The folks from Vertx took some time to talk about their new line of range bags.
Tag: exhibitors
SHOT Show Product Spotlight – Armalite and Surgeon Rifles
Armalite talks about their latest rifle – an AR-31 chambered in .308 Winchester and Surgeon Rifles, a sister company of Armalite, showed us their newest rifle, the CSR Rifle (Concealable Sniper Rifle).
Armalite is the title sponsor of the 2014 SHOT Mobile App. Download the app at http://shotmobile.com/.
SHOT Show Product Spotlight — Caracal
Caracal shows off its new products at the SHOT Show.
SHOT Show Product Spotlight – Black Rain Ordnance
Black Rain Ordnance Inc. talks about its new products at the 2014 SHOT Show.
Many Stars to Be Seen at Outdoor Channel Booth
Many of the stars from Outdoor Channel’s shows are making appearances at its booth (No. L215) at the SHOT Show. Below is the schedule of appearances.
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 each week for the next four weeks prior to the 2014 SHOT Show.
I’ll also be giving away free copies of Traci’s book each week. The first two 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.
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, here.
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
Chris Dolnack is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow him on Twitter at @ChrisDolnack.
SHOT Show University: Marketing Tips for Retailers
Would you like to know if your marketing plan is delivering the results you wanted? Need some quick tips on how to drive more customers to your website? Would you like to know about the latest technologies that retailers are using to increase foot traffic in their stores? NSSF is here to help!
This year at SHOT Show University (SSU), the premier educational event for the firearms retailer, NSSF will be a hosting a number of educational tracks to meet the needs of all retailers, no matter their experience or market focus. There are four tracks scheduled for Monday, Jan. 13. The tracks include: ATF Compliance, Retail Operations, Range Operations, and Marketing. Attendees of SSU can jump from one track to another, allowing them the ability to attend the classes of most importance.
The marketing track’s seminars are being hosted by Curtis Jazwiecki. Mr. Jazwiecki is the President/CEO and Founder of Outdoor Business Network, Inc., a firm dedicated to providing e-commerce solutions to the Outdoor Sporting Goods and Shooting Sports industries. His specialties include multi-channel retail, website architecture and development (both B2B and B2C), internet marketing, and online merchandising.
The first session details marketing with social media. The results are in from this year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and the winners are clearly the retailers that used social media to help drive customers to their stores and websites. This session will cover the pros and cons of engaging your customer through social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, Forums, and YouTube, etc. to educate them about your product offers and services and help build loyalty within your customer base. This session will also highlight the use of these critical tools to reach out and attract new customers.
The second session focuses upon new technologies that can be used to help drive foot traffic to your store. This class will highlight the latest technologies retailers can use to engage customers and bring them into your retail space. Is your website maximized for mobile devices? Is your website registered with the Google and Yahoo so that local users can find your store? Are your ads easily viewable on mobile devices? The seminar will review a number of tactics that you can easily employ to ensure you are reaching your target customer.
The next session reviews the process of creating a marketing plan. The class will cover what goes into creating a marketing plan, critical information that needs to be included and those items that are not necessarily needed. This class will also include a discussion of creating metrics to ensure your plan is delivering per projections.
The fourth class of the day will review Search Engine Optimization of your website. Curtis will cover eight strategies that you can utilize to improve your search engine return rank. This session will cover not only the strategies, but more importantly, the logic behind the each strategy. Studies have shown a direct correlation between a higher search return and increased revenue. Learn how to do both in this critical seminar.
The final session of the day will provide a matrix for determining the return on investment (ROI) of your marketing plan. Session will review what data you need to have to accurately calculate your ROI, what the numbers indicate, how to set a reasonable goal for your ROI and how to achieve that number. Further, Curtis will review a number of other measures that will help determine the “health” of your marketing plan and your overall retail operation.
These classes are provided to ensure that as a retailer, you are provided the best tools possible to succeed in an increasingly competitive and crowded marketplace, to maximize your marketing dollar and that your marketing plan is meeting your expectations.
Patrick Shay is Director of Retailer Development for the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
Five Reasons for Adding Social Media to Your Show Marketing Mix
Social Media Spotlight: First of a Four-part Series
Social media has transformed the way companies market tradeshows. No one knows this better than renowned tradeshow 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 each week for the next four weeks prior to the 2014 SHOT Show.
I’ll also be giving away free copies of Traci’s book each week. The first two 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 Reasons for Including Social Media in Your Show Marketing Mix
With all the work you already have on your plate to get ready for the show, why add another task? Social media is a growing communication tool, and if you’re not taking advantage of it, you’ll soon be left in everyone else’s dust. But if you need more convincing, here are just five reasons to get you moving.
1. Reach a wider audience.
As sad as this may seem, there are some very qualified buyers who cannot attend this year’s SHOT Show. They might not have the budget to travel or the time to spare. They might have family obligations that prevent them from attending. They want to be there to see all the new products and services available, but they just can’t swing it. But they can and will be following along with what is happening at SHOT Show via social media.
Savvy exhibitors can stand out from their competition by paying attention to these online buyers. Make them feel a part of the event by:
- Live blogging from sessions they are missing.
- Live stream or video demonstrations taking place in your booth.
- Tweet about new products and services you are seeing on the show floor you think they might be interested in by using the #SHOTShow hashtag.
2. Attendees will pay more attention to you.
It’s likely this is not your first SHOT Show rodeo. Even if you are a first time exhibitor at SHOT Show, you probably have some great advice you can impart on the attendees. Share helpful information that attendees will value before and during the show and your company will stay on their radar. People tend to pay attention more to exhibitors who don’t just market at them but those who are helpful as well. What kind of helpful information could you share?
- Tips on great restaurants attendees should check out while in Vegas.
- Tell them where to find the best coffee with the shortest lines closest to the trade show floor.
- Point out sessions taking place with speakers they don’t want to miss.
- Offer to introduce them to industry celebrities you know and who will be at the show.
3. Listen to what your customers are saying.
The SHOT Show is always a great place to do market research. By listening to conversations taking place around the show you can uncover valuable information about what your customers are looking for and what they wish existed in the marketplace.
We’ve always been able to do this in line for coffee, in the hallways between sessions, at the bar or restaurant in the evenings. Now, social media provides you an opportunity to amplify your listening and expose you to conversations taking place even if you’re not in the same room.
Pay particular attention to social media conversations that start with, “I wish…” Where can I find…” and even “I hate…” Chances are you just might have the solution to their problem or know someone who does.
When you are not just pushing your message out on social media but paying attention to what your potential customers are saying, you may over hear things like, “I wish there was a way to connect all my stores’ security systems.” If you are in that business jump on it and invite them to your booth to discuss solutions to their problem. If you are not in that business but know someone that can help them, invite them into your booth to meet that person.
4. Become part of a community.
Social media isn’t a campaign or a tool to be rolled out a week or two before the show. It is a commitment of time and resources undertaken so your company can connect not just with customers and potential customers at an event, but also with your industry’s larger community; a community of other suppliers, associations, media representatives, thought leaders, potential employees, mentors, and mentees.
Being an active member of a community builds your company’s reputation as a trusted solution provider and its employees as thought leaders in your industry. People in your community will get to know your company as more than just a brand. Buyers will start seeking you out and listening to what you have to say. Your company will be put on people’s “must see vendor” list.
5. Expand the length of the show.
Let’s face it, a lot of buyers are coming to SHOT Show, and there will be a lot for them to see and do. Chances are there are a few people who might miss you. By incorporating social media into your marketing and communications mix you won’t have to wait until next year to see them. You can easily continue the conversation and continue reaching out to potential buyers long after the show by doing the things mentioned above.
Just remember, keep your audience needs in mind when communicating on social media. It shouldn’t just be all about you.
*****
Traci Browne
Author of “The Social Trade Show – Leveraging Social Media and Virtual Events to Connect With Your Customers
www.TheSocialTradeShow.com
Chris Dolnack is Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow him on Twitter at @ChrisDolnack.
SHOT Show University: Retailer Sessions
This year at SHOT Show University (SSU), the premier educational event for the firearms retailer, NSSF will be a hosting a number of educational tracks to meet the needs of all retailers, no matter their experience or market focus. There are four tracks scheduled for Monday, Jan. 13. The tracks include: ATF Compliance, Retail Operations, Range Operations, and Marketing. Attendees of SSU can jump from one track to another, allowing them the ability to attend the classes of most importance.
The ATF Compliance seminars are hosted by two former Deputy Assistant Directors of the ATF, Wally Nelson and Harry McCabe. During their 30 plus years with ATF, both men have conducted and overseen literally thousands of inspections of firearms retailers. Their knowledge and expertise of ATF regulations are unmatched, and they are strong supporters of the second amendment and our industry. In short, they are here to help ensure your store is in compliance and stays that way.
The first session will cover the 4473 in great detail since 80% of all ATF findings, during an inspection are from errors on the 4473 form. This seminar will feature best practice approaches to error-proofing your 4473 forms, why the information is needed on the form and if an error does occur, and the proper method for correcting it.
The Acquisition and Disposition book (A&D) is the subject of the next session. Similar to the first class, our goal is to help identify common issues, minimize mistakes, offer best practices, and provide the reasoning and logic behind the record keeping requirements of the A&D Book. Our experience has been that understanding why the information is needed and how the ATF and law enforcement use the information is a powerful tool for your compliance program.
The next session covers the ins and outs of taking inventory similar to the ATF. This critical component of your compliance regime cannot be overstated. A physical inventory of your firearms is the only way you can be certain that your record is accurate and your inventory is up-to-date. It also lets your employees know that you are checking their work and will help reduce the risk of internal theft. Learn the model that the ATF uses to ensure your inventory is correct and no firearms are missing.
As the front line of the industry, retailers play a key role in preventing straw purchases. This class will explain a number of the common scenarios that criminals employ to commit straw purchase, plus ways to deter and thwart their efforts. Help protect your store’s reputation and the industry by maximizing your efforts to reduce the chances that a firearm will get into the wrong person’s hands.
The final session of the day covers the ATF inspection process. With the influx of new FFL holders into our booming industry, a large number of the retailers we meet have never been through an ATF inspection. Our team will walk the attendees through the inspection process, provide them with the information that they need to provide the ATF during the inspection, and provide tips on how to make the inspection run as smooth as possible.
These classes are designed to help you get into compliance, stay in compliance and allow you the peace of mind to focus on serving your customer and becoming a world class retailer.
Patrick Shay is Director of Retailer Development for the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
Are You Hosting Celebrities at the 2014 Show? Tell Us About Planned Appearances
Jeff Foxworthy and R. Lee ‘Gunny’ Erney made an appearance at 2013 SHOT Show. Images courtesy of NSSF.Surround yourself with professional athletes, actors, rock stars, authors, pro shooters! Each year, the SHOT Show has been blessed by its fair share of celebrity appearances. Let us know if your company is planning to have a celebrity make a personal appearance at the show. In return, we’ll help you promote it. We’d like to start letting all attendees know what famous faces they can expect to see at the 2014 show. Log in to the Exhibitor Listing Dashboard and let us know about celebrity appearances or other special events you are planning at your booth.
Follow these screenshots to inform us of celebrity appearances.
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Diedra Cauley is the senior director of exhibitions and conferences for the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Follow her on Twitter at @dcauley.