FMG Inside News January 2011 - Page 1

VOLUME 21 • NUMBER 1 January 2011 Academy Issues Reminder For 2011 Entries Officials at the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence have issued a reminder that the entry deadline for the 2011 awards is Feb. 18, 2011. The academy will present awards in 14 categories in 2011. To be eligible for the 2011 awards, products must have been in production no earlier than February 2010 and prior to February 2011. Only one company’s product may be entered per category. All entries must include the product’s complete name and be accompanied by a photo. Entries for the Manufacturer of the Year, Distributor of the Year, Citizenship Award and the Shooting Industry Award must include justification. The Academy also will honor the Handgun of the Year, Rifle of the Year, Shotgun of the Year, Ammunition of the Year, Self-Defense Product of the Year, Hunting Product of the Year, Safety Product of the Year, Optic of the Year, Knife of the Year and Accessory of the Year. Entries may be delivered to the FMG Publications SHOT Show booth (#16329), e-mailed to: roxanne@shootingindustry.com, or sent to: Academy of Excellence, 12345 World Trade Dr., San Diego, CA 92128. Welcome To The New Business Year By Russ Thurman Shooting Industry, American COP, American Handgunner, GUNS Magazine and FMG Special Editions are here to help advertisers and firearm dealers boost their profits in 2011 and beyond. Shooting Industry magazine is about business. More accurately, it’s about increasing business. Our primary target audience is the independent firearms dealer. Our goal is to help dealers make more money by providing information that will increase their sales, better their business practices and selling techniques and, thus, boost their profits. When we publish articles that help gun dealers do that — sell more products, reduce business costs, increase efficiency and, in turn, make more money — everyone in the industry wins. Manufacturers, distributors and importers win. Custom gun, knife and widget makers win. Firearm trainers, hunting guides, trade associations, and, yes, Shooting Industry wins. We, too, are in business. Shooting Industry magazine is an integral part of FMG Publications, which includes American COP, American Handgunner, GUNS Magazine and FMG Special Editions. We’re in business to make a profit, also. To do that, we must first help others make a profit. In addition to firearm dealers, those “others” are our advertisers. We must present them with a strong ROI. To accomplish this, we must provide a reason for dealers to read Shooting Industry. When dealers find valuable information in our pages, they also are presented with our advertisers’ messages. If we’ve done our job correctly, this will result in dealers buying more products they can sell — products offered by our advertisers. Simply put, for Shooting Industry to succeed, we must help firearm dealers increase their profits. That’s what we’ve been doing as the industry’s business magazine since 1955. And that’s what we will continue to do throughout 2011, regardless of the economic forecast. Yes, there will be challenges. We’re up to meeting Stop by booth #16329 and pick up your own green light! (Continued on page 6) Saluting The 2011 Masters Location FMG recently received this letter from David Power, business manager for Outdoor Recreational Products, Oneida Molded Plastics in Oneida, N.Y. David salutes FMG’s decision to hold the 2011 Shooting Industry Masters at the Rockcastle Shooting Center. Read on for David’s story: I just wanted to say a big thank you for selecting the Rockcastle Shooting Center for the 2011 Shooting Industry Masters. The choice is well deserved. I know the Masters has been held at some great locations, but the Rockcastle Shooting Center will always hold a dear place in my heart. Let me explain. Early in 2010, at the Sabre Defence Blue Ridge Mountain (Continued on page 6)

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