Finally, the firearms market is showing clear signs of Life. Adjusted NICS volumes have risen for two straight months. September was just over 1 million transactions, the fourth highest in 20 years, only exceeded by the Pandemic years of 2020-2023.

The waves of the pandemic are behind us, and the market is back to a “normal” life.

Some brands mistake normalization for stability and back off marketing and branding.

They cannot.

Your brand must show its own Proof of Life.

The Pandemic changed how customers buy. That behavior was “buy whatever was available”.

New brands emerged as customers shifted where they found product and community. Brand loyalty was pushed to the sidelines in favor of Community loyalty.

At Brownells we celebrated our ability to fulfill orders, but missed how important it was to be present and involved in the digital communities that had arisen. We were quick to pivot, but had missed the shifting signal of where the current and future customer was living and learning.

We had to restart our message and remind the market what made us different.

We did that by participating.

That lesson applies to every company now. When the market returns, as it has, you must be ready to show up and tell the customer you are alive and why you matter.

Post-pandemic buying behavior taught customers to forget brands that are not active where customers search and live online. If you are not seen participating weekly in firearm communities, you will be forgotten. Attention is earned through repetition and presence.

Brands that stay visible - every week - control their story. The ones that wait for the next product launch will lose that compounding advantage of being talked about weekly.

Your visibility matters more than ever. Customers assume that if you are silent, you did not survive, or you do not care.

If you retreat, you risk falling so far behind that you never get back into view.

Brands that showed life regardless of market conditions will keep their momentum. Brands that hide are forgotten.

Where the Buyers Are

To reach the gun buyer, the shooter, and the influencer, you must go where they already are. AR15.com remains the largest digital community targeting gun owners in the world.

Of the top 10 firearm community sites two through ten almost equal AR15.com. These communities drive conversations, set opinions, and surface trends that move the market. (Editor’s Note: Brownell owns AR15.com)

GunBroker is another very large site worthy of participating in. This site focuses on selling inventory, which is very different than community building sites. Another juggernaut in the digital world is PewPewTactical.com. An affiliate focused content creation site that attracts and informs significant numbers of gun users in the market.

AR15.com to build relationships and reputations. GunBroker to build transactions. PewPewTactical.com to inspire gun owners. And if you are targeting the firearm supply chain, The Shooting Wire targets the manufacturer to the retail stores.

All 4 digital platforms are the largest in their space.

There are plenty of other platforms with dedicated followings. All deserve consideration to be part of your marketing mix.

It is no longer just “digital marketing” or banner placements. Customers expect brand participation in their communities. Customers want a voice. They want to see the people behind the brand. They want proof that your company understands them.

Palmetto State Armory is a great example of a company that understood this early. PSA fully engaged in the AR15 community to build both brand and business. Its team members were visible on forums, social media, and at events. They listened, they answered questions, and they contributed. The hard work of being involved in the social firearm community-built trust - and a following that turned into loyal customers. Engagement helped grow Palmetto State Armory into a very successful organization.

It was not luck. It was visibility and commitment to the conversation.

The added benefit of customer interactions is reflected in Google’s newer AI algorithm systems, favoring content created by brands and users alike. Forum mentions, reviews, photos, and links to your site all count as signals of activity. Each time your name shows up in community dialogue you build digital proof of life. Google loves this.

AR15.com generates those signals daily. If your brand is missing from that ecosystem, you lose more than conversation. You lose visibility.

Balanced and Intentional Marketing

The old axiom “50% of my marketing works, I just can’t tell you what 50%” no longer holds true. A healthy marketing mix includes print, social media, events, tv/streaming, etc. They are all important.

They should not be measured the same.

Print builds brand credibility with seasoned shooters who trust what they can hold.

Digital builds reach and are highly measurable. It shows you are connected to the customer and gives immediate feedback.

Video tells your story and builds brand understanding.

Customer content shows (google) you are relevant to the marketplace.

Forum participation builds customer trust.

These channels are not isolated tactics. They must operate as a system. When you adopt a deliberate mix you send a clear message: you understand your customer, you are present, relevant, and engaged.

Achieving that takes alignment across the organization. The president of the company must be visibly active.

Marketing messages must move from campaigns to culture.

Customer service, product teams, and social teams all must contribute to the company’s digital life.

The market is breathing again. It is moving. The energy is there. The choice is yours.

Lean into being intentional with your digital presence.

Align your brand at every level.

Join the conversation where buyers gather and let them know you are part of their community.

Proof of Life isn’t just about sales. It’s about showing customers, algorithms, and communities that your brand still breathes.

— Pete Brownell