing your own vs. renting at the range. Renting one at the range seem to ease their tense feeling better (especially if they are not gun owners), and they can choose one of their favorites.
3) I don't like to go dinner before/after shooting with guns in my car.

The only issue is that you have to make sure that the range you are using is OK with visitors with foreign ID (many of my clients and guest are not US citizen nor resident of US and Passport is the only ID).

[4 Brigada]

I use to do it, take customers and even employees of the company (Asian and European offices). Until I had a very close encounter with a .40 cal USP and a fellow employee from the UK. After several of these I got pretty good at the safety briefing and the range gave them one also. Sometimes it doesnt work, just watch them like a hawk cause someone can get hurt. Other than that have fun most of the customers that had never shot guns were like kids, lots of fun for everyone. Have fun but always check six

[aplinker]

I've taken numerous visitors (foreign and domestic) and co-workers.

You have to gauge what to do by their response. If they're interested but nervous, AraiGuma gives good advice. Rent only. If they're pumped and fascinated, bring stuff.

You're likely to get lots of interesting questions... (my favorite -- "What keeps someone at the range from just shooting everyone else there?" )

It's a nice way to spend an hour and a great bonding experience, IMHO. If it's their first time it will likely be unforgettable.

[Conversekidz]

Renting is a good point.

I got a horrible scratch in one of my stocks on a day I had others shooting my rifle.

Depends on the type of client / guest, but I usually take them to an indoor range where you can rent a gun for several reasons.

1) Unless they are my real close friends, I don't feel comfortable letting someone to shoot my guns.
2) I see quite differences on their face between bringing your own vs. renting at the range. Renting one at the range seem to ease their tense feeling better (especially if they are not gun owners), and they can choose one of their favorites.
3) I don't like to go dinner before/after shooting with guns in my car.

The only issue is that you have to make sure that the range you are using is OK with visitors with foreign ID (many of my clients and guest are not US citizen nor resident of US and Passport is the only ID).

[Turbinator]

Not a client story, but at our last sales meeting, our sales engineers all went out to a range in AZ for blasting. They had tons of fun and it was the talk of the evening during our cocktail party mixer. I'm not a sales engineer, so I was definitely envious, but I really liked the fact that someone thought it would be a good team building experience to go to the range together. The manager of the group is a Brit guy, not at all anti-gun it seems, and I didn't hear of a single complaint from anyone about the activity being borderline non-PC. Even my own manager heard about it and said that we should do that next time - the shooting range. I was impressed!

Turby

[AngelDecoys]

Actually I've been tempted to put something like that across at the Board of Director's meeting for our club. Not just bringing clients, persay, but we have a building not used much that could easily be re-designed into a conference center. Put in a ceiling projector, computer access, etc along with eats like a Holiday Inn, and businesses could do 'team building' workshops combined with trap, pistol, or rifle shooting. Club could provide the guns, instruction etc, and businesses could design their program to their needs.

At this point I'm not sure on liability issues, and if there would be interest enough amongst local merchants for it to be workable.

I'd say shooting is a far better option with clients than golf. Living in Manteca, most contractors I know would welcome shooting over golf anyday.

[Parag]

Actually I've been tempted to put something like that across at the Board of Director's meeting for our club. Not just bringing clients, persay, but we have a building not used much that could easily be re-designed into a conference center. Put in a ceiling projector, computer access, etc along with eats like a Holiday Inn, and businesses could do 'team building' workshops combined with trap, pistol, or rifle shooting. Club could provide the guns, instruction etc, and businesses could design their program to their needs.

Or perhaps take it just a wee bit further, as in Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens.


-- Parag

[psriley]

One of the reasons clients are taken golfing is that you can talk business between shots in a relatively quiet atmosphere. Plus, they are a captive audience for four hours.

Kinda tough to talk business in any meaningful way at the shooting range.

"SO, MR. JOHNSON, I STRONGLY BELIEVE MY COMPANY'S WIDGETS WILL REDUCE YOUR COSTS WHILE INCREASING YOUR MARGINS!"

Mr. Johnson: "WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WANT TO USE YOUR DIGITS TO RUB MARGARINE ON MY GRANDFATHER. HOW DARE YOU!!! I'M OUTTA HERE!"

[tom_92673]

excellent point about it being loud, but that's why i link it to a dinner. The range is usually only an hour with a newbie vs. Golf which is like 3-4 hours minimum. Also, I suck at golf and I get angry while playing which makes me doubly stupid on the course.

[edsel6502]

Or perhaps take it just a wee bit further, as in Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens.


-- Parag

Great book. team building exercise from hell...