ne year ago, The Green Sheet began a new educational series titled, "Street Smarts," which followed the former widely successful series, "Knowledge is Power," by Bob Carr.

While "Knowledge is Power" provided a very high-level view of the acquiring business, along with pricing, acquisitions and portfolio ownership issues-to name a few-I wanted to build a new series for 2003 that would move in an entirely new direction: addressing basic concerns and issues of the merchant level salesperson (MLS).

For this reason, I approached Ed Freedman at the 2003 ETA Annual Meeting & Expo to help get the "Street Smarts" series moving.

I think that you would all agree Freedman has done a wonderful job with this column over the last 24 issues, and it is indeed off to a great start. That said, I would like to announce a new direction for this series for the coming year. First, Freedman has committed to writing the column for another year; he will continue to help bridge the information gaps between ISOs and MLSs and the very different readership constituencies between GS Online and The Green Sheet's printed edition.

I spoke with Freedman at the 2004 ETA Annual Meeting & Expo, and he told me he has never been more excited and enthusiastic about the opportunities available to MLSs than he is this year, and that he looks forward to hosting the column for another year.

Second, Freedman will enlist the help of other industry luminaries to provide their insight, experience and opinions on the opportunities and problems confronting the MLS community with Guest Columnists. While drafting Freedman for a second season, along with others, should further help The Green Sheet in targeting MLS community concerns, we want no one left out of the dialogue. Here is how you, our MLS readers, can contribute AND what's in it for you:

Throughout the next year Freedman will ask you to write in and provide feedback on how you and your business have benefited from this series, how you have put the information you read in "Street Smarts" (last year or this year) to work in your business or how it raised your awareness of any industry issues. In turn:

1. The Green Sheet will provide a one-year paid membership to the National Association of Payment Professionals (NAOPP) for each MLS who responds in writing to "Street Smarts."
2. Each month we will choose the best or most thought-provoking response to "Street Smarts," and The Green Sheet will provide the winner with a one-time paid conference fee to a regional conference of your choice.
3. Finally, in January 2005, we will select the best response to "Street Smarts" for 2004. The winner will receive a fully-paid trip to the 2005 Annual ETA conference, including full registration fees for the conference, airfare and three-nights' hotel accommodations at the ETA venue. (Any submission for the year can win at all three levels).

Send your "Street Smarts" feedback to StreetSmarts_Feedback@greensheet.com . Freedman and I will review the submissions each month and will award the prizes. All decisions are final.

I hope that with your help, the dialogue and discussion about the issues and opportunities confronting the MLS community in "Street Smarts" will be the best yet. I am convinced that this relevant series within The Green Sheet will continue to support your sales efforts. In the years to come, I will recruit other hosts to keep the series directly connected to the "street."

My personal thanks to Ed Freeman for helping keep our heads focused where the rubber meets the road: sales.