When should sales taxes be charged or paid? The efforts of the Tax Coalition to reach an agreement with the New Jersey Division of Taxation are beginning to bear fruit. Two agreements will be of interest to SWAN members. First, computers, printers, scanners, software, etc. used solely in the design, preparation, and production of advertising/PR material are exempt from the sales and use tax when purchased. This also applies to cameras, lenses, enlargers, etc. purchased by photographers. The key is that such equipment must be used exclusively to produce tangible personal property. Because writers do not produce such property for sale, this does not apply to computers, etc. bought by them.
Second, photography and illustrations are subject to the sales tax. Even when no transfer of ownership takes place, such sales are covered under "license to use." This also applies, of course, to original artwork sold to clients. The only exception remains material used in newspaper and magazine advertising.
The Tax Coalition, led by Joe Dietz, will incorporate these decisions in a manual that will contain a uniform set of tax guidelines agreed to by the state. The first draft will be completed later this year. To date, $13,000 of the $20,000 needed to publish the manual has been raised. All who contribute - a $45 donation from free-lancers is suggested - will receive a free copy of the manual. Make your check payable to ACSTC (Advertising and Communications Sales Tax Coalition). Contact Dietz at J.M. Kesslinger & Associates, 2444 Morris Ave., Union, NJ 07083, or at (908) 686-2220.
Having chosen English as the preferred language in the European Union (E.U.), the European Parliament has commissioned a feasibility study in ways of improving efficiency in communications. European officials point out that English spelling is unnecessarily difficult. For example: cough plough, here hear, bow bough, through thorough. What is clearly needed is a phased program of change to iron out these anomalies.
In the first year, for example, an international committee might suggest using 's' instead of the soft 'c.' Sertainly, sivil servants in all sities would reseive this news with joy. The hard 'c' could then be replased by 'k,' sinse both letters are pronounsed alike. This would not only klear up konfusion in the minds of klerikal workers, but keyboards kould be made with one less letter, a signifikant savings.
In the sekond year, bekause of growing enthusiasm, it will be announsed that the troublesome 'ph' will henseforth be written 'f.' This would make words like 'fotograf' 20 percent shorter in print. In the third year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be espekted to reash the stage where more komplikated shanges are possible. Governments would then enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.
We would al agre that the horible mes of silent 'e's in the languag is disgrasful. Therefor, we kould drop thes and kontinu to read and writ as though nothing had hapend. By this tim it would be four years sins the skem began and peopl would be reseptiv to steps sush as replasing 'th' by 'z.' Perhaps zen ze funktion of 'w' kould be taken by 'v,' vitsh is, after al, half a 'w.'
Finaly, ze unesesary 'o' kuld be dropd from words kontaining 'ou.' Similar arguments vud of kurse be aplid to ozer kombinations of leters. Kontinuing zis proses yer after yer, we vud eventuli have a reli sensibl riten stil. Aftr tventi yers zer vud be no mor trubls or difikultis and evrion vud fin it eze tu understan esh ozer. Ze drems of ze E.U. vud finali kum tru.
There are many ways to construct your page for the SWAN Web site. But here are three easy ways to do it.
1. Samples with text. Select a small 'teaser' image from the cover or from a graphic on a brochure, ad, etc. When the viewer clicks on this image, he or she sees a text sample. For this kind of site, you need to select the image and type out a brief paragraph or two with your prose. The SWAN Webmaster then scans the images and assembles the page. (See SWAN site of Steve Traiman or Bill Cross.)
2. Samples with description. Again, your teaser image shows the cover, and inside is a description of the work. Use this when the concept (i.e., from roughs to mechanicals) is more important than the actual prose, or when the client information is proprietary and can't be shown. (See site of Susan Brierly Wills.)
3. Conceptual. Here the emphasis is on your capabilities. If you work in a range of disciplines, describe them briefly. This is the easiest site to make, since it involves only text. (See site of Jim Irwin.)
Spend a half hour at your local library or a place like @ Alan's, the interactive cafe in Montclair, and study the SWAN Web site at: http://www.swan-net.com. Do you still think you'll get work from our Web site if there's nothing there but your directory listing? - Bill Cross, writer
How do you find prospects, convert them into customers, and then make them loyal clients? You'll learn how at the fall kick-off meeting of SWAN, to be held at 7:30 pm on September 25 at the Bergen Museum. Speaker Ken Roman will talk on "How to succeed in business - the 10 marketing do's."
The former CEO and sales manager of a major metropolitan printing firm, Roman now heads his own marketing firm, The Printed Message. He will discuss how to keep a high profile in the marketplace, the need for effective sales materials, and the importance of service.
Copyright © 1996 Cygneture
SWAN seeks news about members and their achievements.
EDITOR: Bob Parker
STAFF WRITERS:
Kathy Fairclough
Cindy Mehallow
Luisa Frey-Gaynor
Printed Newsletter Graphic Design: Carrie Oesmann
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