Message Board Professional Courtesy

[Brad Imsdahl]

I want to thank everyone for supporting our new message board. I would like to ask that you please DO NOT talk about us on Quickfinder’s message board, or place links from their board to ours. Out of professional courtesy, we do not want our message boards to be used for advertising purposes.

Thank you.

[Chief]

Professional Courtesy

Brad:

I agree with you totally and hope that tax professionals remain professional in their comments on these Message Boards. We have more pressing matters to post and discuss than comparing Boards and Publications. I was surprised to see such comments. The TaxBook will stand on its own merits.

[Snaggletooth]

You may be surprised

Guys and gals, I can't take some of this lying down, so I will enter this forbidden territory. This post may be deleted - and if so, it might be well and proper to do so.

I went to the QF board to read what some were saying about this new pub. The general consensus was that this new TaxBook was a fledgling retread by the old QF editors, and that if the QF was not broke, why take a chance with a new entity facing an uphill battle. Some went even further and implied that Brad pilfered the QF board for e-mail addresses to siphon away QF customers. Folks, I happen to know where Brad got most of these addresses, and many of you also know. There was no wholesale invasion of the QF board, in fact I'm not aware of a single address that had not participated in a private e-mail message outside the QF board.

As to whether this new pub will fly or flop? I'll offer some thoughts, and please understand that Brad and his group WILL NOT address the status of their financial strength of weakness -- they simply CAN'T.

First, remember that no member or associate of the new book depends entirely upon the book for their livelihood. There is not a single editor who does not operate his/her own practice. I also don't know about their spouses working, but this is a possibility as well.

Second, these guys are most likely very business-savvy. These are not people who operate shortsightedly or take wild chances or suck money out of the entity for personal passions (like many of my clients).

Thirdly, look at the product they are offering. The Deluxe edition replaces both the 1040 and the Small Business books with one single $65 product. This may not sell a zillion copies the first year but it virtually assures a geometrically-expanding order base if The TaxBook survives.

Fourthly, I'm not sure that the corporate-mongering of the QF will not reveal cracks in the armor in the next year or two. If you stop and think about it, they have not yet produced the QF without the old editors. They certainly have the resources to bring in fine people, but they will be required to abandon their tax practice. That should tell you something.

Lastly, I've noticed I'm making my check out to "TMI." I don't know a thing about the buy-out arrangement with PPC and therefore won't comment. But I remember for years and years making my check out to TMI in Minnetonka for the QF every year. If this is the same entity, I would imagine there is a depth of resources, distribution, and finances to survive a tough year.

Again, this is forbidden territory, and will be the only post I will make on ANY board about pitting the QF against the TaxBook. Regards, Ron J.

[JohnSpadaEA]

But............

Brad,

I agree with what you are saying, but I just caught up with your company after reading a post on the other site. I wish you the best of luck as I have enjoyed your work for several years. I will place an order later today.



John

[Brad Imsdahl]

Our reputation....

Guys and gals, I can't take some of this lying down, so I will enter this forbidden territory. This post may be deleted - and if so, it might be well and proper to do so.

I won’t censor posts unless things are obscene or inappropriate. It is not appropriate for us to go over and advertise our product on their message board. But if PPC doesn’t feel the need to delete posts about us on their board, that is their choice.

The general consensus was that this new TaxBook was a fledgling retread by the old QF editors, and that if the QF was not broke, why take a chance with a new entity facing an uphill battle.

I take it as a compliment when they say they will stick with the book that they believe isn’t broke. I assume that means they like the Quickfinder; a book I spent 17 years helping to create and develop. Please don’t stay up nights worrying about it…people are smart enough to make the connection.

Thirdly, look at the product they are offering. The Deluxe edition replaces both the 1040 and the Small Business books with one single $65 product. This may not sell a zillion copies the first year but it virtually assures a geometrically-expanding order base if The TaxBook survives.

This is a good example of how our product will be different. The Deluxe Edition is a concept that is giving us all kinds of positive feedback. People love the idea. The only people irritated at such a concept are those who want to sell you duplicate information in multiple books…

Lastly, I've noticed I'm making my check out to "TMI." I don't know a thing about the buy-out arrangement with PPC and therefore won't comment. But I remember for years and years making my check out to TMI in Minnetonka for the QF every year. If this is the same entity, I would imagine there is a depth of resources, distribution, and finances to survive a tough year.

The old company from years past was TMI Tax Services, Inc. which was short for Tax Men Incorporated, a tax preparation firm located on 10th and main in downtown Hopkins Minnesota. TMI is where I first worked as a tax preparer back in January of 1986 to supplement my tax practice out of my home. The original owner changed the name to TMI when some people would say they loved his book, but thought the name Tax Men was sexist. One local tax prep firm in the area even countered with the name Tax Ladies Incorporated. We moved about 10 miles away to a location in Minnetonka in 1993 after the death of the original owner, at which time I took over managing the entire Quickfinder editorial and production staff. PPC bought Quickfinder from the family of my original boss in December of 2003. All non-compete clauses have been honored. Any resemblance to the original name has no bearing on the ownership structure of our new company.

I agree with what you are saying, but I just caught up with your company after reading a post on the other site. I wish you the best of luck as I have enjoyed your work for several years. I will place an order later today.

Your post is proof that even if they choose to allow negative talk about us to remain on their board, we get free advertising from it.

People, please do not feel the need to go over there and defend us. Our new products will speak for themselves. I think most people understand that the reputation of a book comes from its authors, not the store they buy it from.

[Unregistered]

Sham

Do the conversations on this board seem a little too well rehearsed?

Are the questions and answers a little too perfect to play into the point?

Are they a little, perhaps, schizophrenic?

Could it be the questioner and respondent are the same person? Of course, this is the Internet and that could never happen…

[JohnSpadaEA]

Ok, Mr QF

I am John Spada, EA

49 Belmont Street
South Easton, MA 02375

508-682-0190

Stop by ask me that question.

[S T]

?????

Do the conversations on this board seem a little too well rehearsed?

Are the questions and answers a little too perfect to play into the point?

Are they a little, perhaps, schizophrenic?

Could it be the questioner and respondent are the same person? Of course, this is the Internet and that could never happen…

How about bringing some real tax questions to the board!