Be the Voice

Engaging with the media is a necessary part of the business.

By Miles Hall

The real keys to long-term success and helping to “grow the shooting sports” is communication, education, and imagination. Each of these helps us reach others that would more than likely only know what movies, TV shows, or ill-informed TV news pass off as facts about our industry.

We discovered that being able to tell a story is a big deal in the eyes of folks who do not yet know you, your business, or the shooting sports world. Here’s an example. One of the local TV news stations was looking for a story at Christmas time. They asked to come to the range. I was happy to accommodate the request, but thought a unique angle would be appreciated. I said, “I could have a mother and her son with his first rifle at the store. Would that interest you?”

It sure did. The gun was an adorable single-shot youth-sized “Chipmunk” .22 rifle. I prepped the pair as best I could before the crew showed up, which helped make the entire process a lot smoother. The station ran this story in every news episode for the next day and half. The publicity for us was equivalent to a baseball grand slam.

As we went along, we learned the rules of dealing with the media. Here is a short list of what you need to do. Be open and honest, no matter how the question is asked. Cool, calm, and collected is the way to go. When asked to comment on an incident that involves firearms, express sympathy but focus on how the matter could have been resolved differently with education and proper safety tools. Try to end each interview with a positive learning moment.

TV is a visual media, so be conscious of your appearance and the appearance of your store. The floors and walls should be clean, the shelves uncluttered. You should be neatly dressed. Remember, you are a businessman, so look like one. Short, concise answers work best. Where appropriate, smile. If filming on your range, have round and single-color (orange or blue) targets on hand, as they look best when photographed.

Body language is critical, and this may take time to master. The first time you face a camera and microphone can be unnerving, but you will improve as you gain experience. Be proud of who you are and the shooting sports.

Lastly, figure how to get a TV crew in and out efficiently without being pushy. Most outlets give reporters a specified time frame in which to get the story—typically, an hour or so. We got to where we could help get them what they needed and have them out the door in about 30 to 40 minutes. That was a big deal, and it was one reason we became “go-to” folks for interviews. After a couple of years of doing interviews, we began receiving requests to talk to various groups. These forums were a great way to get our message out. At one point, we were asked to address a journalism class at the university. We were expecting a class of 40 to 50 students, but it was actually closer to 200. The instructor was a focused but kind lady who introduced us by first posing questions to the students. Roughly, this is how it went. “What’s our number one job in journalism?” In unison, the class responded, “To find and report the truth!” It was clear that she was a teacher from whom I could learn. Then she laid the groundwork for the session: the questions could be direct, but there had to be respect as well.

I had a basic talk in mind, but it was clear to me that this time was going to be a bit different. She went on with a few more items and then concluded with this statement: “If Miles and Jayne do their job right, there will be headlines that won’t be written.” I was shaking inside but also for the first time saw that what we do in the shooting sports world is important and can make a difference. The questions from the students were all over the map, and I respectfully answered them all. It was a very humbling and deeply honored moment in our history with the business.

Becoming the voice of the industry in your community is a high calling. When you develop trust between you and the media, good things happen. The late Brad Edwards was a long-time news reporter for station KFOR who specialized in helping citizens who had been mistreated by a less-than-honorable business or local government officials. He was an especially strong advocate for the elderly.

One day he walked into the store and asked for me. I was in the back of the building and walked to the front having no idea who wanted to see me. When I turned the corner and saw who it was, my heart began to pound. When I greeted him, I said, nervously, “I have no idea what we did wrong, but we will fix it for sure.”

He let out a hearty laugh and told me that we had done nothing wrong, but he really needed our help. He was working on a story about non-lethal self-defense guns and needed to pick my brain. He did this because he trusted my expertise, which he had seen demonstrated by the numerous interviews I had conducted over the years. We had a good, long conversation about the features of such products and how to use them safely. Over the years he would occasionally reach back out with questions, and I realized the value of his trust in me.

The Simple Truth is the media will do their stories with or without you. You can bet it is better to be with you. Therefore, Be The Voice.

Author bio: Miles Hall was founder and president of a multi-million-dollar firearms retail store and gun range in Oklahoma for 36 years. He is now a senior advisor helping FFL dealers around the country run more efficient, profitable, and impactful businesses. (miles@hallnhall.com)