How to Get the Most Out of Guns and Ammo Trade Shows in 2020

Trade shows have long been an essential vector for marketing and networking in the world of shooting, hunting, and fishing gear manufacturers, and there’s no question that the biggest exhibition of them all is the SHOT Show, which is held in Las Vegas every year.

For thirty years, the SHOT Show has given firearms enthusiasts and industry professionals alike the opportunity to learn more about the latest products and technology, so it’s no surprise that over a thousand vendors (including the dynamic ammunition manufacturer Agescan — makers of Tungsten Super Shot) and upward of 50,000 attendees are planning on making the trip out to Las Vegas this January for the event.

If you’re hoping to run your own booth at this event or another like it, however, here are a few of the things you should do to get the most out of the experience.

1. Don’t Leave Your Presentation Space Unmanned

This may seem like obvious advice, but trade show veterans will understand just how tempting it can be to leave your booth at times, especially when traffic starts to slow.

But while wandering around the show can be a good way to make connections, you should always make sure that at least one person is there to interface with potential clients or customers. You never know when a passing connection could turn into a life-changing deal!

2. When it Comes to Sales, Bring Your A-Game

Attendees at a trade show will encounter literally thousands of products within a span of a few hours, and the human brain simply isn’t designed to take in this much information. That’s why you need to make sure your sales pitch is pithy and concise enough to cut through the noise and make an impact.

Your pitch shouldn’t be longer than thirty seconds, and you should make a strong, clear argument for why your product serves a vital need.

For example, if you are selling specialized hunting cartridges designed to be a kinetic energy penetrator, you should communicate quickly and clearly:

• When a hunter might want to use them
• What problem they solve
• How they are superior to the competition

Refining your sales pitch and finding ways to make it sound forceful, friendly, and natural will make it a lot easier to turn casual interest into real-world sales.

3. Make Your Booth as Dynamic as Possible

The SHOT Show covers more than twelve football fields worth of floor space, so one thing you absolutely need to bear in mind when designing your booth is how you can make it stand out from the crowd.

A dynamic booth will attract attention and make your product stick in people’s minds long after the event is over, and one of the best ways to improve your dynamism is by adding interactive components, including actual examples of products like HEVI-shot.

Depending on what your company produces, this could involve a variety of different features, from games and competitions to simulators or video footage — but it should also include old-school tactile give-aways in the form of swag.

Swag has been shown to consistently rank high on the list of most effective sales tools, and is one way to ensure that potential customers take some of your marketing home with them.

4. Use Booth Design to Underscore Your Sales Pitch

Finally, your booth design should be optimized to underscore your basic argument for why your product is worth buying. Once you’ve brought them in with an eye-catching display and an engaging pitch, your booth should also provide concrete information.

For example, once you’ve got a potential customer’s attention about, say, improved ammunition for hunting waterfowl, make it easy for them to learn more about your product right there at your booth, so they have hard data to chew over when considering the wares of your competition.

There are lots of different reasons why companies put the money and effort into attending trade shows, but the one thing all attendees have in common: the desire to connect with other people in the industry.

Whether you want to network with major firearms manufacturer or cutting-edge companies like Agescan International, trade shows present huge opportunities for learn about fantastic new ammunition and hardware from companies around the world.

With as many as 60,000 people likely attending the 2020 SHOT Show, it can be a sales game changer, so make the most of the experience by maximizing your display, pitch, and impact!