Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show Sets Attendance Records

The Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT Show®) concluded four successful days at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, setting new attendance records and marking the 35th anniversary of the event.

The largest trade show of its kind in the world and the fifth largest trade show in Las Vegas, the SHOT Show attracted a record overall attendance of 62,371, including a new high for buyers and more than 2,000 media representatives. More than 1,600 exhibitors filled booth space covering 630,000 net square feet. The show, which is a trade-only event, attracted industry professionals from all 50 states and 100 countries.

Exhibitors and attendees alike said the SHOT Show is critical to the success of their businesses.

“The SHOT Show is the springboard for every new product that we introduce each year,” said Frank Devlin of Otis Technology. “It gives industry the opportunity to see our new products and allows us to get feedback from them to know that we are heading in the right direction.”

John Anthon, president of GATCO Sharpeners/Timberline Knives, said, “For the 24 years we’ve been going, the SHOT Show is the most important show we do each year. It is the largest venue globally and the most important. Every important customer comes to the show for that reason.”

Industry veteran Ron Coburn of Savage Arms said, “It’s the industry’s trade show. Everybody who’s in the trade needs to be here to see what’s going on. It’s the place to see friends and showcase our own products.”

Dwight Van Brunt of Kimber said, “It’s a powerhouse show—the place where you can talk to writers, dealers and industry VIPs.”

“We get to talk to our biggest customers and show them what we have,” said Ernie Callandrelli of Quaker Boy Inc.  “We’ve been here all 35 years of the show, so two important benefits are seeing old friends and building key relationships.”

The SHOT Show is owned and sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry. Revenues from the show support NSSF’s many programs that carry out its mission of promoting, protecting and preserving hunting and the shooting sports, along with promoting responsible firearms ownership and safe storage practices.

Showgoers recognize that the SHOT Show’s importance to industry extends beyond selling and buying on the show floor. “What this show generates for our cause is absolutely critical,” said Tom Taylor of Mossberg. Added Steve Lamboy of Micheli-Lamboy Marketing, “We need to communicate more to our members that the funds from this show are going to build the entire future of our industry.”

The $4.1 billion firearms and ammunition industry supports many small businesses and helps preserve the more than 200,000 jobs associated with the shooting sports.

NSSF added significantly to its membership ranks at the show, pushing its overall total of supporters to more than 8,300.

With the show taking place amid heightened national attention about firearms ownership and potential legislation, NSSF President and CEO Steve Sanetti addressed more than 1,800 industry leaders at the State of the Industry Dinner. “I don’t think many of those who disagree with what we do appreciate the many things we’ve done to advocate personal responsibility with firearms,” Sanetti said.

“Ours is a responsible industry,” said Sanetti, “that makes and sells lawful products to law-abiding citizens. They in turn exercise their constitutional right to own, use and enjoy firearms safely and responsibly for all lawful purposes.”

NSSF supporters filled the sold-out hall for the State of the Industry event, which was sponsored by Outdoor Channel and included a review of NSSF’s accomplishment from the past year and entertainment from popular ventriloquist and impersonator Terry Fator.

Many awards are presented at the show. NSSF presented FMG Publications with its Ken Sedlecky Achievement Award for its longstanding support of NSSF’s First Shots program through funds raised at its Shooting Industry Master events.

Retired NSSF President Doug Painter was honored with the Professional Outdoor Media Association-NSSF Grits Gresham Shooting Sports Communicator Award for extraordinary achievements in communications in support of hunting’s heritage and firearms freedoms.

Approximately half of the media on hand to cover the show attended SHOT Show Media Day at the Range, where they had the opportunity to review and test products offered by 100 exhibitors.

In conjunction with the SHOT Show, NSSF sponsored the PGA Charities’ Birdies for the Brave golf tournament that raised $100,000 for groups that provide support for injured armed service veterans.

The SHOT Show will return to the Sands Expo & Convention Center January 14-17, 2014.

“Hats off and thank you to the NSSF for putting on a great SHOT Show,” summed up Dave Baron of Baron Technologies.

 

NSSF President Steve Sanetti’s remarks at the SHOT Show’s annual State of the Industry event

NSSF President Steve Sanetti’s remarks at the SHOT Show’s annual State of the Industry event:

The State of our Industry is, in a word, misunderstood.

Who among us has not been moved by the unspeakable tragedy that was inflicted by a deranged man upon the children of Newtown, Connecticut, our very home at the NSSF?

What can possibly heal the wounds, silence the anguished outcries, and make rational discourse on such a heartfelt topic occur?

I submit that there are not two “sides” to this debate.  There is only one side — the good people of America, on all points of the political spectrum, united in THEIR revulsion over this senseless, evil attack on our most helpless.  Yes — there is only one side — the good side — the “better angels of our nature,” as Lincoln said, “Opposing evil.”

 

 

We all must recognize that those who don’t agree with us share in our desire to rid the world of such monstrous acts; and they must recognize that we are not the evildoers.  Ours is a responsible industry that makes and sells lawful products to law-abiding citizens. Citizens who exercise their constitutional right to own, use and enjoy firearms safely and responsibly for all lawful purposes. We are part of the fabric of American life, and we treasure our children, our heritage, and our traditions.

I don’t think many of those who disagree with what we do appreciate the many things we’ve done to advocate personal responsibility with firearms.  Many  have either no experience with firearms or, unfortunately, have had negative experiences, either first hand or via the media, who rarely portray firearms or their owners the way the vast majority actually use them.

So tonight, allow me to state some things which are probably obvious to all of you, but which have been lost in the clamor to “do something” to give meaning to the incomprehensible — which is an understandably human yet impossible task.

Our industry’s products include semiautomatic firearms — one shot for each pull and release of the trigger.  They are the most popular types of firearms in America, and have been for many years.  The most popular hunting and clay target shotguns are semiautomatics.  The one I use most was designed in 1905.  So are the most popular target pistols, including those used in the Olympics.  The most popular .22 rifles used to hunt small game are semiautomatics.

The overwhelming choice of both law enforcement and civilians who wish to exercise their constitutional right to own a pistol for self-defense is a semiautomatic. Semiautomatic rifles have been used in this country for deer hunting since 1905, and they are overwhelmingly the most popular rifles being sold today — yes, for hunting, target shooting, and other lawful sporting purposes and home protection.

Rifles of all kinds (and semiautomatics are rifles) have figured in less than 5% of all crimes committed using firearms.  In Connecticut, since 2006, they have been used in exactly 2 homicides.  In this, they have been used twenty times less than knives, blunt instruments, and even hands and feet.  Millions of law-abiding sportsmen across the nation own them, and when those misinformed about  firearms say that “no sportsman has any need for a gun that is only used to kill people,” they are in effect calling millions of American sportsmen murderers — not exactly the way to promote civil discourse.

And our industry?  Again, easy to demonize among the ignorant, but we are the good people of America as well as they are!  We care deeply about the safety of our children.  Since 1999 we have distributed over 35 million free gun locks, to cities and towns all across this nation, as part of our “Project Childsafe” program; along with even more safety brochures urging gun owners to securely store their firearms away from children and unauthorized adults, as is also the law in Connecticut, I might add.

And we just gave 1,000 locks and safety kits to the people of Bridgeport, Connecticut.  We are expanding our Project Childsafe messaging to emphasize secure storage and in particular the need for this in homes where at-risk individuals may be present.  And securely storing firearms when not in use would have prevented the Newtown tragedy, with no additional laws needed.  Personal responsibility is the key.

Our “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” program, in partnership with the ATF, has educated prospective gun purchasers, sellers, and would-be owners that illegally purchasing and delivering a firearm to someone not legally qualified can get each of them a $25,000 fine and up to ten years in jail.  A new initiative, which will repeat and expand our efforts in cities along the Southwest Border, is also being planned.

And instantaneous retail point-of-sale criminal and mental health background checks were the invention of the industry in the late 1980s, years before they became mandatory federal law.  We recently supported “the NICS Improvement Amendments Act” which addresses gaps in information, particularly in court-adjudicated mental health records, to help prevent purchases of firearms by prohibited persons.

There have been over 147 million background checks since 1998.  Over 300 million firearms are owned by almost half the households in America.  Firearms ownership among normal, law-abiding citizens has undeniably increased, And over the last 30 years, despite the growth in firearms ownership, the homicide rate has declined by 50 percent, and violent crime has dramatically decreased to record lows not seen since the early 1960s.

This baffles our friends who fear that more guns equal more crime, but thankfully, this is just not true.  Facts not emotions, however raw and heartfelt, must guide important social and legislative policies, especially where constitutional rights of American Citizens are concerned.  Of course we listen to our hearts; but we must think with our heads.

We have worked with the Veterans Administration to help ensure that every service member returning from conflict zones during the last 2 years has been offered one of our gun locks and safety kits.

And we have exhorted Hollywood to stop its obsession with violent entertainment, which both coarsens our culture and has a desensitizing effect upon impressionable youths.

We are the National Shooting Sports Foundation.  Our mission is “to promote, protect, and preserve hunting and the shooting sports” so they can safely be enjoyed by all law-abiding Americans with a desire to participate.  And record numbers of them are choosing to do so.

Hunting license sales have reversed a 25-year decline, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with a 9% increase during the last 5 years.

Packed Firearms safety classes also show an intense interest in firearms ownership, and firearms accidents are at an all-time low, constituting less than 1% of all accidental deaths in this country, according to the National Safety Council.  I’d like to think that at least some of these decreases are due to industry and NSSF safety programs.

For it is us, above all, who do not wish to see our products misused.  This industry strongly supports severe penalties for those who misuse their right to own firearms and can’t understand why we are blamed when those who use illegally owned guns harm others.  They don’t go through the many required steps to be able to own and use firearms legally.  Violent criminals who violate the law have no right to keep and bear arms, and they belong in jail.

I recognize that this is a very different and more somber message than I usually give on an evening where we celebrate our industry, the oldest in America, and all the fine people who populate it.  You didn’t cause the monstrous crime in Newtown and neither did we.  My friends and associates in almost six decades of peaceful, lawful enjoyment of the shooting sports have been among the finest people it has ever been my privilege to know.  We abhor criminal violence as we praise the responsible ways in which the vast majority of lawful firearms owners conduct themselves in the hunting fields, at target ranges, and in the home.

We stand ready to participate in any constructive dialogue regarding the safe and lawful manufacture, distribution, sale, ownership, and use of firearms by law-abiding American citizens.  But a prerequisite to such dialog is an honest recognition of the legitimacy of what we do and the important part of the National culture which we represent.  Hunting and the recreational shooting sports are here to stay.  And so are we.

Our culture is a good culture; one that should be celebrated, not destroyed.  And our young Olympic shooters present here tonight represent some of the best America has to offer.

Finally, I would like to recognize and honor my fellow employees at the National Shooting Sports Foundation, some of whom are present tonight. We have been located in Newtown, CT for almost 20 years, and it is our home that was violated by this senseless tragedy as well. The lives of each of our employees that work in Newtown have been directly affected by December’s events — yet they have carried on and performed their jobs despite immense sorrows and pressures, in superb fashion that you and I have come to expect from the consummate professionals they are.

So, ladies and gentlemen, please join me in honoring all the outstanding employees of your trade association, who I would ask to stand and be recognized.

Hold your heads high and be thankful that you live in America, which is still the freest nation in the world, and where our home, and hearts, and our precious days afield with our family and friends will always be remembered.

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.

10 Tips for a Better SHOT Show

Understanding the challenges of visiting as many exhibitors and other business associates as possible during the SHOT Show, Patrick Shay, NSSF director, retail development, offers this advice for attendees participating in the SHOT Show in Las Vegas Jan. 15-18.

1. Wear comfortable shoes. The SHOT Show is huge! Last year’s show encompassed 1,600 vendors exhibiting in 630,000 square feet. Comfortable shoes will give you a chance to see all the show has to offer.

2. Plan how to get to the show from your hotel; driving is not recommended. The Sands Expo and Convention Center is a 10-minute walk from most hotels on the strip. Also, don’t forget the monorail, though the closest stop is a hike from the Sands. Of course, most convenient are the free buses that run to and from official SHOT Show hotels.

3. As you are making appointments for the show, use the handy “Map Your Show” tool available at the SHOT Show website and consult the floor plan, also online at shotshow.org. By making appointments with nearby booths, you will save time and shoe leather.

4. If you have a smartphone, don’t forget to download the SHOT Mobile App. The app will allow you to quickly navigate the show floor via an interactive map, find new products, see the show schedule, set appointments, and find services.

5. Take advantage of the educational opportunities. The day-long SHOT Show University, as well as the ATF/NICS seminars, NSSF Retailer seminars, and the Law Enforcement Educational Program, provides great learning experiences. These seminars will allow you to come back from the show not just well versed on the latest products, but also on the latest trends in merchandising, ATF regulations, and store operations.

6. Have a plan when you visit vendors. Know to whom you want to speak and have a list of questions ready when you enter the booth. The vendors will all be very busy, and the face-to-face time you have with key vendors may be limited, so make use of your time.

7. Let the vendors you visit scan your badge. This will allow them to send you the marketing material you need, without adding to the load you’ll be carrying around the show.

8. Provide feedback. Participate in the surveys from NSSF, Reed Exhibitions, and Freeman, and please share your thoughts on the show. Let us know what you liked and what could be improved.

9. If you are an NSSF member, don’t forget that you have access to the Members’ Lounge on level 3. The lounge opens at 7:30 a.m. Lunch is available at moderate prices each day between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. The lounge is an attractive locale for NSSF members and their guests to meet and relax during the show.

10. We are here to help. If you have any questions or concerns, find us and we will do everything in our power to make sure that your show is as productive as it is enjoyable. Go to our membership booth, located at L221 on level 2, for help with NSSF-membership-related questions.

SHOT Show: The Event That Keeps on Giving

The show is a few days long; its impact is year-round

When more than 60,000 industry members converge on Las Vegas and, more specifically, the Sands Expo and Convention Center, in January for the SHOT Show, they will gain the immediate benefits of the grandest show for the shooting, hunting, and outdoor trade.

Many other benefits, however, result from SHOT Show revenue. Much of the funding that propels the National Shooting Sports Foundation, owner and sponsor of SHOT, to fulfill its mission comes from the SHOT Show. “Promote, protect, and preserve hunting and the shooting sports” is the mission of the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting, and shooting sports industry, and NSSF invests in hunting and the shooting sports to do just that.

Participation in the SHOT Show generates as much as 80 percent of the funding for NSSF programs. One such effort is a proactive government relations program to guard your rights and business interests. Today, for example, NSSF continues its multifaceted campaigns against legislation that would enact microstamping, ballistics imaging, and limitations and outright bans on traditional ammunition. One visible result of its efforts this year was New York’s deactivation of its costly ballistics imaging program, which never contributed to the solving of even one crime.

In addition, NSSF invests SHOT Show revenue in customer-recruitment campaigns, such as Families Afield and First Shots. The former has actively remedied legislative barriers preventing family hunting participation, and the latter has offered newcomers the opportunity to learn firearms and firearms ownership fundamentals at member ranges, while actually experiencing the fun of shooting under the careful supervision of qualified instructors.

Other NSSF investments of SHOT Show revenue in hunting and the shooting sports’ future come in the form of the Hunting Heritage Partnership (HHP) Grant program, the Range Partnership Grant program, the Collegiate Shooting Sports Initiative (CSSI), and the Boy Scouts of America Challenge Grant program. HHP awards grants to state and regional wildlife management agencies to create hunter access and opportunity. The Range Partnership Grant program funds new marketing approaches to put more shooters on the firing line at shooting facilities. CSSI helps strengthen existing collegiate varsity and club shooting programs, and it aids in the founding of new ones. The Boy Scouts of America Challenge Grant program funds and equips BSA Councils with shooting equipment while directing their spending to NSSF member retailers.

In the long run, the entire hunting and sport shooting industry benefits from the revenue produced at the SHOT Show, and the greatest beneficiaries are the members of NSSF.

NSSF’s government relations actions led to the passage of legislation that preempted the frivolous lawsuits that nearly crippled the industry. The law allows the manufacturing industry to concentrate its resources on constructive research and development, rather than on unwarranted legal defense. NSSF’s successful efforts on behalf of firearms and ammunition manufacturers to gain uniformity with other industries in the schedule of Pittman- Robertson excise payments alleviated much paperwork and debt, freeing manpower and money for further R&D.

First Shots has demonstrated that participants come back to the introductory range to shoot and to make purchases. The Boy Scouts grants can be used only at NSSF member retailers’ businesses.

NSSF research gathers information, including customized market surveys, that help businesses better understand industrywide trends as well as local demographics. At SHOT Show, formal educational opportunities present themselves through SHOT Show University and Retailer Seminars. Throughout the year, in different parts of the country, Retailer Education Seminars give FFLs a better understanding of ATF compliance requirements. Planned meetings, like the Indoor Range and Retail Development Workshop held in St. Louis this past year, give start-up businesses a practical education.

These many activities of NSSF are only a sampling of the programs that are funded, in great part, by the revenue generated at the SHOT Show, a four-day event in January that’s success is felt throughout the year.

How To Find Potential Customers On Social Media


Social Media Spotlight: Third of a Four-part Series

The mantra “If you build it, they will come” just won’t cut it these days. The good news is that the mileage potential on your marketing effort has grown exponentially in recent years and you can now reach hundreds, thousands, millions of customers from the sitting position. No one knows this better than renowned trade-show industry consultant and thought leader Traci Browne.

The author of “The Social Trade Show” has graciously provided us with a series of blog posts that we’ll be posting right here — and in the Exhibitor Resource Center at shotshow.org — each week for the next four weeks in advance of the 2013 SHOT Show.

I’ll also be giving away free copies of Traci’s book each week. The first six exhibitors (and you need to be a SHOT Show exhibitor to qualify) to send me an email (be sure to include your mailing address) requesting a copy will receive one. Ready. Set. Go!

 

How To Find Potential Customers On Social Media

Before you can decide which tools you are going to use in your social media strategy, you have to find out where your customers are and what tools they are using. Where are they going to be receptive to your messages? And by messages, we don’t just mean advertising and product pitches. Your customers are looking for support and helpful information.

Facebook – The SHOT Show has a very active Facebook page where they post, not just news about the show, but valuable industry information. This is a great place to meet members of your community and see what they are interested in. Just remember, you want to participate in the conversation…not force your marketing messages on the community.

LinkedIn – If Facebook is a casual party, LinkedIn is all about business. The SHOT Show has their own LinkedIn group but do a group search on LinkedIn for “sport shooting” and you’ll see there are 14 different groups. Some have just a few members and others have thousands.

Start by observing what members are discussing and jump in when you can offer information people are looking for. This is a great place to bounce new ideas for products and services off enthusiasts.

Twitter – Do you think Twitter is just a place for Justin Bieber fans? Think again. The SHOT Show (@nssfshotshow) has over 10,000 followers and the official Twitter account of USA Shooting (@USAShooting) has over 12,000 followers. Start connecting to their followers and share valuable information with them.

Remember, on Twitter you want to practice the 80/20 rule. Spend 80 percent of your time talking about others and 20 percent talking about yourself. In no time word will get around and you’ll develop a good following of your own. Also be sure to stay up-to-date with show information by following the SHOT Show hashtag #SHOTshow. Twitter is great during the show because it’s quick and easy to use when you are on the move.

What’s in it for you?

It’s important to remember that it’s not only potential customers that are part of your community. The media is spending a lot of time in these online communities as well and they are on the lookout for a good story and/or experts to interview.

Social media gives a voice to many who would never have been heard from before. Someone in your company could be the next industry thought leader just by participating in these social media communities and putting people in touch with valuable educational information.

When the SHOT Show rolls around attendees will know you as more than just a brand, but a provider of valuable information.

Traci Browne
Author of “The Social Trade Show – Leveraging Social Media and Virtual Events to Connect With Your Customers
www.TheSocialTradeShow.com

Technology Helps Maximize SHOT Show Experience

It’s a given that pre-planning your SHOT Show is essential. The My Show Planner online aid can help SHOT attendees plan their schedules in the smartest logistical way possible. This resource will help them navigate the show floor, keep track of appointments, and find new products and services, among other conveniences.You can review the entire SHOT Show layout, search for exhibitors, find specials, search for brands and much more. Then you can map out your own planned schedule and route.

One NSSF member, Scott Foster, president of Catskill Mountains Firearms, LLC says, “As a new FFL, 2012 was my first SHOT Show, and I knew it would be challenging. I used the My Show Planner several weeks before to lay out the important stops for me. The free mobile app came in handy in the mornings when I’d get to the show early, pick up SHOT Daily, and compare it to what I wanted to do for the day and make my changes.”

The response has been very positive from those who availed themselves of this service in 2012, and even more SHOT Show participants are expected to make use of it for the 2013 show. You can find a link to the My Show Planner at shotshow.org.

SHOT Mobile app coming soon: SHOT Mobile for iPhone and Android will be available soon. Learn more here.

 

Five Tips on Using Video To Generate Excitement


Social Media Spotlight: Second of a Four-part Series

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what’s the price of a moving picture? Some video is worthy of high-quality production but you can also get a decent bang for your buck with a smartphone and a quick upload to YouTube. No one knows this better than renowned trade-show industry consultant and thought leader Traci Browne.

The author of “The Social Trade Show” has graciously provided us with a series of blog posts that we’ll be posting right here — and in the Exhibitor Resource Center at shotshow.org — each week for the next four weeks in advance of the 2013 SHOT Show.

I’ll also be giving away free copies of Traci’s book each week. The first six exhibitors (and you need to be a SHOT Show exhibitor to qualify) to send me an email (be sure to include your mailing address) requesting a copy will receive one. Ready. Set. Go!

 

Five Tips on Using Video To Generate Excitement

With YouTube being the second most popular search engine just behind Google and 800 million unique users visiting each month, why wouldn’t you want to add video to your marketing mix?

1. Give SHOT Show attendees a sneak peek at new products or services.

Are you introducing a new product or service at SHOT Show this year? Give attendees a little taste of what you are going to present and get them excited about coming to your booth to see the real thing. Don’t give away too much on the video. If it’s a product you could just show the silhouette and leave them hungry for more.

Do you have a new service? Tease attendees with a few key features and invite them to your booth to find out how it can benefit them. The idea here is to present just enough information to leave them wanting more.

2. Use video to tell attendees about a big announcement you are making at the show.

Some companies only need to mention they are making an announcement at the show to generate excitement. Maybe you want to keep it top secret and even a peek at your product is too much to reveal. Create a video that lets attendees know where and when you are making your announcement and then be sure you’re ready for the crowd. For an idea how to do this, take a look at Samsung’s teaser video for their product launch at International CTIA Wireless 2011 at http://bit.ly/samsungsts

Just make sure your announcement warrants something so secretive or it will backfire when attendees leave your booth having expected something bigger.

3. Create a video invite to your presentation.

Are you presenting as part of the SHOT Show educational program? Or even an educational presentation in your booth? Give attendees a taste of what they can expect by having your presenter share key takeaways of the presentation.

Keep it short. The object isn’t to give a condensed version of the entire presentation–just good reasons for why they should attend and what they’ll miss out on if they don’t. And don’t forget to include dates, times and locations for the presentation in your video.

4. Use video to live stream or capture in booth presentations

Not everyone is going to be able to attend your live presentation. Have someone capture it on video so it’s available to attendees later. And not just attendees but once it’s online you have a nice piece of marketing the whole world can view.

Just make sure if you are shooting video of a product demo the camera should be focused on the product–not the speaker. Also be sure to zoom in on key features as they are presented.

5. Capture amazing marketing moments during the show.

You just never know when marketing gold is going to walk into your booth during a show. Have that video camera ready for impromptu interviews with customers who are excited about your company and or your products. No one can sell you better than a happy client.

Otterbox captured a great customer testimonial in their booth when one excited customer stopped by to see what was new. You can view that video at http://bit.ly/otterboxvideo.

A good video should be representative of your customer, engage the viewer, show not tell, and be shorter than 3-5 minutes. It should also have a clear call to action at the end.

Post these great videos on YouTube and start sharing. Just don’t forget to take the time to include keyword tags when you are posting to YouTube so people can find them when they are searching the Internet.

Traci Browne
Author of “The Social Trade Show – Leveraging Social Media and Virtual Events to Connect With Your Customers”
www.TheSocialTradeShow.com