This is not about breaking news. But it is information I find myself wishing I had passed on before SHOT Show gets underway for several of the past years. Since there are now hundreds of Corporate Members (rather than the dozens of years past), this is the most efficient delivery method I could come up with.
Twenty years ago, I promised never to send you anything except the Wires, and once again, that promise has painted me in a corner. We’ve never sold, shared, bartered or otherwise violated your trust by “monetizing” your email address, so I’m hoping you’ll bear with me here.
Today, we’re talking about things that will be different - and the same- for us during SHOT Show. Most of all, it’s advice how to make certain you get your information about SHOT out during SHOT.
The most important thing to remember remains the same: our deadlines. We’re talking Eastern time, not Las Vegas has no clocks time.
So, those of you who insist on sitting on your submissions until the very last minute might want to revisit that idea.
We had a record number of news items last year, and despite the fact we must be doing something right, not all the releases made it. Missing the deadline was the major factor.
In case you haven’t noticed the length of the wires every day since we began 2020, we’re on pace to blow right through those totals before SHOT 2020 (finally) concludes next week.
So if you’re going to send something, send it early. And “early” does not mean today with a release date of next Wednesday, January 22. Ideally, it would mean mid-morning Eastern time of the day prior to your ideal release day.
A little cooperation can save a lot of frustration -for everyone including your boss/client.
Since we’re on the subject of releases….remember that without your 2020 Corporate Membership number in the subject line, those releases have no chance of being included.
That’s mandatory, not an optional thing to include in the subject line.
And 3 meg images accompanied by 2 meg logo are also fast-tracks to disappointment.
We’re not printing billboards, we’re distributing web-resolution information. Your images and/or logos should each be under 1 meg. And they should be JPGs, nothing else. And not embedded in your very pretty ready-for-print PDF documents. PDFs are a no-go.
So here are the quick notes for submissions: 1) Early beats late, 2) 2020 Corporate Membership Numbers in the subject line, 3) JPG images, 4) no PDFs or charts (slipped one in to see if you were paying attention).
Regarding the actual editions next week:
We will be observing the Martin Luther King federal holiday on Monday. So, no wires -at all- on Monday. We’re encouraging everyone who has the holiday off to get outside. We’ll be outside at Media Day at the Range, so don’t think we’re going to be hanging around doing nothing.
Beginning Tuesday, January 21 and running through Monday, January 27, you will receive daily combined Special Editions of the Outdoor, Shooting, and Tactical Wires.
Our other services will distribute as normal, but you will get a single Outdoor Wire next week rather than separate Outdoor, Shooting and Tactical Wires.
We will have a special SHOT Show wrap-up edition on Monday, January 27.
On Tuesday, January 28, we will go back to our normal schedule.
We’re optimistic that it includes sleep. Next week is going to be busy - but you’re going to see the news and information on some really awesome new products in virtually every category.
All part of another 20-year old promise: we’ll keep you posted.
—Jim Shepherd
