On display, which firearm would get the most attention at the gun shows?

[coctailer]

I cant believe she want s to get rid of her PS-90.....

I can't remember, did she get a green one or a black one?

I kinda want one now (actually I wanted one when she bought hers), maybe a trade in, Jenny?

 

[Joe Link]

I cant believe she want s to get rid of her PS-90.....

I can't remember, did she get a green one or a black one?

I kinda want one now (actually I wanted one when she bought hers), maybe a trade in, Jenny?

I couldn't believe it either, but it was 'boring' to her and she hated the fact that it shot 'small bullets'. Hers was green, and we already sold it. Sorry buddy!

So, about that UMP....

 

[andreys21]

Lwrc REPR

 

[Kimber Custom]

I'm not sure you can get much attention at a gun show with a gun. There are 10,000 guns there and after a while they all start to look alike. There also aren't too many guns that have universal appeal. To stand out, I think you need to improve your booth/table. Having never seen your presentation I can't make too many suggestions but having been to many gun shows I can tell you thinks that draw my eye and things that bug me.

* Cover the table. 8' banquet tables just aren't attractive. It looks like a garage sale to my eye. You have a real opportunity in the NWFA logo really pops against a black backdrop. Make a table cloth that runs all the way to the ground and has the NWFA logo the full 8' width.

* Use tall director chairs for you to sit on. It bugs me when the table operator is hunkered down in one of those low folding chairs. Being hidden behind the table is uninviting.

* Take advantage of your vertical space. At table level there is a lot of competition for the eye but if you look up around the room only 20% of the booths have any kind of banner. When I'm with other people I like to pick a spot and say 'meet there in an hour' or something along those lines.

* There aren't very many video monitors at the gun show but we are all trained to look at them. Set up a 32" LCD with the web site on it or maybe a web cast of the show. It would certainly draw the eye.

* Swag giveaways: pens, bumper stickers, hat pins, targets etc; did I mention NWFA targets? Talk about cheap advertising to your target (pun intended) audience.

* I would stay away from zombie stuff. I know it's big right now but it's a turn off to some of us and you seem to be after a more family friendly forum.

* As for actual guns at the table, I would opt for something simple in a OWB holster. It shows that you are 'one of us' without the false advertising of something for sale.

My .02

 

[Dinged]

I'm not sure you can get much attention at a gun show with a gun. There are 10,000 guns there and after a while they all start to look alike. There also aren't too many guns that have universal appeal. To stand out, I think you need to improve your booth/table. Having never seen your presentation I can't make too many suggestions but having been to many gun shows I can tell you thinks that draw my eye and things that bug me.

* Cover the table. 8' banquet tables just aren't attractive. It looks like a garage sale to my eye. You have a real opportunity in the NWFA logo really pops against a black backdrop. Make a table cloth that runs all the way to the ground and has the NWFA logo the full 8' width.

* Use tall director chairs for you to sit on. It bugs me when the table operator is hunkered down in one of those low folding chairs. Being hidden behind the table is uninviting.

* Take advantage of your vertical space. At table level there is a lot of competition for the eye but if you look up around the room only 20% of the booths have any kind of banner. When I'm with other people I like to pick a spot and say 'meet there in an hour' or something along those lines.

* There aren't very many video monitors at the gun show but we are all trained to look at them. Set up a 32" LCD with the web site on it or maybe a web cast of the show. It would certainly draw the eye.

* Swag giveaways: pens, bumper stickers, hat pins, targets etc; did I mention NWFA targets? Talk about cheap advertising to your target (pun intended) audience.

* I would stay away from zombie stuff. I know it's big right now but it's a turn off to some of us and you seem to be after a more family friendly forum.

* As for actual guns at the table, I would opt for something simple in a OWB holster. It shows that you are 'one of us' without the false advertising of something for sale.

My .02

Nailed it. I mean don't get me wrong, having a cool firearm on display attracts people, but don't neglect the other aspects. I've done my fair share of booth work at shows/conventions/forums and it's all about the presentation.

 

[theguncrank]

Personally, I'd stop to look at one of these:

AN-94

...if you could find one.

 

[Joe Link]

Thanks for all the tips guys!

I'm not sure you can get much attention at a gun show with a gun. There are 10,000 guns there and after a while they all start to look alike. There also aren't too many guns that have universal appeal. To stand out, I think you need to improve your booth/table. Having never seen your presentation I can't make too many suggestions but having been to many gun shows I can tell you thinks that draw my eye and things that bug me.

* Cover the table. 8' banquet tables just aren't attractive. It looks like a garage sale to my eye. You have a real opportunity in the NWFA logo really pops against a black backdrop. Make a table cloth that runs all the way to the ground and has the NWFA logo the full 8' width.

* Use tall director chairs for you to sit on. It bugs me when the table operator is hunkered down in one of those low folding chairs. Being hidden behind the table is uninviting.

* Take advantage of your vertical space. At table level there is a lot of competition for the eye but if you look up around the room only 20% of the booths have any kind of banner. When I'm with other people I like to pick a spot and say 'meet there in an hour' or something along those lines.

* There aren't very many video monitors at the gun show but we are all trained to look at them. Set up a 32" LCD with the web site on it or maybe a web cast of the show. It would certainly draw the eye.

* Swag giveaways: pens, bumper stickers, hat pins, targets etc; did I mention NWFA targets? Talk about cheap advertising to your target (pun intended) audience.

* I would stay away from zombie stuff. I know it's big right now but it's a turn off to some of us and you seem to be after a more family friendly forum.

* As for actual guns at the table, I would opt for something simple in a OWB holster. It shows that you are 'one of us' without the false advertising of something for sale.

My .02

I appreciate you taking the time to type all this out. We've been successful at grabbing attention with guns before, but they have to be extra special and something they won't see elsewhere in the show. We had good success with both the Barrett M99 and the PS90 years ago. I just received a PM from a member who is offering to let us borrow his KSG for the weekend

1. The table cloth was the first thing I thought of, as I agree bare tables look like crap. The first one I rented, then we bought one. Unfortunately we can't afford one with our logo on it, but we do have a banner.

2. We're usually standing with our arms outstretched handing out cards. I don't want to use the term aggressive, but the way we hand out cards is 'insistent'. We do have some nice fold up chairs that are taller than average, for when we are sitting down.

3. First thing I did for our first show was build a PVC banner frame and order a banner, and we always have a wall table. It's not the best, but it was what I could afford, and it's portable.

4. I've been thinking about doing this for some time. I don't have a suitable LCD right now, but even a laptop with the site pulled up would be a way to show people what the site is about. I'll have to figure out if I can tether to my phone for internet.

5. At past shows we've had the dot torture targets that we give away, and they have been popular! I believe I still have some, and if not I'll get some printed up today.

6. No zombie stuff for us

Here's a photo of our booth for an idea.

 

[unklekippy]

While I agree with many posts here, I personally would stop for something owned by a legend. I may be in the minority, but you asked. I would stop for a long time and consider selling everything I owned to stare at and attempt to purchase a gun owned by Elmer Keith, Joe Foss, Jerry Miculek, Ed McGivern, Carlos Hathcock or the like. By the way, I picked up an autographed copy of "Hell, I Was There!" by Elmer Keith a few shows ago. I got it for $80. I had already spent my money, but I had to have it. An ATM trip later and it was mine.

As for some more realistic items, I am more of a traditionalist. I think some of the following would catch my eye.

A single or double-digit serial numbered 10/22.
An S&W Registered Magnum(drool).
Colt Python(overpriced, but not overrated).
BAR.


An artist's rendering of Ted Nugent and Charlton Heston as a double-torsoed Minotaur with four arms, one holding The Constitution, another holding the head of Osama Bin Laden and the other two holding M-60's standing over a trembling and fearful Eric Holder and Tipper Gore, pleading for their lives.

I think the last one is a real winner. Kip.

 

[sheltonshooter]

An artist's rendering of Ted Nugent and Charlton Heston as a double-torsoed Minotaur with four arms, one holding The Constitution, another holding the head of Osama Bin Laden and the other two holding M-60's standing over a trembling and fearful Eric Holder and Tipper Gore, pleading for their lives.

I think the last one is a real winner. Kip.

Bwahahahha. Love it. Do that.

 

[Kimber Custom]

I would hit the frame with a rattle can to make it stand out against the mono background. Black or maybe the fern style of DIY cammo. If you can keep it from looking hokey maybe some LED lights to draw the eye up to the sign. I think the big box stores sell rope lights for a fairly resonable cost.

Don't know how much banners are but another one that is black with just the logo you have in the upper left of this page would look really good suspened over your head. Then bring the white one down to floor level with the table cloth backdrop.

I've got a 21" 4:3 LCD I'd donate to the cause or I've got a DLP projector I can lend you if you want to project the site on the wall behind you. Even if you just built a power point that cycled through some example pages of the site. That way it's active without you having to 'drive' it. That would also preclude the need for a live internet connection.

 

[sheltonshooter]

Good suggestions!

 

[Haysuse]

An LCP in .50 BMG?

 

[rick]

In-booth airsoft range?