Gun shop owners/managers: please critique this "testimonial"

[Monkeyleg]

As I've been calling shops the last several weeks to pay to re-up on their trial subscriptions to my site, I've been very pleased at the renewal rate.

There's some store owners, though, who just don't get it. Some run operations so large they think they don't need new customers. Others run stores so small they don't think they'll ever benefit.

If I spent the time, I could prove both groups wrong.

At any rate, I'm now collecting enough testimonials from shop owners who've seen results from my site that I'm going to put together a Testimonials Page for new potential subscribers.

A friend of mine owns a shop here in Milwaukee, and he does not mince words. Below is what he wrote as a testimonial to what I do.

Question is, is this a turn-off or a heads-up for shop owners?

Your opinions are much appreciated.

************


I've owned my own businesses for as long as I can remember. Furniture stores, custom van shops, and now a gun store.

One thing I've learned along the way is that there's no shortage of stupid people, especially gun store owners.

I mean it. I can't believe how stupid gun store owners can be. Most of them are total idiots. They try to compete on WalMart's turf, and wonder why they're getting ground into the dirt.

Are you kidding me? I don't sell anything that WalMart or the other discount stores do. And they don't sell anything that I stock. I'm not going after WalMart or the other discount stores: I'm going after your business.

I want to buy you out.

And if you're stupid enough, I'll buy your store for pennies on the dollar.

And here's why.

Back when I bought out the previous owners of my shop--for pennies on the dollar, of course--they didn't have a clue as to how to attract new customers. They were selling the same old 870's that WalMart was beating them down on price.

One of the first things I did was get Dick Baker and his crew at Baker Advertising to put together a website for me that would draw in customers from all over the country. Within months, I was getting calls for stuff people couldn't find anywhere else: Ed Brown pistols, Chris Reeve knives, Robert Terzuola knives, and other high-ticket items. And here's the best part: I don't have to discount anything. Don't like my price? Fine. Wait nine months for Ed Brown to make the pistol you want. Meanwhile, I've got one in stock. And there's another guy on the phone who wants it now, and will pay my price.

Baker Advertising has made it possible for me to name my own price. They've made me tens of thousands of dollars over the past year, and it's getting even better. This year I'm going to buy 25% of all the pistols that Ed Brown makes. Think you can't do it? Think again. I don't need to pay Baker Advertising thousands of dollars a year for an e-commerce store that sells everything that WalMart or Galyan's or Sportmen's Warehouse does. All I need to do is sell the high-dollar stuff that those stores don't, and have Baker Advertising get me ranked high in the search engines for those things.

When Dick laid out his test version of the Gunshopfinder.com website before me back in 2004, I just played around with the site for a few minutes. Then I sat back, thought about it for a second or two, and said, "This is such a cool idea. This is great." It was such a great idea that I'm amazed that nobody thought of it before.

Dick has told me that most of the shop owners on his site are paying to renew their subscriptions. Considering what I think of most gun shop owners, I'm surprised. But I'm happy for what Dick is doing for our industry. He honestly cares about the manufacturers, the individual shops, and the gun owners. I know this because of his involvement in gun rights issues for over twenty years.

It's the brain-dead, decaying, dying dinosaurs who don't see the value of what Gunshopfinder.com is worth that keep me going. I mean it. If some dinosaur in California or Nebraska or Florida doesn't see that $10 a month can mean more sales down the road, I want to know about that shop. I want to buy that idiot's shop. I'll jump on a plane and offer that idiot a better deal than the bank will when they foreclose.

$10 a month. All I have to do is sell one Glock or Kimber or Springfield, and my cost is covered for the whole year. I charge $15 an hour for range time, so I only need one new range customer to shoot maybe six or seven times a year, and the rest is gravy.

I've been spending $600 a month for Yellow Pages advertising. Not anymore. They can't tell me how many people have looked at my $600 a month ad. Gunshopfinder.com can. I'm not going to pay $600 a month just to be in some big yellow book, especially a book that fewer and fewer people use. The people coming into my shop tell me that, if a business isn't on the internet, they figure the business is run by old-timers who just don't get it.

If your knees are shaking about spending $10 a month being featured on Gunshopfinder.com, give me a call. If you're that lousy a businessman, chances are the next call will be from the bank.

God, I love rummage sales!

Kevin Nugent
Owner, The Shooters Shop
West Allis, Wi

 

[P95Carry]

Dick - from a mere peon - it seems to be very positive. If you don't mind such opinion!

I admire your efforts and perseverence - not easy these days. Best of luck with continuing success - it has to have been a long hard slog.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Question is, is this a turn-off or a heads-up for shop owners?

That's one of the finest testimonials I've ever seen, and I've chased down more than a few of them for clients large, small, and in between.

If I owned a gun shop, I'd read every word of that, print it, read it again, and pay very close attention.

I'm not sure I believe:

I've been spending $600 a month for Yellow Pages advertising. Not anymore.

I'm entirely sure I believe:

The people coming into my shop tell me that, if a business isn't on the internet, they figure the business is run by old-timers who just don't get it.

I'm looking for someone to print 10,000 copies of a mini-brochure these days. The yellow pages directory hasn't proved half as useful as the internet. Curiously, the one internet printing place I've found can't seem to figure out its own pricing, so it fell out of the running.

 

[Greg L]

Is he related to Ted ?

I don't know, he certainly tells it like it is. It could be a wake up for those on the fence or it might be insulting. The ones that might be insulted however are the ones that are trying to compete with WalMart & probably aren't going to be around long term anyway.

 

[vis35]

Here is an honest assessment:

I am your potential customer.

You wasted your second and third lines insulting me.

That is when I crumpled up (or hit the delete key) your message and thru it in the trash.

If you made any good points after that, I did not see them.
Regards,
Jeff

 

[Chrontius]

yeah, tone down the argumenativeness and I'll like it better. The point is good, but the tone puts my teeth on edge.

 

[GaryP]

One thing I've learned along the way is that there's no shortage of stupid people, especially gun store owners.

I mean it. I can't believe how stupid gun store owners can be. Most of them are total idiots.

It's the brain-dead, decaying, dying dinosaurs who don't see the value of what Gunshopfinder.com is worth

According to Your Logic "Gun Store Owners who do not see the value of what Your site is worth" are Idiots, Brain-dead, etc.

I SEE!
Well, do you really expect to earn sales $$$$$ from Gun Store owners that read this Condescending rant or hear about it? And then to further trash your Business you Sign your name and business address on the Internet for the entire world to see --

You did ask for an opinion!

 

[vis35]

The writer of the letter came across to me as an arrogant a##. He should go back to telling people how to make millions on E-bay. I am not going to buy a service from someone that starts out by telling me he thinks I am an idiot.
Jeff

 

[LiquidTension]

One thing I learned the hard way in my Public Speaking course - don't insult your audience, even if you ARE better/smarter/more informed than they are. Try to keep the edge while losing the insults.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Thanks for the opinions. Kevin wrote this, and this is what he believes.

While I tend to agree with him, I don't want to insult potential new subscribers. That was my concern, and why I posted this here.

Maybe I'll re-write it in a "kindler, gentler" tone and see if Kevin will still put his name to it.

 

[Sir Aardvark]

I agree with most of the other posts here:
Telling people that they're STUPID and TOTAL IDIOTS is no way to get your point across.
Maybe you should practice some damage control and do some editing on this testimonial.

 

[Barbara]

I think from a marketing point of view, it's supposed to be you and I (the writer and reader) who are smart enough to get it, but it's the Others who aren't bright enough to know a good deal when they see one.

 

[Henry Bowman]

Kevin Nugent

Any relation to the Motor city Madmad? Sounds like he is.

I would suggest some "kinder, gentler" (and shorter) testimonials up front. Let this one be third or later on the list. That way it looks less like YOU are in your customers' face, even though one of your enthusiastic (and satisfied) custormers is.

 

[nico]

The people coming into my shop tell me that, if a business isn't on the internet, they figure the business is run by old-timers who just don't get it.

I agree with that. Of the two local "gun shops" that I've walked into without knowing more than the name, one of them told me that they weren't selling guns because they were in the process of selling (which made me wonder why they were open for business ) and the other had no inventory and replied with "what's that?" when I asked if they carried Springfield Pistols. Needless to say, I won't make the mistake of going into a gun shop to look around if I don't know anything about them again.

I think the letter is too confrontational and condescending on its own and could even convince people who were planning on renewing their subscription to spend their money elsewhere. It could be very effective if reworded though, ie: "I found this awesome site that my competition doesn't take advantage of" instead of "if they're too stupid to spend $10 a month I'll just buy them out."

 

[torpid]

"You're a moron, and I am your savior- and if you don't heed my advice, then choke on it, you stupid SOB!"





Ummm... okay?

Gee... thanks, mister.




.

 

[TimRB]

I'm with Torpid. That's the most patronizing, insulting dungheap I've ever read. If you sent that to me you would need a proctologist to retrieve it.

Tim

 

[PlayTheAces]

Anytime you're attempting to market something, the last thing you want to do is to alienate a potential customer, and that testimonial would most likely alienate more than a few. That's counterproductive to what you're attempting to do.

It's also long - short, concise and on-message is where you want to be.

While I agree for the most part on the sentiments expressed, the delivery is lacking. It's more of a rant than a testimonial.

 

[StopTheGrays]

I charge $15 an hour for range time

[OT]Is that the current rate for indoor range time now? I have not used one in about 2 years but I do not remember it being that high. This is where I have been going, Daniel Boone Conservation League. A bargain at $150 a year. [/OT]


I have to agree with what most of the others have said about Mr. Nugent's statements. He comes off like a jerk but that is how he believes your service has helped him. You are the one that has to decide if that helps promote your service or not.

 

[10MMGary]

Wow a little abrasive to say the least, But powerful in a primal sense . Perhaps if he/you were to change the "them, they, others," into "I, we or me" the message would be just as powerful and not nearly as offensive(to those that may find it so). I guess I am trying to say to turn the brashness on himself and say "I would have to be an idiot", and explain why using his original argument, if I didn't use ABCs website or do XYZ.
Hope this makes some sense.
Gary

 

[oswulf]

I'm a gun store owner, and while the testimonial did piss me off it also got me to look at your site. Only four gun shops listed in all Idaho? The tone must piss off more people here than some other states, eh? Still, not a bad idea though you might drop this particular testimonial from an arrogant doofus who will never buy MY store.

Oswulf

 

[Monkeyleg]

oswulf, I haven't put up a testimonials page yet, so nobody other than The High Road members have seen this. And, obviously, I'm not going to put this testimonial up, at least not as it reads now.

The reason there's only four shops in ID right now is simply that there aren't that many gun shops in Idaho. I'll add more later on, but I'm trying to concentrate on more populous states. (Oh, and by the way, check your private messages).

 

[A Cleaner]

Here's my version...

Before reading, please note: I do not own a gun store and have found some owners to be rather arrogant in the past. So arrogant, in fact, their attitude was "sale prohibitive". Also, my background and current occupation revolve around both the design and execution of marketing on the internet as well as market research and a general understanding of how to talk to people. I haven't been on the site long but try to keep an open mind about the rough-draft "testimonial" below.

Over the years as a gun store owner, I have realized the value of finding my niche. Large department stores can sell some of the more common guns far below even my cost. Trying to compete with these stores is impossible for the independent businessperson. Instead, I decided I would deal in rare and specialty items that these stores could not, due to their lack of finesse and expertise. In fact, by doing so, I could completely avoid competing for attention with their target market and instead, do business with only those individuals who want what I sell and are willing to pay for quality.

The only hitch in the entire operation was lack of communication with my new target market. The question became, “How do I let these people know I have what they want?â€

The solution? Dick Baker and his crew at Baker Advertising put together a website for me that would draw in customers from all over the country. Within months, I was getting calls for items that people couldn't find anywhere else: Ed Brown pistols, Chris Reeve knives, Robert Terzuola knives, and other high-ticket items.

Baker Advertising has made it possible for me to effectively reach higher end consumers. They've made me tens of thousands of dollars over the past year, and it's getting even better. This year, I'm going to buy 25% of all the pistols that Ed Brown makes.

Dick has told me that most of the shop owners on his site are paying to renew their subscriptions. This comes as no surprise when I consider all that Dick is doing for our industry. He honestly cares about the manufacturers, the individual shops, and the gun owners. His involvement in gun rights issues for over twenty years, in addition to all that his company has done for marketing independent businesses, is evidence enough.

Baker Advertising is also reasonably priced. With the sale of one Glock, Kimber, or Springfield, my cost is covered for the whole year.

Online marketing is so critical that many of my customers coming into my shop tell me that, if a business isn't online, they’ve never heard of it. Dollar for dollar, nothing beats properly executed internet exposure. That’s exactly what Dick Baker and Baker Advertising have given my business…properly executed internet exposure.

Whadya think?

 

[oswulf]

There's a hell of a lot more than four gunshops in Idaho, though you're right we're not as populous as most states (hope that never changes). Athough Boise was recently listed as the 3rd largest city in the northwest (can we close the bloody gates now?). What it comes down to is that Idaho is probably a bit more backward than most staes where the internet is concerned, many businesses believe (most likely correctly) that money spent on internet advertising is likely to be a waste.

That being said I do make a fair bit of coin on gunbroker, and I may be willing to give your site a try, see what happens.

Oswulf