| Is extensive travel one of your unfulfilled dreams? | | | | 3. Research. Haven't you always wanted to find out |
| For years, my husband and I had talked about taking | | | | how businesses deal with setbacks differently in |
| a grand tour of the U.S. and Canada, visiting | | | | different parts of the country or the world? If not, |
| well-known cities and viewing glorious landscapes. On | | | | then maybe you can formulate another travel-worthy |
| March 1, 2003 we left in our car to do just that. At | | | | question whose answers relate to your line of |
| the end of May, we returned home having racked up | | | | business. Upon your return, you can publish a report |
| 20,000 miles, having experienced countless | | | | and voilà, you have a new product and your |
| adventures. What's more, by working just a few | | | | trip had a legitimate business purpose. |
| hours a day, we earned the same amount as at | | | | 4. Focus groups. Convene small groups to feel out |
| home and will be deducting expenses for the entire | | | | the market for possible new ventures from your |
| trip on our tax return. We plan to repeat our feat | | | | company. You may need just one business contact in |
| this summer, in and around Alaska. | | | | each city where you want to do this. Offer a free |
| You too can do this! Here are five ways to turn the | | | | lunch or dinner for participants and something more |
| long trip you've been dreaming about for ages into | | | | for your contact, and ask him or her to round up |
| tax-deductible - and profitable! - business travel. | | | | colleagues for an interesting colloquy on _____ |
| 1. Seminars. By announcing my itinerary to subscribers | | | | (describe the topic appealingly). To fend off |
| of my weekly newsletter, The Marketing Minute, I | | | | suspicions that this will be a disguised or explicit sales |
| received seminar or speaking invitations for Houston | | | | pitch, promise that the event will include no selling. |
| and Austin, Texas; San Francisco and Sacramento, | | | | 5. Book tour. Setting up author events is a feasible |
| California; Seattle, Washington; Langley, British | | | | option if you have at least one published book, even |
| Columbia and several other locations. Most business | | | | if it came out a couple of years ago. If your book is |
| organizations plan events several months in advance, | | | | fiction, the events would normally be readings or |
| so time your trip announcements accordingly. Besides | | | | book signings, while if your book falls into the |
| appearing at events sponsored by an established | | | | nonfiction category, you can either offer a talk about |
| organization, you can line up co-sponsors who know | | | | the topic of the book or set up book signings. |
| one or more of the areas you'll be traveling to and | | | | Besides all manner of bookstores, including specialty |
| who will take charge of your legwork in exchange | | | | ones like those focusing on mysteries, New Age, |
| for a percentage of the profits. | | | | Christian or gay and lesbian themes, book events also |
| 2. Client meetings. People I had been working with | | | | take place at libraries, museums, community centers, |
| remotely were thrilled at the opportunity to get | | | | churches and synagogues. As part of selling books |
| together in person when I would be passing through | | | | during your travels, make sure you contact local |
| their area. Some of these meetings turned into | | | | media outlets along the way! |
| enjoyable social occasions while others materialized as | | | | Reminder: Be sure to consult a qualified tax advisor |
| paid consultations. You'll need much less lead time to | | | | to determine whether or not your travels will count |
| set up these get-togethers than for seminars. | | | | as tax deductible. |