I have worked gun shows off and on since I was in my early 20's. I have always been entreprenurial. For instance, when pepperspray was new, I bought it by the case and hit the shows. The profits bought me a few toys.
Here's my concept for Gun Shows, and I invite you all to weigh-in.
Gun shows attract many III Patriots who never heard of us. They also attract many "NRA" types, as I call them (most of those folks think we are close to the edge of full-blown radicals). They also attract a lot of LEO, some of which are undercover looking for an easy bust. Many gun show vendors are professionals - it is all they do to make their income - so ticking-off LEO is a bad sales move for them.
I think we can agree that the general III disposition toward LEO is...less than supportive. I may go further than most of you - I think they all deserve a traitors trial.
If I were to set up a Gun Show Model for working gun shows to spread the word about us, here's what I'd do: I'd hire a few local models from whatever city I'm in as eye candy. I've done it before, and I promise you, it makes your table a stopping point.
I'd offer all of our III Gear: Flags, patches, mugs, et cetera. I'd have a banner or 3 that explains, very clearly in sound-bite size, what the III means: Constitutionalists, Liberty proponents, and 2-A advocates.
I'd have for sale a series of gear such as Condor and Traditions and other items, all embroidered/branded with III Logos.
I'd have one saucy lass with a clip board whose sole job is to look pretty, sound like she has an IQ over 100, and convince gunners that if they give up $20 they'll be helping the fight for Liberty and they'd get a patch and an "Official" III membership for a year, along with a list of III sites to visit when they get home.
At every city I'd ask III Patriots from our blogs to join us and help man the booth so that after the pretty girls do their job and stop traffic at our booth, Patriots can explain who we are and where we are going.
I'd use the booth as an educational and income generating point of contact for the 527 and a membership recruiting station.
The down side: I'd need inventory. I'd travel ALOT. I'd have a million more headaches than I have now. (Have you every tried to work with fashion models and aspiring fashion models in a promotional setting? In most cases, roadkill is smarter. I would need bail money in my pocket at all times, because Mrs. Kerodin has a very low tolerance for stupid women who look pretty and think their *assets* are a life achievement). I'd have to coordinate with local III Patriots to join us (though the actual meeting of such Patriots would be the high-point of my weekend). I'd have to handle a supply chain from a constanly moving destination - ever tried getting supplies shipped to you while traveling between cities? I'd spend many nights in hotel rooms.
Gun shows are a risky place for me. Constructive possession and an ATF agent who wants to burn me has a sweet opportunity if I walk in the room. But I can defeat that risk with proper video and common sense.
The up-side: To this day I have never conceived a better way to meet as many potential natural allies for the III in one place. I've simply never taken the plunge.
What do you think? I am ready to give it a go. We have III infrastructure in place. I have set up several wholesle accounts at good vendors, so our tables at a show would have useful, quality gear. A gun show should be filled with natural allies who should have no problem paying $20 for a patch and a year-long membership. We could really advertise our blogs cheaply - I could print good looking postcards with our primary blogs listed, and give them out free to everyone who walks in the doors, so they can surf when they get home.
Not to mention: Gun Shows would make a great setting for quick PatComs...
Thoughts?
Kerodin
III
