An indoor shooting range is a facility that provides indoor targets for firing weapons such as handguns, shotguns, rifles, and other arms. It is a facility where professional shooters go to hone their skills in preparation for games and competitions.
Please note that it is the norm for a standard indoor gun shooting range to provide target practice, shooting lessons, gun rentals, and protective equipment rentals.
Statistics have it that in the United States of America, the market size of the Shooting Ranges industry is $4.0 billion in 2023, and the shooting ranges market is expected to cross US$ 38.6 billion by the end of 2030 progressing at a CAGR of 8 percent during the forecast period.
There are about 2,523 registered and licensed shooting range facilities scattered all across the United States and an estimated 16,000 to 18,000 indoor firing ranges are in operation in the country. Indoor ranges differ in construction, depending on the type of weapons to be fired. Shooting ranges are responsible for employing about 17,448 people.
Steps to Write a Shooting Range Business Plan
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Executive Summary
Point Target® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. is a registered indoor shooting range facility that will be located in Greensboro, North Carolina; in a sport-loving estate. We have been able to secure all the necessary permits for our facility.
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will ensure that all our indoor shooting range facilities meet international standards. We want to build a business that cuts across people of different interests and financial status.
We have CRM software that will enable us to manage a one-on-one relationship with our customers no matter how large our customer base may grow. Jonah Micah is the founder and CEO of Point Target® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc.
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Company Profile
a. Our Products and Services
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will establish an indoor facility that will provide target practice, shooting lessons, gun rentals, and protective equipment rentals.
We are set to service a wide range of shooting lovers not just in Greensboro, North Carolina, but also across major cities in North Carolina and the United States where we hope to open our indoor shooting facilities.
b. Nature of the Business
Our indoor shooting range will operate essentially as a club where patrons can pick up a membership and pay their subscription monthly, quarterly, or annually. We will also open our business to one-off customers, especially tourists and visitors who just want to try shooting weapons.
c. The Industry
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will operate in the shooting range industry.
d. Mission Statement
Our mission is to establish a world-class indoor shooting facility that will not only teach proper firearms usage and responsible gun ownership but also attract organizers of shooting competitions to host their local, national, and international competitions in our facility.
e. Vision Statement
Our vision is to become the ‘go to’ indoor shooting range facility in the whole of Greensboro and its environs when it comes to world-class indoor shooting range facilities.
f. Our Tagline (Slogan)
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. – The Best Indoor Shooting Range Facility!
g. Legal Structure of the Business
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will be formed as a Limited Liability Company (LLC). The reason why we are forming an LLC is to protect our assets by limiting the liability to the resources of the business itself. The LLC will protect our CEOs’ assets from claims against the business, including lawsuits.
h. Our Organizational Structure
- Chief Executive Officer (Owner)
- Facility Manager
- Accountant/Cashier
- Marketing and Sales Officer
- Coach/Shooting Instructor/Assistant (5)
- Customer Care Executive/Front Desk Officer
- Cleaners
- Security Officers
i. Ownership/Shareholder Structure and Board Members
- Jonah Micah (Owner and Chairman/Chief Executive Officer) 56 Percent Shares
- Roseline Micah (Board Member) 14 Percent Shares
- Titus Moore (Board Member) 10 Percent Shares
- Marcus Abel (Board Member) 10 Percent Shares
- Lara Page (Board Member and Secretary) 10 Percent Shares.
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SWOT Analysis
a. Strength
- Ideal Location for an indoor shooting range facility
- Highly experienced and qualified employees and management
- Access to gun manufacturers
- Highly secured and clean facility
b. Weakness
- Budget limitations
- Inability to attract and retain superstar shooters in our city
- Inability to properly manage the off-peak season
- A new business that will be competing with well-established indoor and outdoor shooting range facilities
- Inability to retain our highly experienced and qualified employees longer than we want
c. Opportunities
- Greensboro is a thriving market for indoor shooting range facilities.
- Firearm hobbyists and professional marksmen are likely to find themselves in need of a proper firing range.
- Good support structure for indoor shooting facilities from the government
- A growing number of people would want to be equipped with shooting skills.
i. How Big is the Industry?
The shooting range industry is pretty big. The industry is currently worth over $4 billion in the United States of America.
ii. Is the Industry Growing or Declining?
The shooting range industry is a growing industry. The market size of the industry is expected to cross US$ 38.6 billion by the end of 2030 progressing at a CAGR of 8 percent during the forecast period.
iii. What are the Future Trends in the Industry
The shooting range industry is changing, and players in the industry are improvising. No doubt, technology, and social media will change the landscape of the shooting ranges industry going forward. With revenue heavily linked to the millennial generation, participation in sports will likely dictate industry progression over the next five years.
iv. Are There Existing Niches in the Industry?
No, there are no niche ideas in the indoor shooting range business because indoor shooting facilities are a niche idea in the shooting ranges industry.
v. Can You Sell a Franchise of your Business in the Future?
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. has plans to sell franchises in the nearest future and we will target the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and South Africa.
d. Threats
- Competition from other indoor and outdoor shooting facilities
- Community resistance
- Government regulations
- Liability problems
- Funding
- Continuously changing consumer demands
i. Who are the Major Competitors?
- Colonial Shooting Academy
- Waterloo Rifle & Pistol Club
- Sand & Sage Rifle and Pistol Club
- Ben Avery Shooting Facility
- Athena Gun Club
- Diamondback Shooters
- Bird’s Landing Hunting Preserve
- Top Gun Shooting Sports
- Sage Hill Clay Sports
- Autrey’s Armory
- Tucson Trap & Skeet Club
- Elm Fork Shooting Sports
- Great Guns Sporting
- Inrange
- Machine Gun Vegas
- Knob Creek Gun Range
- Indian River County Shooting Range
- Ben Avery Shooting Facility
- Range USA, Inc.
- Six Machine Gun Shooting Ranges.
ii. Is There a Franchise for Indoor Shooting Range Facility Business?
- Hammer Down Range (Total Investment: $500,000)
- THOR Global Defense Group
- Denver Gun Range Franchise
- Engage Virtual Range.
iii. Are There Policies, Regulations, or Zoning Laws Affecting the Indoor Shooting Range Business?
Yes, and zoning laws require indoor shooting range operators to follow specific rules and regulations, including some that apply only to players in the industry. Please note that in many communities, zoning laws require indoor shooting facilities to apply for a permit from the city.
At their discretion, the city council is allowed to design regulations on zoning and land usage, as well as business ordinances and fire codes, on the condition that their regulations do not intentionally limit or prohibit firearm or firearm-related commerce.
Zoning requirements for private gun ranges vary by state and locality. For example, Texas leaves most land use regulations to individual counties and subordinate municipalities, only imposing a few limitations. Ask your local government offices for regulatory information specific to gun ranges in your area.
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Marketing Plan
a. Who Is Your Target Audience?
i. Age Range
Our target market falls within 18 years and 65+ years
ii. Level of Educational
We don’t have any basic educational qualifications for those we are targeting; everyone who falls within our target age range is welcome to use our indoor shooting facility.
iii. Income Level
Anyone who can afford our membership fee will be welcome to make use of our indoor shooting facility.
iv. Ethnicity
There is no restriction when it comes to the ethnicity of the people we are looking forward to welcoming to our indoor shooting facility.
v. Language
There is no restriction when it comes to the language spoken by the people we are looking forward to welcoming to our indoor shooting range.
vi. Geographical Location
Anybody from any geographical location will be welcome in our indoor shooting range.
vii. Lifestyle
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will not restrict any patron from our indoor shooting facility based on their lifestyle, culture, or race.
b. Advertising and Promotion Strategies
- Host Themed Events That Catch Attention.
- Tap Into Text Marketing.
- Use FOMO to Run Photo Promotions.
- Share Your Events in Local Groups and Pages.
- Turn Your Social Media Channels into a Resource
- Develop Your Business Directory Profiles
- Build Relationships with Other Businesses in Your Area
i. Traditional Marketing Strategies
- Marketing through Direct Mail.
- Print Media Marketing – Newspapers & Magazines.
- Broadcast Marketing -Television & Radio Channels.
- OOH, Marketing – Public Transits like Buses and Trains, Billboards, Street Furniture, and Cabs.
- Including direct sales, direct mail (postcards, brochures, letters, fliers), print advertising (coupon books, billboards), referral (also known as word-of-mouth marketing), radio, and television.
ii. Digital Marketing Strategies
- Social Media Marketing Platforms.
- Influencer Marketing.
- Email Marketing.
- Content Marketing.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Marketing.
- Pay-per-click (PPC).
- Affiliate Marketing
- Mobile Marketing.
iii. Social Media Marketing Plan
- Start using chatbots.
- Create a personalized experience for our customers.
- Create an efficient content marketing strategy.
- Create a community for our audience.
- Gear up our profiles with a diverse content strategy.
- Use brand advocates.
- Create profiles on the relevant social media channels.
- Run cross-channel campaigns.
c. Pricing Strategy
When working out our pricing strategy, Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will make sure it covers premium, safety, skimming, economy, or value penetration. All our pricing strategies will reflect;
- Cost-Based Pricing
- Value-Based Pricing
- Competition-Based Pricing.
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Sales and Distribution Plan
a. Sales Channels
Our channel sales strategy will involve using partners and third parties—such as referral partners, affiliate partners, managed service providers, marketplaces, or value-added resellers—to market our indoor shooting range facility.
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will also leverage the 4 Ps of marketing which are place, price, product, and promotion. By carefully integrating all these marketing strategies into a marketing mix, we can have a visible, in-demand service that is competitively priced for our customers.
b. Inventory Strategy
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will operate an inventory strategy that is based on a day-to-day methodology for ordering, maintaining, and processing items in our warehouse. We will develop our strategy with the same thoroughness and attention to detail as we would if we were creating an overall strategy for the business.
c. Payment Options for Customers
Here are the payment options that Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will make available to its clients;
- Payment with cash
- Payment via credit cards
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via mobile money transfer
d. Return Policy, Incentives, and Guarantees
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will operate a no refund policy hence we will not provide compensation for purchased services (membership fees inclusive). However, we will guarantee our customers of their safety whenever they are within our indoor shooting facility.
e. Customer Support Strategy
Our customer support strategy will involve seeking customer feedback. This will help us provide excellent customer service to all our patrons. We will make use of effective CRM software to be able to achieve this. Regularly, we will work towards strengthening our Customer Service Team and also Leverage Multi-Channel Servicing as part of our customer support strategy.
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Operational Plan
We plan to expand our revenue by 50 percent in the second year and the plan will include a marketing, sales, and operations component.
The operations component of the plan would include organizing regular shooting competitions at the local and state levels, the sale of firearms and related merchandise, and attracting shooting clubs. These strategies will enable the firm to boost our service offerings and support revenue growth.
a. What Happens During a Typical Day at an Indoor Shooting Range Facility?
- The facility is open for the day
- Administrative work is done concurrently
- The facility is cleaned, and other inventories are arranged to welcome patrons
- Patrons come in and they engage in shooting range practice within the hours allotted to them.
- Firearms and shooting related merchandise are sold
- The facility is cleaned and arranged
- The facility is closed for the day.
b. Production Process
There is no production process when it comes to the indoor shooting range business.
c. Service Procedure
When an indoor shooting range is opened, they will either choose to welcome patrons based on membership or open their doors to everyone in the city who can afford their fees.
d. The Supply Chain
Point Target® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will rely on trusted agents to supply some of the firearms, ammunition and other shooting-related merchandizes we need. We have been able to establish business relationships with wholesale supplies of all these merchandises.
e. Sources of Income
- Indoor shooting facility rental services for shooting competitions and other related events
- Sale of firearms, ammunition, and other shooting-related merchandise
- Membership fee.
Our Membership fee will cost $20,000 for the start and then a $15,000 annual fee will be added in the subsequent year (VAT inclusive and subject to change).
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Financial Plan
a. Amount Needed to Start your Indoor Shooting Range Facility Business?
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. would need an estimate of $750,000 to successfully set up our indoor shooting range facility in the United States of America. Please note that this amount includes the salaries of all staff for the first month of operation.
b. What are the Costs Involved?
- Business Registration Fees – $750.
- Legal expenses for obtaining licenses and permits – $7,300.
- Marketing, Branding and Promotions – $5,000.
- Business Consultant Fee – $2,500.
- Insurance – $5,400.
- Rent/Lease – $200,000.
- Other start-up expenses like commercial satellite TV subscriptions, phone and utility deposits ($2,800).
- Operational Cost (salaries of employees, payments of bills et al) – $60,000
- Start-up inventory – $150,000
- Counter area equipment – $9,500
- Store Equipment (cash register, security, ventilation, signage) – $4,750
- Furnishing and Equipping – $250,000
- Website: $600
- Opening party: $3,000
- Miscellaneous: $2,000
c. Do You Need to Build a Facility? If YES, How Much Will it Cost?
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will build a new facility for our indoor shooting facility and it will cost us $550,000 (acquiring land, construction, furnishing, and equipping the facility).
d. What are the Ongoing Expenses for Running an Indoor Shooting Range Facility Business?
- Cost of stocking up supplies such as guns, firearms, ammunition, and other shooting merchandise
- Cost of toiletries
- Utility bills (gas, internet, phone bills, signage and sewage et al)
- Maintenance of facility
- Salaries of employees
e. What is the Average Salary of your Staff?
- Chief Executive Officer (Owner) – $55,000 per year
- Facility Manager – $40,000 per year
- Accountant/Cashier – $36,0000
- Marketing and Sales Officer – $35,000 per year
- Coach/Shooting Instructor/Assistant (5) – $35,000 per year
- Customer Care Executive/Front Desk Officer – $25,396 per year
- Cleaners – $22,000 per year
- Security Officers – $21,150 per year.
f. How Do You Get Funding to Start an Indoor Shooting Range Facility
- Raising money from personal savings and sale of personal stocks and properties
- Raising money from investors and business partners
- Sell shares to interested investors
- Applying for a loan from your bank/banks
- Source for soft loans from your family members and friends.
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Financial Projection
a. How Much Should You Charge for your product/Service?
Aside from our membership fee, Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will charge patrons based on the industry standards in the United States. For one-off usage, we will charge $25 per person (unlimited time); Gun Rental: $20 for each gun rental plus the cost of ammunition; Ammunition: varies based on the caliber.
b. Sales Forecast?
- First Fiscal Year (FY1): $350,000
- Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $750,000
- Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $1.2 million
c. Estimated Profit You Will Make a Year?
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. is projecting to make;
- First Fiscal Year (FY1): $175,000 (50% of revenue generated)
- Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $337,000 (45% of revenue generated)
- Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $540,000 (45% of revenue generated)
d. Profit Margin of an Indoor Shooting Range Facility Business
The profit margin of an indoor shooting range facility is not fixed. It could range from 25 percent to 35 percent depending on some unique factors.
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Growth Plan
a. How do you intend to grow and expand?
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. will grow by first opening other outlets in key cities in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa within the first five years of establishing the business and then will start selling franchise from the sixth year.
b. Where do you intend to expand to and why? (Geographical locations)
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. plans to expand to Sumter, South Carolina, Tinton Falls, New Jersey, Santa Fe, California, Stillwater, Oklahoma, Dallas, Texas, Wintergreen, Virginia, Charleston, West Virginia, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida and Los Angeles, Texas.
We intend to expand to these locations because residents of the locations are known to patronize indoor shooting facilities. Internationally, we plan to expand to Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa.
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Exit Plan
Point Target ® Indoor Shooting Range, Inc. intends to build a family business hence our exit plan will be family succession. For that reason, the founder Jonah Micah is already grooming his son Jones Micah to take over from him. Jones Micah is at the moment being groomed to go through the company’s employment process without any bias.