Any trade show that spans the better part of a week and almost 2 million square feet of space will, by definition, be about a lot of things. But as I walked the floor, listened to the keynotes and scanned the...


jtemple@sfchronicle.com (James Temple)

Nobody wants to pay Uncle Sam any more than necessary. But you also don't want to end up on the receiving end of an IRS audit -- or worse. Luckily, there are plenty of perfectly legitimate ways to make sure you don't pay more than your fair share of income tax. Here's the quick scoop on ways to save both in April and year-round.

0:60 Pull out your old returns
Take a trip down memory lane to visit those ghosts of tax returns past. Sure, it'll bring back memories of late nights in mid-April spent frantically trying to get everything together. But without looking at your returns for past years, you won't know where to begin to look for ways to save. So go find those files!

0:52 Make the most of your income
The easiest way to pay no tax is not to earn any income, but we'll assume that you don't find that a very appetizing strategy. You can, however, pick investments where you'll either pay no tax or qualify for reduced rates. Know the nuances and you can save yourself some serious money. 

0:43 Use your tax shelters -- legally!
The tax laws give everyone some great ways to cut taxes by saving toward many different important financial goals. Retirement accounts, such as traditional IRAs and 401(k) plans, let you defer paying tax on part of your income for decades, until you use that money after you retire, as well as lower your taxable income for the year by the amount you contribute. Other accounts, like Roth IRAs and 529 plans, let you save toward retirement or college expenses without ever having to pay tax on the income your investments generate. Using these shelters wisely can add up to thousands in tax savings.

0:29 Be smart about deductions
Everyone gets a standard deduction, but that doesn't mean you should take it. Millions of people give up potential tax savings simply because they don't keep records or take the time to itemize their deductions. Especially for homeowners and those with high medical bills, missing out on itemized deductions is hazardous for your financial health. And if you do go with the standard deduction, don't just assume that you should take it on both your state and federal returns, or you could be leaving money on the table.

0:21 Get extra credit
No, we're not talking about applying for that ultra-titanium credit card. The tax laws give taxpayers incentives on all sorts of different things, from raising a child and paying for educational expenses to making foreign investments. These credits are free for the taking, but you have to know they're available to take advantage.

0:09 Think about next year 
There's only so much you can do to cut your tax bill for a particular year if you wait until the last minute to prepare your return. With some advance planning, you can get a head start on next year's taxes and take the opportunity to do some things you may have missed out on in past years. Things like checking your withholding and monitoring your income can help put you in better shape next time around.

0:04 Celebrate! 
With all this planning, your taxes are filed, and it's not even April 13 yet! Give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back -- and then keep up the good work this year and next.

Got another minute?   
For more on the basics of saving on taxes, learn more on:

• How to figure out your tax bracket.
• How to avoid tax scams.
• How to get organized for the IRS.

This post originally appeared on The Motley Fool.

Now read how 12 millennials got hooked on debt >

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• 5 Trends That Could Really Sink Their Teeth In Your Tax Return This Year
• STOP! Here Are 12 Reasons Not To Cancel That Credit Card
• Got A Minute? Boost Your Credit In Six Easy Steps

Motley Fool Staff

Following our critical view of what we saw as the worst management terms of 2011, we were delighted by the general response and to find such common concern over the diabolical increase in management jargon.

But why, if we know it is so dreadful, do we let it persist? We have decided that it's most definitely a power game — an arms race. The holders of the newest and most convoluted terms are deemed to be the more superior.

As programs to eradicate plague pests, such as the Tetse fly, involve introducing sterile bred alternatives into the system to compete, so TMM are releasing their own batch of genetically modified 2012 Management Terms into the vocabulary. Hopefully, if adopted by enough people, they will help to show how silly most existing terms are, leading to their demise. We give you:

1. "Omegal" — from the Greek letter Omega, the last letter in their alphabet. Can be used negatively, "Jeff, ok, nice idea - but pretty omegal" as in "the last thing we would do." Or positively, "Ok folks, lets Omegalise this thing" Finalize or close the matter.

2. "Charge the trees" — Eco-reference together with moving forward rapidly. Bound to work. Suggested uses - "Hey we aren't going to charge the trees on that one?" - "Are you suggesting we charge the trees?" - "He's the type of guy who'd charge the trees." Do feel free to make up any connotation you like, whether it is references to Rhino's charging against trees to shake down ideas or to billing folks who really deserve a free service due to the morality of their work.

3. "Diodal" — Once you head off in a direction there is no turning back. "You realize that this is diodal? You with me?" "Market research has suggested that diodal uptake is presumptuous upon addiction."

4. "Deep Sea Ten" — "I want you all to go Deep Sea Ten on this" or "Scott, 11th floor said "deep sea ten" this by Friday." Basically an idea or thought process that only the "Deep Sea Ten" global rescue vehicle from a 1960s puppet show could pull it off. Of course, there never really was a "Deep Sea Ten" but as proven by people who use the malapropism "no holes barred" few people challenge the origin of phrases anyway.

5. "Superstring" — Knowing the liking for misappropriating complex science into management sound bites, this one is off to a head start. It evokes joining more things together than anyone else has with normal strings. Very de-rigour in sales, management , system analysis, social networking, the lot. This one should easily catch on. "We are superstringing the network to optimize conjacent synergies." "This will superstring all your strengths and client needs." "Multidimensionalising superstrings is only one of the many applications that we can run on Data-Yuanque CRMs."

6. "Euronation" — To have your top idea go so wrong even the ECB, IMF, and world superpowers are incapable of rescuing it. "The sales budgets for 2012 are looking subject to euronation in the current time frame." Also see "euronate" - To cause cataclysmic failure. "Guys we need to Euronate on XYZ's competitive offering."

7. "Lolhor" — Low on Left, High on Right. Every presentation always has to have as many of these graphs as possible. What is the use of a graph showing achievement, targets or dreams if it doesn't start "low on the left" and go "high on the right"? "Jess, I've got some investors coming in in 30 minutes could you run me off some Lolhor charts for them please?" ( Tip: If you are struggling, use cumulative returns) Of course costs should be Hollor, but psychologically no one likes a graph that goes to zero, as once there, where's your job?

8. "Three Buck Whistle" — Many management terms are derived from sporting, military, parliamentary, or transport terms where the original meaning has been lost in time. "The whole nine yards" is a classic example where there is no agreed source. We suggest that "three buck whistle" could be launched on similar lines. It will never be agreed as to whether it is derived from the length of steamboat's hoot, a referee's whistle, a musicians tin whistle, or the volume of a workman's wolf-whistle (none, of course, as we just made it up) but we suggest it could easily slip into management parlance. "The Board gave that idea the three buck whistle." - "It wasn't worth a three buck whistle" - "This deal is THE three buck whistle .. {pause for effect}"

9. "Weidmann" — The opposite of reaching out. Not giving a damn and doing what you wanted to all along. "We have weidmanned the stakeholder community and pressed ahead with our original intentions." "Hi Greg, I'd just like to weidmann you on the proposal you sent over." "You wanted it in green? Can we remind you of the Weidmann Clause (page 87)? You are getting it in red." {Any references to current leaders of the Bundesbank are entirely intentional}

10. "Yaldistic" — Insert it as an adjective in front of a noun of importance and see if anyone ever challenges it. If they do, explain that it is a reference to a school of thought developed by Marshall and Petigrew in 1955, which has been developed by the Yalding School of Management to describe a product of bandwidth ideation through outreach. However, as the latter terms have recently been discredited with the arrival of the YSM Grand Unification of Management Phraseology hypothesis. "Yaldism, yaldistic, yaldistically" are now preferred.

Please feel free to start using any of the above, see how many you can use without challenge (we would guess most) and report back as soon you spot any of them roaming free in the wild. As, ever the comments column is there for your own suggestions. Remember- "Make it up, make it work" (there's another one).

This post originally appeared at Macro Man.

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• Banks Need To Play Upon Customers' Emotions To Regain Consumer Confidence
• Your Name Could Be Screwing Up Your Love Life
• Here Are Ten Tips For Taking Advantage Of The Pop-Up Store Craze

Macro Man

Another day, another rumor about the iPad 3.

On Friday, Bloomberg reported that the next-generation iPad will feature a high-definition screen and be compatible with long-term evolution (LTE), a wireless network that gives users access to data more quickly. It will also allow users to move from app to app more quickly, as it will be running on a quad-core chip, according to the report.

More than three sources confirmed the news, Bloomberg tweeted.

SEE ALSO: 8 iPad 3 Rumors: What It Could Look Like, When It Could Arrive

The report says that Apple’s manufacturing partners have increased production in Asia and will ramp up production even further in February. Production in Chinese factories is currently running on a 24-hour schedule.

The next-generation iPad will also be compatible with LTE networks. The move is part of a larger trend among smartphone companies that are rolling out devices to the faster wireless network.

For a look at other iPad 3 rumors, check out the gallery below.

1. Minor Upgrades

iLounge recently reported that it saw a prototype of the next-generation iPad at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and that it looks just like the iPad 2, only thicker by about 1 mm. The camera in the top left corner is expected to be a bit larger than the iPad 2 and similar to the improved camera featured on the iPhone 4S.

It’s also been rumored that the next-generation iPad will have a high-resolution screen – possibly even double dpi -- and a stronger interior. However, the updates seen by iLounge seem to be more cosmetic than structural. Could the next-generation device be an upgrade similar to that of the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S?

Click here to view this gallery.

More About: apple, ipad, ipad 3, Mobile, tablets

1. Minor Upgrades

iLounge recently reported that it saw a prototype of the next-generation iPad at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and that it looks just like the iPad 2, only thicker by about 1 mm. The camera in the top left corner is expected to be a bit larger than the iPad 2 and similar to the improved camera featured on the iPhone 4S.

It’s also been rumored that the next-generation iPad will have a high-resolution screen – possibly even double dpi -- and a stronger interior. However, the updates seen by iLounge seem to be more cosmetic than structural. Could the next-generation device be an upgrade similar to that of the iPhone 4 to the iPhone 4S?

Click here to view this gallery.

The tech industry and its user base love to buzz about the arrival of new Apple products, and the next-generation iPad is likely to be the next big product unveiled by the company.

Speculations about a February or March announcement date have been circulating throughout the web for some time now, and since that’s in line with the company’s product launch cycle, we wouldn’t be surprised if this rumor holds true.

But there’s no guarantee that the latest tablet from Apple will even be called an iPad 3 — there’s always the possibility of Apple releasing an iPad HD with only a few updates from the iPad 2.

In fact, a recent report from iLounge noted that a prototype of the new version of the Apple tablet was at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show – you just wouldn’t know because it looks almost identical to the iPad 2.

SEE ALSO: Is the iPad 3 at CES? | iPad Survives 100,000+ Fall from Space [VIDEO]

However, will it have Siri? Will it be unveiled on Steve Jobs’s birthday, Feb. 24? Will previous models be cheaper?

For a full run down of the latest rumors, check out the gallery above.

UPDATE: Bloomberg recently reported that the next-generation iPad will be faster – running on a quad-core chip – feature a high-definition screen and be compatible with long- term evolution (LTE), a wireless network that gives users access to data more quickly.

More About: apple, ipad, iPad 2, ipad 3, siri, trending

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Simon Property Group is putting the struggling Atrium Mall in Chestnut Hill on the selling block with an eye toward overhauling tenant mix, the Boston Herald reports. Simon last week hired Eastdil Secured to market the 205,000-square-foot luxury property. As the Boston Business Journal reported last week, the Atrium has been lost a string tenants over the past couple of years -- the latest two being Creatoyvity, a toy shop that featured unique specialty toys from around the globe; and Pottery Barn Kids, the upscale children's and baby furniture store. (author unknown)

Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty predicts that the next-generation iPhone will be thinner and may include a quad-mode chip that will allow it to work on all 3G and LTE networks, reports Apple Insider.

The thinner size would come from Apple employing new touch panel technology.

Huberty suggests that Apple may also use a brand new material to build the casing for the device.

And the release date? She predicts that the new iPhone will be ready for consumers at the end of Q2.

Please follow SAI: Tools on Twitter and Facebook.

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See Also:

• Check Out Vizio's Slick New Aluminum Laptop And Desktop PCs
• These iPhone Camera Add Ons Will Take Your Photography Game To A Whole New Level
• The iPad 3 Is Going To Be Insanely Fast

Dylan Love

Optimists outperform pessimists on the job by as much as 50 percent. Which do you choose to be?

When you wake up every day you have two choices. You can either be positive or negative; an optimist or a pessimist. I choose to be an optimist. It's all a matter of perspective.

You can whine because you have so much work or be grateful that you are your own boss and in control of your own destiny. You can complain about your lack of an IT department, or be excited about learning the tech you need to know. You can grumble about your unengaged employees or do everything in your power to make them succeed. You get the idea.

Pessimism doesn...t grow your business or even maintain the status quo. The pessimists on your staff make the job harder for everyone around them. They make difficulties out of opportunities. And the worst part is that their surliness rubs off on others.

You need to be able to look on the bright side of tough situations in order to take risks, and survive both successes and failures. The sooner you accept the fact that you will have both successes and failures, the easier it will be to get your business and personal life headed in the right direction.

An optimist understands that life can be a bumpy road, but at least it is leading somewhere. They learn from mistakes and failures, and are not afraid to fail again. It may not be your fault for being knocked down, but it is certainly your fault for not getting up.

Does success or failure have anything to do with mental attitude? The answer is a resounding, “yes.”

A psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania proved that optimists are more successful than equally talented pessimists in business, education, sports and politics. Based on his research, Metropolitan Life, the insurance and financial services corporation, developed a test to distinguish between the optimists and pessimists when hiring sales people. The results of that experiment were phenomenal: The optimists outsold the pessimists by 20 percent the first year. During the second year, the difference jumped to 50 percent. Find me a sales person—or company—that wouldn not beg for those numbers. I know we would find office space for those optimists at MackayMitchell Envelope Company.

The right attitude coupled with the courage to reach for opportunity is the defining factor for success. It’s never too late to start early. Don’t get discouraged just because you haven’t practiced that approach until now.

I am an eternal optimist. I firmly believe that there is virtually nothing that I can’t do if I set my mind to it, and that's true of everyone. It helps to be realistic. I know I am never going to pitch in the World Series, but I can be a player/manager of a top-notch company. I took a big gamble getting my company off the ground, but I’ve never looked back.

Advertisement: Are your customers tuning you out?   In the digital age, mass marketing no longer gets the job done. Customers want to feel a personal connection. So how do you get your customers to tune in? View our video to see how Pitney Bowes can help you make a personal connection. http://www.personallypb.com
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Even before In the Plex author??Steve Levy?s cogent post on Thursday about this week?s uproar over ?s new??social search moves, which nodded to CEO ?s possible role in the affair, I was already beginning to think it had Page written all over it. If so?and how could he not have been deeply involved in such ...Robert Hof

by??Annie Mueller You want to not only have enough money??to live comfortably when you retire, you also want a little bit more. Maybe you want enough to travel, start that side business you always talked about or purchase your dream home since you?ll have time to enjoy it. Whatever your retirement dreams are, maximizing your ...Investopedia

LAS VEGAS ? A big portion of this year's Consumer Electronics Show looks like the Macworld convention, and that may not be good news for the annual Apple conference that draws thousands of people to...



bevangelista@sfchronicle.com (Benny Evangelista)

With the Kim Kardashian debit card long dead, we can all have a good laugh at the memory of that prepaid monstrosity. But don't think the terror is at an end. Rising from the smoldering crater of the Kim card are two new celebrity abominations: the Approved Card by and the Young Money Card by ...Tim Chen

How to Satisfy the Evolving Workforce ? Forbes. I can see how this study reflects reality for the more progressive companies in the IT industry but it seems more like a snapshot of the future ? than a true picture of what is happening in the traditional corporate setting. It does show that such a ...Judy Martin

From the exhibition floor of the mega Consumer Electronics Show: compact, portable devices that will help you get your work done better and faster.

This year's Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas was better than ever. But putting all the flashy gadgets aside, what I really care about are gadgets that are going to help me be most productive in 2012. I found seven that are compact and portable, and might just help you to get your work done better and faster.

There are so many phones to choose from this year, but this is the one that's going to help you get things done. It has a full QWERTY slide-out keyboard that's far superior to its predecessors. The keys are truly easy to type on and well separated, so there’s less room for error when e-mailing and texting on the go. This phone sits on Verizon's high-speed LTE network, has a Dual-Core 1.2GHz CPU, and a gig of ram. Oh, and don't worry, all this power isn't a battery-drainer. The battery lasts for nearly a full day of talk time. On the software end, it has a cool work mode, and a MotoCast app that lets you sync files between your phone and computer. Coming soon to stores near you.

Ultrabooks were the big craze at CES this year, but don't call this laptop an Ultrabook. This new Samsung laptop is super light, weighing in at 2.6 pounds. It has a full 15-inch display, but fits into a 14-inch frame, making it super-portable, without giving up on screen size for productivity. Packed inside a .6-inch body is a speedy Intel i7 Processor, 128GB of solid-state storage, 4GB of Ram, and an HD webcam. But what makes this thing a winner is its battery. Leave the cord at home and work from anywhere, as this laptop can last more than 10 hours on a single charge, and it only takes 90 minutes to fully recharge. Bonus: This laptop boots up in just 9.8 seconds, and wakes up from sleep mode in less than two seconds.

Communication across devices has never been simpler with this multi-device speakerphone system from Plantronics. Perfect for an entrepreneur working from home or a small business that doesn't want to spend thousands on a phone system. Connect your mobile phone, land line, and computer, and enjoy premium full-duplex sound on the speakerphone. Tend to walk around while you talk? No problem. You have a great wireless microphone that is always integrated into the unit.

This is one of the brightest mobile projectors out there. With its 300-lumens bulb, you can do a presentation even in well-lit environments. It's also incredibly portable at 4x4 inches. Best of all, you don't need a video or VGA cable to connect it to your computer. Just plug it into the wall, and wirelessly transmit your content from your PC to the wall. Finally: A bright, mobile projector that doesn't require an IT department to use.

Bluetooth headsets run out of battery. The wired ones just get tangled in your pocket. Zipbuds came up with a great solution for both problems with its wired mobile headset. Zipbuds zipper-integrated cabling never tangles. The ear-piece is good for both music and voice, with loud, crystal-clear sound and noise-cancelling technology gets rid of a lot of background noise. It’s coming out soon, and will work with any phone, including Android and iPhone.

I got a peak at Windows 8 in action, and it's awesome. This is the operating system that is going to make Microsoft finally stand out again. It's built around the need to work in multiple applications without the hassle, so you get a seamless experience from mobile to tablet to desktop. The clean, "metro-style" interface features large thumbnail images that make navigation easy. From what I've seen, I'd say it's most productivity-focused operating system out there.

Phones are too small to handle a lot of your work, and tablets can be a hassle to carry because they don't fit in your pocket. Samsung solved this problem with the Note. The Samsung Note is a hybrid tablet/phone with a 5.3-inch screen. It comes with a stylus that lets you take notes fast and, best-of-all, annotate anything. Need to add comments to a presentation, PDF, or screenshot? No problem. The Samsung Note even lets you crop out a specific part of whatever is on your screen, jot down your notes, and quickly send it out to your team. It also comes with a very fast dual-core processor, letting you easily switch between multiple applications. — Ilya Pozin

Consumers are demanding better service in unprecedented ways. In the past several months, public outrage has helped beat back efforts by Bank of America , Netflix and Verizon to raise fees or significantly alter services. The victories come at a time when money is tight all around and consumers are tapping into social media to air their frustrations with like-minded ...Candice Choi, AP Personal Finance Writer

Perhaps the biggest problem with social networking can be summed up with the acronym “TMI” or “too much information.”

Your kids need to understand that if they reveal too much about their personal lives, it could lead to problems—like susceptibility to cyberbullies, online predators, invasion of privacy, and identity theft.

These problems are not due to social networking, as they have been around since the advent of email and chat. But with social networking, the volume of content has grown and become much more personal and is easily seen by anyone.

It’s not just kids who are at risk. Even adults have been embarrassed by putting too much information on their profile pages for all the world to see.

Example of TMI on social networking websites: A student was rejected admission at a college after gushing about the school while visiting the campus, then trashing it online.

Safe Eyes parental control software can record information posted on social networks and report that information to parents, allowing parents to turn online gaffes into learning opportunities for kids.

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It comes as no surprise for experienced travelers, but novices are sometimes shocked to find that the final cost of airline trip can be much higher than the price touted on the airline's website or advertising.David Koenig, AP Airlines Writer

Corning's new Gorilla Glass 2 will allow smartphone makers to produce glass panels that are up to 20 percent thinner while maintaining the same levels of strength and durability.




(author unknown)

There has been a lot of talk over the last year about the shifting landscape of TV. 

The introduction of TVEverywhere and a la carte cable models has been accompanied by a groundswell of support for consumer choice programming. 

This has raised questions about how revenue models for cable and network television will be impacted.   The success of Hulu, Netflix, Amazon and HBOGO have proven that consumers nationwide want direct access to premium programming and unbundled cable subscriptions customized to their tastes and time preferences.

As everyone knows, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) kicks off in Las Vegas today, and with it comes the unveiling of a multitude of new devices and applications that offer new ways for consumers to connect and consume all forms of media, including movies, radio, TV, pictures, social and more.  

 The devices that will further catapult Hulu, Netflix, Amazon and other new media outlets include Tivo, Roku, AppleTV, xBox as well as new offerings from Samsung, LG and Sony.  These devices will be introduced at CES, and they are all Internet connected. 

Given that the latter three companies currently represent 47% of television sales in the U.S., their new products will drive enormous adoption and choice to the consumer.  Additionally, the introduction of new uber local news services, like ClipSyndicate on the Roku, will make cord cutting easier and more practical.

This, combined with the consumer demand for a la cart services, will put serious pressure on the cable companies who will soon in turn suffer from both subscriber losses and increased usage of fixed price bandwidth.

The pervasive nature of these connected devices presents a great opportunity for publishers to develop and maintain multiple touch points with the consumer and the opportunity to reach them in the living room, kitchen, bedroom or on-the-go, providing unique opportunities to capture significant revenues. 

However, the fragmentation of device types means that marketers who want to be associated with this great content need to rethink their creative strategies and how they measure success across screens. 

I predict that within 18 months we will see widespread adoption of connected devices, usage spikes in streaming media and that IpTV related ad revenues will leapfrog the online video sites going straight to the programmers on connected TVs (and devices).

So as sellers and buyers of media --and of video in particular -- we need to focus on the following: creating new metrics for measuring cross-device exposures; engaging consumers within the ad execution through excellent creative; and above all else, seizing the opportunity that video advertising provides, to ensure the brand gets exclusive, targeted exposure to audiences without the clutter and competition for attention that exists in other mediums.

The views expressed here reflect the views of the author alone, and do not necessarily reflect the views of 24/7 Real Media, its affiliates, subsidiaries or its parent company, WPP plc.

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See Also:

• Here Are The 10 Primetime TV Shows With The Most Product Placement
• Get Ready For An Explosion In Online Video Advertising
• Despite What They Tell You, Advertising Firms Can't Predict The Future

Larry Allen

Do you know how a client, prospect, potential hire, or member of the media really experiences your company? You need to find out now.

Have you ever walked in your customer's shoes? Have you really experienced your organization in every way a potential audience member might? Or, do you rely on quantitative market research, competitive intelligence, and your gut instinct to tell you what course to chart and what brand promises to make?

If you're like three-quarters of the 75 Inc. 500 chief marketing officers I recently surveyed, you've never experienced your brand from the outside in. You’ve never gone online to check how easy (or difficult) it is to find relevant information and make a decision. You've never ventured into a retailer that offers your wares and asked a sales representative to show you washer-dryer combinations for less than $800. And, I guarantee you've never gone to the chat rooms occupied by college students thinking about a career in your industry and listened to what they had to say about your firm in particular.

You’ve also probably never asked a close friend or confidant to play-act the role of prospective customer or employee and either show up in the reception area unannounced and ask to meet with an account manager, or to leave a voice mail saying that they were in the final stages of selecting a new vendor and needed a return call within 24 hours.

I have to come clean. Until I'd read Emily Yellin’s book about customer service entitled, Your Call Is (not that) Important To Us, I hadn't done any of those external checks either. But the book hit me like a ton of bricks.

Aside from the annual client report cards we distribute, how do I know what our experience is really like? I decided I needed to find out. And, I needed to find out ASAP. So, I teamed up with one or two of my peers and we identified no fewer than 24 different online and offline ways in which a client, prospect, employee, potential hire, member of the media, or someone in the public at large might experience Peppercom. We tested each and every one, and found five of the 24 touch-points sadly lacking in quality, responsiveness, or just plain information.

Having experienced my experience, I became born again. I began evangelizing on the subject. I made a point of meeting Emily Yellin and striking a partnership with her. We now have a service offering called Audience Experience. And, it has not only generated revenue, it has changed the entire mindset of my entire organization. We no longer take client market research for granted. Instead, we ask permission to experience their brand on our own. Often, we find subtle, but very real, differences between what a brand promises in its marketing messages and what the end user actually experiences.

You don't have to hire my firm, but I do urge you to abandon the executive tower and experience your organization from the outside in. I absolutely guarantee you’ll change at least one fundamental way in which you currently communicate with your various audiences. And, I'll bet your brand promise will be much more closely aligned with the actual end user experience as well.