Hey , 

 

Welcome to summertime, where the livin' is easy, fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high. Your daddy's rich and your mama's good looking. 

 

Okay, so I'm a little sidetracked. But "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess is one of the all time great songs. There are a hundred versions available, but I'm partial to both Billy Stewart and the Zombies. 

 

Since we last showed up in your mailbox - thanks for opening this - please share with colleagues! - there are a couple of new short videos on the blog, one that goes over things you can learn from your tradeshow competition, and one that helps in determining your tradeshow marketing goals. There's also a piece on how the long, slow and steady wane of the pandemic is affecting pricing and schedules. Also, a new interview on the podcast/vlog with Quinn Zsido of Crowdpass.

Soundtrack for this week's issue: I read a recent piece on Joni Mitchell in the Los Angeles Times. She spoke with Cameron Crowe about what's going on in her life (yeah, it's a pretty good read), but it got me to digging a little into her discography. I'd recently listened to both Court and Spark (1974) and Hejiri (1976) (which I listened to twice because it's so entrancing). But I've only heard her last album, Shine (2007), once. So I pulled it up again. Joni's music is not pop, but more of a melange of jazz and folk. She plays most of the instruments with a few notable exceptional guests. It's political and personal, and if you're a Joni Mitchell fan, it's worth another listen. Stream it here.

Scott Monty:

 

I was roasting marshmallows with my kids the other night, watching their techniques and showing them mine.

The secret to a perfectly roasted marshmallow (that’s why you subscribe to this newsletter, isn’t it?) is twofold: keep it moving and use the coals.

That’s right. Don’t shove the marshmallow into a flame. The heat will be uneven. Look for the coals at the bottom of the fire—the red-hot or white-hot embers. This is where you’ll get the best approach.

And keep rotating your marshmallow. To keep it in one place is to invite the inevitable “marshmallow torch,” whereby your marshmallow will help you explore the depths of a nearby cave. 

You’ve seen it happen before. The entire thing engulfed in flame, and the holder panicking and blowing furiously at it. The marshmallow ends up either dripping off of the stick in a molten goo, or being left as black, smoky crepe paper that tastes like the ashtray you smelled in your aunt’s house as a child.

If you follow both of these methods, you’ll get a perfectly toasted, golden package of melty white sugary goodness.

 

 

 

Why Tradeshow Marketing Spreads Ideas. Isn't that what you want it to do?

 

Ultimate Guide to Tradeshow Booth Staff Training. A guest post by Tifani Scifo of Reveal Marketing Group.