August 13, 2009	Vol. 5 Ed. 5

In This Edition: Q&A | New Room Block | Online Attendee Registration | Press Conference Room | Priority Points | Exhibitor Guidebook & Facts | Vegas Maps

Answers to Important Questions

Short NSSF Senior Vice President Chris Dolnack addresses what may be on your mind.

Chris Dolnack National Shooting Sports Foundation

With the SHOT Show’s return to Las Vegas, in a slot of weekdays in a venue other than the Las Vegas Convention Center, you probably have some questions about the 2010 edition.  Following are some that may have occurred to you, and Chris Dolnack, senior vice president of the National Shooting Sports Foundation which owns and sponsors the SHOT Show, answers the most commonly asked questions about this year's event.

Q. With the current state of the economy, many trade shows have seen a drop in attendance. How has attendance been at the SHOT Show over the past couple of years?
A. The SHOT Show is one of the few trade shows that has bucked the trend of declining attendance. In fact, the 2009 show experienced a 3 percent increase in attendance (48,907) when compared to its last visit to Orlando in 2007. In 2008, the show in Las Vegas shattered every attendance record in its history with 58,769.

Q. Where will the SHOT Show be held over the next few years?
A. Based on constant feedback from our members and show attendees, we entered into a rolling three-year agreement with the Sands Expo and Convention Center for 2010, 2011 and 2012

Q. Why is the show being held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center?
A. Because in our post-show surveys our exhibitors and attendees consistently tell us that the SHOT Show should be in Las Vegas in January no matter what.  The Sands Expo offered us attendee-preferred January dates, according to our surveys, through 2012, and the location is second to none.

Q. With the show being held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center for the first time, what differences can we expect to see compared to previous shows in Las Vegas?
A. Exhibitors will have their booths on Levels 1 and 2. Meeting rooms and the banquet hall will be centrally located on Levels 3 and 4, which is much more convenient.  And we’ll be in the heart of the Strip, surrounded by hotels and restaurants in every price range.  

Q. Why is the show being held Tuesday through Friday?
A. Weekday dates were available for the coveted January dates that we wanted, and the weekday hotel rates were much more favorable for our attendees and exhibitors.

Q. What is NSSF doing to lower costs to attend in 2010?
A. Our partners at Reed Exhibition have been aggressively renegotiating our room rates so the average across the board is under $100 while the average room rate in 2008 was over $173.

Q. What is show management doing to make sure that qualified attendees come to the SHOT Show?
A.  For 2010, we’ve implemented additional screening layers to help further qualify buyers and we are placing more restrictions on “guest of show” badges in addition to advising exhibitors to limit their badges to booth staff and company employees.

Q. As a buyer/exhibitor, how do I make the most of my SHOT Show experience?
A.  Here are some links to answer your question: Buyers Click Here!  Exhibitors Click Here!  Be sure to check out the tips on getting the most out of the show.

Q. What is NSSF doing to increase law enforcement attendance? Also, what is being done to increase traffic in the law enforcement section of the show?
A. We are planning to offer a law enforcement version of SHOT Show University the day before the show and to offer law enforcement oriented seminars. Stay tuned for more details.

Q. Is the concealed carry of a firearm permitted at the show?
A. Per our lease with the Sands Expo and Convention Center, no personal firearms or ammunition is allowed. Only firearms on display by exhibitors whose firing pins have been removed (and have been inspected by SHOT Show Safety Advisors) will be permitted on the show floor.

Q. Due to limited parking, driving to the show is not recommended. What alternate forms of transportation are available in Las Vegas?
A. First and foremost, being centrally located on the Strip, many SHOT Show attendees will be staying within a 10-minute walk of the Sands Expo and Convention Center.  In addition we’ll have shuttle buses running as we usually do--and don’t forget the monorail, though the closest stop, Harrah’s, is about a mile away. Another option is the Deuce, which travels up and down Las Vegas Boulevard.

Additional Rooms at the Venetian Blocked for the SHOT Show

Short SHOT Show management team continues to work toward more rooms, lower rates

SHOT Show participants who wanted the ultimate in convenience by staying at the hub of show activity quickly booked the original block of rooms at the Venetian at $199 per night.  For only $10 more, a new block of rooms has been reserved for the SHOT Show.

These, too, are going fast, so if you are interested, book now.

The SHOT Show management team is persevering in lining up rooms and other opportunities to maximize this Las Vegas experience.

Attendee Registration Now Open Online

Short Register now to save money, avoid the line at the SHOT Show

Registration for attendees is now available online at the official Web site of the SHOT Show.

Registration online costs $20, and if you register early enough, you will have the option of receiving your badge in the mail or printing it onsite at an express badge kiosk.

Registration at the door will cost $50.

The SHOT Show is restricted to trade only, and attendees must present documentation if requested.

Click here to register.

Coming Soon: Free Registration for Press Conference Room

Short Exhibitors at SHOT Show will have free first-come, first-served access

Exhibitors at the SHOT Show will soon be able to reserve an amply sized and adequately equipped room at the Venetian, part of the MegaCenter Expo complex, to hold a press conference during the show.  The largest gathering of outdoor press in the world, along with many mainstream media members, comprise the press corps at the SHOT Show, making this press conference opportunity an ideal vehicle to communicate your messages and to promote your new products and services.

Reservations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at the SHOT Show Web site (www.shotshow.org) as soon as the reservation mechanism is in place. This will be announced in a future SHOT Show Blast.  Now, however, may be the time to start planning your media event.

Plan a Successful Press Conference

Pay attention to wise advice from Kevin Howard, president of Howard Communications, on how to hold a successful press conference:

“Did you hear the story about a company who held a press conference at the SHOT Show and no one showed up? True story, but why was it that no one attended?

“NSSF offers exhibitors a press conference room for up to one hour free of charge during the SHOT Show and will post a list of scheduled press conferences in the press office during the show. But will this ensure the media will attend the press conference? Don’t count on it. If you want the media to know about your press conference and want them to attend, you have to motivate them.

“Howard Communications, Inc. has hosted a number of press conferences over the years at the SHOT Show. These have varied from a full-morning New Product Seminar we hold for several of our clients the day before the SHOT Show, to media breakfast and luncheon seminars, to in-the-booth press conferences held on the floor of the show.

No matter what type of press conference you hold, the first thing you should consider is whether or not you have newsworthy information for the media. Do you have enough information to make it worth it to them to take the time to attend? Time is money to the media. They don’t want to waste any of the short time they have at the SHOT Show sitting through a press conference that has no value to them.”

If you feel you do have a newsworthy topic, then click here for expert insights from Howard on how to run a successful press conference.

Members Must Be in Good Standing to Gain Booth Priority Points

Short Cut-off date for membership dues is Oct. 1 to qualify for 2011 show

Membership in NSSF has many rewards, one of which is the five booth priority points awarded to exhibitors who are members during the space draw for the next year’s SHOT Show.

To qualify for these points for the 2011 show, however, exhibitors must have paid their NSSF dues and be in good standing by Oct. 1, 2009.

“At that time the final member list will go to Reed Exhibitions, the SHOT Show producer and manager, for booth priority point notification,” said Bettyjane Swann, NSSF director of member services.

Anyone interested in membership, or in need of checking his or her membership status, may e-mail Swann.

Guidebook for New Exhibitors Offers Valuable Assistance

Short Reed Exhibitions’ offers direct link to crash course on the SHOT Show

The SHOT Show is 32 years young, and many exhibitors have been there for every edition.  If , however, you are a first-timer, then Reed Exhibitions, producer and manager of the SHOT Show, has prepared online guidance that will shorten the learning curve and help you get the most out of your investment.

Click here to begin the journey.

Quick Facts for Exhibitors

Short Helpful move-in, move-out schedule info

EXHIBITOR MOVE-IN
For more information and helpful hints on preshow procedures and move-in, please go to www.freemanco.com/preshowFAQ.

Here is a preliminary schedule, so please consult the SHOT Show Web site to check for any changes.

Please note: For security reasons, labor will not be permitted in the exhibit hall until one hour after show closing on Fri., Jan. 22, 2010, at 5 p.m.

For more information and helpful hints on post-show procedures and move-out, please go to www.freemanco.com/postshowFAQ.

SERVICE CENTER HOURS
We will have staff available at the Freeman Service Center as follows:
Wed., Jan. 13, through Mon., Jan. 25, 2010, open during published hours

DISMANTLE AND MOVE-OUT INFORMATION
Freeman will begin returning empty containers as soon as the aisle carpeting is removed from the exhibit floor. The entire process will take approximately 10 to 12 hours.

All exhibitor materials must be packed and ready for loading by Mon., Jan. 25, 2010, at 12 noon.

All carriers must check in no later than 10 a.m., Mon., Jan. 25, 2010. If your outside carriers do not check in prior to 10 a.m., Mon., Jan. 25, 2010, Freeman will reroute the shipment via the most convenient manner available.

Interactive Maps of Hotels, Casinos, Attractions and More

Short Click to find your way around Las Vegas and discover its many attractions

With the click of a mouse, Las Vegas appears on your screen, in interactive maps that will show you important locations in the city.

Courtesy of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, these interactive maps allow you to click on hotels and resorts, shows and events, dining, shopping, casinos, golf, attractions, meeting facilities and nightlife.