With apologies to our friends at the NSSF, I’ve come to the realization that in the grand scheme of things, NRAAM is more important than SHOT. Bear with me here. Shot Show is an incredibly important event for the industry, no doubt. That’s where most of the year’s business gets done orders are placed, ads are bought, and new products get launched. But because it’s “closed” to consumers, the people who are actually buying the guns don’t really get to see the new toys.
See, that’s who this is all about. People are going to buy guns, so I write articles to influence their buying decisions. Advertisers pay money to have their product featured in ads on sites where people make buying choices. Everything comes right down to trying to influence the buying decision of some guy in Topeka who wants a gun for concealed carry but can’t decide between Glock, S&W on Walther. That’s the great thing about NRA, because it puts those consumers right in the booths with the industry pros from the companies that make the guns and gear that they want.
So yes, without SHOT we wouldn’t do as much business, but without NRA show we wouldn’t have any customers to sell guns, ammo, and magazines too. That’s why I enjoy the show – the chance to interact directly with the consumer is a lot of fun, and is a great chance to get great feedback.