Hi ,

 

The Oscars were last night and for the first time in decades, I sat and watched the whole program. From start to finish. I don't know what in the world came over me, but there we were. My wife and I took to predicting the "big" awards. Movie of the year, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress. Oddly enough, I picked all of them correctly. Well, I might have missed one. But by the time the final award rolled around, it was clear that Parasite was going to be a big winner no matter what. I saw it a couple of months ago and thought it was the best movie I've seen in years, so it didn't surprise me that it won.

 

This week on the blog, the pros and cons of giving out swag, an interview that Dominic Rubino did with me, and a podcast interview with John Peck of Cort Events. All good stuff.

 

Soundtrack for this week's issue: Peter Gabriel's So. Released in May of 1986, it's become a classic. It sported at least a couple of big hits that dominated mid-80s radio and wears well.

 

7 Ways to Save Money at a Tradeshow. Tradeshow marketing is expensive. Here are a few ways to shave dollars off your budget.

 

Uncovering the Prospect's Real Issue at the Tradeshow. Sales basics are just that. Basic. One of the basics is to get at the real reason the prospect might want to buy from you.