ShootingClasses.com Blog

Gun Range Etiquette: The Dos & Don’ts for a Safe & Enjoyable Experience

Wed, 14 Feb 2024 23:54:35 -0500

A shooting range is a great place to gain expertise and confidence with your firearm while improving your marksmanship. But there is such a thing as gun range etiquette. Do you know the dos and don’ts for a safe and enjoyable experience at the shooting range?

The Importance of Gun Range Safety Rules

Most firearms owners visit a gun range at some point. While some gun owners visit a shooting range weekly, others may go as infrequently as once a year.

Regardless of how often you visit a shooting range, you need to keep gun range etiquette top of mind. Gun range safety is so important—not only for yourself but also for those around you.

Handling a gun should never be taken lightly. Even experienced gun owners can get too comfortable. Forgetting to strictly follow all safety procedures can have deadly consequences.

Let’s start with the “dos” related to gun range safety.

Do: Know gun range safety rules.

Each range has its own set of rules. Know them.

To start, here are a few questions to ask the range operators.

What are their safety rules? You should never enter a shooting range without an awareness of their specific set of rules.
What type of firearms are allowed on this range?
Is drawing from the holster allowed? If so, what type of gun holster is allowed on this range?
Is rapid fire shooting allowed?
What type of ammunition is allowed? This sounds simple, but there are definite limitations at some ranges, such as no armor-piercing ammunition, tracer rounds or potentially flammable ammunition.
What type of shooting targets are allowed?

Outdoor ranges may have more flexibility in their range rules, but it is always good to adhere to the gun range safety rules above.

Know if the outdoor range is a “hot” or “cold” range.
- Hot ranges allow firearms to be loaded when not shooting. Firearms must remain holstered until ready to shoot at your target (no exceptions).
- Cold ranges require the firearm to be unloaded until your turn to shoot and given a command to load and make ready.
Outdoor ranges will generally have a “Safe Table” in a safe location where firearms can be handled.
Outdoor ranges where shooting at multiple targets is allowed will generally have a “180 rule,” where muzzle can break to a 90 degree right / 90 degree left line.

Do: Put safety precautions first.

You are responsible for your own firearm, your behavior and knowing standard gun safety rules.

Know the condition of your firearm before you start to shoot and after you’re finished. Is it loaded or unloaded? Never, ever assume.
When you arrive at an indoor shooting range, proceed to your lane and place your firearm on the tray with the muzzle pointed down range. (Your firearm stays there until you’re finished and either re-holster or put it in your range bag).
Your firearm must be pointed down range at all times (loading, unloading, dealing with malfunctions, etc.)
- If you have a malfunction you’re not sure how to fix, lay the firearm down (pointed down range) and ask a Range Safety Officer (RSO) for help.
- If you have a malfunction you do know how to fix, fix it with the firearm pointed down range.
Keep your finger outside the trigger guard and on the slide until your firearm is on target. When finished, place your finger back on the slide with muzzle pointed down range.
Know your target and beyond. (Even at a range? Yes, the firearms range is where you practice mindset and conditioning.)
Clean up after shooting. When finished, pick up or sweep up your brass, targets, etc. Leave the range cleaner than when you arrived.

Do: Wear proper safety gear.

Having the proper safety gear for the shooting range is important to protect your hearing, your eyesight and more.

Eye protection should be safety rated and wrap-around style.
Hearing protection can be foam ear plugs or quality electronic gear. Investing in electronic gear is highly recommended to provide maximum protection, especially at indoor ranges where the person next to you may be shooting an AR-15 rifle.

Do: Understand the cease fire command.

The cease fire command is more likely on an outdoor shooting range but could happen at any range.

Cease fire means just that: stop firing. Lay your firearm down in a safe condition.

Do: Never point a gun at anything you’re not willing to shoot.

Of all the rules of safe gun handling, this is one of the most important, both on the range and off. Never point a firearm at anything you are not intending or willing to shoot.

Too often, people will turn, gun in hand, to talk to someone or show them something. This can cost a life. It’s very easy to do without thinking – even for experienced gun owners.

Now for the don’ts of a shooting range.

Don’t handle your firearm behind the firing line.

Your firearm belongs at the firing line on the stall tray (indoor ranges).

Don’t engage in horseplay with friends.

The range is where you must be serious. This is not a time for goofing off or joking with friends.

Don’t visit a shooting range if you’ve been drinking (even just one drink) or using drugs. This endangers your life and the lives of others.

Don’t ever go in front of the firing line.

Sometimes targets fall. Leave them and ask the RSO to retrieve them for you if necessary. The RSO will call a cease fire and ensure the range is safe.

Don’t leave the stall (indoor range) with a firearm.

Remove the firearm from your range bag in the stall and replace it in your range bag in the stall before you leave.

Find Firearms Training Near You

Make sure you always apply these important steps toward good gun range etiquette. You can also brush up on NRA safety rules.

Training is the best way to keep your gun skills sharp and that includes the ones related to safety. To find firearms instruction, at any level, use ShootingClasses.com's easy search function to find firearms classes near you.

The Value of a ShootingClasses.com Instructor Account

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 14:14:44 -0400

Considering becoming a ShootingClasses.com instructor? You may be weighing the value vs. the monthly subscription fee. Here’s a breakdown of what ShootingClasses.com instructors get with a monthly subscription. (Now, only $19/month!)

A ShootingClasses.com instructor account provides:

Administrative management for your business
A way to connect with students seeking firearms training
Marketing tools that help you promote your classes

Efficiently run your business and streamline processes – from student registration to certificates to payments and more. Spend your valuable time teaching students, instead of getting bogged down in handling the paperwork. Market your classes and make it easy for students to sign up.

You get all these benefits and more as a ShootingClasses.com instructor.

Because we feel so strongly about gun ownership and firearms instruction, we offer a value-packed system for a low monthly fee.

What You Get

Administrative Management

You handle the teaching; we’ll handle the rest. ShootingClasses.com is your personal assistant for managing courses, rosters, records, payments and more.

It’s your own command center for:

Class schedules: Create classes, add details and optional discounts
Class information: Student contact information, pending students, fees paid
Student registration and payment: Alerts you when a student registers and, upon your approval, sends the student a confirmation email with full class details and processes the credit card payment to your chosen bank account

Marketing Assistance

Having students find you, see your credentials and classes, and register is the first hurdle to a successful business. Your monthly ShootingClasses.com fee includes a multi-page website with a unique URL that you can promote on your social media and add to your marketing materials or business cards.

We actively promote through social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Our advertising and search engine optimization (SEO) help ShootingClasses.com reach more people through Google, bringing more potential students to your account.

Easy Student Registration

On your ShootingClasses.com multi-page website, students can find a wealth of information about you and your classes and easily sign up. They can read about your background and experience, find the classes that suit their experience level and training goals, and then register for specific classes.

Having all this information at their fingertips makes them more confident about registering for your classes.

Become a ShootingClass.com Instructor

It’s only $19 a month for a ShootingClasses.com instructor subscription, including the administrative management software, your own instructor website and our additional marketing assistance.

Free, 90-day trial period before your credit card is charged
Sign up before the end of the 90-day trial period, and we discount your subscription to $15 a month for the first year
Pause payments at any time if you’re not teaching
Cancel subscriptions at any time, no charge

We charge a low per-student registration fee:

$5 fee per registered student for classes listed at $100 or less
$10 fee per registered student for classes listed at more than $100

At ShootingClasses.com, we want to advance quality firearms instruction by helping instructors like you. If you want to read more about what we offer, check out these links:

What Should I Consider When Buying a Firearm?

Mon, 22 May 2023 19:29:26 -0400

Buying a firearm is not something that should be done on a whim. Firearms offer a variety of different features, and depending on your goals and skill level, you should make sure you’re informed before you purchase a gun.

Tips Before You Purchase a Firearm

There are several necessary steps you should take before you buy.

Determine use. Know your primary intention for the firearm: home defense, concealed carry, sport shooting etc. Each use relates to unique features you should look for when purchasing a firearm. You’ll find a large selection that fits each category.

Do your homework! Get to know the pros and cons of each firearm: reliability, warranty, ease of use, assembly, disassembly, maintenance, availability of parts etc. Talk to others who own a firearm. Find out their likes and dislikes.

Know your budget. When determining which firearm to purchase, consider the cost of the firearm and the equipment you need to go with it, such as holster(s), magazines, mag carriers etc. Also consider the cost of ammunition for ongoing training and practice. Ammunition cost and availability can vary significantly.

Try before you buy. Most ranges have a good selection of firearms for rental. Just because you like the look of a certain firearm doesn’t mean you will like how it shoots for you. Friends can be a good source for trying different firearms. Trying before you buy saves buyer’s remorse.

Can I find good information on the internet before buying a firearm?

Many people ask if they can look to the internet for good information about buying a firearm, the right firearm for them or firearm safety. Anyone using the internet for information should do so with a grain of common sense. You can find great information as well as dangerous information, so be cautious. This goes for what you find on YouTube and other social media platforms.

If you’re looking for valuable information for new firearms owners, we recommend these articles:

Find Firearms Training

Once you’ve purchased your firearm, the next step is good training from a qualified instructor. You can find firearms instructors near you by searching the ShootingClasses.com database. We provide a list of firearms instructors in your area, with detailed information about their experience, background, bio and certification. You can review class videos and photos and read students’ reviews. Go to ShootingClasses.com for all that and more, including local ranges and up-to-date news and information.

Shooting Range Tips for Beginners

Mon, 22 May 2023 19:19:33 -0400

A shooting range can be an ideal practice location for new gun owners, but without proper training, it can be equally dangerous. When guns are involved, safety is first and foremost. As a new gun owner, you need to be prepared before going to the shooting range. That means understanding the rules and regulations and capably handling your firearm.

We compiled a list of important shooting range tips for beginners. Review this information so you’ll be better prepared, safer and get more out of your shooting range practice.

Ideally, all firearms beginners should seek training before purchasing a firearm and before heading to the shooting range. Without proper firearms training, a gun owner can be a potential safety risk to themselves and others at a range. Too often, we see people at the range who fail to keep their firearm pointed in a safe direction, walk outside of a shooting stall with their firearm in hand and other cringeworthy actions. Some are unable to deal with a firearm malfunction.

A range is no place for an ego! If you’re a beginner or have no firearms training, let the range manager or Range Safety Officer (RSO) know you’re new and need some help. Don’t be shy or falsely overconfident; ask for help. This is not the time to overestimate your skills.

Have a purpose in mind. Don’t just go to the range to blast through ammunition. Shoot based on your skills and be sure to train on the skills you need to improve. If you want to be effective in an emergency situation, you need ongoing practice – and training. At ShootingClasses.com, we believe firearms training, like any type of learning, is ongoing. This even applies to instructors. Shooting is a perishable skill.

Know what is allowed at a gun range. Most ranges have strict requirements. If you’re training for home security or concealed carry, keep in mind most ranges do not permit shooting from a holster, moving and shooting or rapid firing. There are, however, options for that type of practice, which you will need if you own a gun for home defense.

Many ranges offer special events where individuals can practice drawing from a holster, moving and shooting and dealing with firearm malfunctions. Two of the most common are International Defense Pistols (IDPA) and United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA). These are inexpensive ways for monthly reinforcement of training and shooting.

Stay safe at the shooting range and practice your skills.

Going to the shooting range can be helpful in practicing and maintaining firearm skills. Just make sure you’re well trained and prepared. Safe shooting ranges are important for continued necessary practice and enjoyment of gun owners. Join other proficient and safety-focused gun owners by staying active in continual training and following the rules of the range.

If you want to find a shooting range near you, check out ShootingClasses.com. We also provide an easy way to search for qualified firearms instructors near you.

Steps to Prepare for Firearm Training

Mon, 22 May 2023 18:33:39 -0400

The importance of firearms training cannot be overstated. Our Constitution gives every law-abiding citizen of legal age the right to own and bear weapons. Having that right necessitates the need to obtain qualified training. Whether you intend to use your firearm for sport, home defense or concealed carry, assuming you can perform correctly without training is false – and dangerous - thinking.

But what are the steps you can take to prepare for firearm training? Here are some common questions asked by new gun owners seeking firearms training.

Why is firearms training important?

Proper firearms training ensures that you understand your specific firearm and how to use it safely. Using a firearm properly actually requires phases of training. A great training reference for anyone who plans to carry a firearm is Dave “Boon” Benton’s video on the three levels / phases of firearms training.

Firearms training also prepares you to purchase the right firearm and proper equipment for your needs.

What should I do to prepare to take firearms training?

A beginner or firearms trainee should seek training from instructors who teach Introductory, Basic and Safety courses, such as the National Rifle Association (NRA) Basics of Pistol and United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA) Introduction to Pistol. You can find many other basic and introductory courses taught by qualified instructors.

We recommend supplementing firearms training with first aid classes. This allows you to be even more effective in emergency situations. The Red Cross offers Stop the Bleed classes. The Red Cross and the American Heart Association offer First Aid, CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator) classes.

How long does firearms training take?

This is subjective, depending on an individual’s desired outcome and the level of proficiency needed. However, we believe firearms training, like any type of learning, never ends. You’re always a student; even as an instructor. A good read for anyone planning to carry a firearm is this blog: “Does Having a Concealed Carry License Permit Prepare You to Carry a Firearm?”.

How often should you train with your firearm?

This depends on your goals. An instructor can help you evaluate your current skill level and help put together an overall plan to accomplish your goals. We recommend that all students take at least one instructor-led training course every year – at a minimum. Ideally, you should take more.

How do I balance firearms training and practice?

Training is where you learn fundamentals and how to apply them in multiple situations. Practice is where you master the fundamentals you’ve learned.

Why should I continually train and practice with my firearm?

Shooting is a perishable skill. When faced with a life-threatening situation, you will sink to your lowest level of mastered training. Stress will do that. If you only train once a year and never practice, you won’t master your training. Be objective about what you need to improve and practice.

What is the right balance of live-fire and dry-fire practice?

We recommend practice that includes a balance of live fire and dry fire. Some say the right balance can be as much as 90 percent dry fire. The good news is that dry fire is the most inexpensive part of training and practice. Never dry-fire practice with a potentially loaded firearm. Double and triple-check your firearm and make sure there is no ammunition in the same room.

As an alternative, we highly recommend the use of inert trainings firearms. Next Level Training makes a variety of SIRT (shot indicating resetting trigger) laser activated pistols that are great for training and use with software programs.

How can you know you have found qualified firearms training?

There are multiple ways to find qualified firearms training. Of course, we recommend ShootingClasses.com where you can easily search for specific types of courses, see instructor’s: experience, background, bio, certification, class videos and photos, and read students’ reviews to help determine which instructor is best for you.

Ask questions of an instructor. Make sure they know your needs and objectives. Take referrals from friends who have trained with an instructor.

Does a concealed carry weapon (CCW) training certificate expire?

States vary in their requirements. Ask your concealed carry certificate class instructor or do a Google search for “How long is the concealed carry certificate in (my state) valid?”

If you’re interested in firearms training, a good place to start is ShootingClasses.com. You can find qualified firearms instructors near you as well as a wealth of additional information for both new and experienced gun owners.

Four Steps for Creating Social Media Posts for Firearm Instructors That Get RESULTS

Mon, 08 May 2023 17:44:23 -0400

Did you know goldfish now have a longer attention span than humans? That’s right. The average human attention span is now down to 8.25 seconds, while the average attention span of a goldfish is nine seconds. Pretty sad, isn’t it?

Let’s face it, we’re all easily distracted. So, what does this mean for firearms instructors who use social media to reach new students? Can you get their attention in less than eight seconds? You can, if you do it right.

Social Media Strategies to GET – and Maintain – Attention

Social media can be an easy way to connect with prospective students. After all, almost 60 percent of the world uses social media. Many firearms instructors have some version of social media playing a crucial role in their marketing efforts. With the number of people online, learning how to leverage social media is worth the effort.

Just posting on social media is not enough to gain an audience or make a positive impact on your firearms instruction classes. What you post is important. You need to use social media the right way – that is, get their attention! Then give them a call to action and make it easy for them to follow through.

Don’t overcomplicate social media posts. Remember that 8.25 second attention span? Well, it’s in full swing when your potential students are scrolling away. That doesn’t mean using social media the right way needs to be a complex proposition. In fact, simplicity is key.

Here are four steps for creating social media posts that get results.

Step One: Create a compelling post. A compelling post has a clear objective. What is the objective of your post? What do you want them to learn? What do you want them to do? You may want to use a post to:

Introduce yourself and your business
Promote a specific course
Promote a particular class date

Choose an objective, get to the point and direct them to the action you want them to take.

Step Two: Create simple, short text to convey a message and get attention. You might reach your desired audience, but do you have the right message and call to action (CTA)? Plan your message and then the desired action and state both clearly. You don’t need paragraphs (again – there’s that attention span issue), you just need quick chunks of copy that convey your meaning in a simple and straightforward manner.

Here are some examples of messages firearms instructors might use, along with a call to action:

Message: An active shooter situation can occur anywhere, anytime. Are you prepared?

Action: Find qualified firearms training and register for a class.

Message: You could be a victim of a dangerous situation. Can you defend yourself?

Action: Take a firearms class from a qualified instructor. Register here.

Message: What would you do if the unthinkable happened? Are you ready?

Action: If you have your concealed carry license, take firearms classes so you can use your firearm properly.

Step Three: Include graphics / videos and use hashtags. An eye-catching post includes graphics, photos or video. This can range from your business logo to images of firearms classes to video of you or your students demonstrating skills etc. Don’t miss out on the power of video! Statistics show video is one of the best ways to get attention on social media.

Hashtags are another way to reach your audience. Hashtags allow users to find content based on topic, for example: #selfdefense or #firearms. See what type of hashtags are associated with similar posts and add them to your posts.

Step Four: Make it quick and simple to register for a class using your ShootingClasses URLs. When people cannot go straight from Point A to Point B, you lose them. With a social media post, you need to make it easy to take action.

As an instructor on ShootingClasses.com, you receive your own unique landing page URL. This makes it easy to get students to your site to register for classes. With your own landing page and associated content, you can link to:

Your firearms training business landing page
Your courses
Your course registration

Social Media Posting Basics

When constructing social media posts for firearms instruction, the most important points to remember are:

Make your message clear and simple
Make it easy to register for classes with minimal clicks

With social media posting, it’s always a good idea to review what you’ve done and make tweaks based on success. Are your posts generating comments, clicks or likes? Which posts get the most attention? Review your social media posts and do more of what succeeds.

ShootingClasses.com Helps Instructors Find Students

If you’re a firearms instructor and you’re not on ShootingClasses.com, what are you waiting for? With ShootingClasses.com, you handle the teaching, and we’ll handle the rest. We offer a fully automated customer management software website for firearms instructors to run the administrative side of the business. It allows potential firearms students to find instructors and find shooting classes near them.

Learn more at ShootingClasses.com.

Complete Communication Automation for Your Shooting Classes

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 14:53:25 -0400

Complete Communication Automation for Your Shooting Classes

You may be aware that ShootingClasses.com provides comprehensive administrative management functions for instructors to organize classes and reach students, as well as ways for students to find classes and instructors. But, did you know that we also provide complete communication services to facilitate the rapport between instructors and students.

ShootingClasses.com handles inquiries, registration messages, reminders, and general communications for both instructors and students. Continue reading further on in this blog for the full capabilities of our comprehensive communications tool.

Inquiries

Our system allows for students to directly contact instructors for inquiries. For example, students are able to see details of courses that are not currently scheduled and can send an email directly to the instructor to see when their classes will be available. If no classes are found, a student can inform us that they are searching for classes but are unable to find an instructor and we will find the nearest eligible instructor and send the student’s information to them.

The email sent to the instructor will include the student’s name, email and phone number for the instructor to use to reach out to the student about joining their class. We do this to help connect those who are eager to learn with those who have a passion for sharing their knowledge.

Registration

When using other management services, it can be confusing to follow the registration process and know the status of your application. Using ShootingClasses.com we streamline the process and make it easy for both students and instructors.

Students will immediately receive a notice on our website, when registering for a class, that their application was sent to the instructor for approval or if they have been automatically approved. They will also receive an email that contains details of the student’s pending application. Once the application has been approved by the instructor, a student will receive an automated text message letting them know they have been approved to take the class and the date of the class along with a note to check their email for a message with more details. The approval email will come complete with course detail such as the course info, description, requirements, etc. If for some reason the application is rejected, the student will receive an email with the instructor’s reason for rejection. There is a similar process for applications that expire. Students who have had their application expire will receive a text message notifying them that their application has expired with a note to check their email for a message with more details.

For instructors, our system will send both a text message and email informing them that they have a student application to review. The email will include student details and both messages will prompt the instructor to go to their instructor dashboard to review the full application and either approve or reject the application. If the instructor chooses to use our auto-approval function, they will still receive an email and text informing them that a new student has enrolled in their class and a prompt to view the student’s information in the dashboard. Like students, instructors will also receive an email when an application has expired with details.

Reminders

To be a full comprehension communication tool it is essential that we include a reminder system for our students and instructors.

Reminders are sent to students one week prior to the class through an email that has all the class details, such as time and location. Then 24 hours before the class students will receive a second reminder through text. If a student doesn’t attend a class, then they will receive an email with details to contact their instructor.

Instructors will receive a single reminder 24 hours after a class and this reminder is to ensure instructors update the attendance information.

General Communications

Our system is versatile and able to handle many general communications needs for both instructors and students. Our instructors can create emails that can be sent to either a single student or all the students on their roster at any time before or after a class and can contain up to two attachments. The instructor is also copied on these messages for their own records.

There are always unexpected factors that could cause you to reschedule or cancel a class. In the event that a class needs to be rescheduled, a text message will be sent to the students confirming when the student has been rescheduled from a given class to a new class with the new date and time. This message will also prompt students to check their email for full details. If a student cancels a class they will receive similar messages through both channels confirming the student has canceled a class. When a class is canceled by an instructor, students will be informed immediately through text and receive an email

Are You an Active Participant in Your Own Rescue? (Part 2)

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 01:21:57 -0500

As mentioned in part 1, I have a good friend, Larry Hawkins who wears a T-shirt with the inscription: "You Must Be an Active Participant in Your Own Rescue”.

Part 1 was focused on instructors and their role in marketing. Part 2 focuses on students and their need for training and continued training.

Let’s begin with some facts that emphasize how firearms owners are severely lacking proper training.

Statistics about firearms owners

In 2019, there were 19.48 million Concealed Carry Permit License holders in the United States. That’s 7.6% of American adults. This number does not include “Open Carry” states or adults who can now carry legally in 16 states without a permit through constitutional carry (Crime Prevention Research Center 9/21/20).

Statistics also show that <1% of these license holders have taken training beyond what was required by their state to legally obtain their carry permit. Compound that by the fact that some states do not even require shooting a firearm as part of competency. That translates to more than 19.28 million individuals who have concealed carry permits that have only minimal training at best.

Many certified firearms instructors teach class curriculum from the NRA and USCCA that require students to attend 8+ hours of training including classroom and range time. Although these classes provide a good basic foundation for gun ownership, they don’t prepare individuals for actual carry.

These classes are quite often attended by men and women who have not taken an introductory course to firearms or even a basic firearms training course. In some cases, the students have never even fired a firearm; yet they will most likely pass the class requirements and be entitled to apply for and receive their concealed carry weapons permit and then legally carry.

To be fair, I don’t want to paint all CCW holders who have not taken additional training classes with a broad brush. I personally know many men and women who regularly participate in IDPA (International Defensive Pistol), USPSA (United States Practical Shooting Association) GSSF (Glock Sport Shooting Foundation) and other competitive shooting groups that have exceptional gun skills.

There is also a high number of those concealed carry license holders who do take their right seriously and attend additional training and advanced training. Many attend courses that induce stress inoculation to help prepare themselves for a day they hope and pray never comes. But unfortunately, they are in the minority.

So, I have a question for the majority - the majority that have only acquired their concealed carry license: Are you really ready to be an active participant in your own rescue? And if not, why?

Are you one of those who believe nothing bad will happen to you? That you live in a good neighborhood where there is little crime? Just think if you lived in Seattle or Portland or one of the growing number of cities where mob groups have taken over.

Common misconceptions about firearms

Simply purchasing a firearm does not prepare you to use it.
Going to a range and being able to hit a target at 15-21 feet does not prepare you to deal with a potential encounter.

Training analogy about a professional basketball player:

This player has had years of training before becoming a professional player
They practice for hours every day- conditioning, practicing drills, shooting free throws, and more
They can make baskets one after another without even thinking
Yet, when it is game time, the average statistic for making a shot is around 50%

Why does the professional basketball player make only half their shots? Practice is only practice.

Practice is not dealing with stress.
Practice does not have time constraints.
Practice certainly does not have an opponent who is determined to make you fail.

I believe this same philosophy applies to private citizens. You cannot deal with what you have not prepared for.

There is another saying that applies to this situation, “You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know”. You only know what you THINK you know. In a stressful situation people will revert to their lowest level of training.

Factors that will influence you during a confrontation:

Fear (fight / flight / freeze)
Response (drawing from concealment, weapons manipulation)
Thinking (is this justifiable)
Assessing the situation (knowing the target and what is beyond)
Acting (mental preparedness)

Going to a range and developing good marksmanship is great, but it in no way prepares an individual for concealed carry and being prepared for the unknown.

Listen to what Benghazi hero and ShootingClasses partner Dave (Boon) Benton has to say about the need for training and the three levels of training required-Marksmanship Validation / Weapons Manipulation, Dynamic Situations and Force on Force-in the video below.

Invest in yourself, get training and then get more training. Take an active role in your own “Rescue”; the rewards are there.

Find firearms training in your area.

Are You an Active Participant in Your Own Rescue? (Part 1)

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 23:57:22 -0500

My good friend Larry Hawkins often wears a T-shirt with this inscription on the back:

“You Must Be an Active Participant in Your Own Rescue”

If you think about it, this saying applies to many aspects of how we live our lives, and we can definitely take it to heart. For Part 1 of this blog article, I will focus on its relevance for instructors and how it applies to marketing their business. In Part 2, we will focus on students and their need for training.

Although ShootingClasses.com’s core business is providing inexpensive yet comprehensive Administrative Management to firearms instructors, we realize that reaching students (marketing) is the life blood of running a firearms training business.

Marketing is expensive, can be difficult to create, difficult to measure and at times disappointing for dollars invested. ShootingClasses appreciates that Instructors continually send suggestions to enhance their marketing message on their “Landing Page” where firearms students come to ShootingClasses.com searching for instructors and classes.

Setting up Your Instructor Landing Page

This is what an Instructor Landing Page looks like when a potential firearms student views it online:

When thousands of people visit ShootingClasses.com every week, it is important for instructors to have their best information available to be seen. Within one to two clicks, students can see the following:

Business information – What instructors want students to know about the business
Instructor’s and support instructor’s bios and photos – Students appreciate seeing who they will be training with
Certifications – Listing of all organizational and state certifications
Policies and Wavier – Since students acknowledge and agree to them as part of registration, clear policies and waivers greatly minimize issues and disputes
Videos and Pictures (new) – Videos and Pictures are great selling tools to promote business and classes
Reference FAQs (new) – Can answer frequently asked student questions
Available courses, course details and class requirements and upcoming dates – Provide full descriptions for students to make decisions
Register for classes – Firearms students can register and pay for classes online

ShootingClasses provides this professionally presented marketing platform at no charge. Let me repeat myself, Instructors pay NOTHING to promote themselves and have their message available to be seen by thousands who visit ShootingClasses.com every week. See if you can find that marketing value anywhere else!

So, why do I say, “You must be an active participant in your own rescue”? Our marketing tool is of no value if instructors do not take advantage of its full potential. Again, let me repeat myself–our free marketing tool is of no value if instructors do not use it to its fullest potential.

Firearms instructors, after using ShootingClasses.com for six months or more, have come to appreciate the combined value that their Landing Page and comprehensive Administrative Management bring to their business. These features allow them to focus more on teaching and less on managing the business.

Best Practices

In looking at how many instructors manage their business, we see the following best practices:

Instructors make very good use of their Landing Page to tell students who they are and what value they have to offer.
Instructors review and update information on regular intervals.
Instructors include their Landing Page URL and Courses Page URLs on their own websites and social media posts to make it easy for students to click on, find information and register for classes.
Instructors create meaningful posts on social media to describe classes they offer with pertinent details: Class title, fee, date and time, location, web link to the class on ShootingClasses.com, etc. They also add photos and videos in their posts that get attention.
Instructors have “Google My Business” listings (It’s FREE!). This listing has multiple benefits:
- Students doing Google searches can find Instructors and their classes even if they don’t have a website.
- Google “sees” your classes and automatically makes them visible in searches.
- Students can leave you reviews on Google My Business. (Be sure to ask students for reviews). Reviews give you credibility with Google and drive you higher in searches.

To the many instructors who take full advantage of ShootingClasses’ marketing and administrative management, we thank you and appreciate your business.

To those instructors who have yet to take full advantage, we hope this article has inspired you. If you need help, please contact us.

To other instructors reading this article, we invite you to come join us, create a firearms instructor landing page, and take a more active role in your own “Rescue”. The rewards are there.

Next up: Are You an Active Participant in Your Own Rescue? (Part 2) is about firearms students and their need for continued training.

Create a Profile to Share Firearms Classes Progress with Friends

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 19:28:42 -0400

First, we hope your experience with ShootingClasses.com has been positive.

ShootingClasses.com’s objective is to provide firearms students with an easy means to find instructors near them, whether it’s locally or across the nation if you happen to be traveling and are looking for classes in other locations. We make it easy for you to find and compare instructor’ bios, background and credentials; learn about their courses and class details; and then sign up for firearms training.

But did you know there is more for you on ShootingClasses.com? We want your experience to be productive, educational and fun.

Your Public Profile & Shooting Classes History

Many students like to share their shooting experiences through social media and with friends and family. On ShootingClasses.com, you have your own personal “Public Profile” that can be shared via a web link we call your “Vanity URL.”

Sharing your Vanity URL lets friends see your:

Profile picture
Profile information
Content you would like to share
Class history
Training Goals

When you’re signed into your profile, you can select which information you want to share or keep private.

Create Personal Training Goals

We are commonly asked what classes a student should take after a Basic or CCW permit class or when looking for advanced training. This is a great question, because we strongly believe training is a continuous process. Our motto is: Always a Student. When you stop learning, your skills will degrade.

The path you take next will depend on your goals – personal or home defense, sport, competition, or other interests.

Regardless of objectives, virtually all individuals share a common desire to protect themselves and their families. For this reason, we have provided an initial “Goal” for Defensive Training. Since course titles vary greatly from instructor to instructor, we have created recommended steps or milestones to look for within a course when searching classes to meet a training goal.

As you take classes, you can keep track of completed milestones and your progress in achieving each step of the training Goal.

We realize many of you would like to see additional goals created for other shooting disciplines. Please contact us to let us know your goals so we can create additional checklists.

Get Started

If you haven’t yet joined ShootingClasses.com, sign up now. Then fill out your profile and search for classes near you. And be sure to share your progress with friends via your unique profile URL.

Need Help Increasing Attendance for Your Firearms Classes? Social Media Marketing Can Help

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 22:03:39 -0400

At ShootingClasses.com, we have invested heavily in creating software to allow firearms instructors to be found by and professionally presented to potential students. We also provide administrative management tools to more easily handle the time-consuming day-to-day details of running your business.

One of the best ways to reach students that are trying to find shooting lessons is through social media marketing. ShootingClasses.com advertises on Facebook and Instagram using links that bring students to the site to find instructors like yourself. You can promote your ShootingClasses.com profile on your social media accounts—such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram—using your specific instructor URL. Part of your own firearms instructor training should be learning how to use these platforms.

If you are not familiar, a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) is a web link that takes individuals to a specific location on a web site once they click it. For example, we use the URL https://www.shootingclasses.com/find-classes/ in our social media marketing to take individuals to a page on our website where classes can be searched by zip code. Once they click the URL, this is what they see:

The URLs you use will bring students directly to your bio page and/or course pages to learn about you as a firearms instructor and to view and register for classes. You will typically use two primary URLs:

Bio Page: When a student clicks on this URL, they will be taken to your bio, background, certifications, courses and class dates.
Courses Page: When a student clicks on this URL, they will be taken directly to the course page for the class you are advertising on social media.

Bio Page URL

Your Bio Page URL is located on your Dashboard by clicking on “Account”, then “Manage.” Copy the URL located there and use it as a link to be clicked on via social media or on your website.

Example: The URL https://www.shootingclasses.com/prp-training-solutions/ takes students directly to this Instructor’s landing page:

Course Page URL

You can find specific URLs for Courses by going to ShootingClasses.com and clicking “Find Classes.” Once you’ve found the course page you want to take students to, go to the top of the page where the website URL is displayed:

Note: You shouldn’t use the URL listed when logged in and editing a course. If you share that URL, it will prompt the student to log in instead of allowing them to view your course information.

Click on the link, and the full URL will be revealed:

Copy the full URL to use in advertising of that specific course.

Here’s an example: If the URL https://www.shootingclasses.com/prp-training-solutions/course/?courseId=230 is used in a Facebook post, it will take students directly to this Instructor’s specific course page:

Using Your URLs on Social Media

Facebook makes it easy to create an “Event” to promote your classes. Here is how you can create one:

From the Facebook homepage, click on “Events” (located on the left column under Explore)
Click on the “+ Create Event” button, then select “Create Public Event”
Enter the details for the event, including course name, date(s), location, fee, etc.
Choose a category (we suggest using “Sports”)
Under “Admission”: click on “Add Ticket Link”, then paste your course URL into the box
Click “Create”

Once your event is live, this is what it will look like if a student clicks on the URL listed in the event info from their mobile device:

The student can then click “REGISTER” to sign up for your specific class.

URLs are great, simple tools to encourage students to learn more about you and your courses. If you need help with creating or using your URL links, we are happy to help – contact us today.

Not yet a ShootingClasses.com instructor? Register now.

Read the following article to learn more about how to become a firearms instructor and get certified to teach shooting classes.

Am I Ready for a Concealed Carry Weapons License?

Wed, 29 Apr 2020 22:59:21 -0400

6 Steps New Gun Owners Should Take

Are you ready for a CCW license? This question is, or at least should be, on the mind of most everyone who purchases a firearm. As we all know, people use a multitude of reasons to justify the purchase to themselves or their spouse. But all purchasers have one common interest – protection of themselves and their families. Some have no intention of actually carrying a firearm, but nonetheless want to protect their family in their home. You have to be honest with yourself when you answer whether or not you’re ready for a concealed carry weapons license.

Ask any CCW instructor and they will tell you they have seen it all. From the person who registers for a CCW class but doesn’t own a firearm and has never even shot one, to the person who has taken the process very seriously.

What does “taking the process seriously” mean? That can be subjective based on the person, their experience and current needs. A person who feels their life is in imminent danger after getting a restraining order against another person might believe they need to immediately purchase a firearm and get trained and licensed.

In my opinion, those who purchase a firearm – no matter the reason – need to follow a process. Following all the procedures to get properly trained and prepared to carry a concealed firearm will immensely help gun owners. Here are six steps I feel you should take if you want to get your CCW license.

1. Learn Firearms Safety

First, you need to learn and practice firearms safety. This includes the following:

Assume all firearms are always loaded. Every time you touch a firearm under any circumstance, verify its condition. Countless people have shot themselves or others when they assumed the firearm was not loaded. It only takes seconds to verify every time.
Never point a firearm at anyone or anything you do not intent to shoot.
Keep your finger off the trigger until you are on target and ready to fire.
Know you target and its surroundings. Bullets will pass through people, paper, walls and more.

2. Get Comfortable with Firearms

Next, become knowledgeable and comfortable with firearms, including maintenance and care. If you don’t own a firearm, visit your local shooting range. The range safety officer will be more than happy to help you pick a rental firearm and review the rules of safety and good range etiquette. After a few trips to the range and shooting a variety of firearms, you may be ready to purchase a firearm. Keep in mind the firearm you purchase may not be suitable for concealed carry, but nonetheless is the right choice for a first firearm.

3. Take a Basics Firearms Class

Next, you should take a basic firearms class. You will learn to properly shoot, including the fundamentals of stance, grip, sight alignment/sight picture, breath control, trigger control and follow-through. Firearms training will help you learn to be accurate and comfortable with shooting. If you are not comfortable at a range, you will never be comfortable carrying.

4. Reflect on Your Need to Carry

Now you are ready to stop and ask yourself the serious questions:

Am I mentally prepared to carry?
What would I do in a life-threatening situation, perceived or real?
Have I had sufficient training? Or do I need more?
Do I have the right firearm for concealed carry?
Do I have the right equipment for concealed carry? (Holster, clothing, etc.)
Have I dry practiced with my firearm and equipment enough to feel comfortable walking out the door? Note: I highly recommend getting a training pistol to ensure safety.

5. Take a CCW Class with Value

Enroll in the right concealed carry weapons class. Many states have minimal requirements for obtaining a license. However, don’t settle for minimal. Invest in yourself and look for a class that delivers value, not just a certificate. NRA and USCCA courses are structured to provide firearms knowledge, legal understanding and good training on the range from certified instructors.

6. Get Advanced Training

Even after you have obtained your concealed carry weapons license, with all this under your belt, you are still only getting started. You need, at a minimum, an Advanced Concealed Carry class to learn how to move and shoot, understand cover and concealment, and get an introduction to dealing with a variety of situations you could find yourself in.

Let me throw out a startling statistic: less than 1% of the more than 17 million concealed carry license holders in the United States have taken any formal training beyond their state’s minimum requirement to obtain a license. I would venture to say that a large percentage did not follow the steps I’ve outlined and went straight to the CCW class. Does that mean that none of those individuals are capable of carrying concealed? No.

I know many fellow shooters who regularly shoot in IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association), USPSA (United States Practical Shooting Association) and 3-Gun matches who have never taken a formal defensive shooting class. Do I feel they could benefit from advanced training? Absolutely. But I do believe far too many of the 99% who have had no formal training are woefully unprepared when they do carry.

Keep in mind that with all this under your belt the objective is to never have to use a firearm if it is not absolutely necessary. Any good firearms instructor’s classes will always include a serious discussion on situational awareness and concepts like OODA (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) to avoid confrontations before they occur.

Remember, the best fight is the fight you do not attend. But the best citizen is the prepared citizen. Whether your intentions are for home protection only or for concealed carry, you need to get properly prepared. If a situation should become unavoidable, you will have a foundation to draw from.

How much does gun training cost? It’s hard to put a price tag on your safety!

Now stop wondering, “Where can I find a concealed carry class near me?” Start training today.

ShootingClasses.com in the News – April 2020

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 21:26:35 -0400

The founders of ShootingClasses.com have been discussing recent happenings in the world of firearms and spreading the word about their marketing and administrative platform for firearms training instructors. Read and listen to recent interviews to learn about ShootingClasses.com, firearms training and more.

Home on the Range

I talked to “Home on the Range” about our commitment to quality and service for those who use ShootingClasses.com. Read their March 2020 online issue, and be sure to check out pages 20-21 for our discussion on revamping the site to make it more functional for firearms instructors and students.

Shooting Straight Radio

Bill Orndorf and I joined Royce Bartlett on his Shooting Straight Radio show in early March. Listen to us discuss the importance of firearms training and being prepared as a gun owner, as well as the value of violence in the mind of those who would harm you.

Looking for more interviews and firearms resources? Check out the ShootingClasses.com blog.

Preventing Negligent Discharges: Finger Control and Dry Fire Practice

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 13:46:19 -0500

Before getting into a discussion on preventing negligent discharges, let’s make a clear distinction between Negligent Discharge and Accidental Discharge.

By far, probably 99% of the time, discharges are the result of negligent acts. Too often, a person has a non-planned discharge and will call it an accidental discharge, as in “I didn’t mean to, it was an accident.”

However, an Accidental Discharge is the fault of the weapon itself, which is usually a mechanical issue. Although rare, this is why we always adhere to the rules of firearms safety and always keep firearms pointed in a safe direction.

4 Rules of Firearms Safety

Always keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction
Treat all firearms as if they are loaded
Keep your trigger finger outside the guard and off of the trigger until you are ready to fire
Be certain of your target, your line of fire, and what lies beyond your target

A Negligent Discharge is when a PERSON – not the gun – negligently causes the discharge.

It seems like we are hearing more and more of people having negligent discharges. Maybe that’s because of cameras being everywhere and because so much ends up on social media. Maybe it’s also due in part because people lack proper training. Statistics show that over 17 million people now have concealed carry licenses in the United States. However, less than one percent of those concealed carry license holders have taken any formal firearms training beyond what it took to obtain their licenses, which is not much training at all. And this does not count for untold additional people who frequent a range who do not have a concealed carry license.

The most recent negligent discharge that I’ve seen was a Facebook post from one of our instructors at Templar Defense. The post spoke to why a man accidentally shot himself while attempting to pull up his pants when he was on the firing line at a range.

In this situation, the negligent discharge was attributed to what is called “sympathetic reflex.” This is when one hand reacts to what the other hand is doing – your off-hand grabs at something (in this case, his pants) and the strong hand subconsciously reacts and tightens, pulling the trigger. This action is a natural tendency. The real issue here is having your finger in the wrong place when this happens.

My reaction, and I suspect others as well, was to ask: “When will people learn to keep their finger off the trigger?” This post got similar responses including the ever popular “Keep your booger hook off the bang switch”. Sounds so simple, huh?

Those of us who shoot and train on a regular basis do not give this a second thought. That is why we don’t understand why this happens way too often.

I firmly believe the reason why this happens relates to a lack of understanding of proper placement of the index finger and training. Simply keeping your index finger outside the trigger guard is not enough as rule #3 implies: Keep your trigger finger outside the guard and off of the trigger until you are ready to fire.

I recently read an article where an instructor had a negligent discharge while demonstrating a close encounter force-on-force situation. He demonstrated grabbing a target (threat) and sympathetically squeezed his strong hand as he held his firearm at his side. His finger was extended outside the trigger guard, but sympathetic reflex pulled his finger back into the guard, pulling the trigger and shooting himself in the leg.

Most instructors I’ve trained with tell students that proper placement is putting your index finger along the slide (assuming semi-auto pistol) so that it is up and away from the trigger.

Finger Control

A very good tip that I learned during a morning safety briefing while taking a class last year with one our partners, Dave “Boon” Benton, was to keep your index finger up on the frame above the trigger guard with tension. The point of this is that if you maintain tension, whether your finger is up on the frame or up on the slide, you have prepped your finger for any potential sympathetic reaction; and will not find your finger inside the trigger guard with a potential for a negligent discharge. This applies at all times when you have a firearm in hand, standing still or moving in any direction with a potential for a sympathetic reaction to occur.

The image above on the left shows the finger placed outside the trigger guard. The user is still susceptible to sympathetic reaction. In the image on the right, the finger is held up on the slide with tension, in order to prep the finger for a sympathetic reaction.

Dry Fire Practice

This brings me to the importance of Dry Fire Practice in preventing negligent discharges. (I would be negligent if I didn’t caution that dry fire practice must be done with a confirmed empty firearm and magazine and all ammo out of reach. Personally, I like to practice with a SIRT pistol that was designed specifically for the purpose of dry fire training.)

We all try to practice dry firing some percentage of the time to improve our skill level and practice the fundamentals of shooting: grip, stance, sight alignment/sight picture, breath control and follow through. But do we intentionally integrate safety into our practice? When practicing skill, make sure you practice the following safety techniques:

Keeping the firearm in a safe direction
Keeping your index finger in a safe position as you practice loading magazines
Practicing administrative and tactical mag changes
Moving tactically with your finger off the trigger in the safe position
Getting your finger off the trigger when finished firing

Repetitive practice is how we learn, so always include safety when practicing Dry Fire.

Remember, firearms have many forms of internal and external safeties built in to prevent Accidental Discharge. But preventing a Negligent Discharge is OUR responsibility. Be sure to practice and teach safe firearms handling.

Learn about shooting lessons, or find firearms training classes and instructors in your area.

How do you rate yourself as an instructor?

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 19:31:43 -0400

Over the past 12 years, I’ve taken quite a few firearms courses from a number of instructors around the country. They have all been excellent at running great classes. Yet I’ve noticed that every firearms instructor has their own style and procedures. No two are alike.

To help other firearms instructors, I put together a list of the best class attributes I’ve experienced during my training and continued learning. Take a look at them to see how your class structure compares. Not every item will be applicable for all types of classes, so consider implementing the ones you feel are relevant to what you offer.

Safety

Safety during any type of firearms training is incredibly important and can’t be stressed enough. Try incorporating some of the following into the way you run your firearms training:

Conduct a safety briefing before starting each day of a class. Include a plan for emergency situations:
- Confirm the location of the nearest hospital and give directions.
- Identify those in the class who are trained to use an individual first aid kit (IFAK) and has one with them.
- Designate primary and secondary persons to tend to an emergency.
- Designate who will make the emergency call and give them instructions on what to say. For example, say “accidental shooting while training” instead of “a shooting” which could bring a SWAT team instead of EMS.
- Designate who will be a driver and what vehicle is to be used, if needed.
Notify local law enforcement and EMS that a training class is being held at a specific location with no expected incidents.
As the instructor, you should be medically trained for first aid Tactical Causality Care.
- Also, have an IFAK on site or a more robust medical bag for those trained to use it.

Communication

Both verbal and visual communication determine how well students are able to learn. Think about the following so you can have a more well-rounded style of communication in order to reach more students:

Give your students time to share their background and reasons for taking the class.
Keep the instructor-to-student ratio relative to the type class you are teaching. If you have too many students, you will feel overwhelmed, and the students will feel like they’re not getting enough individual attention.
Make sure students know to ask questions if they do not understand or need clarification. More importantly, make sure the class environment allows them to feel comfortable enough to ask those questions.
Clearly explain an exercise, demonstrate the exercise and, when appropriate, allow students to dry-run that exercise before going live.
Do a wrap-up at the end of class to get each student’s feedback. Find out if class expectations were met, what they learned, recommendations for instructor and class improvement, and so on. It’s best to get verbal reviews at the end of class, but written reviews are also beneficial.
Recommend future classes that will build on the student’s abilities.

If you’re looking for more tips on communication, check out Kris “Tanto” Paranto’s five tips for firearms teaching. And, if you want to read more about adult learning styles, Dave “Boon” Benton breaks down the EDIP method.

Course Curriculum

Every instructor has their own title and description for a given course. This can be confusing to students when comparing one instructor’s Level 1 course to another instructor’s Level 2 or even some Level 3 courses. Sometimes they can all start to sound the same.

It is important to be clear in your course description, deliverables and student expectations. Ensuring the course delivers as promised is also just as important. Look at your course descriptions to see if you can work on the following:

Share your background and the credentials that make you qualified to teach the course. When the class starts, it’s good to verbally reiterate this information.
Write a detailed course description so there are no misconceptions when a student registers and shows up for a class.
- Simply calling a class “Advanced” with minimal description can lead to disappointment.
- Without a proper description, you might get a student who is in way over their head, which will hamper the progress of the entire class. You might disappoint other students by spending too much time helping a student with what they should already know.

Are you ready to put these ideas to use? Sign up for an instructor account today at ShootingClasses.com, or update your current class information.

Interested in learning how to become a firearms instructor? You’re in the right place!

Firearms Instructors: Are You Looking for Ways to Bring Students to your Classes?

Fri, 28 Jun 2019 14:14:31 -0400

Updated April 2020

Whether you're teaching an intro firearms class or advanced tactical training, our administrative management software takes the day-to-day hassle out of teaching. But how do you get more students to attend your classes? If you are not doing all of the following, you are missing opportunities to reach potential students!

Completing your Google My Business profile
Enhancing Google Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Creating Events on Social Media

Keep reading to find out how you can implement each of these to improve attendance at your classes.

How to Create a Google My Business Account

Whether you have your own website or not, creating a Google My Business account makes it easier for people searching for firearms training to find you. With a Google My Business account, you get more than a business listing. Your free Business Profile lets you easily connect with customers across Google Search, Maps, images and more.

Here’s an example of the variety of information that can show up on the side of a Google search when you search for a business that has a Google My Business profile filled out. The column on the left is filled with search results and ads, but the content on the right is where Google My Business comes in to play. It shows Precision Defensive Solutions’ address, hours, upcoming events, customer reviews and other information that potential students would be looking for.

Creating a Google My Business account is a simple process. First, you create an account using your main Google account – whatever you use to log in to Gmail. Then, claim and verify your business, and optimize your listing by filling out your profile.

For complete details on how to do this, Hubspot has a great step-by-step tutorial.

How to Improve Search Engine Rankings through SEO

If you’ve ever used a search engine – such as Google – to look for a website and wound up scrolling and scrolling through results to find what you were looking for, the site’s search engine optimization (SEO) probably wasn’t that good.

There are many, many factors that go into how a site ranks on search engines. Here are some ways to improve your search engine rankings on Google in order to reach more people looking for firearms classes.

Add a link to your ShootingClasses.com bio on your website

Google picks up on websites that link to other similar websites. In this case, if your business website links to your bio page on ShootingClasses.com, Google is more likely to show your bio when people search for firearms instructors.

Wondering how to find your bio’s URL? Go to Account > Manage, and use the links on the left hand side of the page to update your bio, courses and more. You’ll see something like this:

When individuals click on your bio URL (whether it’s linked on your website, in an email or elsewhere), they go directly to your personal landing page within ShootingClasses.com. They will then see your photo, bio, background, business info, courses taught, certifications and policies.

If you keep your bio up-to-date and word everything so it’s relevant to potential students, they’ll be more likely to register for a class. And, Google will recognize that people like your page and are using it, so the search engine will be more likely to better rank your page.

Update Your General Regions

ShootingClasses.com recently added a feature to bio information in which instructors can add regions where they teach classes. If you haven’t added this information yet, log into your account, then go to Account > Manage > Bio & Courses Taught. Under "General Region," you can add something like "Northeast Ohio," "Dallas - Fort Worth, Texas," or "Bay Area San Francisco."

When Google scans your profile, it will see these regions. It will store this information and use it when someone searches for classes in your area to give them more relevant results. If you’re missing information on your profile, you’re missing the chance to come up as a relevant search result.

Create Events on Social Media

Social media sites, such as Facebook, rank very high in search engine results because their sites are so large and people spend a lot of time on them. Use this to your advantage by creating events on Facebook that point back to your ShootingClasses.com profile. (Remember that Google looks for links from site to site.)

Creating Events on Facebook is a fairly simple process. First, on your Facebook homepage, click on "Events."

In the Events section, click on “+ Create Event”, then “Create Public Event”. This will open a box where you will put basic info for an upcoming class.

In this box, you'll add all of your event details and a link to your ShootingClasses.com page. (See the list of options below the image)

Use the default photo, or click “Change Photo/Video” to choose something different.
Add an Event Name. It’s best practice to keep it short but descriptive.
Add the location.
Add a Description. Again, short is better. This is where you’ll want to add a link to your ShootingClasses.com page so people can register for the class.
Choose a relevant Category.
Choose the Frequency for the Event to run.
If there is additional information you can add, go for it!

At ShootingClasses.com, we also reach potential students through social media marketing, Google, and search engine optimization. The founders of ShootingClasses.com appear on many top firearms podcasts, contribute articles in popular firearms related magazines and more to increase the site’s reach.

We’ll continue to provide you with easy, all-inclusive administrative management so you can keep your growing business on track. And, so we can continue to work together to optimize opportunities to bring students to your classes.

Learn more about the features of ShootingClasses.com or register for an instructor account now.

Interested in learning how to become a firearms instructor? You’re in the right place!

Newsworthy Interviews with the Founders of ShootingClasses.com

Tue, 26 Feb 2019 20:52:03 -0500

The founders of ShootingClasses.com have been making headlines recently. Watch and listen to our interviews to learn about ShootingClasses.com, firearms training and more.

Gun Talk Media

Dave “Boon” Benton joins Tom Gresham on Gun Talk Media to discuss new active shooter training opportunities. Listen now below or on the Gun Talk website.

Home Defense Show

Wondering how to find the right firearms instructor? I break it down on the Home Defense Show podcast. Listen below or on PodBean.

Shooting Straight Radio

David “Boon” Benton, Bill Orndorf and Israel Matos recently sat down with Royce Bartlett on the Shooting Straight Show to discuss the ins and outs of firearms training. Watch the video below or on the WMMB Facebook Page. (Audio begins at 2:54)

Firearms Nation

Dave “Boon” Benton was a guest on the Firearms Nation podcast. Boon and host Arik Levy talked about his training and competition, how to develop courage, and more. Listen now.

How to Use Your Instructor URL

Fri, 04 Jan 2019 18:35:53 -0500

When you register as an instructor with ShootingClasses.com, one of the many benefits is an instructor URL. This web address, which links to your instructor profile on ShootingClasses.com, is a versatile marketing tool for your business.

Here’s how it works.

As part of completing your instructor profile, you’re given a URL for your instructor profile page. This is typically: www.shootingclasses.com/your name or your business name. Your instructor profile page (landing page) is where students find:

Your contact information
Your background, experience and certifications
Your class schedules, so they can sign up for a class

When potential firearms training students visit ShootingClasses.com and search for classes in your area, your instructor profile will come up in the search. But visitors to ShootingClasses.com are not the only potential customers who can find your profile.

A Portable Marketing Tool

Your instructor URL is a portable marketing tool you can use anywhere you like. On your website, you can use your URL and hyperlinks to take students to your landing page and your course information on ShootingClasses.com:

If you do not have your own website (and many instructors don’t), this URL can serve that purpose. You can use your URL:

On your business cards
In your social media accounts
In email correspondence

Searchable on Google

Your instructor URL is searchable on Google – a huge benefit to your business. Potential students do not have to be searching for ShootingClasses.com, or type in anything related to the ShootingClasses.com site, to find your instructor profile.

If they search for instructors in your area, your instructor profile URL will come up in their search.

Signing up as an instructor on ShootingClasses.com is a great way to market your business. Make sure you use all the tools available to you. Visit the ShootingClasses.com blog often for more tips like this.

Marketing Your Firearms Instructor Business

Fri, 07 Sep 2018 10:30:05 -0400

Running a successful firearms instructor business is about more than just your ability to hit the mark out at the range. It’s about hitting the target with your marketing efforts as well. Unless you can make people aware of your business, even the best instruction will ultimately go to waste.

While marketing your firearms instructor business may seem overwhelming, it’s not only necessary but with the right strategy, it’s achievable. It’s hard to predict what specific method will get the eyes of an individual. So, the best bet is to enlist a marketing strategy that is supported by an array of tactics.

Let’s take a look at what a strong marketing plan might look like for your firearms business.

Get professional

We all know that first impressions are the ones that last. This is especially true when it comes to presenting your firearms training business to potential clients. Students that use your services are putting a lot of trust in your safe and knowledgeable firearm instruction.

The appearance of your business should reflect this level of professionalism and trustworthiness. Create a logo for your business and consider making shirts, hats and other various marketing items made with it. This gives your business a sense of professionalism and legitimacy that can be seen at student’s first touch point with you.

Well-produced flyers and brochures help present your business to potential clients in a professional way as well.

Business cards are still a tried and true method of introducing yourself and getting your name out there. Make sure they have a simple, clean design and a clear way to present your contact information.

The more professional touch points you offer for potential students – and an easy way for them to sign up for your classes will make all the difference in helping to fill up your classes.

Get direct

Getting you and your business out in front of potential students with marketing efforts is only one part of the puzzle.

Gathering contact information from your potential customers allows you to create lists to market to later with email and printed materials.

Services like MailChimp are great for small businesses and even offer free options for their email automation tool.

Get digital, stay social

Websites are a great tool for marketing your business, but they can be very expensive especially when you are just starting out. Providers like WordPress, Wix and Shopify let you create your own website using predefined templates.

Social media is excellent for building awareness for your firearms business. It requires very little in terms of initial investment. That said, a good social media presence will require a moderate time commitment to ensure you are engaging with your audience and presenting your prospects with relevant information.

Although there is little upfront cost, real gains can be made on platforms like Facebook by paying for advertisements and boosting your posts for increased visibility.

Get rid of the paperwork

As an entrepreneur, time is your most valuable asset. Every marketing task you take on requires a portion of that limited resource. ShootingClasses.com offers an innovative way to market your firearms training business. When you sign up for an instructor account you’ll get a dedicated web page. Best of all, you’ll get a reliable way to take those time-consuming administrative tasks off your shoulders. Find out more or sign up for your instructor account today at ShootingClasses.com.

How to Become a Firearms Instructor

Fri, 17 Aug 2018 14:38:09 -0400

You’ve honed your skills. You have the desire. Now it’s time to make the commitment.

Becoming a firearms instructor is one of the most rewarding steps any gun enthusiast can take. Sure, you’ll gain the ability to provide yourself with an additional stream of income. And depending on your level of commitment, you can even turn firearms instruction into a full-time career. But more than that, you’ll have a chance to help gun enthusiasts of all levels become safer, more confident and highly skilled in the use of firearms.

With gun ownership at historic levels, the need for qualified individuals to learn how to become a firearms instructor is more important than ever. Find out how you can make a difference.

Get Certified To Become A Firearms Instructor

It all starts with professional certification. Many respected organizations offer instructor-level courses in a wide variety of gun and safety disciplines. The NRA, USCCA, SAFTD and many others provide classes that are led by highly vetted instructors committed to the cause of training future experts. It’s important to understand that these instructor-level courses are not intended to improve your firearms skill. You need to bring a solid foundation of gun safety and skill to the table.

Certified courses for firearms instructor training will instead focus on teaching you how to teach others. A good course should include:

Principals of Firearms Training
Public Speaking & Communication
Teaching Methodology
Theory of Adult Learning and Class Preparation
Foundational Drills and Skills

Gain Experience

No matter the background you have, you’ll still need teaching skills to run a great class.

An excellent way to improve your instruction skills and learn the ins and outs of firearms training is by learning from other professionals. Sign up as a student and take firearms classes from multiple instructors to learn different teaching styles. You will always learn something, whether it’s a great idea – or an example of how you don’t want to teach. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from instructor you admire. Most instructors are willing to share their experiences with others in their field, and some may be willing to mentor you as you get started.

Instruction is like any other skill – you must keep gaining knowledge or you’ll lose your edge. In addition, each passing year brings with it new techniques, technologies and teaching methods. Network with other firearms professionals and attend industry conferences to stay up-to-date. The more information you’re armed with, the better you’ll be at connecting with your students and the more in-demand your classes will become. Keep learning; your firearms instructor training never ends.

Get started

Weapons know-how, mentoring and teaching experience are the building blocks to start your firearms training business. Building off those skills will certainly give you a firm foundation. Once you are ready to go, get started by creating a firearms instructor account on ShootingClasses.com and let people find your open classes.