Category: Exhibitors

Video: ‘Mr. Whitetail’ shares his thoughts on the SHOT Show

"If somebody thinks there's no interest in hunting and shooting and the outdoor industry, I'd love for them to be here right now because they can see how really strong this industry is and how strong it's going to be in the future," Larry Weishuhn (aka "Mr. Whitetail) said at the 2010 SHOT Show. 

Weishuhn, a professional wildlife biologist who has developed whitetail management programs on over 15 million acres during his career, is also the co-host of Winchester's Whitetail Revolution on Versus Country and is the host of Winchester's World of Whitetail with Larry Weishuhn.

At the show, Weishuhn was flying the Thompson/Center flag at the company's booth.

See what he had to say about his experience at this year's SHOT Show:

SHOT Show 2010: Back in Las Vegas and open for business!

The 2010 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show is under way!

By popular demand, the SHOT Show has returned to Las Vegas this year, and the atmosphere at the 32nd edition of the show is electric.

“Our post-SHOT Show surveys told us that, by a more than 80 percent majority, this is where you want our annual must-see event to be,” said Steve Sanetti, president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

This year, buyers from 50 states and 75 countries have flocked to Las Vegas to take advantage of industry’s largest and most comprehensive trade show. The 2010 show encompasses 700,000 square feet of exhibit space with 1,800 exhibitors.

“We’re excited to be at the Sands Convention Center this year,” said Dennis MacDonald, senior vice president of Reed Exhibitions, which runs the show for NSSF. “Our pre-registration and exhibit sales numbers confirm that Las Vegas is a city our attendees and exhibitors enjoy as a venue in which to conduct business.”

Sanetti notes that the woeful economy was a constant challenge throughout 2009, “but in a time of severe economic setbacks, our industry has weathered the storm pretty well, and here — and only here — you will see all the important companies, key players, major distributors and retailers as well as the largest concentration of outdoor media anywhere in the world.”

Just as important, NSSF remains committed to improving the SHOT Show experience for all attendees. “Please feel free to stop by the SHOT Show booth (L221) in the Level 2 lobby and let us know your comments, both what we did right and what could use some more work,” Sanetti said. “We are committed to constantly improving the SHOT Show experience, and we are genuinely interested in your feedback and suggestions to make it even better.”

Opening day will conclude tonight with the annual State of the Industry Dinner, where attendees will get a chance to look back at the successes of 2009 and look ahead at the coming year. Attendees will also be entertained by the comedy of Dennis Miller.

Warning: ‘Suitcasing’ not welcome at the SHOT Show

With less than two weeks to go, excitement is building throughout the industry for the 2010 SHOT Show.

All of our exhibitors have spent considerable time — and money — to be a part of the show, and we at NSSF are working hard to ensure each exhibitor's experience is money well spent.

With that said, anyone who is not a paid exhibitor looking to conduct business at the show should be advised that "suitcasing" is not a welcome practice at the SHOT Show.

Suitcasing is an unethical business practice where companies will gain access to a show and then solicit business in the aisles or other public locations surrounding the show.

An example of suitcasing would be a company choosing not to exhibit at the show, then sending its employees to the show by obtaining attendee badges and trying to solicit business on the show floor or at an off-site restaurant or hospitality suite near the event.

Clearly put: Anyone who solicits at the show is stealing from the exhibitors and all other attendees of the show.

Our policy clearly prohibits any suitcasing or solicitation, and we encourage you to report any such activity to show management.

Revenue from the SHOT Show directly supports NSSF's efforts to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Our exhibitors are not only contributing to their own success by investing in the show, but they are also helping to secure a bright future for our sports and our industry.

Anyone who feels the need to steal from that does not belong at the SHOT Show.

Map Your Show: Online App a Handy Way to Plan Your SHOT Show Schedule

Did you know you can "MapYourShow" right from the comfort of your computer?

Map Your Show

At shotshow.org, the 2010 Floor Plan Navigator allows you to review the entire SHOT Show layout, search the entire list of exhibitors, search their products and get a facility overview. Then you can map out your own planned schedule and route with the My Show Planner feature.

Here's a round-up of the application's features, and how to best utilize them:

Search the Show

Using the search types provided, you can pinpoint exactly who you want to see at the show. To see all search options, roll over the "Search the Show" tab at the top left corner of the page and select the option that best fits your needs.

  • Search by Featured Exhibitors: View the Featured Exhibitors to see detailed product displays, descriptions and/or live flash or video presentations.
  • Search by Exhibitor: An alphabetical search by exhibitor name. Type a portion of the name or search using the on-screen keyboard by first letter of exhibitor name
  • Search by Product: Use our extensive product category search to discover all of the companies who offer the products you're interested in.

On the bottom left of the floor plan, use the zoom tool at any point to enlarge the floor plan. When scrolling over booths on the floor plan, the exhibitor name and booth number will appear. Clicking on the actual booth displays additional exhibitor information.
 
Build your Personal My Show Agenda

The My Show Agenda Planner is the best way to get organized for the show. Start researching which exhibitors you need to see, and save yourself and your feet many steps in the process. Click on the 'My Show Planner' icon to learn about the features within the Agenda Planner. The sign up form will appear at the top of the screen; click on 'Create New Account' to get started.

To build your agenda, use the search options at the top left to find the companies in which you're interested. Select the exhibitor's name to view more details about the company on the floor plan and add directly to your agenda by selecting the "add to MyShow Planner" button. Exhibitors can also be added directly from within the list of search results by checking the corresponding box next to the exhibitor name.

Optionally, you can quickly create your list by selecting 'Profile Wizard' from the My Show page; and stepping through the Wizard. This option allows you to select a category and simply add all of the companies who are exhibiting this product.

When your agenda is ready, click print and have a handy list of the exhibitors you added to your agenda. All exhibitors in your agenda will be highlighted on the floor plan printout to save you time at the show.

Press Room Advice for Exhibitors

If history repeats itself, more than 1,500 credentialed members of the press may be on hand to cover the 2010 SHOT Show in Las Vegas, and many will spend time in the Press Room.  There, they have meetings with members of the communications and shooting-and-outdoor industry, use the computers, printers, copiers and other business services provided, enjoy complimentary refreshments and seek a comfortable place to rest their weary feet.  It is also a place for them to pick up valuable press kits and other material placed on the many tables made available for that purpose to the exhibitors of the SHOT Show.

Every year exhibitors come to the desk in the press room and ask, "How can I arrange to place some of my material here?"  NSSF Director of Communications Bill Brassard, who honchos the press room, provides helpful information on placing your material in the press room.

  • If you are an exhibitor, you may, at no charge, display material that you would like to make available to the media.

  • Ship your material in advance, so it is at the press room when you arrive to unpack and display it.  Freeman will accept crated, boxed or skidded material before Dec. 14, 2009, at the following address:

    2010 SHOT Show Press Office in Bassano #2710
    Write your exhibiting company's name on the next line
    c/o Freeman
    6675 W Sunset Rd (215 & Rainbow)
    Las Vegas, NV 89118

Material arriving after Jan. 6, 2010, will be received at the warehouse with an additional after-deadline charge.

You may ship your material to the press room beginning Jan. 14.  The address for such a shipment would be:

2010 SHOT Show Press Office in Bassano #2710
Write your exhibiting company's name on the next line
c/o Freeman
201 Sands Ave
Las Vegas NV 89169

Of course, if you'd prefer, you may simply personally deliver your material to the press room.

  • Ship about 100 to 150 items, be they press kits, DVDs, etc.

  • Come to the press room in the Venetian, Level 2, Bassano Ballroom #2710 during the hours that it is open to locate your material. Those hours are:

Mon., Jan. 18, noon – 5 p.m.
Tues., Jan. 19 – Jan. 21, 8 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Fri., Jan. 22, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

  • Select a spot on a table to display your material.  The space is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please select only one location on only one table, and place your cartons with additional material under the portion of the table you have selected.

  • Have someone from your company occasionally check on your supply on the table and replenish it as is necessary Doing this is your company's responsibility.

  • Remove your material from the press room by 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 22, or it will be discarded.

Exhibitors: Know Your Contractors

When you work with Freeman, the official contractor at the SHOT Show, you know that you are working with a dependable company that provides quality service. Go outside of those channels, and you may be taking a chance. And it could cost you a lot of money.


Simply stated, “Know your contractors.”


Exhibitors sign a form that basically guarantees payment by the exhibitor in the event that the SHOT Show has been unable to attain payment from the independent contractor.


At the 2009 SHOT Show, three exhibitors used and paid, collectively, more than $85,000 to an outside contractor that declared bankruptcy after receiving payment. Now, Freeman is going to seek payment from those companies, as it has been unable to attain payment from the independent contractors.


Along these lines, Freeman offers some advice on one of those needs—carpeting—for which you will enter into a contract. The comments are sobering:


Did you know?

  • Carpet rented from an outside, non-official company is subject to material-handling charges. A 20’x20′ carpet would cost approximately $137.50 in additional charges to have it delivered to your booth.

  • Carpet rented from Freeman includes the first night cleaning. That is a savings of $128 for a 20’x20′ booth.

  • Carpet rented from Freeman is installed before you arrive. Your booth is ready to install when you are.

  • Watch out for outside carpet rental “deals” in Las Vegas. They may not be such a good deal.