Jack Bauer wrote:marpat96 wrote:Several old guys from the SCAA in the Upstate are involved on that Rock Hill/NC border player group. Was he an Upstater?
What in the hell are you doing callling me old?
idiot88 wrote:Neil was/is from somewhere near Rock Hill area.
He would always customize a real nice pistol for himself and then get bored with it or need the money and sell it. He did this repeatedly. I think he was addicted to customizing pistols like some of us are addicted to camo.
In my best Christopher Walken impression I got a fever, and the only prescription is more custom pistols.
It's been a while but I am back. Those of you who knew me well know that I stopped playing a few years ago after I got laid off from the network I used to be a producer with. Things have been pretty rough since then since the TV market up here in Charlotte absolutely sucks. A few months ago, Rob and his dad Tim asked me to come on and help do marketing for their new store.
Both Robert and his dad, Tim, and stand up guys, and this place is run like a traditional family business. They look out for everyone who comes in, and we have decided that if we would not use a product ourselves, we will not carry it.
One of the things I want to start doing, and all of our customers will have a chance to participate, is an airsoft video series. Along the lines of the Modern War Gear Solid series, I want to get you guys involved, and make something that doesn't just represent the store, but airsoft in this area as a whole. It might be a trek for some of you, but we are located 1 mile from Carowinds, just across the state line. Like stated above, we have a flat screen and an xbox set up in the store, and our main goal is to be a fun environment.
My following comments regard marketing and inventory of "niche" items.
You are involved in looking at ways to market Red Tactical to the target market base and am sure have interest in making suggestions to the owners and operators of Red Tactical towards growing the company in the right direction.
i hope you will consider the following suggestions.
I say this to every start-up owner of every airsoft store I talk to.
Airsoft is full of "niche" areas to focus on that can and will make money.
It also takes money to make money, and it can be difficult to make money in airsoft.
NC has many small airsoft stores all selling the same things that all the other small airsoft stores are selling. All that is doing is ensuring that none of these stores can make any money.
I am not suggesting that is the direction of Red Tactical.
I know Rob and have had many conversations with him at his store.
His store is 5 minutes from my Condo.
He is a great guy and I will support his store, as I do many local stores, such as AirsoftArmoryUSA, Rob's former partner.
The point is, I don't want to see Red Tactical end up like every other small airsoft local store.
One way to ensure that this store grows in the right direction is to focus on "niche" markets.
This in no way suggests to not inventory all the typical airsoft items that other airsoft stores sell.
What I am suggesting is that to inventory so much of the typical airsoft items, that there is no room left on the shelves for "niche" items and no money left in the budget will just make Red Tactical a clone of every other airsoft store in NC which, again, we have too many of.
One specific niche area that could make Red Tactical relevant on a national, and even world wide, scale is inventorying quality heavy ammo. A consistent inventory of Heavy ammo in weights such as .32, .40, and .43 would be a great place to start. There are plenty of airsofters out there who are in constant need of such ammo, and it is consistently hard to get. Stock availability is a problem.
Don't just stop there, either. Look into stocking bb weights including .46, .50, and up.
Talk to manufactures direct. Push the envelope.
And of course, all this does not matter if no one knows you actually have the inventory.
Advertise on national forums. Get the word out who you are and what you have.
