Gun Bloggers and Internet Media: Instant, Viral Coverage of the SHOT Show

The old adage “news travels fast” needs an update.

With the advent of social media, text messages and email, news travels instantly.

A growing contingent at the SHOT Show is our Internet media. In fact, more than 600 Internet media representatives — bloggers, forum leaders and website producers — will be at the show this year. When we first started registering Internet media four years ago, that number was under 100.

If you don’t think this group should be taken seriously, ask Netflix and Bank of America what their thoughts are. Both companies recently experienced instant backlash that quickly went viral after making announcements their customers weren’t too happy to hear about.

Gun bloggers and the Internet media have the ability to take a new product and give it instant recognition — which also carries with it the possibility of it quickly going viral. And quite often, these writers and video producers are producing the same reviews that print magazine subscribers will read about months from now.

It still amazes me how many companies out there do not include Internet media in their ad spend.

Where can you find all this coverage? For one, follow the #shotshow hashtag on Twitter. Also, do a search for “SHOT Show” on YouTube, Facebook, Google+, Google Blog Search and countless other sites.

The amount of coverage, comments and quality you’ll find will no doubt make you a believer.

111 thoughts on “Gun Bloggers and Internet Media: Instant, Viral Coverage of the SHOT Show”

  1. If you’re a gun blogger, a blogger who likes guns, or someone who wants to talk with us, we’re getting a get-together together at SHOT – http://www.exurbanleague.com/misfires/Home/tabid/59/EntryId/1463/SHOT-Show-GunBlogger-Meetup.aspx

  2. Chris,

    Well said.  It shocks me to see the lack of support for electronic media among today’s companies but it is slowly changing thank goodness.  The prices for exposure on electronic media is substantially cheaper then most print and the numbers can be exponentially stronger.  I for one look forward to spending the week tweeting and covering #SHOTshow to our over 5K plus fans and 12K Facebook fans and followers and posting up stories and pictures on HuntingLife.com all week. 

    1. Kevin,

      Excellent point on pricing.  The power of the dollar is so much greater in the internet than in any other medium.  The buy is often cheaper, but companies are reaching people where they are spending their time.  Plus the ability to precisely track every consumer from ad to sale is something that you cannot get through any other advertising campaign.

      -Richard

  3. The internet can make,or break you. The recent debacle that was “oceans marketing” and the 215gear rant will be textbook fodder on what not to say in the near future.
    Blackheart will have the guys from Attack of the show from G4 tv and my booth (FoxFury Lighting) will showcase the team from Beat Down Boogie productions. I have been in the industry going on 30 years and am proud to see that NSSF is cognizant of and embracing the rising positive power of bloggers, youtuber and the social media  

    1. Wow, no doubt.  By this time Googling Christoforo and Ocean Marketing is going to be a revelation of what is going to be and not a way to avoid internet ownage.  Sorry, Paul.  I almost feel for you.

  4. NSSF – you’re always ahead of the curve and in tune with the media. You set an incredible example for our industry and our media professionals, which now include bloggers and Internet news content providers. Thanks from all your media friends in the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA)

  5. Chris,

    Thanks for supporting the online media.  This will be my fourth SHOT Show under the “Internet” press badge, and I am quite proud to display it.  I’ve worked and still freelance in the traditional media, but love the interaction with my audience that I cannot get through “old school” print.  There are some companies that have embraced the Internet and have thrived because of it.

    Each of my online publications has a significantly higher monthly readership than most of the traditional periodicals.  Add to the mix that I have an actual relationship with my readers (and viewers and listeners – hey we do video and podcasts also!), and product recommendations made by me (and folks like Kevin below – both of them) carry some weight.

    Companies not investing in the online world are really hurting their market position and bottom line.

    -Richard

  6. Absolutely agree with this article. Well done. When I began attending the  SHOT several years ago it was very hard to get anyone excited about blogs and social media contacts for their products. As the industry continues to grow the people in charge of advertising expenses for their products need to continue to challenge the notion that print magazines and TV are the only ways to get the word out to consumers. It is a changing world out there and the most successful folks are using the social medias and internet connections to their full advantage.

  7. As I sit here and ponder the article more, and the great comments, I have to think back on a conversation I had with some people a few days ago. I spoke with ten “industry” people, out of the ten, not one had the sportsman channel on their cable system.  I do not have access to it either, have never seen one show on it. But all 11 of us read blogs each day. welcome to the new world.

  8. Been attending the SHOT Show every year since 1989 (missed only two shows during that time) and it’s been fun watching how media has evolved.   In the early days I remember quite fondly how veteran outdoors writer, Bill Clede was pushing technology for those of us in the communications field.   In fact, it was in the SHOT Show press room where Bill explained to me the virtues of connecting with CompuServe and using a computer program called TAPCIS to automate the connection to CompuServe for those of us who had to dial-up long distance to connect.  Back then that was as close to the Internet as we had.

    Bill passed away in 2003, but I have to believe he has a big smile on his face as he looks down to see what is going on, both at SHOT, but also how technology is reporting it.   Folks, as communicators we are living during some exciting times and it’s only going to get better in the years to come.

  9. You are wrong on many points. Most products at Shot Show are not yet on production. When bloggers show it, buyers will be attracted but they also found that those new products will be available in june or in september and they are disapointed. Most articles on printed magazines are released at the time of those products are available.
    Also, some items at Shot Show are just “prototypes”. There is many exemples of products presents at the Shot Show who were never produced. For this a media must be carefull when annoucing new products.

    This is the part for the news but how can you make a good review of a product if you dont try it during 2-3 months even longueur ? For this bloggers cant be faster than “paper writers”.

    Also in my point of view most articles on guns blogs or video review are of very poor quality concerning the infos you got.

    1. Marco, 

      A couple of quick points.  First, why must the media be careful about announcing new products?  I would argue that the manufacturer should be careful on when it makes announcements about their products.  For example, Ruger doesn’t announce or show anything (without an NDA, anyway) that they are putting into production immediately.

      Conversely, Taurus may show around a bunch of new guns and not give any clear indication when/if something will be produced.  I don’t see how it is the media’s responsibility to try to guess when/if something is going to be released.

      Regarding long-term testing, most gun manufacturers only loan out guns for 60 or 90 days.  This may meet your minimum requirements, but the time requirement is not limited to internet media only.

      Lastly, regarding the “…very poor quality concerning the infos you got.”  If a particular internet site is of poor quality they will have few readers and consequently they are unlikely to earn any advertising dollars.  However, good quality sites certainly earn their living.

      Richard

  10. Not so fast Marko. Your points are well taken, but think about it from the media perspective. Media tries to put out “news.”   It’s about what’s going on today. Media is covering what is happening now. Pre-press on products not yet available can be huge if done right.  I watch pre launch products and industry leaders all the time. Watching a product grow and become real is part of our lives. I think it’s up to the manufacturers to control their own message and deliver their “goods” as they see fit. The Medea is providing an outlet for information . . . 

  11. All great feedback gang.  Like it or not (I Like), internet/social media is here to stay.  And remember, once upon a time said, “(insert idea or product here) is just a passing fancy.”  (automobiles and computers come to mind.)

  12. Now the question is when you are going to start qualifying internet media?   We have to crawl over nobodies who can install wordpress and have nobody reading anything they write, It isn’t so hard to qualify internet media using Alexa.com and Compete.com.  Why do you waste the manufacturers’ time and make the real internet media have to deal with wish I were internet journalists who are just using your stamp of approve to solicit review guns and accessories?  You’ve created this giant gorilla in the room and we all have to deal with it, and you may think the industry takes your numbers seriously, but everyone sees things for what they are.  If you are serious about bringing value to your exhibitors, you need to vet the press list.

    1. The funny thing is?  I was being serious.  I’d never heard of it.

      I finally went, out of sheer curiosity. 

      It’s possibly the worst website I’ve ever seen.  Who designed this site?  Was it a High School project or something?  

      How many links do you have off the front page?  Did you notice they scroll off the bottom quite a bit, breaking out your columns?

      I’d tear my eyes out before proposing a layout like this for a customer.

      You *might* have good content, but I’d never know – it’s impossible to get past the horribleness of your main page.

    2. Funny thing is, Dave, if you do what Paul says, and check his stats on Compete and Alexa (he talks up Compete more because his site looks better), you can see that over 50% of his site visitors are, and have always been, one-page one-visit bounces. 

      In other words, they looked at it, like you and I did, and said, “meh.” Just keep [bleep]in’ that chicken, Paul.

    3. Kevin… Exactly. One page bounces… They came, they, saw, they puked. Blogger authority should mean way more than visits. It’s not the number of visits, it’s the quality of the visitors. It’s repeat visitor percentage, it’s time on site, it’s number of pages visited per session that should mean something to an advertiser. Those stats mean you are writing awesome content and people consider you an authority and a trusted resource. Everything else is just taking up bandwidth.

    4. Great idea.  Maybe we should start vetting gun ownership too.  You know, to make sure that no losers get a hold of these dangerous weapons.  I think we should have a test you have to pass in order to be considered eligible to buy a gun.  Maybe we could demand references, years of experience, income bracket.  Stuff like that.  

    5. Here’s a thought: Gun bloggers actually like guns. We shoot them. We do show and tell. We understand the vast differences between them, and we don’t think they are evil or otherwise likely to do anything on their own. We understand the differences between clips and magazines, between semi-automatics and automatics, between bullets, rounds and ammunition. We frequently write about how the vast majority of journalists and “professional” writers so very often fuck up the details, both minor and important, when writing about guns. We are tremendous supporters of second amendment rights and watchdogs of those who would impede on those rights. We spend large sums (large for us, anyway) on guns, ammunition, targets, gear, and collaboration. When we find a company we like, we are fiercely loyal. When we find one that we don’t, we are very vocal about why we don’t like it (see: Paypal.) Why should the gun industry give us respect? Because we are the thing they want the most: a consumer who not only buys their product, but is willing to review it for others, tell stories about the product’s use, and provide feedback to the industry on strengths and shortcomings. We are more than willing to share success stories (any dealings with Brownell’s, for instance) and abject failures (any dealing with ParaOrdinance support, for example.)We are your base.

  13. @60a70d08d692ca58322f6f319fdf399b:disqus  wow, that’s about as elitist as it gets . . .  “media is media when or if I say it’s media.”  Just sayn . . .   the world is shrinking. . .  and as I recall, NSSF does screen the media and if I recall SHOT is not open to the public. . .   hm . . .  if manufactures dont want or cant vet their media sources, maybe it’s time to change tactics.  I dont see this as the fault of NSSF or SHOT . . . Good luck Paul fettering out the next Huffington Post . . . 

  14. As one of those Internet media folks who had to struggle and fight for a pass for my first SHOT Show about 10 years ago, it sure is nice to see recognition of the medium and our contributions. 

    Part of me wants to agree with Paul Helinski’s comments below about vetting Internet Media representatives, because there are so many out there.  It’s quite a crowd.  But I’m also concerned that this will limit the little guy.  Many of us were those “little guys” when we started and, like anything else, it takes time to grow.  It’s no different than establishing a reputation as a freelancer.

    Just because you don’t have a journalism degree from Columbia University, or a stack of bylines from major magazines doesn’t mean that you don’t have something valid to say.  There are a lot of very skilled, qualified, and serious writers out there who now have a medium to share their knowledge, as well as their opinions.  While some folks decry the loss of formal constraints, the fact is that these “non-professionals” are making a huge impact in public opinion… with or without journalism credentials.

    In a world where a single, 45-second video clip on YouTube can generate millions of views and spark a global craze, those “little guys” are every bit as important as the Big Boys. That’s the heart of Internet media, and the value.

    Instead of barring the door, I think it behooves us to consider some sort of training opportunity for Internet media to understand how things work, and maybe install some sort of generally accepted protocol around the right and wrong way to get test samples and field trial products. I know that when I started, even as an experienced journalist, I had no idea how things worked and I was probably one of those annoying pests who just wanted to finagle free stuff for field tests.   That’s the only way I knew to do it at the time, and honestly, the only difference now is that I’ve finally established a semblance of credibility.  I still ask for the opportunity to field test certain products, and I’m hardly alone.

    The truth is that pretty much every media representative at the show is looking for new stuff to try out. That’s why we go! Sure, the big magazine and TV guys don’t have to beg, but freelancers, bloggers, and even small-time TV/Video productions have to ask. I think the problem is most likely in HOW they ask. There’s a right way and a wrong way, and for most of us the trick is learning which is which.

    Maybe some of those manufacturers and vendors who have complaints about their treatment by the unwashed masses would be interested in sharing some thoughts about the things that bother them, and some ideas for the novices.  But be realistic. 

    And when it’s all said and done, if you don’t want to be bothered by “small-time” bloggers, then you have the option of reading the name badge and turning your back to them.  That’s the response I used to get when SHOT first started printing “Internet” on my badge. 

    But you do so at your own risk, because that sort of attitude will be documented and it will color future reviews of you and your company’s products.  And really, you never know when that “nobody” you dismissed will turn out to the next Dave Carroll, and you can be the next United Airlines.

  15. Great write up, Chris. Blogs, social media, viral videos and the like are certainly driving news at the “speed of now”.

  16. I think your link explains your argument Tony.  But if you had to deal with it from not just our perspective, but also the manufacturers’ perspectives, you would understand that between the organizations out there in the market place blatantly lying about their readership (ahum), and the hundreds of people who call the manufacturers every month to get T&E guns, I think that NSSF as the industry organization could do a lot more to qualify the media list to those who have actually built something that people read.  Even the print mags have been marginalized by the “bloggers,” many of whom, when you look at their stats on Compete.com, have only a few thousand people every month, if that. I have no problem with letting people *trying* to build something into SHOT, but they should not be allowed into Range Day, and they should not carry the same press credentials as those of us who have put the work and the years in to actually build something. NSSF themselves put together some of the highest quality videos for youtube in the firearms world.  They have made a deal with our competitors that I’m sure has cost them a lot to broadcast those videos to hundreds of thousands of people.  They know the dedication, money, and time it takes to build quality editorial and find a way to get it to the people. They should use that experience to set a standard.

    1. Oh hell … someone make the popcorn.

      “Even the print mags have been marginalized by the ‘bloggers'[.]”

      Sorry pal – I can’t tell you the last time I bought a dead-tree gun rag. I get my information from the bloggers because I have met many of them and we are self-vetted. I trust someone like Jay or Tam a whole lot more than someone doing a review in an ad-supported magazine… because they don’t really have anything to lose.

      On top of that, the bloggers you’re poo-pooing are largely self-supporting. I went the NRA show on a media pass, but my travel, hotel, etc – that was all on my own dime. Yes, I got some complimentary meals – but I wasn’t expecting them and went with cash in hand to buy my own dinners.

      Magazines have a vested interest in keeping their advertisers happy. I don’t. I can write my own opinions of anything because of that – and I like it. True, I don’t get handed T&E guns, and don’t ask for them. I did get some ammo to review last year, and declined the opportunity to do more – because that’s not writing for me. That’s writing for someone else, and it’s not why I blog.

      Don’t like us in your way? Start your own show and invite whoever you like. I won’t be offended.

    2. As I explained, NSSF should have a dual press system, where those with actual readers go to range day and have access to a press room, and others can get into the show.  Everything you need is on the show floor, including experts to interview on products, and there is free wifi in the building, and plenty of seats (thanks to NSSF listening to visitors and giving them tons more space). 

    3. Huh. I’ve been to GunsAmerica for years to research going gun prices but never noticed they had a blog or any kind of reporting of any kind whatsoever. 
      Learn something new every day. I doubt it’ll be a daily read though

    4. Wow…that sounds a lot like the whining of someone who doesn’t much enjoy competition trying to protect their rice-bowl.

      ps.  I accidentally hit “like” when I meant to hit “Reply”  Please mentally subtract one”like” from the total on the above comment.

    5. Paul,
      As one of those “nobodies who can install wordpress”, I can understand your frustration.  It must be rough to no longer control the message.  I freely admit that I am a third-tier Gunblogger at best.  Still, I like to think I do my part for the cause.

      Google “Long Tail” and then understand the wisdom of including the viral media.

    6. Maybe the long tail is irrelevant, maybe it isn’t. Being an elitist prick, now, that never goes out of style. Way to start an internet firestorm.
       
      George might be a third tier gunblogger who can install WordPress, but I’m not even capable of that. WordPress baffles me. I manage just fine on Blogger, and will probably remain there until I can pay someone to build me a WordPress blog that I can stand. Apparently I am a useless bag of suck and fail to people like you.
       
      I’ve gotten three things for free. I’ve received two books and a pair of shooting glasses. I got the second book today. (Proclaiming Liberty) I know for a fact that at least one person is reading the first book because I recommended it. That would be George, above. As for the glasses, I know of two people who have paid their hard earned dollars for those glasses entirely on my say so. There may be more, but you can’t really measure the effect, nor the further ripples. I suspect that Revision Eyewear thought that giving me a set of glasses was only one step above flushing them down the toilet, but since they have at least two sales, plus who knows how many others influenced in their direction, it seems to have worked out all right in the end.
       
      (Revision, if you are reading this, I love the Sawfly glasses. Next time I’m going to let you do the prescription though. Lenscrafters is too expensive. It’s nice being able to see when I shoot, plus the lack of pressure headaches is nice.)
       
      See how that works, Paul? It’s great that Max Michel sports these glasses, but to the people that I shoot with, me explaining why I like them is worth more. Especially when I tell them about how easy it is to have prescription shooting glasses nowadays.
       
      As for “10 Commandments of Propaganda,” I recommend it as well. It’s a great book about how the media does just what you are attempting. They try to crush the little guy and push him out so that their opinions dominate the flow of information. It’s a little hard to take as it points out how often we are all taken in by what is essentially just propaganda. But still, it’s worth it.
       
      I’ll let you know about “Proclaiming Liberty.” It looks good so far.
       
      Now as for GunsAmerica, I can tell you that my opinion of them has fallen dramatically in recent hours.

    7. You were one of the two I was referring to. The other guy was a guy I met on my day job. He and I got to talking about shooting and he was complaining that he recently “got old” and had to get glasses. Now his shooting was suffering. I pulled my shooting glasses out of the trunk and showed them to him. Revision got an order for glasses that night, and he wasn’t even a reader!

    8. wow you sold 2 pairs of glasses. you want a medal? I do read your blog by the way and it’s not bad at all! I hope you can sense my sarcasm in my first 2 sentences 😉

    9. I agree, Paul. There are many out there who lie about their readership, in both electronic and print media. That is why we carry proof with us, which we get weekly from our server. The gun manufacturers are very good to us, and send test guns without us asking. They know that we are in for the long haul, and not just some goober-smoocher trying to get access to SHOT. I remember back several years ago, we were the only electronic media at the shoots on the day before SHOT, back before there was an official Media day. Media day has been a real blessing to us. Before, we had to travel between five or six different shooting ranges, but now, with everyone in one location, it is much better. We are also no longer treated as lepers by the writers for the print media, and i am friends with many of them.

      Jeff Quinn

    10. Yes Jeff, I actually almost put in there a reference to GunBlast.  I’m sure you have to deal with the same nonsense as us. There is nothing like killing yourself for ten or fifteen years to have to wait for a guy to shoot his video for Colt on his cellphone at media day.  I’m out at sunset sad to say Jeff, then flying sunday morning to the show. See you there have a save trip. -ph

    11. “There is nothing like killing yourself for ten or fifteen years to have to wait for a guy to shoot his video for Colt on his cellphone at media day.”
      Wow.

      I wish my problems were as big as yours.  How do you deal with that?  Maybe you should start a motivational speaking tour where you help other people get through their life paralyzing problems.  “Paul Helinski’s Overcoming Adversity Tour”.  

    12. Paul,
       There is a problem with Compete.com stats. We get our server stats direct from GoDaddy, and they correlate with our own exactly. Compete shows that we, for example, had 332,000 apprx. unique visitors for November, 11. However, we actually had roughly 1,118,000 in November. GoDaddy gives us the numbers, along with the number each day, and the location of the visitor by state, province, and nation.

      Jeff Quinn

    13. Funny, I vett people I do business with by the opinions of other people who have done business with them……and never by dead tree paid media.

      In other words, and really small ones….. I trust the opinion of actual humans I know over people I have never spoken to, and never will.

      As one of those sad and pitiful little bloggers who’s readership numbers in only a few thousand a month… Aw hell….. Who cares what I think?

    14. Mr. Helinski, we “nobodies who can install wordpress” have
      TRANSFORMED the industry. When a blogger reviews a holster or
      a gun or a flashlight or a knife, he doesn’t just link it to the
      company website. He also links to everyone he knows who has reviewed a
      product from the same company,and they do the same with THEIR
      blogfriends.Why should I read one or two “artistic and professional”
      reviews
      when I can read 12 “unvarnished” ones and get a real feel for a
      manufacturers quality control, customer service, and general attitude
      towards customers?

    15. Apparently you are about to learn a lesson in how business leaders learn to STFU and not make controversial statements.  Id10t

  17. Exactly the point. You are a wanna be internet media professional.  Why don’t you go into Compete.com and compare gunsamerica.com to any other gun website, not just blogs. You’ve never heard of us, and we are the industry leader in internet readership, after 15 years of hard work and dedication. Why should I have to wait for you to finish taking a video with your phone at range day?

    1. If some of the top gun bloggers have never heard of you, maybe that should be a hint that you’re doing something wrong.

      See also: Jim Zumbo, Ocean Marketing.

    2. Paul,

      Wow, there’s some Grade A arrogance on display.   You REALLY need to read up on Ocean Marketing.   And stop digging.

    3. Because, both a smart professional and a decent person would have done the same for you when your company was a nobody.  Being magnanimous could have gotten you a lot of positive press from the people you just insulted. 

    4. I knew GunsAmerica has been in the online gun classified business for a long time.  I have never heard of your ” 15 year old blog” though.  Trolling the internet to drive away customers must be your business venture?

  18. @60a70d08d692ca58322f6f319fdf399b:disqus  No disrespect to you at all, I understand the dilemma I get at lease one call/email every day from someone looking for free stuff in exchange for making me famous . . .   freedom can be tricky . . .    Great discussion.  For the record, I’d be against developing a “standard” or a “licence” to be a real media member. We do have a barrier to entry, I think that’s enough. I think developing a standard would be a little much. Paul, you could always start your own media organization and vet your members and create a top tier gun media organization. If anyone wants to be a member of the best media organization around, join the professional outdoor media association (POMA)!  We WILL do great things together!  Cheers!  

  19. So the owner of a company that hosts auctions of firearms _on_the_internet_ but cannot handle the face to face transfer that still has to go through brick and mortar FFLs is decrying the rise of the many to many meme of blogging on the internet and the larger publicity it entails?

    Somebody turn off irony machine, I think it’s going to overheat….

  20. We at Gunblast.com have been covering SHOT with daily updates for eleven years now. Most gun companies give us great support, as they realize that we have more readers than any of the paper gun magazines, and that our lead times for a review are measured in hours instead of weeks. Starting with coverage on the night of the 16th, we will have video and pictures from Media Day, with coverage of the products from the show the following three days.  We have been at this for a long time. When we first attempted to register as media for SHOT back in 2000, there was resistance from NSSF, but they let us in, and things have now definitely changed, with electronic media welcomed by NSSF and the exhibitors.

    Jeff Quinn

    1. Electronic media has an immediacy that simply can’t be matched by print.  Every marketeer knows that the customer wants product in hand ASAP and electronic media does that.  With the expansion of target market, this is the basis for the success of Gunbroker, AuctionArms and GunsAmerica.    How can one exploit the broader customer base and not appreciate AND exploit the reality of the coexisting promotional system?

      Gunblast has really stepped forward to become the timely source of new firearms information with all print media being merely a followup.  We see the results of this in the shop in terms of product inquire and sales occurring soon after an article is posted to the site.  

    2. I remember back in mid 90s when I said I wrote for the Innanetz website and the nice NSSF lady said where? I tried to explain to her how a Geocities webpage worked but it took years before they really believed me. LOL. One of the first red headed step children in SHOT. Do we get suffrage pins to show how we bled?

  21. Where has GunsAmerica been for the past six+ years of the Gunblogger Rendezvous – busy making friends?  I know the Bill Brassard of the NSSF has been there…and sponsors like Brownells (Thanks Larry Weeks!), Pro Ears, Glock, Ruger, Otis, LuckyGunner, Cabela’s Crimnson Trace, Midway,Sig–Sauer, Para-USA, Leupold, Dillon…and Hi-Point!

    1. If you cannot even keep the “NRA Convention” and “Gunblogger Rendezvous” straight (hint: they are separate concepts/events), GunsAmerica needs to find a better person to represent them on the internet. 

  22. So, perusing this blog (which NSSF should have told me was here so I
    could drive traffic to it), I see that a post I linked to generated more
    comments than all the others on the front page. Not bad for a nobody.
    Guessing this will also end up being the most read post as well.

    Now, should they give press passes to anyone with a website? That’s their call. I’d advise doing due diligence first because, hey, some nobodies just want free stuff.

    1. listen, man – your blog kicks ass and even though I enjoy Gunsamerica blog, I have been reading yours alot longer than i have been reading GA. Besides, it seems to me that this Helinski guy wasn’t really referring to your blog. I think he was mainly talking about people who sign up as bloggers just to get in to SHOT but have no intention of actually putting out SHOT coverage. I even spoke to a NSSF media organizer (not naming names) and they said it was a big problem this year.

      anyway, mr uncle, keep up the good work. your blog is great!

  23. This is the first SHOT Show for us and we’re very excited to be a part
    of it. Social media is here to stay and we’re building a business that
    focuses on producing media assets which companies can the use to enhance
    and promote their online presence. Our primary mission at SHOT Show
    this year is to produce HD content for gunsandtactics.com, our secondary
    mission is to open new doors to build new relationships.

    The experience of registering for SHOT Show was easy and required us to
    get screened by the NSSF. Having an experienced media team and examples
    of our work with links helped us get through this process. I felt the
    process was accountable and I appreciated having the opportunity to talk
    about our goals and interests regarding SHOT Show.

    After passing the evaluation we began networking within the industry to secure meeting and
    opportunities for the show. We’ve received a warm response from everyone
    we’ve contacted and have secured several engagements. Having SHOT Show
    in common with our audience and our industry is a valuable networking
    tool.

    I hope all of you have a great time this year and I’m looking forward to meeting several of you at the show.

    Kind regards.
    Jae

  24. Dear Mr. Paul Helinski / GunsAmerica

    I seem to recall that one of those bloggers you seem to dislike took down Dan Rather and gave a nasty black eye to 60 Minutes.

    A couple of unocouth bloggers (like those you don’t think should breathe
    the same air as you) uncovered certain government practice of illegally
    walking guns into Mexico and now there is a major scandal in the making
    threatening to topple the Department of Justice which, incidentally is
    trying to put you out of business.

    It might behoove you to treat this dirty masses with a tad of more respect.

    Just saying

    1. I had the opportunity to work with Paul and GunsAmerica this past week.  I can’t speak to his statement on blogs, only that there is a point to be made that the internet allows anyone to post all kinds of things, portray them as fact, and without any vetting.  I have read up on blogs by “experts” who portrayed themselves as being the end-all-be-all in firearms.  

      There are many good voices out there, but sometimes you need to wade through waves of people posting as experts who lack any education/experience/etc who post opinion as fact.  That’s just the reality of the internet.

      As for Paul, my experience is that he’s a decent and honorable guy.  Any commitment he made to me he kept, and he was always fair when dealing with me.  Just my respectful 2 cents.

  25. Paul, I understand that you “worked” hard to get where you are.  But you started somewhere.  someone gave you your break.  your readers gave you your break.  sure, there are small time bloggers, youtube posters and average firearm advocates going to this show, Deal with it.  This is the new media.  a good deal of us don’t have degrees in journalisim, or anything for that matter.  BUT, we ARE spreading the message to other gun owners and non gun owners alike. It don’t matter if it’s wordpress,  It don’t freaking matter if we have 22 or 220,000 subscribers.  People read our posts just like they read yours.  NSSF recognizes this.  it’s gonna get more people there, more people meeting vendors, and more people advertising for the vendors mostly for free and more guns, gear, and ammo in the hands of the American public, where they belong.  Stop trying to pre-qualify folks for  OUR First and Second Amendment rights.  you are not in any position to do so.  Just because you have been around longer dosen’t put your ass in charge.  Clearly the NSSF don’t think you’re in charge, so quit your whining, EMBRACE the fact that these fine men and women are here to learn and experience the same things you do.  and DEAL WITH IT.  this is the media of today.  work of mouth advertising is now word of type and by posting this trash, you didn’t do yourself any favors.

  26. By the way, good luck with keeping the customer base that you had.  those customers listen to us nobodys too

  27. What a great blend of personalities, interests, and experiences!  There are some great relationships to be pursued and if there is to be any vetting, I imagine it will be through the healthy and sustainable development of productive and constructive networks.

    See you at the show!

  28. I would rather read a bloggers comments on a new product than another crappy gun rag where every product seems to be “teh bestest evar!”  GunsAmerica.com sucks btw.  gunbroker.com is where it is at. 

    1. I just checked Compete. You’re number two — in site visits. In 2011, I spent $21k on GunBroker. $0 on GunsAmerica. I’ll be spending more in 2012. And my opinions drive more sales (I am a retired Special Forces NCO). That’s all before I started blogging on 1 January. 

      Thanks for telling me that GunsAmerica and its advertisers and sellers do not want my business. Message received. 

  29. “Get off my lawn” + “Those horseless carriages will never catch on” is no way for a business to survive in the 21st Century.

    I’ll be at SHOT, a lowly lawyer to the industry trying to make
    connections. I’ll be reading web pages, following blogs and Twitter — heck, I’ll read smoke signals if someone will send them — because communication is the beginning of connection and connections lead to relationships and relationships are how I build my business and serve my clients. This is the thing: we live in age where communication is both
    vertical AND horizontal, broadcast AND narrowcast. I’m a former newspaperman and 20 years later it’s clear that no one own the ink barrel anymore.Wake up and smell the pixels — we’re never going back.

  30. We’re definitely new kids on the block and excited to be attending our
    first SHOT Show. We have a lot to learn as well as a lot of new ideas to provide.
    Make no mistake, it’s a new age and SHOT recognizes this. In our case,
    we hope to create a more “intimate” shopping experience online between
    buyers and retailers using the power of search comparison designed specifically for the firearms industry. We can’t do
    this without social media input nor can we do this without the input of
    our advertisers/partners. Our blog is going to be just as important of a tool to showcase “new to market” products. We look
    forward to working with all of you and feel free to reach out to us with questions, site comments, etc. Special thanks to the folks at SHOT who not only
    answered our membership questions but who were also receptive to our
    overall concept.

  31. Well, once the average internet forum reading gun owner reads this quaint little opinion by Helstinky he can expect to see a reduction in his precious site traffic.

    Helstinky is about to get Zumbo’d.   Good job moron, next time just keep your foot in your mouth and prevent uttering such stupidity.

  32. Alas, I have to get on a plane in the morning and will be working 16 hour days for the next week, so I will not be able to be as lively in this discussion as I would like. But please understand that I didn’t mean any disrespect for the couple dozen real bloggers out there who have been hard charging for many years out there, nor was I suggesting that just us and Jeff Quinn be allowed into media day. Some of the comments about this post came up in my google notifications, and some of the people whining about what I said are just the people who would be included in what I suggested, because they have been blogging for many years and have thousands of readers per month, they attend the blogger conventions and have been active in the gun blogger community.  I was talking about the guys who installed wordpress and registered a domain a month before the show, or “blog” three times per year for a print magazine website that has 16 people visiting it every month, and who **will not** post anything about media day or the show. Jeff knows what I am talking about and I am surprised you don’t.  I suggested at the end of last year that NSSF google around and see who actually did post blog stuff about the show to qualify them for media day next year. 

    Please say Hi if you are going to media day, or stop by the booth.   If you mention this post you get a t-shirt you can burn in efigy for a youtube video due to your outrage at my inflammatory and just plain not nice comments.  We are booth 1925.  -ph

  33. Just saw this on my welcome email to the media day everyone is talking about.

    [QUOTE]As a reminder, attendees are not allowed to carry firearms into the event.  Also, due to the size of the event this year, we will once again be instituting a strict admittance policy.  Even if you have registered, you will need your Media Day 2012 email confirmation to be admitted. If you did not receive this please call SHOT Show Client Services at 888-334-8720.  Remember unlike in previous years there will be no onsite registration.
     
    Please respond to me by December 22 if you are bringing a guest.  Limit one quest per media attendee.  There is a $20 lunch fee that will be payable at the door.  The reason we are placing this stipulation in affect this year is due to the fact that last year the #1 comment we received from the media survey conducted was the long lines to test fire product and often times there were guests shooting and asking questions to the exhibitors.  This combined with the expense of ammunition and that we will have 1,200 attendees at Media Day, has required us to suggest to the exhibitors to only allow media to shoot if there are lines at their exhibit.[/QUOTE]

    from 

    Kelsey Williams
    CMG Marketing & Events, LLC

    This may be the problem, why allow guests at media day? I was under the assumption it was working media only. No wonder the lines are clogged with lookie loos wanting some trigger time. You can see posts all over the gun forums right now begging for invites to SHOT from people who have zero business being there. You really think the exhibtors are going to enforce the media only can shoot policy when the VIP guy walks up with his non media friend? And do the exhibitors have the time or nerve to sort out who’s who? I can see some confrontations happening over this. 

  34. Hmmm, a few years ago when Smith & Wesson rolled out their 500 a sales person representing S&W that I’m acquainted with told me that internet chat as he called it guessed the ‘chat‘ drove up sales by at least 40%…

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