Today is August 1st—the start of National Shooting Sports Month (#NationalShootingSportsMonth) ! It’s an initiative started by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), who host and put on SHOT Show. In fact, given refocused interest to promote shooting sports and hunting, even the Department of Interior has jumped on board this initiative to get more people to the range practicing real firearms safety. What does that mean for individuals and businesses in the outdoor OR firearms industry? This is THE perfect occasion to highlight true gun safety measures in shooting sports and hunting to counteract the lies and misinformation put out by our opponents.
2017 was the first celebration of its kind. Here’s more context behind Shooting Sports Month:
NSSF developed the celebration month to focus the attention of everyone in the shooting sports community — shooting ranges, firearms retailers, manufacturers and recreational shooters — on the fun and excitement of target shooting.
An estimated 50 million Americans participate in target shooting sports, and millions more have expressed interest in learning about rifle, shotgun and handgun shooting, according to NSSF research.
Here are five surefire ways to effectively promote this initiative across social media:
Use high-quality, ethical photos or graphics
You don’t have to have a fancy camera to achieve the perfect shot, but it’s very important that any picture or graphic you post on social media in support of National Shooting Sports Month accurately reflect our values, real gun safety, and reflect the industry positively. Your Smart Phone can suffice for a solid photo, as could a DSLR camera. If you’re looking to make graphics, lean on Adobe Photoshop or cheaper alternative Canva to get the job done. Be sure to use photo elements materials that best reflect your brand and mission statement.
Welcome to Shooting Sports Month. @NSSF has invited the firearms industry to support all levels of shooters to participate in shooting sports. Your first step is to start training. To find ranges in your local area, visit https://t.co/kVyYoR1uJt. #letsgoshooting @CaldwellShoot pic.twitter.com/Hd2pnPwVRD
— Smith & Wesson Inc. (@Smith_WessonInc) August 1, 2018
Make sure you’re using the right branded hashtags
The go-to hashtags for this month are #LetsGoShooting and #NationalShootingSportsMonth. If you use these hashtags, chances are your posts will 1) have more reach, 2) get more engagement, and 3) increase your chances of having your content reposted or shared by industry power players. Pro tip: Be sure to use any gun-related hashtags that you would typically use for firearms-related posts.
GabbyFranco.comAugust is #nationalshootingsportsmonth and there is no better way to celebrate than going to the range #letsgoshooting!!!———-Follow National Shooting Sports Foundation | NSSFLet's Go ShootingLiberty Safe #2a #2aguardian #secondamendment #shooting #shootingsports #funday #rangetime
Posted by Gabby Franco on Tuesday, July 31, 2018
List firearms and firearms trainings resources
There are MANY firearms resources out there—with some being better than others. When promoting NSSM on social media, include tips and resources for your followers and customers to defer to or research. The facts are on our side, with respect to firearms use and nomenclature, despite many media members, Hollywood actors, or cultural institutions saying otherwise. List the best resources on firearms training, best firearms for beginners/women/self-defense, how to find a range near you, instructional blogs/videos, or see what legislation could be affecting you locally or nationally.
Here are the best firearms resources:
National Shooting Sports Foundation: Of course, this should be your to-go for general firearms use and information. NSSF is the preeminent firearms industry trade association. They boast information for firearms retailers, ranges, manufacturers, and media members. They are the authority on increasing and emboldening shooting sports education through true safety means. They have great initiatives like Project ChildSafe, Let’s Go Shooting / Let’s Go Hunting, and host the annual SHOT Show.
National Rifle Association: Grassroots, member-based organization. Good for legislation, shooting sports education, hunters education, and learning about gun culture.
Firearms Policy Coalition: These guys follow everything and are a no compromise outlet for anything firearms policy related. Very technical, but that comes from all of their shared experiences as lawyers, tactical experts, or commentators.
The Gun Collective: This group of gun guys are top notch on the issues, especially in the form of a podcast. They are no-nonsense, no compromise folks.
Stephen Gutowski: Gutowski is one of the best authorities on firearms laws, rules changes, and news. If you don’t follow him, you’re missing out.
Post a Call-to-Action (CTA)
Individuals and businesses should post with a purpose with respect to NSSM. What’s your goal? To get more customers? To get more engagement? To get more “likes”? To inspire new people to take up safe and responsible firearms use? To encourage voters to support pro-gun and pro-Second Amendment politicians? Figure out your goals and state them clearly. Make sure you’re promoting legal activity in accordance with state and federal laws. Use features like Instagram Stories /IGTV, Facebook Live, and portals within social media platforms to promote CTAs.
Draw people back to website through social media postings
For your business, it’s especially important to catalogue the successes you have in August. Were you able to draw in new shooters through social media posts or videos? Did you have more people hit the range than before? Did you have positive earned media mentions? Don’t be shy by listing out those accomplishments! Blog posts are great lead generators and a good source of drawing your social media followers back to your website.
_
How will YOU be celebrating National Shooting Sports Month? Let’s go shooting in a safe and responsible manner while educating our peers about the sport. The Second Amendment is under attack more than ever, and it’s our job to dispel lies, myths, and half-truths pushed by those eager to erode our laws and do away with our traditions. Happy Shooting!
###
What did you think of this piece? Am I on-target or off-mark?
As always, I recommend you follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube to stay in the loop with my musings. Subscribe to my newsletter–now LIVE. Chime in below with your comments!