5 Important Resources of SHOT Show

As the size of the SHOT Show continues to increase, it seems like more questions are asked by attendees. To ensure you and your company are ready for everything the SHOT Show can throw at you, utilizing the many SHOT Show resources is crucial.

With the steady advances in technology, the many SHOT Show resources are rarely out of reach. Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets have incredible power that can be essential to have at the show. Remember, help is literally at your fingertips!

Here are five valuable SHOT Show resources:

 

1. The Website

The SHOT Show website is a “one stop shop” for answers, because it gives you access to all of the SHOT Show resources . Exhibitors, media and other attendees can browse through commonly asked questions that appear throughout all phases of the show. From booth information to sponsorship opportunities, the SHOT Show website is a resource that you can use to find most answers.

 

2. Social Media

Whether you are in the heat of the action or preparing for the show well in advance, social media is a valuable resource for timely, important information. Social media offers a unique way to find answers and news by providing a live channel of information from everyone attending the show. Follow the SHOT Show action on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube.

If you have a SHOT Show related question, tag either me (@dcauley) or @ChrisDolnack on Twitter.

 

3. Blog

The SHOT Show blog brings you the latest news and advice from the people running the show. It’s a great source for anyone interesting in learning more about the show.

 

4. The App

Are you looking for an easier way to stay on track at SHOT Show? The SHOT Show Mobile app allows you to view the SHOT Show schedules, discounts/rebates and floorplans. The app also features advanced settings that allow you to create notes, plan your agenda, request appointments and callbacks, create smartroutes and more.

 

5. SHOT Show Hotline

The SHOT Show Hotline is the most direct route to get answers about the show. The 24/7 service is available for any questions regarding travel, lodging, logistics, booth information, events and other SHOT Show inquiries.

U.S. (toll free): 855-355-7468
International: 203-270-2370

We are here for you!

Diedra Cauley is the director of exhibitions and conferences for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow her on Twitter at @dcauley.

‘Who’s on First?’ And Other SHOT Show Questions

Since our announcement about selecting ConvExx as our new SHOT Show management partner, both NSSF and ConvExx have received a number of inquiries from exhibitors as to who is responsible for what. Or as the classic Abbott and Costello bit asks, “Who’s on first?”

NSSF is responsible for all SHOT Show finance matters, including invoicing, receivables, refunds and collections. With the recent hiring of Dave Jeannette and Chris Tatulli, NSSF is responsible for sales of exhibit space and sponsorships. We also manage the exhibitor wait list and booth-move process, which, by the way, is taking place this month.

ConvExx is responsible for all the back-end SHOT Show operations, such as move-in, move-out, security, transportation, registration, customer service and sponsorship fulfillment. ConvExx President Jeff Pressman will be the show manager and oversee the aforementioned areas as well as coordination of our third-party vendor.

To help answer any questions you may have in the meantime, we’ve set up a toll free SHOT Show Hotline for exhibitors, attendees and media. Simply dial 1-855-355-7468 and listen to the prompts.

If you have any other questions about the transition as we move forward, or suggestions for future blog topics, please drop me a note at cdolnack@nssf.org.

Chris Dolnack is senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow him on Twitter at @ChrisDolnack

You Have Questions, We Have Answers

In the week since the announcement that NSSF and Reed Exhibitions have ended our highly successful three decades long SHOT Show partnership, a number of exhibitors have called or emailed to ask for clarification on a variety of issues. In the interest of keeping our customers informed, here are the answers to some of the more commonly asked questions.

Q. When will NSSF name a new show management company?

A. We hope to select a new SHOT Show partner in June.

Q: I just made my second payment installment for my 2014 exhibit space.  How will NSSF know that I paid Reed?

A. All SHOT Show payments go directly into an NSSF owned and managed account as they have for several years now. There should be no issue with payments being properly credited.

Q. I recently requested that my exhibit be moved to another area of the exhibit area. When will booth moves take place?

A. All booth move requests that have been filed will be addressed in June in order of SHOT Show Priority Points as we have for the past two years.

Q. Will the show be moving from Las Vegas?

A. We have signed agreements that will keep the SHOT Show at the Sands Expo through the 2016 show.  We are hopeful that the show will remain at the Sands in 2017 and beyond and we will be working towards that end.

That’s all the news that’s fit to print for the moment. Diedra and I will keep you posted as news develops. If you have any further questions, please contact us.

Chris Dolnack is senior vice president and chief marketing officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow him on Twitter at @ChrisDolnack

What and Where to Eat During Show Hours

First class comfort food at FIRST

Everybody needs to eat, especially those that are walking for miles each day at the SHOT Show. You’ll need to re-fuel at some point.

Here are a few options for attendees looking to grab a bite to eat during show hours:

The Palazzo and Venetian: Don’t forget that the Sands Expo is connected to both the Venetian and Palazzo hotels. Both offer a ton of amazing dining options. For example, the Grand Luxe Cafe, owned by The Cheesecake Factory, is open 24 hours and the food is great. If you’re looking for the character of a neighborhood diner, minus the kitsch, FIRST Food & Bar is located in the Shoppes at the Palazzo. Another great option is Cafe Presse, which has a convenient location in the Venetian corridor. Click here to see all the casual dining options at both hotels.

NSSF Member Lounge: Yet another perk for members of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the NSSF Member Lounge (sponsored by GunBroker.com) is located in the Lido Ballroom on Level 3 of the Venetian. It’s a convenient place for members to sit down for lunch and take a break from the show floor.

Convention Center: For those that don’t want to stray too far from the show floor, there are a number of places to eat within the convention center area.

The SHOT Show website also lists contact details for complimentary concierge services that are available to you both in advance and onsite.

Live Chat for Exhibitors Set for Jan. 5

A live online chat for SHOT Show exhibitors is scheduled for Jan. 5 at 1:30 p.m. EST, at which time questions and other comments will be aired and addressed regarding the 2012 SHOT Show Space Selection Process.

Exhibitors recently received a letter detailing the new process for space selection. Be on the lookout for an invitation to participate and submit questions or comments for the live chat.

Participating in our live, online chats is a great way to get questions answered, suggestions heard and complaints addressed.

Wrap-up from the latest SHOT Show Chat

Thanks to everyone who participated in our second live chat.

Many of the questions focused on booth selection, floor-plan layout and our plans for enhancing the customer experience.

NSSF, Reed Exhibitions and the Sands Expo & Convention Center have been working on improving that experience.

Our SHOT Show committee will conduct a site inspection in Las Vegas in early October, so we can see the renovations first-hand. When we return, we’ll host another live chat to report on our findings, and I hope to post a few pictures as well.

If you missed the chat, you can view it at nssf.org/shotshowchat.

Next SHOT Show live chat set for Aug. 11

If you have SHOT Show related questions or suggestions then mark your calendar for Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 2 p.m. EDT, when I’ll host our next live chat.  

Our earlier online chat drew a lot of participation, evoking more questions and comments regarding the SHOT Show than we could squeeze into the allotted half-hour. I think we answered most of the questions and let people blow off some steam about their 2010 experience by the time we signed off an hour later.    

We’re moving forward and working hard to improve your experience at the 2011 SHOT Show, so let’s not plow old ground or rehash what has already been made abundantly clear in the previous live chat. 

To help make sure that we don’t short change anyone, you can submit your questions or suggestions in advance, so that responses can be considered and created before the next chat. That will expedite the process and maximize the dialogue that can occur in the scheduled session.

The live chat is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 11 at 2 p.m. EDT, and the July edition of SHOT Show Blast will offer the details on how to participate.

In the meantime, send your questions and/or other comments in advance of the live chat so they can be considered for inclusion in the session.

Update from the Sands: New roof installation complete

To ensure the best possible SHOT Show experience for this coming year, we've asked the Sands Expo & Convention Center to provide our exhibitors and attendees with regular updates on improvements the facility is making for next year's show. The following is an update from Ashlyn LaPorte, executive director of event management for the Sands:

SHOT Show 2011 is now one month closer and we wanted to once again tell you how excited we are to have you coming back to the Sands Expo & Convention Center.

While we all know it never rains in Vegas, we wanted to share some exciting news with you. The Sands is one week away from completion of our new roof installation. That's right! While the storm of January 2010 is behind us, and we know it will never rain again, we are prepared, with a new roof to cover your head.

As we continue to improve in preparation for your return, I will update you on the many exciting changes here at the Sands. See you in January!

Answers to your questions about the SHOT Show – Part 2

Since the show, we've received feedback in all forms, including social media, the live chat we held last month and surveys we've sent to all of the show's exhibitors and attendees. 

Over the next few weeks, we'll be addressing the questions we've received and posting the answers right here on the blog.

Q: Any thoughts on improving the check-in process for the next two years? 

A: Many thoughts actually. We will move the main registration area and employ stanchions similar to what airports do to control lines.

Q: How about a separate show for law enforcement? 

A: Even though law enforcement accounts for 27 percent of the floor space, less than 10 percent of the attendees register as law enforcement. The fact is that the vast majority of the LE products displayed at the SHOT Show are purchased by traditional sporting goods or firearms retailers and they don't want to travel 10 minutes or more to another venue, according to our surveys.

Q: You still haven't addressed the fire hazard of being stuck in a basement on lockdown if there were a serious threat. A small incident at the end of the show and the entire basement is locked down by rent-a-cops?

A: In response to this question that was posted on our Facebook page, there was a power outage that occurred at the Sands after the close of the 2010 SHOT Show. A detailed response on the situation is provided here by Karen Haigh, senior director of operations for Reed Exhibitions, which manages the show for NSSF.

Q: Can anything be done to improve the Package Center for the Palazzo/Venetian? It was understaffed and there were long lines to retrieve packages.  

A: We are addressing that with Sands management.

Q: We've heard that there was a new Sands Convention Center under construction. If this is true, will be able to go there next year? 

A: The plans to build a new Sands Convention Center went the way of the economy and there are currently no plans for a new Sands CC.

Q: The main aisle seems a little narrower than in the past and therefore it was a bit congested.  Is there any way to make the aisles a little bit wider?  

A: It is narrower by about 4 feet.  We could widen the aisles by cutting down on the number of exhibitors on Level 1 and Level 2 but then we spread the show out even more.

Q: Can anything be done to reduce the cost of meeting space prior to show opening for exhibitors? 

A: It doesn’t look like it at this time.  The Sands is a privately owned building and the cost of meeting space is significantly higher than the convention centers in Las Vegas or Orlando, which are publicly owned buildings.  Food and beverage costs are higher as well.

Q: How about going back to the 10-foot-by-10-foot grids for booth selection? 

A: This may allow users with enough points to take a spot they want instead of being shuttled to the corners. Good in theory, but doesn't take into account the number of booths that are 30 feet wide or larger. In reality, we would end up with even more dead-end aisles than we have now.