TaxCoach Briefs:    April 17, 2008

Volume 3, Number 16

****Attention All-Stars****: Our next teleseminar will be Tuesday, April 22, at 4PM EDT. We'll be discussing new ways to add revenue to your practice. You'll find more information and an agenda on the TaxCoach All-Stars page.

=====================================================

Have you been too busy to keep up with the Briefs this season? If so, here are some highlights of what you missed:

You'll find all these articles, plus more, in the TaxCoach Briefs archives.

=====================================================
NEW SUBSCRIBER BENEFIT (EAL)
=====================================================

INTRODUCING TAXCOACH LINEUP

If you like reading the weekly TaxCoach Briefs, you'll love the new TaxCoach Lineup!

We get great feedback from these Briefs and many of you tell us you look forward to reading it every week. But the Briefs format and email delivery limit our ability to present some of the more important topics in the depth they deserve. So next week, we're launching a monthly mailed newsletter, which we've dubbed the TaxCoach Lineup.

If you're already a subscriber, make sure the Planner Info screen within the TaxCoach system includes your current mailing address, and watch your mailbox for the TaxCoach Lineup. If you're not a subscriber, click here for complete details.

=====================================================
MARKETING MINUTE (EAL)
=====================================================

TAX SEASON IS OVER. NOW WHAT?

Those of us who still do a lot of returns ourselves (and that includes me) are breathing a sigh of relief. Tax season is over, and it's time to see how much our kids have grown while we've been holed up in our offices. Invoices are out, or at least on their way, and cash should be king for a least a little while.

But what do you do now? How do you fill your summer calendar with off-season business and tee up new clients for next year's season?

It's easy to assume that "marketing" tax savings stops after April 15. But does it really?

First, let's define "marketing," for today's purpose, as the process of searching for people feeling pain that you can cure.

Now let's ask who's feeling pain that we can cure.

How about people who paid "too much tax" this year? Do you think they're feeling pain? Do you think they would be receptive to planning that gives them strategies and concepts to keep it from happening again next year?

How many of you have picked up clients because they were unhappy with the bad news they got from their last tax preparer? Raise your hands . . . .

That's a lot of you! So you know that big tax bills lead to unhappy taxpayers, which in turn lead to new business.

Now let's ask how you can stir the pot instead of waiting for them to come to you.

We've given you postcards and flyers asking readers "Do You Pay Too Much Tax?" How hard is it to change that headline to "Did You Pay Too Much Tax This Year?"

And how about this call to action:

Don't wait 'till next year for another ugly April 15 surprise.
Call now for your 2008 "1040 Preview" and start saving today!

The bottom line here is that it's always a good time to market tax savings. That's because prospects are always feeling pain from tax bills.

Don't think you have to wait until next year to engage new clients. Do it now, when their fresh pain makes them most receptive to your planning-based pitch. Take advantage of the slower summer pace to start building relationships with those clients. And make next season your best season ever.

=====================================================
SUBSCRIBER EVENT (EAL)
=====================================================

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME

Wednesday, May 7, Keith and I are closing the office early to watch the Reds play the Cubs at Great American Ball Park here in Cincinnati. It's a Business Day Special, with the first pitch at 12:35 PM. And we're inviting all of you to join us. We'll even spring for the tickets! (Beer and hot dogs are on you.)

The Reds are 7-9 on the season so far, 2 1/2 games behind the 9-6 Cubs (and 4 behind the first-place Cardinals). But "Junior" has just hit his 596th career home run -- and we might see him hit number 600 that day.

RSVP at 513/321-2820 or support@taxcoachsoftware.com by Friday, May 2, to guarantee a seat. We'll look forward to seeing you at the ball game!

=====================================================
TAXCOACH "SPRING TRAINING" (KAV)
=====================================================

BOOT CAMP UPDATE!

Space is filling up for the first-ever "TaxCoach Spring Training 2008" boot camp here in Cincinnati this June 20-22. We've confirmed that Ralf Reinberg from Business Made EZ will be joining us as a guest speaker, and we're looking forward to presenting his marketing and practice development ideas.

As we mentioned last week, your first guest -- spouse, partner, or associate -- is free. Additional guests are just $99 each. And kids under 12 eat free. (But if your kid under 12 really wants to come, we suggest you send them out to play more often!)

Subscribers, you'll receive an updated invitation with your first TaxCoach "Lineup." If you're not a subscriber, click here to learn more about the Boot Camp.

=====================================================
SUBSCRIBER Q & A (KAV)
=====================================================

Q: Hi Ed & Keith - Can a cover sheet be added to the plan document for use in a folder?

A: Hi, thanks for writing. The first item in the modules list on the Reports screen is the Cover Page. If it's selected when you generate the detail report, the plan document will contain a cover - with your firm name, contact data, logo, and disclaimers.

You can use this cover page for the summary report, too, or even for some other document, such as a tax return. Just generate the main report with only the first box checked, and print it off. Or, pull up the report PDF as usual, and only print the first page.

FYI you can change the title, on the Planner Info screen. The default is "Personal Tax Plan." You can also change the default privacy statement.

I hope that answers your question - let us know if you need more!

=====================================================

We're happy to answer your questions on TaxCoach content, features, marketing, or general taxation. While we give first priority to our TaxCoach All-Stars, we work to answer all questions. For best response, email support@taxcoachsoftware.com. If we can't answer immediately, or we think the answer will be useful to all of our subscribers, we'll publish it (anonymously) here in the 'Subscriber Q & A' section of TaxCoach Briefs.

Regards,

Ed Lyon
Keith VandeStadt

www.taxcoachsoftware.com
(513) 321-2820

TaxCoach Briefs Archives...
TaxCoach All-Stars
TaxCoach Cost Segregation