Hey , 

 

Summer beckons and my reading list seems to be growing, not shrinking. Even though I've read at least a half dozen novels in the past couple of months. And of course, I'm still writing: I've started writing another novel (number 4) and am a few chapters in. I love the creativity and challenge. I was pondering the next several elements of the story and came to realize that writing a novel is like working on a very big and complex puzzle where the pieces get harder and harder to fit the further you move along in the process. But it's good challenging work.

 

A relaxed pace on the business/blogging front means a trio of new posts on the blog, including a look at how tradeshows have taken small 'mom and pop' types of brands onto grocery shelves nationwide; a new short video on a half dozen ways to update your tradeshow booth without blowing your budget; and a cool podcast interview with Kenji Haroutunian of the Big Gear Show. Finally, we share a video from last year about the Symphony tool-less exhibit from Classic Exhibits.

Soundtrack for this week's issue: Jethro Tull's War Child. I'm an old Tull fan and got to see them at least a few times back in the day, including a front row seat at the old Paramount Theater in Portland during their Crest of a Knave tour. Fantastic band, in my humble opinion. War Child came out in 1974, and is sort of lost in the long line of ten albums the band released in the 70s. Still, it's a good one that includes the hits "Bungle in the Jungle" and "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day." One of my favorite Tull albums.

Jeff Bajorek:

 

When I first really started getting into music as a teenager, I developed a real affinity for hard rock and metal. I wasn’t angry or anything, there was just something about the intensity that I loved. It got me up for races and ballgames, and still occasionally does for sales calls.

Through college and into my twenties, I really got into bands like Sevendust, Godsmack, and Avenged Sevenfold (my guilty pleasure) largely because of their terrific drummers. Morgan Rose, Shannon Larkin, and the late Jimmy “The Rev” Sullivan, have this terrifying blend of chops, finesse, and attack. They’re more than timekeepers for their bands, they're integral to the entire picture.

As a retired drummer myself, I’ve had some fun recently comparing some of my colleagues at OutBound to famous rock and roll drummers, I think there are some real lessons salespeople can learn from this blend of chops, finesse, and attack.

 

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Shira Ovide, On Tech at the New York Times:

 

 

What do Visitors See in Your Booth That Causes Them to Stop - Or Keep Walking? With hundreds, perhaps thousands, of exhibits at the tradeshow, how do you capture someone's attention?

 

The Anatomy of Great Tradeshow Lead Generation. Yeah, it's pretty specific, but it depends on the situation.