I had this email today and I thought you would all gain from the answer.
I would be interested in a seminar in the --- area. Do you currently have anything in the works?
I am looking for credible sales and use tax training. I feel like this is a huge trap for our company. I am looking at the --- coming in Jan of 2010 but saw some reviews that indicated it was going to be a huge sales presentation of their for-purchase materials. I am looking for TRAINING!!
Now, I have to be careful here, since I do occasionally contract with one of those companies. I don't want to tick anybody off, but I feel that you all can gain from a little knowledge.
1. Most of the general public seminar companies (GPSCs)* sell stuff at their events. However, the companies that are more focused on legal and tax seminars don't (like ours), but their prices are usually at least 50% higher. Here is a list of all of the companies that do sales tax seminars (to my knowledge).
2. When working for GPSCs, the leaders make at least some of their earnings from commissions on what they sell. This means that there will be some sort of presentation about products at these seminars. On the rare occasion when I do one of them on a contract basis, I try to talk only about materials specific to the topic of sales and use taxes, and let participants find the other products on the tables in the back of the room. But even I, the Sales Tax Guy, will sell stuff when I'm contracting for one of the GPSCs. It depends on the speaker's style as to how annoying this will be. In my case, well, let's just say I'm not the top seller. And I'm OK with that.
Note - in webinars and seminars from TakeChargeSeminars.com, in other words, us, we don't sell stuff. Period.
3. Sales tax seminars from the GPSCs will cover sales and use taxes from two perspectives. They'll talk about what most states do (what I call the Golden Rules). And they'll talk in depth about what is done in the state where the seminar is being held.
If you're on the fence about going to a seminar, contact the seminar company, and ask if you can communicate directly with the speaker. Or see if you can, at least, send him or her an email. Then ask about any specific topics you're hoping to see covered. This will give you more comfort that you're going to have a useful seminar experience.
Sales and use taxes are a trap for any company, as you said. But even if you're going to get "sold" at the seminar, that shouldn't prevent you from going and picking up as much as you can. GO! If you learn anything that'll get you out of a potential hole, it's worth it.
4. Now it's time to talk about us! In my webinars and seminars (from Take Charge Seminars), we don't sell any products. We actually do talk about tools you may find helpful, but we don't take orders or quote prices. No selling. So fear no sales pitches in a seminar offered by Take Charge Seminars.
To answer the original question about my schedule, I don't have any plans in the next 6 months for your state. But eventually, yes. It's a state with a big city and that's what I need to be able to do a seminar.
But in the meantime, consider some of our webinars. Except for the Taxing Policies webinars, they're not state-specific, and they don't need to be. I'd suggest taking the other webinars which will tell you about a fair amount of the potential traps you're facing, and then when it's available, sign up for the Taxing Policies webinar for your state. And since I've got some pull around here. I'll make sure that your state pops up in the rotation sooner rather than later.
This is probably a good time to talk about our
upcoming face-to-face on-location seminars. We're working out some of the details and will allow registration pretty soon. In the meantime, consider blocking these dates out on your calendars.
Chicago (probably in Oak Brook area) - January 20, February 10,
Dallas / Fort Worth (probably near DFW) - February 16
Houston - February 18
And I'm actually doing a
contract seminar for Padgett-Thompson in Wisconsin in March. That'll be one of those where I try to sell you stuff. But I'll be nice. ;-)
Sales Tax GuyHere's information on our upcoming
seminars and webinars And we do
coaching!And please don't forget to visit our advertisers!
Picture note: Yes, that's me in the picture doing a seminar in Arlington, Virgina.
* These are the companies you get fliers from constantly on a wide variety of topics, from "sales and use tax" to "how to be a better manager."
You are in such trouble! This is going to be a relatively short article. But one that's very important. Based on what the rules are in most states, you need to worry about personal liability. What does that mean? It means you could lose your savings, your vacation house, etc. All because your company really screwed up the sales tax. So read on.
