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With the SHOT Show mere days away, the online conversation about the show is growing each day on sites like Twitter and Facebook.

Those following the #shotshow hashtag on Twitter have probably seen firsthand just how much the chatter has picked up in the past week alone.

If you’d like to follow the SHOT Show online, here are a few ways to do it:

1. SHOT Show Blog: We will be providing frequent updates throughout the show, including news, videos, links to other blogs and sites providing coverage, SHOT Daily issues and more.

2. Twitter: I’d encourage everyone to follow @nssfshotshow (not to mention myself @chrisdolnack and Diedra Cauley @dcauley) for updates throughout the show. Also be sure to follow the #shotshow hashtag, where you’ll find updates from attendees, exhibitors and media covering the show.

3. Facebook: If you’re more of Facebook person, be sure “Like” the SHOT Show on Facebook. We’ll be providing updates, photos and videos and sharing links to other sites providing SHOT Show coverage throughout the show.

4. YouTube: Tune in to the SHOT Show YouTube Channel at youtube.com/nssfshotshow for videos from the show floor, the State of the Industry Dinner and more. We’ll also be “favoriting” videos from other sources covering the show.

5. SHOT Mobile: The new-and-improved SHOT Mobile app is available for download on the iTunes App Store, Android Market and at shotmobile.com. My personal favorite new feature is the social media aggregator. With just tap of your finger you can see what fellow attendees are saying about SHOT Show and noteworthy new product introductions via Twitter. You can also read all the latest SHOT Show news through the SHOT Show Blog feed without leaving the app.

If you’ll be providing online coverage of the show, let everyone know in the comments below.

See you all at the #SHOTShow!

ArmaLite Inc., the internationally known manufacturer of AR-10, M-15, AR-30 and AR-50 rifles, has signed on as the title sponsor of SHOT Mobile for the 2012 SHOT Show®.

SHOT Show attendees will find the SHOT Mobile app an invaluable tool for searching exhibitors, navigating the show floor via interactive maps, finding new products, learning about show specials, viewing the show’s education schedule such as for SHOT Show® University^SM, setting up appointments with exhibitors, requesting callbacks and finding show services.

With its sponsorship, ArmaLite joins GunBroker.com and the Outdoor Channel as major industry supporters of the SHOT Show.

Read NSSF’s complete press release.

We've received some questions from exhibitors on a power outage that occurred at the Sands after the close of the 2010 SHOT Show.

The following is a response from Karen Haigh, senior director of operations for Reed Exhibitions, which manages the SHOT Show for NSSF:

As if the 2010 SHOT Show wasn't exciting enough, at the close of this year's SHOT Show, some of you who stayed that night to pack up might have noticed something out of place.

About 45 minutes into the return of the firearm crates and containers, the lights went out. We thought it would be helpful for you to understand what exactly did happen and how we handled it.

A forklift driver was working on a special request to move a crate from one level to another. The shortest distance between two points involved a transformer with a power line on a telephone pole. Unfortunately, this telephone pole provided power for most of the Sands Expo, and, even more unfortunately, the power cable inside the conduit was accidentally hit by a forklift blade. Fortunately, the fork lift driver kept his cool in a very hot situation and survived to tell his tale. 

The Sands Expo Building Engineer had just gotten home and was looking forward to a relaxing Friday evening. Century Security immediately jumped into action and temporarily stopped all traffic going in or out of doors in order to keep control until the situation had been assessed.

Keeping tabs on 12,000 firearms with no lights operating was on the top of their mind as was the safety of individuals on the show floor. Show management, Sands Expo management and Freeman all worked together with Century, and, very shortly after, allowed people to leave the building.  

Now keep in mind that the freight doors hadn't opened yet and needed to open (usually electronically) in order to complete the return of the firearm crates. A couple of select freight doors were opened by using forklifts so that the firearm crates could continue.

Until the lights came back on, it would not be safe to let labor onto the show floor because an accident was sure to happen. 

Remember the Sands Building Engineer who was enjoying getting home for the weekend? He was out the door in a flash and back on property in record time. His team worked furiously with the power company to get the lights and power restored. At about 6:30 p.m., labor was immediately let onto the show floor and move-out continued.

Since then, protective barriers have been placed around the telephone pole and power line, and emergency lighting has been upgraded.

South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds is attending the SHOT Show today to meet with industry executives and learn more about companies he would like to see relocate to the firearms-friendly Mount Rushmore State.

“South Dakota is the most business-friendly state in the nation, and the strong work ethic of our citizens makes them excellent employees,” Rounds said. “We are proud to say there is no state income tax in South Dakota, and we also try to make it as easy as possible to start and grow businesses in the state. South Dakota has a growing firearms industry, and we’ll do our best to make others feel welcome.”

Gov. Rounds’ attendance at the SHOT Show underscores the continued importance of the firearms and ammunition industry to the U.S. economy. During a time of great economic unrest, demand for industry products reached unprecedented levels. This sustained growth has fostered strong employment numbers and tax revenue — benefiting states and communities throughout the country.

“We are excited to have Gov. Rounds with us at SHOT Show,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane. “Time and again, he has proven himself to be a friend of America’s firearms industry, understanding that through our products the Second Amendment rights of all law-abiding Americans are realized.”

Political leaders are no strangers to the SHOT Show, as the firearms industry plays a key role in national and state elections. During the show, Gov. Rounds stopped by the booths of several major firearms and ammunition manufacturers. As he walked the show floor, the governor also spoke with many show attendees and exhibitors about how they contribute to the success of one of America’s oldest and most storied industries.

“With upward of 55,000 attendees and exhibitors, SHOT Show is a great opportunity for any political leader to visit with the country’s most engaged and pro-active businessmen and women,” said NSSF Senior Vice President Chris Dolnack.

The following article was written by public relations pro, Sherry Kerr, from Outdoor Media Resources. OMR represents several companies that exhibit at the SHOT Show.

For many manufacturers, meeting with the press is one of the most important reasons to attend the SHOT Show. Do it right, and it will pay dividends all year with editorial coverage and ongoing press relationships. Enter the show unprepared, however, and it will be a missed opportunity you can't get back.

The SHOT Show presents many opportunities to meet with, demonstrate your wares to, entertain, host and inform writers and editors. None is more important than meetings you hold in the booth. Here are some ways you can prepare for press meetings in your SHOT Show booth:

• Have a designated person to meet with the press. If you don't have a public relations person, either in-house or an agency, designate a marketing person or executive who knows your products intimately and can present them. That person must also know your company's policies regarding product samples for review by the press. Make sure everyone working in the booth knows who the press contact is and refers writers and editors to him or her.

• Have a designated space in the booth for press meetings. Ideally, this would be a conference room reserved for media, but if your booth won't accommodate that, a small table and chairs in a corner work well. Make writers comfortable; they're more likely to have a favorable visit and want to stay for your presentation.

• Prepare a concise new-product presentation, and have a set of new product samples handy for demonstration. Remember, the press is primarily at the show to see what's new. Expand as time allows and concentrate on their areas of interest. Expect to talk about specific projects and possibly product samples. Remember that not every product is applicable to every writer. Learn what you can about their publications and subject matter, then focus on what they need to know, not necessarily on what you had wanted to talk about.

• Have electronic press kits ready to hand to those who want to take one with them, but offer to mail them (or provide download information) to those who don't. Given a choice, most writers and editors will prefer that you mail them or e-mail a link for download.

• Respect their time. If anything is harder to manage at the SHOT Show than footwear that will help your feet hold out, it's time. Working press will need to cover every possible square inch of the show, and they won't likely have much time to spend with you. Be available and be prepared. Don't waste their time by showing them your hunting photos unless they ask.

• Contact writers in advance to invite them to visit your booth. Offer to set appointments but understand if they prefer to stop by when they're in the neighborhood. Give them a preview of what you have to show them.

• Be understanding if writers don't meet appointments or are late. Most take their appointments seriously, but sometimes they simply get stuck somewhere else and can't get to the next meeting on time. The SHOT Show is, by necessity, held in a huge facility, and traveling from Point A to Point B can be like driving across the city during rush hour. When I set appointments, I provide my cell phone number in case they need to make changes or are running late.

• Approach writer meetings with the right attitude. Writers and editors are not intruders in your booth, nor are they there with their hands out. They are professionals with a job to do; your job is to help them do it.

• Before the meeting is over, prepare for the next step. Are you the ongoing contact for follow-up calls? Whether you exchange business cards or bump iPhones, make sure they know whom to contact afterward and how to reach that person. Ask for permission to add them to your contact list for press-release distribution. Take notes on what interests them, and follow up after the show.

One final bit of advice: Some of the writers you'll meet at the SHOT Show will likely be bloggers and Web site owners. Don't know what to do with them? Show interest, learn what you can from them and check out their blogs and sites afterward. If you don't know how to evaluate digital media, use online tools to learn. The days of all writers and editors representing print magazines or newspapers are over.

Regardless of what other writer events you may be hosting, nothing is more important than the one-on-one time you spend with writers in your booth. Be prepared, and your business will benefit all year.

Sherry Kerr, the author of this article, has been the name and face of Outdoor Media Resources for 20 years. OMR provides public relations and marketing communications for the outdoor industry. She represents several companies that exhibit at the SHOT Show. To learn more about the services of Outdoor Media Resources, visit www.outdoormediaresources.com, or e-mail SherryOMR@cs.com.