For what it's worth (that's to say : very little...), my 'Tip Of The Week' is simply 'Less Is More'. A convenient point of view for me, as it happens, as I have Official Cloth Ears (when I say 'cloth', think several layers of thick blanket under a duvet, not cheese-cloth...). I can't hear 1 db, and 'slight', to me, means 3db at least. I have tried 'tweaking' stuff, but for many years now have taken to using almost none of the bells and whistles which my PC has at its disposal. I use Reaper for DAW; the Cockos compressions supplied are always 'on', with a NY drum bus for any drums I'm using ('live', programmed or samples; whatever...) and a NY Glue on the Main (Output...) track. There may be occasions where Fx are used, as Fx, using my 'broad brush' technique, and I have on a few occasions resorted to mastering stuff such as Ozone presets or the like, but nothing I've ever found or used has made any of my sow's ears into silk purses. I listen, many times, during my composition phases, and judge, for better or worse, the results by this simple expedience. Of course, this can be realised by listening to my Challenge output, where the inate qualities of my music are marred by my inability to better the Production, which is why I garner so few votes, mostly. Those efforts that have won, on occasion, have, however, no better treatment than any other. My conclusion is, then : if it's to be voted on, the Production matters far, far less than the Composition itself (gauged against the Composition of the other entries...). As best as possible, then, but no need to overthink anything. Less is often More, and no-one will hear or notice that subtle 1db in the upper mids (least of all me...).
Just my tuppence-worth.