Overview

Management Philosophy & Approach

The American Marksman (AM) business model is the direct result of comprehensive research into the stability, profitability, and current trends within the shooting sports industry. AM research, along with supporting data from several industry associations, revealed an industry that has failed to achieve its potential.

Too many shooting facilities offer an inadequate experience and fail to gain adequate customer acceptance to achieve profitable operations. Business management is most often the cause - poor planning, staff selection and training; insufficient marketing and inadequate cash reserves. In contrast, AM offers an opportunity for every participating range to provide an extraordinary shooting experience, to engage the community, to exhibit professional management disciplines and to enjoy adequate financial backing.

Overview of Strategy & Model

AM-Group is developing a national chain of indoor shooting ranges through acquisition, new construction, and other distribution methods. AM is currently in the proof of concept stage, using certain methods, processes, and ideas to demonstrate the feasibility of converting poor range performance to excellent. Stage 2, Proof of Concept, is a milestone within the AM 3-Stage Development Strategy.

The AM model store will combine the most representative attributes of a successful retail indoor shooting facility. AM stores will be the best examples among the representation of the industry and serve as benchmarks against which the surrounding "poorer" instances are measured and categorized. When the AM model store(s) are sufficiently refined and meet the functionality, robustness, and other design goals, then they will be ready for reproduction or Stage 3 (consolidation and roll-up).

Industry Research & Implementation

In the fall of 2004, American Marksman (AM) completed the 2004 Range Owner Survey. The online survey collected data that has defined the critical factors for successful and profitable shooting businesses. This data established benchmarks that an individual range could use to measure itself and identify areas for improvement. Each participant in the survey received a personalized report that compared his range with the model results. A copy of the press release on this work can be found in the press release section.

AM intends to use these benchmarks along with associated information and knowledge to help individual ranges become top performers in total customer experience and increase profitability through implementation of best industry practices. Selected stores will be invited to participate in the foundation and development of a nationwide chain of shooting ranges. AM has begun targeting select ranges for acquisition to prepare for Stage 3 expansion.

More Information

AM anticipates national expansion will start as early as Spring 2008. If you are an indoor range owner or thinking about developing an indoor range you may be interested in obtaining more about the American Marksman project, future business opportunities and branding.