"Hey Newman"

What if You Were Googled & it Came Up, ‘Never Heard of ‘Em’?

If no one knew who you were, how would you present your brand?

It’s a powerful question for anyone to ask, but it’s especially potent for companies that have been around a long time. What if this was your very first trade show … What if no one knew a thing about what you do or what you stand for. Everything is brand new and shiny: The slogan is new. The identity package is new. The product positioning is new. Consider it a corporate time machine, and you’ve got the key.

Now, what would you do? What would look different? What would sound different? How would you want the public to perceive you? This isn’t just some team-building exercise; it’s an opportunity to see your company image honestly and reflect on what it might be. The road is littered with the wreckage of companies that got complacent. What does the startup in you want to do?

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Do you have an industry-related question you’d like answered on “Hey Newman”? Send him an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.

What the Royal Wedding Can Teach You About Trade Shows

What Happens in Vegas … 10 Tips for Surviving the Vegas Trade Show

I am now halfway through a two-week stretch of trade shows: ISC West is just ending and NAB is underway. Both are in Las Vegas, as are two shows upcoming in May. Under the circumstances, it seemed only fitting to share some Sin City Survival Tips. Here’s my Top 10 “don’ts” that will make sure you DO have a great trade show experience. I hope it helps you one day:

10) Don’t be fooled. You’re in a desert.
With all the glitz, technology and marvels of architecture, it’s easy to forget where you really are … but your body won’t. It’s dry. Really dry, and your eyes and lips know it.  If you wear contact lenses, try to avoid wearing them all day and night, keep a Chap Stick with you at all times, and most importantly, hydrate! (I don’t mean the free drinks.) You need tons of water. Buy water when you land. Drink it before you even get to the hotel. You’ll never know how dehydrated you are until it hits you like a freight train. You’ll lose your voice, or maybe even consciousness! Hydrate.

9) Don’t go overboard.
There’s no sense telling you to avoid the Vegas nightlife. That’s part of the Vegas experience. But for your own good, all things in moderation! There are no clocks, no windows and seemingly no exits all for a reason: They don’t want you to leave … ever. So often people leave the trade show floor with the words, “I’m just going to play a little craps/poker/slots” and never return. Seven free drinks later it’s 3 a.m. when you need to get up at 7. Give yourself permission to have a good time, but make sure you can easily work and function in the morning. Ultimately, you’re a company representative—with or without a hangover.

8 ) Don’t break the bank at dinner.
It’s oh-so-easy to spend $500-600 bucks at dinner at one of Las Vegas’ amazing celebrity restaurants. Just know: There are equally wonderful eateries just off the strip at a much more reasonable price. It may not be as “glamorous” as that rock star chef’s destination, but it’s great food at a fraction of the price. Yes, you’ll find world-class dining right outside your door, but if a $500 meal is beyond your per diem, take advantage of amazing affordable places just out of the way.

7) Don’t stay in one place.
There’s much more to the area than just casinos. With just a short drive in your rental, you’ll find beautiful locations and activities away from the excess of the strip. A simple Google search will set you up with a daylong itinerary, if you like.

6) Don’t leave your casual shoes at home.
Comfortable shoes is the key to a successful Vegas trip. At the bigger trade shows, it’s not uncommon to wait … and wait … and wait for shuttle buses or cabs. And if you have casual shoes, you also reserve the option to walk back to the hotel. It’s a great way to de-stress when you leave the exhibit hall. This is a really crucial point: When in Vegas, you go from the din and electronics of the trade show floor to the din and electronics of the casino to the din and electronics of the hotel, with its slot machines and all. It’s never-ending, unlike anywhere else, where you can leave the trade show floor and find some peace and quiet. Walking back to the hotel will create some space and time between chaotic destinations.

5) Don’t exhaust your funds on high-priced entertainment.
We all want to see Blue Man Group. Most of us want to check out Cirque du Soleil. Some of us love those big-name magicians, um, I mean, illusionists. It’s understandable that while in the area you want to check out some of the very special acts that call Vegas home. Just keep in mind that some of the best entertainers you’ve never heard of are also just minutes away. Talk to the locals. Find out who’s worth seeing. There are magicians and comedians and entertainers of all kinds who put on amazing shows for a lot less than the big names.

5) Don’t leave your food situation to chance.
It’s easy to come back from a trade show trip feeling physically “off” because of how badly or irregularly you’ve eaten. Rather than settle for trade show floor food, bring your own each day! When you pass a place selling really nice Paninis, grab one and throw it in your bag. Then, just as importantly, try to find a soothing place to eat. Oftentimes you can sneak out a side door into a really pleasant, sunny environment to eat and breathe real air! Think of it!

4) Don’t allow your trip to be only about “excess.”
All around you are some of the finest health care and gym facilities anywhere. You don’t have to be a hardcore athlete; just bring some gym clothes, ride the bike and listen to your iPod. It’s a great way to create some balance before or after your time on the trade show floor.

3) Don’t believe what you read.
Vegas obviously offers things other than alcohol. You’re bound to end up with, shall we say, some very “compelling” promotional materials when walking around. Resist. What they’re selling is not what it seems … and even what it seems to be probably isn’t legal!

2) Don’t forget to remove your badge when you leave the trade show floor. There’s nothing like having a full conversation with a very beautiful person only to realize that wonky nametag was there the whole time. No wonder they were smiling!

1) ___________________________________

I know you’ve had some Vegas experiences in your day. Tell me what I’m missing. I’d love to post a follow-up with all of your No. 1 suggestions. We’ll can all benefit from the mistakes and lessons-learned of our fellow trade show adventurers. What’s happened to you? What do you always do now when in Vegas? Let us know!

Do you have an industry-related question you’d like answered on “Hey Newman”? Send him an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.

Tear Down Your Trade Show Booth

We all want a better trade show booth. We all want to be the hit of the show—the booth that has otherworldly magnetic pull and Gorilla Glue on the carpet keeping those attendees stuck in your space. And we all wish there was an easy way to make that happen.

Well, in some ways, there is!  Although it might mean having to be a bit brutal with your booth.

The trade show floor gives you the best possible opportunity to see what works and what you can change. It’s a virtual Petri dish of booth experiments taking place—and someone has just discovered that trade show booth breakthrough. You just have to step far enough out of your own booth to find out what it is. That’s the beauty of it: You don’t have to reinvent the wheel; you just have to cruise the floor and see if there’s a better one out there.

Here’s what to do at your next trade show:

1) Get away from your booth. Literally back yourself against a wall if you have to, but get far enough away to be able to objectively observe attendees interacting with (or walking away from) your booth space. I know you spent a fortune on that booth or at least put a lot of love into it. But for a moment, disconnect yourself from your own brand. Imagine you’re just a random person walking the floor. Look at your booth. Do you have a clear idea what these guys do? Would you want to go in there? What are the people around you doing? Why?

2) Now walk around. But walk around differently than ever before: You’re not cruising for clients and prospects; you’re just an attendee strolling the grounds. Again, look objectively. Which booth looks most inviting? Where do you want to go? What’s pulling you? Is it interesting or entertaining? Is it a catchy message or flashy graphics? Is it a magician submerged in a water tank? What is grabbing you?

3) Keep walking. You’ll likely blow past lots of small booths with dispirited folks staring at their smartphones. No problem. Channel your inner tradeshow attendee.  Imagine you’re on a quest for the ultimate giveaway. But, in this case, the “giveaway” you’re looking for may be the one brilliant idea that will make your next booth better.

4) Return to your booth, reflecting on your experience. On the way back, pay special attention to traffic flow and location. Now, granted, you may not have your choice of the prime real estate at the show, but you should still do some reconnaissance. Does the booth by the main entrance get the most traffic, or do people blow right past it to get deeper into the hall? Check out the booths near the bathrooms or Food Court. How are they doing? Is it worth considering positioning yourself next to some of the biggest players at the show? Or just to get as close to the Starbucks as you can??

5) Review this checklist, circling anything that really leapt out at you during your journey:

•  Visual appeal (circle all that apply): The booth was eye catching. The lighting was visually stimulating. The activity drew me in. The live presentation was captivating.

•  Flow: It was as if I accidentally strolled right into the booth and stayed there … or once I was in, something about the booth kept me there.

•  Personnel: The booth staff members were engaging, smiling at me from afar, were interested in what I was saying and asked interesting, open-ended questions that kept me talking and learning.

•  Location: I ended up in the booth because of what it was near. What was it near?

•  Clarity & power of messaging/signage: The message made me stop in my tracks. It was as effective and memorable as a great highway billboard.

Go through this exercise.  Pay attention.  And you just might walk away with something that will make your next trade show the best one you’ve ever done.

I’m going to end this post with asking something of you: Post comments with your booth observations here. What did you see that worked? What can you change next time? What have you changed already that made a difference?

It could be after trying this exercise or just based on past experience. My goal is to compile a list of your responses and post it for everyone’s benefit. With your help, we’ll create a magical list of specific ways to improve your next booth.

Do you have an industry-related question you’d like answered on “Hey Newman”? Send him an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.

The Value and Power of Audience Polling

What do your customers really want? If you hesitated for even a second before answering, we’ve got a problem. And what do your customers think about you in relation to that? If you don’t know, it can really hurt you.

Any trade show exhibitor should be able to instantly spit out 20 things that are driving their attendees (their potential leads and customers) crazy. I’m talking about real pain points, real needs and real solutions. It’s simple enough, but it’s shocking how difficult it is for many trade show exhibitors to respond.

The problem often is a disconnect between the people running the trade show and the sale personnel in the trenches who find out what people really want. Exhibitors know what the latest, greatest product on the floor does, but what is the relationship between that and the actual needs of the audience? And how can you know for sure?

The reality is, many companies’ trade show presentations never really get at what people are actually thinking.

What if every time a professional or product expert took to the trade show stage, they presented with the consumer instead of at the consumer? What if we dynamically gauged and engaged the audience to gain real knowledge and real market research data? What if we actually asked the important questions: Why are you here? What do you want? What do you really need? And what’s making your life miserable? What if we let the responses drive the presentation and post-show follow up?

It’s always more engaging to ask, “What do you think?” instead of “Here’s what we have.” People like to talk about themselves and express their needs. And the more you ask, the more you’ll be surprised by the answers. From there, you can begin to develop a marketing strategy that’s really based on what people want rather than what you’re trying to sell.

The bottom line is, attendees go to trade shows to find solutions for the things making their lives difficult. What better opportunity to really find out what they want!

Now, it’s not realistic to get up on stage and ask a million questions while taking notes and then go back to the office to tabulate it. But it’s very possible to take 3-4 key questions and get responses that will not only help you now, but also help you follow up later. Rather than cold calls and general pitches, you’re talking to consumers about their specific needs and offering specific solutions.

I have some ideas about how to do this in an affordable, elegant and fun way. In fact, the trade show world is my laboratory right now. I’ll have much more to say about this in the future. But for now, let me know what you think. Would you be interested in a process or technology that would help you poll or survey your audience in real-time from the trade show stage? Can you really be sure you know what your customers are thinking without one? I’ll be reading and responding to all your comments.

How a Bunch of Has-been’s Took Over Sundance (Part II)

This is Part II of a guest post by “Nominated” director/writer Dan Pavlik. If you haven’t read Part I, click here.

Soon after, I was in a shuttle with an Australian reporter whose wife had a documentary in the festival. We struck up a conversation, and when I mentioned Nominated, he said, “Man, I’ve heard a lot about that.”

It was definitely the soft sell. We weren’t shoving swag or DVDs in people’s faces. It was a grassroots effort where the attendees became the advocates of our concept. And as the festival went on, the time we had to put into “selling” was reduced every day. It began to feed on itself, so after four or five days, our people were getting recognized for wearing the “Has-Been” logo and people were stopping us and asking if we had any more of those “Has-Been” t-shirts.

We felt our way through it as we learned the ins and outs of Park City, but it was definitely working. The “Has-Been” logo didn’t even have the name of our movie on it, but proved to be a successful icebreaker. And once in conversation, people would ask us, “What’s that about?” We just led with a provoking question rather than pushing our film. Ken said he felt absolutely fearless going up to anyone. And it was because he wasn’t desperately trying to sell; he was hanging out and having a good time. We talked to Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Greg Kinnear, Jeremy Piven, Ray Liotta, Cheryl Hines, Julia Ormond, Andie MacDowell, Elijah Wood, Ed Helms and James Franco, and at least half walked away with “Has-Been” buttons pinned to them.

Coldest Rock Band Session Ever

I did a corporate event a week and a half before Sundance. At that event, we played Rock Band. It was a fun sendoff for the group, and those people had a blast. So, we decided: That’s what we’ll do. We’ll set up Rock Band and invite people to play and never even mention the movie. We found a spot outside in the 14-degree temperatures, did our best to look like we belonged there and set up a 9-foot screen projecting the hit rhythm video game.

Two things happened:

(1)  We got tons of foot traffic, and we’d just give people buttons and t-shirts as they left. We had this incredible stream of people coming to play and have fun—and we weren’t selling anything at all.

(2)  As they left, they were going out into the city telling people about what was going on. So, as the night went on we continued to get more and more people, who in turn became our button- and shirt-wearing marketing team throughout the grounds.

We were able to make our audience active participants as well as the entertainment itself! And because we were asking nothing of them, there was no resistance. It just worked.

Dan Pavlik is the director/writer of Nominated, which also co-stars Ken Newman of “Hey Newman” fame. For more information about the film and director, click here.

How a Bunch of Has-been’s Took Over Sundance

This is a guest post by “Nominated” director/writer Dan Pavlik.

If I could only offer one piece of advice to a trade show exhibitor, it would be: Figure out a way to get people leaving your booth to tell other people on the floor about you. You only have a finite amount of floor space. If you’re depending on foot traffic into your booth alone, it’s not going to work. You need to figure out how to get that one person who leaves and walks to the complete other side of the trade show to talk to a friend and say, “You’ve got to go over there!”

That’s what we did at Sundance.

Let me back up and start from the beginning. When our film, Nominated, didn’t get into Sundance, we decided we’d go anyway and just act like we were in. We came armed with swag, but we agreed from the outset that if we “pushed” our movie, we’d be viewed as irritating outsiders. So, we decided instead to push a concept: “Has-Been.” Our film is about a former childhood TV star who has become a has-been. So, we decided we’d create commotion, attract people to us and give them “Has-Been” buttons and t-shirts before they left. If it worked, the Sundance attendees would become our sales force.

It did work, because it was something fun that flew in the face of what was expected. We were literally handing “Has-Been” buttons to amazing actors like Paul Rudd. And what could be more mortifying for an actor at Sundance than to consider the moment when he crosses into the category of “has-been”? It’s the last thing they want to be. But it was playful, and people got a kick out of wearing them. And it created an opportunity to give our 30-second pitch about our movie as we created context for the “Has-Been” button or shirt. We never led with the movie; we led with humor … and it caught on. Soon people started recognizing the logo and began conversations with us, which inevitably led to discussion of the film the swag was for.

Location, Location, Location

We also took our concept to the locations everyone hung out at. We realized:  Why try to hand out this stuff to one person at a time? It was much more efficient to give buttons and shirts to the bartenders of the local hotspots, to the doormen of the popular clubs, to the shuttle drivers and coffee house baristas. Soon, they were all playfully declaring themselves as “Has-Been’s” and in doing so, promoting us. It was the equivalent of going up to support staff at a major trade show and having them put on our buttons and shirts. All over Sundance, people were seeing our stuff and our logo and then would come up to us and ask us about it. And in each of those locations, we just made sure our group was the life of the party. After about three days, I looked at Ken and Brian and said, “You know what? This is catching on!”

Note from ‘Newman’: Dan had so much good stuff that we had to break it up into two parts. Part II will go live Tuesday morning.

Dan Pavlik is the director/writer of Nominated, which also co-stars Ken Newman of “Hey Newman” fame. For more information about the film and director, click here.

Sundance Film Festival: A Trade Show in the Snow

The Sundance Film Festival is the largest independent film festival in the United States. But looked at another way, it’s one really big, really prestigious trade show laid out across a small ski city. Everyone is selling something. Every exhibitor has a dedicated space to present and promote what they’re selling. And there’s the widest possible range of presentations of those goods—from full sets and hired talent to over-eager personnel with little business savvy and no social skills.

Sound familiar?

Yes, Sundance is all about promoting and selling movies, but it’s also a microcosm for many of the things we regularly discuss on this trade show blog. This past month, I had the pleasure of attending Sundance along with director/writer Dan Pavlik, and a condo-full of fellow cast and crew members.  We were there to promote our film, “Nominated.”

No, this post isn’t about boosting awareness for the movie; it’s about the adventure we had there … and how it relates to trade show success anywhere.  (But, if you really want to see our movie, we’re not about to stop you.)

Let me start by admitting something:  We weren’t invited. That’s right. Our film didn’t actually make it into Sundance.  But we showed up anyway.  We didn’t go to Park City, Utah, to “sell” our movie. We went there to enjoy ourselves—to have as much fun as we could squeeze into seven days. And, oh yes, to make a few contacts.

That was the best decision we could have made. And a big reason we were so successful.

Let me ask you something: Do you go to a cocktail party and immediately start handing out business cards to anyone with a pulse?  Do you get on Twitter and immediately start hawking your “How to Get Five Million Followers Fast” webinar?

Not if you’re smart, you don’t.

You also don’t stand at the corner of your trade show booth, run up to every attendee you see and scream, “Get in here and BUY MY STUFF!”

In the same vein, you don’t go to Sundance and try to force your DVD down producers’ throats or project your film on a snow bank. Yes it’s been done, and generally, it won’t get you any love.

But what you CAN do is be the life of the party and create such a fun and memorable scene for everyone around you that they flock to your side and eventually ask—on their own—“What brings you here?” That’s what we all did … and did … and did. We used trade show tricks and magic. We used humor and intrigue. We even used Rock Band. And when the festival ended, those producers had our DVDs and business cards. Those celebrities were wearing our buttons. Those attendees knew our film’s name and assumed we had a featured spot in the festival. It was a rousing success—all because we figured out a way to make people come to us.

I’m going to let Dan tell you the story in his own words (complete with a little name-dropping) on this blog later in the week. In the meantime, think about other social situations you’ve been in that might provide a good lesson on “how to behave” at trade shows.

—Ken Newman

Make Your Trade Show Booth Successful & Sustainable

In Part I of a new “green” series, Newman interviews Interpretive Exhibits’ Tim Patterson, a social media whiz and expert in sustainable booth building.

In the vast majority of the posts on this blog, you pose a question and I do my best to give a coherent answer. This week, I’ve decided to switch it up by asking the questions of friend and colleague Tim Patterson — better known by many as the Trade Show Guy. Tim is Interpretive Exhibits’ VP of Sales and Marketing, which means he knows how to build a better booth.

Newman: How do you bring sustainability into your trade show presence while still being successful?

Patterson: When people come to us and want sustainability, we can offer them anything and everything that’s out there. The main question that really gets answered before anyone moves ahead is: “What does it cost?” We did a booth for a company in Eugene that was very green-conscious, and they wanted to use wheat board and a whole host of other sustainable materials. But for them, the cost was more than their budget could handle. So, we went back to other good, largely sustainable materials. It was just not quite what they originally envisioned. A lot of the times, the choice comes down to cost vs. budget — as well as new booth vs. refurbished.

Newman: I have also heard you talk in the past about utilizing found objects and materials. Could you go into that more?

Patterson: A year and a half ago I was at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market. It’s an amazing show packed with outdoor retailers of all kinds. Because of the relatively low cost of booths at this particular show, you see very large and highly creative booth design. These booths incorporated the outdoors and outdoor lifestyle in a very effective way. Some booths used tree limbs, bike frames, and all sorts of fascinating stuff to create a visually interesting backdrop.  And, of course, it was all recycled.

Keen Shoes had an amazing booth that was almost entirely made out of recycled materials. I got a tour of their corporate headquarters a couple of months ago and virtually everything in there is repurposed and reused. Even their gathering place for lunches and client meetings utilizes a row of bleachers that was saved from an old high school that was being torn down. They had old car seats on pallets with wheels on them, and they’d take these contraptions to trade shows and use them. So, they didn’t have to spend money on a brand-new booth and they successfully repurposed things that would otherwise be thrown away. They’re very environmentally conscious, and their headquarters speaks to that attitude of reduce, reuse, and recycle.

One of the biggest things a company can do is have that attitude: What can we do, starting from scratch? How can we utilize what’s out there to not have to spend money on a new booth? But it’s not only attitude; it takes a company that’s willing to shift from ideas to action—and spend some money. You have to look around and find things. You have to pay people to design and cut and build. But if your materials are reused or rescued, not only does it save money; it presents a great image to your audience. And the people at Keen obviously know their audience really, really well.

Newman: If you have a company — perhaps in the tech field — that is going to be totally new to this attitude and this green trade show approach, what would you say to them about going down this road?

Patterson: What it really boils down to is the image of the company. If you have a really high-tech company, does it fit for you to have a booth that’s made of a lot of repurposed wood from an old barn, for instance? Maybe. Maybe not. It depends on what your company is promoting. If you have software that fits in that market — if there’s a relationship between the technology and sustainability — then that might be appropriate.

It can be done, but it really has to be driven by what management wants, and then that has to filter down the management chain and compose a viable approach. Once those decisions have been made on how to approach the objectives, then you start talking to trade show companies that can execute that vision in a realistic manner: Do those designs, help source the materials. Obviously, it’s a collaborative effort. The client may bring materials or even have a designer on hand, but they might not have the skill to actually build something in their trade show space.

Newman: My natural next question is: If you have a company that’s tech-based that has determined that what might work for Keen isn’t going to work for them, what else can be done on the sustainability front? But let’s hold off and pick this back up in Part II.

In Parts II and III, we’ll discuss green trade show booth materials, sustainable packaging and graphic production and green face-to-face meetings (a fascinating topic that deserves more attention). You can learn much more from Tim Patterson in his two new e-books: “Twittering Your Way to Tradeshow Success” and “101 Rules of Tradeshow Marketing,” which are both available at http://tradeshowguyblog.com.

‘Larry King’ Your Next Trade Show Presentation

Sometimes a client’s technology is so dense, so impenetrable, that you realize in spite of every effort to “lighten it up,” presenting it is likely to be about as riveting as watching paint dry. So what should you do? You can fight it and emerge with something a shade less boring, (watching grass grow?) or you can use what you have and turn it to your trade show advantage.

But how? Here’s one approach: Make that ridiculously smart engineer or tech wizard the star of your next trade show. Give them an audience. Get them up on stage. Let them show off your latest technology or service.

JUST DON’T PUT THEM UP THERE ALONE.

This software superstar is not a professional speaker and probably doesn’t have the ability to attract and engage large crowds. But you know what? They don’t have to. Partnering your expert with a professional presenter is one of the most effective ways to use them.

Your professional presenter provides the media savvy. They grab the crowd and warm them up. They set the stage for your “Tech Guru.” This concept is enormously effective when packaged as a Larry King, interview-style trade show presentation. It’s fairly intricate to execute, but it’s like gold when pulled off right.

Steps to a Mesmerizing Sit-down Interview/Presentation

Here are the nuts and bolts (or at least the way WE do it):

First, behind-the-scenes and before the trade show, I sit down with the technicians or product marketing personnel to carve out that basic 10-minute presentation and technology demo. I tell them to imagine they’re presenting to an audience of laypeople — not to “dumb it down” completely; just to dial back the tech-talk. I write down (or record) everything they say. Then, I take that 10 minutes and break it up into several smaller and more digestible pieces. I develop questions that will elicit those pieces as responses. The intent here is to create a Q&A format, instead of a speaker going on ad nauseam with a long list of features and benefits.

The day of the show, our professional presenter pulls in the crowd. They deliver a short (one minute MAX) high-level messaging pitch. Then, they get the audience excited about what’s coming up. Introduce that “special guest” — that software developer or product manager. We use every bit of talk-show fanfare we can muster. Give them rock star status. Then, give them the stage! At this point, our presenter simply walks into the audience with his hand-held mike and assumes the role of interviewer (or Grand Inquisitor).

For the next 10 minutes, the audience is treated to a real dialogue based on the 3-4 minute segments that have been prepared. In addition to keeping the presentation moving along, you’re also “breaking the fourth wall” by creating a “conversation” between your expert and his audience.

The interviewer can even facilitate a REAL Q&A with audience members for the last two or three minutes.

To wrap it up, the interviewer jumps back on stage, thanks his “special guest” and does a 30-second wrap-up and call-to-action.

So, instead of a cringe-inducing 10 minutes, you have an interesting, substantial, entertaining interview before a standing-room-only, engaged crowd. You may not be blessed with George Clooney as your tech expert, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make that person a star.

Do you have an industry-related question you’d like answered on “Hey Newman”? Send him an e-mail and get your inquiry answered on the blog.