Closed to the Public: Help Us Keep SHOT Show a Place for Business

May 23, 2012 By Chris Dolnack 22 Comments

In a recent letter to the editor of a major industry trade magazine the president of an industry-leading manufacturer and exhibitor suggested that better screening SHOT Show® attendees would result in a better show experience for attendees and exhibitors alike. I couldn’t agree more. The biggest opportunity to screening out non-buyers who are not engaged in the industry (consumers) lies with the exhibitors and attendees themselves.

How can that be? Even if you count every manufacturers’ rep and company staffer working the booth, that still leaves a lot of room for non-buyers — who have a place at an industry trade show and conference — ranging from lawyers to engineers to investors to suppliers. That also leaves a lot of room for fraternity brothers, college roommates, cousins, former neighbors, well, you get the picture.

And on the attendee side, there are retailers who bring some of their most loyal customers as a reward or perquisite of sorts. Some retailers bring customers who have a specialized knowledge to lend a hand in sorting out newer or lesser known products. And some still bring their extended family to make the week of SHOT Show a working vacation.

Some folks have suggested that we limit the number of credentials issued according to the square feet of exhibit space or in the case of retailers per $100,000 in sales. Others believe that only those with an FFL should be permitted to attend. Both ideas and others have merit however in practicum bring with them a whole new set of challenges.

We have been implementing additional screening layers to help remove non-qualified attendees (those without a legitimate business purpose) at considerable cost with limited results. So with this blog entry I’m asking for the industry’s help in cleaning up our collective act. We need those of you who bring non-qualified persons to SHOT Show under the guise of being exhibit staff or part of your retail store’s sales or purchasing staff to take a hard look at the qualifications of those you bring to the 2013 SHOT Show and join us in being part of the solution to the non-qualified attendee issue rather than part of the problem.

Thanks for your help.

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Categories: Attendees, Exhibitors, SHOT Show Front Page |
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  • Guest

    Those with an FFL or a Resale Tax License makes sense to me… those are the buyers right?

    • http://twitter.com/chrisdolnack Chris Dolnack

      They are indeed.  The hardest part is getting legitimate retailers and exhibitors to refrain from bringing guests who are wearing a store or manufacturer’s badge.

      • Safranco

        Press credentials should also be a consideration. The years I exhibited I spent more time talking to bloggers and fielding requests for samples to evaluate than retailers. Extremely frustrating.

        • http://www.bluesheepdog.com/ Richard

          Safranco,

          Not sure I follow you. Is the source of your frustration a lack of retailers or the abundance of people looking to write about your products? Or is it the perception that online media is of a lesser quality than traditional print media?

          Online media has a different badge from other media types, so you can definitely ID a blogger quickly and turn them away if that is the issue. I know that I wouldn’t want to spend my time gathering information from a company that didn’t want to work with me. There are too many exhibitors to try and cover already.

          -Richard

        • Paul

          I’m with Richard on this one.  I’m not sure that I understand what you are getting at Safranco.  I am a blogger and a podcaster and I attended this years SHOT Show with broadcast credentials.  Am I to understand that you would prefer not to interact with me because the internet is my mode of publication?

  • http://www.facebook.com/jack.homa.9 Jack Homa

    Create a “personal” NSSF Membership for about $200-250 per year.  Then either a Corporate or Personal membership required for entry to SHOT Show for Non FFL or Resale Tax Licence.

  • Mblack

    The “guests” were our biggest problem this past year. We experienced a frustrating number of questions from “guest” ranging from “what’s a good gun for my wife” to “I don’t much about guns, where can I get a fully automatic pistol” all while waiting to talk to reps about their products in our shop. I think it should be limited to FFL holders period. We wasted a lot of time due to “guests”.

  • GS121002

    THAT IS A VERY BAD IDEA!
    I have no problem keeping the general public out.  This is a business show and should remain a business show.  However, don’t tell me who I can bring as my guest!I brought a guest and found his help with my business well worth my time and the money I spent bringing him.  He was my second set of eyes and advised me on product offerings I overlooked.  If you start getting too elitist, then you will loose because people will just stay away and take their business elsewhere. If you, as a exhibitor, get too frustrated in dealing with people, then stop your crying and stay home or get into a different line of work!

    • http://twitter.com/chrisdolnack Chris Dolnack

      We’re simply trying to respond to the exhibitor’s and retailer’s concerns that they cannot conduct business because there are too many non-qualified people on the show floor.  It truly has nothing to do with being elitist.  Many retailers bring a second set of eyes and we have no problem with that. Where exhibitors get frustrated is when after spending time show new products, the second set of eyes says, “I can’t buy anything I’m just here with my buddy.” 

      • Rocketeer

        Along with vetting of attendees, wouldn’t it be beneficial to set aside one day (possibly additional) for consumers only. I’m thinking that if consumers were given their own day, the attempts to attend on the other days would lessen, dealers would know that they’re ‘tire kickers’ that could end up recommending certain products to their local dealers, and purchasing said products.

        Taking gun consumers completly out of the equation and treating them as though they aren’t “important” enough to attend, is a short-sighted policy… when they’re the factor, in the end who pays everyone’s bills.

  • Ams30gts

    I don’t think bringing guests is the problem.  Letting people in who only possess a C&R FFL is.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Phillip-Loughlin/1183209614 Phillip Loughlin

    I think that putting some of the onus on this back on the industry attendees makes excellent sense.  Expecting the SHOT Show organizers to try to police something like this is not realistic… as there’s a loophole for every rule when the attendee pool is so widely dispersed… both across genres and purposes. How is the NSSF or SHOT supposed to know if an individual is actually an employee of a gun store or manufacturer, or just listed as such on the attendance application?   

    I disagree with those who think it should be FFL holders only, as that excludes a huge portion of the industry.  This isn’t a gun show.  It’s an industry trade show, and that includes everything from clothing to outfitters.  There are plenty of valid vendors and buyers out there who aren’t selling or shopping for the latest, greatest AR platform. 

    Or maybe that’s the choice that’s really on the table?  Is it time for SHOT to move the guns to a separate venue?  Is that what the industry would want to see?  I don’t really think so, but maybe that’s the solution.  Move firearms to a nearby venue and require FFL to attend that portion of the show. 

    But honestly, I think the biggest part of this “problem” could be solved by the show participants policing their own behavior.  Stop inviting your wife and brother-in-law, unless they’re coming to actually help you accomplish the job you came to do (whether it’s selling or buying).  Stop giving out your FFL to friends and neighbors so they can attend, even though your business isn’t coming (and yeah, that happens A LOT). 

    And on the other side, quit being such elitist asses.  Honestly, most of you wouldn’t know a “lookey-loo” from a valid shop owner or vendor if they were wearing a badge (oh, wait, they ARE wearing badges).  There are a good number of people in the hunting and outdoor trades industry who aren’t particularly well versed on guns…especially on the ARs and tactical equipment.  There are engineers, clothing designers, and freelance media on the floor at any given time who may never have seen or handled your products before.  And yeah, some of them are going to ask stupid questions.  If you don’t want to deal with the public, maybe you’re the wrong person to be representing your company at an international trade show  Stay in the shop, and send someone who knows how to work with people.

    One final note, since I’ve started ranting anyway…

    Maybe it’s time to reconsider the policy of opening the doors to unaffiliated members of law enforcement or military.  I get the idea that these guys are special and deserve honor and respect.  Couldn’t agree more.  But simply wearing a badge or uniform doesn’t make you any more qualified to attend a trade show than being cousins with the guy who makes a new camo pattern.  The biggest crowding problems I’ve personally experienced in 11 years of SHOT has come from the shoulder-to-shoulder lines of LEO milling around either the tactical or the alcohol booths.  Just saying.

     

    • http://www.bluesheepdog.com/ Richard

      You make some excellent points Phillip.  

      In addition to my media role in the industry, I am a cop.  There were a lot of LEOs and military at this year’s show that were not there to place orders.  I hate to keep our warriors out, but restricting LEO/military badges to those that are there on official time (i.e. folks there with purchasing authority) might be a good idea.I also saw an incredible number of “guests” this past year – both at the Show and at Media Day.  I have no problem with a few guests, but there really seemed like an overwhelming number this year.  Or maybe it was just the first year I paid attention to such things?

      Putting the responsibility back onto the exhibitors and attendees with some polite enforcement/encouragement from the NSSF is likely the best solution.

      -Richard

      • http://twitter.com/chrisdolnack Chris Dolnack

        Maybe LEO with letterhead authorization?

        • http://www.bluesheepdog.com/ Richard

          Hi Chris,

          Yes, that would probably work.

          -Richard

        • http://www.facebook.com/people/Phillip-Loughlin/1183209614 Phillip Loughlin

          I agree that this might address some of that particular issue.  Armorers and procurement specialists certainly do have a place at the show.  But the scores of guys who are just there to fondle new toys, swap war stories, etc…. well, if the problem is people who are just looking and not buying or selling, then this is definitely one area to investigate. 

    • http://twitter.com/chrisdolnack Chris Dolnack

      All good suggestions Phillip.  We’ll take a look at the unaffiliated military/LE attendees.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Edward-Osborne/100003722343373 Edward Osborne

    As a media professional who attended Shot Show for the first time last year, I definitely noticed this. While I had a great time, I was frustrated when the person I was interviewing at a booth told me straight up that they knew almost nothing about the product.

    There were times where I was going in with more knowledge than they about the line. One of the key advantages of Shot Show is that it offers the opportunity to often speak with people beyond the PR shell of a company, ask truly technical questions and receive truly technical responses.

    I’m sure that next year will still be crowded and fantastic with lots of not-so-helpful tag along participants.

    But if this post saves me one more time from having to sit  and wait “While I go and find an expert for you” then its worthwhile.

  • http://www.facebook.com/martin.j.guthrie Martin Jay Guthrie

    I dont understand? You WANT too keep the CONSUMER OUT,the GUY that BUY’S.Make Shot SHow DEALER’s ONLY VENUE? YOU DONT want too sale your PRODUCT too THE PEOPLE THAT BUY IT.You dont want anyone there that cant BUY IN BULK? Did I get that wrong? Is that so you have room too Dance?Cuase I thought that was the PURPOSE of Shot Show?People see People BUY! NO? Then EXPLAIN.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Phillip-Loughlin/1183209614 Phillip Loughlin

      There’s a difference between a trade show and a consumer show.  SHOT is a trade show, for the industry only.  Always has been.  It’s about vendors getting their products into the appropriate markets, not selling to individual consumers. 

  • Rupert

    I completely agree. It was my first Year at the Shot show. Im from the UK and we are importers and the biggest memory from the show were people walking around with baskets who were only interested in getting FREE stuff. They had little intention of making orders, stocking products etc. On more than one occasion i found it difficult to conduct business meetings because of “tire kickers” asking for stickers and calendars.
    Please don’t get me wrong the show is a great experience for everyone concerned both exhibiting and attending. I will definitely be there in 2013.  

  • Mickey Stewart

    As an attendee most years since I have opened my business in 1985, I would like to echo the sentiment that excluding FFL holders makes no sense! My stores emphasize the soft side of the industry — apparel & footwear — and over half of my suppliers are represented at SHOT.
    Mickey Stewart
    The Great Outdoors Company

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