What can we do to build the buzz on CAS?

[markt1919]

As a shooting enthusiast myself, I have grown fond of Cowboy Action Shooting over the years and what to help build the buzz.  What can a small company do to help CAS get on the map in the North East?

[Camille Eonich]

Where are you at in the Northeast?

[markt1919]

Where are you at in the Northeast?

My company is New Hampshire, but are willing to travel if the timing works out.

[GunClick Rick]

What kind of company?

[markt1919]

What kind of company?

I don't want to say, only because I am new the forum and do not want to be considered as promoting my business.

What my company does is irrelevant.  I am looking for suggestions from the community as to what CAS needs to boost participation and spectators.

[RickB]

More publicity would help. There was a show called cowboys on the outdoor network but it had limited exposure. Doing a show on a more available station would be helpful and spread the word to a broader audience.

I've read posts from dozens on this forum who say they never even knew we existed until they saw Cowboys on the outdoor channel.

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

Promote a local SASS, NCOWS OR CFDA club in your area.

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Depending on what your company does:

Sponsor a local annual match.

Provide door prizes

Help a local club with carpentry, electricity, water, or Internet services.

Sponsor an information table at a local gunshow. 

[Camille Eonich]

Depending on where you are at in the Northeast you could sponsor either the Northeast regional or the New England Regional.  You could also promote those two matches locally.  You could talk to the people in charge of those matches and offer to help them out so that you could learn more about them and what they need as far as more promotion goes.  There are also numerous state championships that could use the help and state and local matches always appreciate the attendance.


There may be gun shows or other events that they attend and set up booths at to help gain attention.  Cowboys here always have a big deal going on at the Dixie Deer Classic.  http://www.dixiedeerclassic.org/

[Two-Step]

As a shooting enthusiast myself, I have grown fond of Cowboy Action Shooting over the years and what to help build the buzz.  What can a small company do to help CAS get on the map in the North East?

Talk to everyone you know and see who might be interested in cowboy guns. You might even talk to some of the gun shops and see if there is any real interest.
The hard part, at least in my area, is that while folks like to have and shoot CAS guns, they don't particularly like to compete against each other. Personally, I think it is a matter of not wanting to get beat at something... lots of folks here have the "everyone gets a trophy, just for showing up" mentality. So, you may want to find those A and AB personality types.

Depending on your business, you may want to sponsor a local club or even get one started. If you are in the construction business, you might want to offer scrap and left over lumber to the cause. If you happen to own a gun shop, you might want to offer a discount to your customers when they buy CAS guns and ammo.

There are all kinds of things that a small business can do to promote CAS, even if it is not directly related to CAS. I have both sponsored and been sponsored. Back when I did tactical simulations, one of my sponsors was a local heating and air company. 

[Camille Eonich]

The hard part, at least in my area, is that while folks like to have and shoot CAS guns, they don't particularly like to compete against each other. Personally, I think it is a matter of not wanting to get beat at something... lots of folks here have the "everyone gets a trophy, just for showing up" mentality. So, you may want to find those A and AB personality types.

You really need to attend at least one match.  You have no idea at all what this game is about.

[Deadeye Don]

I don't want to say, only because I am new the forum and do not want to be considered as promoting my business.

What my company does is irrelevant.  I am looking for suggestions from the community as to what CAS needs to boost participation and spectators.

Welcome to the Forum!!  I think what your company does is relavant to the question you asked.  If you own a gun store, or an old west sutler store the answers would different than say if you owned a pizza restaurant.  Simply mentioning your business would in no way be construed as promoting it.

[markt1919]

Promote a local SASS, NCOWS OR CFDA club in your area.

How does it work with the shooters traveling to different competitions? Can they receive sponsorship? Is that common?

[markt1919]

Welcome to the Forum!!  I think what your company does is relavant to the question you asked.  If you own a gun store, or an old west sutler store the answers would different than say if you owned a pizza restaurant.  Simply mentioning your business would in no way be construed as promoting it.

Have you ever heard of Ammo2U.com?

[GunClick Rick]

Does it involve hazmat fees?

[markt1919]

Thanks for all the info everyone.

if you have anymore suggestions, please send them my way.

[Rye Miles]

You can get some pards together and attend a gun show in full cowboy attire (a real attention getter) You can also rent a table at a gun show and even if you just display some of the old west firearms we use that would be a big help. Invite shooters from other shooting venues to come out and observe then during a break let'em shoot a stage. Usually that hooks 'em up real good! Rye

[Camille Eonich]

Get the word out around where you live about the New England Regional.  http://www.thegreatnoreaster.com/index.html  It's free to spectators and a day at the range watching and talking to shooters and vendor will surely give them the itch to give CAS a try.


We went up the first year of this regional and shot it and it's great match put on by great people.

[ChuteTheMall]

If you can find any organized shooting events in your area, competitive or not, you have a pool of potential recruits.

Maybe some of the older ones are tired of competition and tactical equipment races, and are ready to relax and have fun.

Maybe some bullseye or Appleseed shooters are ready for something different.

Maybe just handling a lever action rifle and single action revolver at a gunshow would inspire some to visit.

I agree with showing up at a gunshow in full costume, but it might not hurt to also have someone wearing minimal age category clothing, such as jeans & workshirt, leather shoes & straw hat, in order to avoid scaring away those who are not (yet) interested in costumes and re-enacting. I believe some newbies are scared off by the expensive costumes they think are required.

If Boy Scouts need a place to earn their marksmanship merit badges, perhaps your range might be available on some summer weekday, and with plenty of .22 ammo and suitable buckaroo (and adult) guns on hand, so you can rope in entire families.

I don't know if you could get away with shooting IDPA or IPSC matches with CAS gear, but it would certainly be noticed!

Mainly, let the public know where and when you shoot, and that they are welcome to drop in and watch for free.
Have spare eye & ear pro on hand, and someone to greet them and tell them where they shouldn't stand.

Local news media might need some human interest filler to hold for a slow news day, seek them out.

Flyers at local gunshops, especially if they sell Rugers, Ubertis, etc.