Agenda — Marketing and Leadership Summit

What Will Be Covered at the Marketing and Leadership Summit

Get valuable marketing insights and trends, learn from inspirational speakers and innovators, and find more networking opportunities than ever before at this industry super-conference.

Join Us & Register Today

Monday, May 8

2:00 – 5:00pm: Registration | River Landing

Tuesday, May 9

7:30am – 4:30pm: Registration | River Landing

7:30am – 8:30am: Breakfast

8:30am – 9:00am: Welcome & Introductions | Joe Bartozzi, NSSF President & CEO

Join us as we kick off the NSSF Marketing and Leadership Summit with some introductory remarks from NSSF’s President and CEO and also get to know your industry peers in attendance.

9:45am – 10:45am: COMMUNICATE > CONNECT > COME ALIVE | Wall Street Journal Best-Selling Author to be announced on site

Learn core strategies to COMMUNICATE effectively, CONNECT through truly listening, and COME ALIVE.

10:45am – 11:15am: Networking Break | River Landing

11:15am – 12:00pm: First-Time Firearm Buyer’s Interests, Motivations & Purchasing Experiences | Rob Southwick

In recent years, many first-time firearm owners have joined our ranks. Compared to our long-time customers, these new buyers have different motivations for owning, plus anecdotal feedback tells us their experience at retail is not always smooth and pleasant. Based on several major research efforts, Southwick Associates will describe these new customers, the paths they take to becoming a first-time firearm owner, and how we can improve their retail experience, with an overall goal of helping your business better understand and serve our new and future customers.

12:00pm – 1:00pm: Networking Lunch

1:00pm– 2:00pm: Best Practices for Meta Ads and Content | Chuck Rossi

Chuck Rossi will review Meta’s current policies on firearms-related content and ads so you and your team can better manage your social media presence. It will also cover some best practices for when your content, ads or accounts are removed for policy violations, with specific examples on how to structure your web pages and ads landing pages to comply with policy. Please bring your questions!

2:00pm – 2:45pm: Hunter Awareness – One of Us | John Annoni

This presentation will take you on a journey that will inspire you and give you perspective on innovative ways to move our firearm and hunting future forward.

2:45pm – 3:00pm: Networking Break | River Landing

3:00pm – 3:45pm: Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges – Academics Afield and HBCUs | Mike Worley, Georgia Wildlife Federation

Academics Afield is a college learn-to-hunt program that is a large component of the Georgia R3 Initiative. Academics Afield is focused on removing participation barriers while providing training and opportunities to students new to target shooting and hunting. Starting simply with two Georgia universities, Academics Afield is now in multiple states. A very intentional strategy to expand hunting and shooting sports in new directions resulted in our recent emphasis on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Sharing statistics and stories.

3:45pm – 4:45pm: The Power of Playing Offense and Cultural Transformations | Paul Epstein, Former NFL & NBA Business Executive, Leadership & Culture Expert

Are you growing weary of the never-ending battles of finding, engaging and retaining talent? Learn the keys to org and local culture where people know they belong, can thrive, and will stay, because they matter.

Learning Outcomes:

Reconnect fragmented and hybrid workforces to rally around a spirit of camaraderie, empathy and trust
Elevate the level of adaptability and agility so your culture can persist and endure any climate
Learn how purpose can galvanize your organization to greater passion, positivity, and happiness in the day-to-day
From partners to tourists to prisoners, learn to lead challenging teams through highly volatile times

5:00pm – 6:30pm: Networking Reception

Kick back, enjoy some refreshments, and build relationships with your fellow NSSF Marketing and Leadership Summit colleagues, sponsors, and speakers.

Wednesday, May 10

8:00 – 8:45am: Breakfast

8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Networking Activities to Add to Your Registration

For the first part of the day, you can choose your own adventure and step outside the confines of the conference center to make new connections while enjoying the activity of your choice. This was a popular new feature we introduced at last year’s event. You won’t want to miss out on the fun!

Tour of Daniel Defense Manufacturing Facilities. No charge
Old Town Trolley Tour of Savannah – $35.00
Guided Tour of JW Marriott Savannah Plant Riverside District (1.5 hours) Space is limited! No charge

12:30 – 1:30pm: Lunch

1:30 – 2:30pm: 8 Essential Leadership Lessons for the Toughest Teams on Earth | Robyn Benincasa

Climb to new levels of professional and personal success. Robyn Benincasa shares the eight essential elements of teamwork, learned through her extreme adventure racing, that create synergy with all the teammates in your life, from colleagues and customers to family members and friends.