TaxCoach Briefs:    Volume 5, No. 34

September 2, 2010

In this week's issue:

• Marketing Minute: The Missing Letterman Tapes
• Member Appreciation Event: Deep-Fried Sauerkraut Balls
• Member Success Story: Better Than Sliced Bread
• Member Resource: Member Call-In With Larry Weinstein

****Attention All-Stars and Press Club members ****: Next month's masterminding webinar will be on September 14 at 4pm Eastern. Topic is "From the Client's Seat" — and we're going to interview a real, live client about how they decide to engage us, and what else they think about our services. Registration instructions are on the All-Stars page and in The Scout.

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MARKETING MINUTE (DFM)
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THE MISSING LETTERMAN TAPES

Archivists at CBS were surprised to find videotape of three "partial episodes" of The Late Show With David Letterman that were taped earlier this year but never aired. Producers apparently decided the viewing public had had enough of Mel Gibson, Tiger Woods mistresses, and the cast of Jersey Shore, and chose to scrap the footage. However, along with those rejects, the archivists also found the following "Top Ten" list originally intended to air on TaxCoach founder Ed Lyon's birthday, August 10:

Top 10 Reasons to Enroll in the Chicago CTC Academy

10. You�re tired of being in a city with a winning baseball team.

9. To paraphrase the former governor: �{Chicago}�s bleepin� golden.�

8. You want to see for yourself if Blagojevitch�s hair is real or fake.

7. You�re searching for a legal way to put all kinds of weird toppings on a hot dog.

6. You figure, they�ve got a museum for everything else, they must have one for tax geeks too!

5. Chicago isn�t big enough for 2 big hosts. Oprah's out, so CTC is in!

4. You want to help make up for the failed 2016 Olympics bid.

3. You want to experience a whole new set of traffic rules: �Hold On and Pray.�

2. You want to see the land of 2 seasons: "cold" and "construction."

And the number one reason to enroll in the CTC Chicago Academy is. . . . . .

1. To learn how to make more money than the entire Bears payroll!

Let�s face it, tax preparation — putting the "right" numbers in the "right" boxes on the "right" forms — isnt all that fun. But tax planning is fun! Tax planning lets you think outside the box and think proactively rather than reactively. Changing the focus in your practice can make all the difference and cause you to fall in love with your business all over again.

Certified Tax Coach teaches you how to build a lucrative business focused on tax planning. Join us for our next Academy live in Chicago, Illinois September 22 � 24, 2010. Space is limited, so sign up today!

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MEMBER EVENT (EAL)
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MEMBER APPRECIATION UPDATE

Keith and I spent an entertaining hour last night at the Newport Hofbrauhaus. This local landmark, reflecting "Zinzinnati's" German heritage, is literally across the street from Newport on the Levee, site of the upcoming Member Appreciation Event later this month, and it's the first authentic hofbrauhaus in America.

Keith enjoyed a few steins of the local Oktoberfest Ale, and I enjoyed my usual nonalcoholic alternative. We both chowed down on deep-fried sauerkraut balls with beer cheese, potato pancakes with horseradish sauce, and similar appetizers that make vegans and nutritionists cry. We were impressed enough that we've decided to host a mixer there the night before the Member Appreciation Event for those of you who'll be in town by 7pm on that day and can join us for some drinks and informal conversation. (If that includes you, email Catherine to RSVP so we know how many sauerkraut balls to order!)

Last week, we released the tentative agenda for the meeting. For those of you who missed it, here it is again:

*Not actually James Lipton

If you're not already registered, what are you waiting for? Click here to register now!

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MEMBER SUCCESS STORY OF THE WEEK (KAV)
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A member who had just rejoined TaxCoach after having been away for awhile, told Ed in a consultation how he finally "gets it":

"I think quite honestly TaxCoach is the best thing ever."

Ken Parmer
Mobile, AL

This was a little different from most of our success stories — Ken said it to Ed during the New Member Orientation call he scheduled after he re-joined. Ed told me he scrambled furiously to write down Ken's praise, then read it back to him and asked if we could use it in our marketing. And he'll tell you that in those circumstances, he's never had a member say no.

Have clients ever praised you for concepts and strategies you've brought them to save money? Of course they have. Were you ready to turn it into a marketing opportunity? Probably not. The good news is, it's easy to when you adopt a "marketing mindset." And if your clients' praise doesn't seem appropriate for a written testimonial, it's at least a great opportunity to ask for the referrals that are probably already the lifeblood of your business!

(Better than sliced bread? Wow!)

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MEMBER RESOURCE (KAV)
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MEMBER CALL-IN WITH ED AND KEITH

This week our guest panelist was Press Club member Dave Murray from just up the road in Troy, OH. We set another attendance record, and had some great discussion too. Dave has been around TaxCoach for a number years, has attended several live events, and says the difference between the first years of his practice, "when he didn't know what he was doing," and the last several years with TaxCoach, are like night and day. His input was insightful to say the least!

Next week's guest panelist will be Certified Tax Coach Larry Weinstein of Houston. Larry's a dynamic and fascinating guy who has been a TaxCoach member for many years, and has joined us on a number of occasions including RoundTables and a CTC Academy. I know you'll appreciate hearing his perspective!

And I'm going to take this one more opportunity to recommend connecting to the audio portion over the telephone on the calls, rather than using VOIP with your computer. It's just more reliable with GoToWebinar. We appreciate your patience.

So if you're a TaxCoach member at any level, and you're looking for clarification on TaxCoach strategies or additional ways to profit from TaxCoach, join us for the next call, on Wednesday September 8, at 1pm Eastern. Enter a question or just listen in on the repartee. Check the "Contact Us" button within TaxCoach for registration instructions.

And, if you're interested in being a guest panelist on a future Call-In, we'd love to have you aboard. Just drop Catherine a line to let her know, and we'll contact you to firm up a date.

While our elite members (All-Stars, Press Club, and Hall of Fame) can still schedule time directly with Ed as part of their coaching programs, we simply cannot answer marketing and tax-strategy questions via email or unscheduled calls.

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We can answer questions on using TaxCoach system features anytime. (Save marketing and tax strategy questions for Member Call-Ins.) For best response, email support@taxcoachsoftware.com.

Regards,

Certified Tax Coach
TaxCoach All-Stars
TaxCoach Press Club
TaxCoach Closely-Held Insurance Company
TaxCoach Cost Segregation
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