September 14, 2007  nº 540  -  Vol. 5  
 

“Almost everything you do will seem insignificant, but it is important that you do it.”

Mahatma Gandhi 

Today's Law Firm Marketing column: How to generate interactions with prospects?

• Top News

Indigenous rights outlined by UN

The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a non-binding declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples after 22 years of debate. The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples calls on countries to give more control to tribal peoples over the land and resources they traditionally possessed, and to return confiscated territory, or pay compensation. It passed despite opposition from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. They said it was incompatible with their own laws. There are estimated to be up to 370 million indigenous people in the world. Campaigners say they are under greater pressure than ever, as developers, loggers, farmers and mineral extractors move in on their land.

Brazil Senate absolves Lula ally

The president of the Brazilian Senate, Renan Calheiros, has narrowly survived a vote to expel him from office following a lengthy corruption scandal. Senators decided by 40 to 35 to absolve Calheiros of bribery allegations. He had denied accepting bribes from a lobbyist in exchange for government contracts. However, he admitted using the lobbyist to pass on child support payments to his former mistress. Calheiros successfully fought for the vote to be held behind closed doors in hope that he could more easily win support from fellow senators.

Brazil Wants Probe of U.S. Farm Aid

Brazil will ask the World Trade Organization for a formal investigation of U.S. farm subsidy programs, which it says includes payments for ethanol production. The South American country, which has already won a series of WTO rulings over U.S. cotton subsidies, will make its request for an investigative panel soon. The dispute could become a major case for the global commerce body, which has largely steered clear of energy issues in its 12-year history. Brazil is a major ethanol producer.

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• Crumbs!

1 - Watchdog backs trader's baby bias claim. (Read more)

2 - Judges attack hate campaign. (Read more)

3 - Unlimited fines for employment agencies that exploit workers. (Read more)

4 - Wife who shot preacher calls sentence too short. (Read more)

5 - Oil hits new high above $80. (Read more)

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• MiMIC Journal

US-China move to halt lead paint

Chinese and US authorities have reached an agreement aimed at preventing any more China-made toys coated in lead paint from being exported to America.

Chinese web filtering 'erratic'

China's firewall that tries to sanitize web browsing is much more porous than previously thought, says a study. Rather than simply blocking web pages that discuss banned subjects such as the Tiananmen Square massacre, the Chinese government scans data flowing across its section of the net for banned words or web addresses. When the filtering system spots a banned term it sends instructions to the source server and destination PC to stop the flow of data.

China executes bank official for taking bribes, embezzling money 

A Chinese bank official convicted of corruption was executed Tuesday for taking bribes and embezzling the equivalent of almost $2 million USD. Wen Mengie, the former IT head of the Beijing branch of the Agricultural Bank of China , bought three houses in Beijing with money received during bank purchases of ATM machines and computer software. He originally argued that the money had been a gift from the suppliers, but the suppliers testified that he had demanded the money as a bribe. Investigators were tipped off when Wen went to a bank wearing dark glasses and using a fake name, seeking to pay off mortgage loans using bags of money.

• Law Firm Marketing

How to generate interactions with prospects

by Trey Ryder

You could be the most trusted lawyer in your state.  You could write and publish dozens of articles.  You could appear on TV news interviews.  You could do everything right.  But if your phone doesn't ring, does anything else matter?

Without an interaction, you will never get to talk with your prospect.  Interactions don’t happen by accident; they happen by design.  Here are 12 ways to build interactions into your marketing program:

1.  Offer free written information (articles and brochures) that you will mail to prospects on request.

2.  Offer free initial phone consultations with prospects.  After you learn about your prospect’s case, you decide whether to invite him to your office for an in-depth conversation.

3.  Offer free peace-of-mind meetings to families after major life events, such as births, divorces and deaths.  This allows you to offer needed services to family members during transition.

4.  Invite prospects to educational seminars so you can interact with them in person.

5.  Invite prospects to take part in an internet discussion group, where you can respond to their questions.

6.  Invite prospects to a briefing at your office, perhaps a brown-bag update or an executive roundtable.

7.  Invite prospects to a seminar you conduct by phone or on the internet.

8.  Join networking groups that allow you to meet and respond to questions from prospects.

9.  Join a non-profit organization to develop relationships with prospects.

10.  Start your own non-profit organization designed to bring you into contact with prospects and referral sources.

11.  Start your own radio talk show and invite business and professional prospects onto your show as guests.  When I hosted a radio talk show, every professional I invited accepted my invitation with thanks and enthusiasm.

12.  Invite prospects to breakfast, lunch or dinner -- to a reception or party -- to play golf or take part in other sports.

Bottom line:  Don't overlook the interaction step in your marketing program.  It is the key to your success.  Without it, your marketing program fails.

© Trey Ryder

FREE LAWYER MARKETING ALERT:  If you'd like to receive Trey Ryder's weekly Lawyer Marketing Alert, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Write "Subscribe LMA" in the subject line and write your name and e-mail address in the body of the message.

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• Historia Verdadera

• Brief News

Lawyers re-file Dubai slavery case

US lawyers have re-filed a class-action lawsuit against the deputy ruler of Dubai for allegedly enslaving thousands of young children for camel races. It accuses the sheikh and many unnamed others of abducting and trafficking up to 10,000 boys from Africa and Asia. "The lawsuit distracts attention from the truly important efforts by the UAE and Unicef to provide life-changing social services and financial compensation to boys formerly employed as camel jockeys," a representative of Sheikh Hamdan said.

EU summit monitors Ukraine gains

The European Union is holding a summit in Ukraine on Friday but it is likely to be overshadowed by political uncertainty in the country. Following the mass protests of the Orange Revolution this former Soviet republic turned it's back on Russia and made membership of the European Union one of it top priorities. While the country has become more democratic, the pace of reform has been slow and there has been one crisis after another.

Peru blood banks face HIV crisis

Dozens of blood banks in Peru have been closed after at least four people were infected with the HIV virus through contaminated transfusions.

Assembly approves Chavez reforms

Venezuela's national assembly has approved for the second time changes to the constitution that aim to make the country more socialist.

Migrants are good, says Brussels

European governments should regard immigration as an "enrichment" not a threat, EU Justice Commissioner Franco Frattini told. He said he would outline proposals next month for a "blue card" system for skilled immigrants, modeled on the US green card. He said the US was getting 55% of all skilled migrants, and Europe only 5%.

Google backs private Moon landing

Search giant Google is offering a $30m prize pot to private firms that land a robot rover on the Moon. The competition to send a robot craft to the Moon is being run with the X-Prize Foundation. To claim the cash, any craft reaching the lunar surface must perform a series of tasks such as shoot video and roam for specific distances.

Vermont's tough CO2 laws upheld

A US federal judge has upheld Vermont's state law that calls for a 30% cut in greenhouse gas emissions from cars, dealing a blow to America's car makers. Judge William Sessions rejected the car manufacturers' claims that federal laws took precedence over state rules. Vermont is one of nine US states that have already adopted tougher than federal rules on CO2 gases to help fight global warming. The case could influence similar lawsuits in other US states.

Exxon seeks deal on Venezuela oil

Exxon Mobil is seeking arbitration over a stand-off with Venezuela about the takeover of its oil assets. The US oil firm made its case to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, a group with close ties to the World Bank. It has not said how much compensation it wants for the 41.7% stake in the Orinoco Belt oil field - worth an estimated $750m.

Pasta la vista: Italy's day of protest

Consumers' associations in Italy have asked people to refrain from buying or eating pasta for the day, in protest against recent price increases.

Graft inquiry condemns World Bank

The World Bank has not taken corruption seriously enough and has resisted the efforts of anti-graft investigators, an official inquiry has found. Paul Volcker, former head of the US Federal Reserve Bank, said his inquiry into the bank had revealed a "siege mentality" at the troubled institution. He spoke of "ambivalence" in the way it viewed anti-corruption work.

Brazil's Silva urges end to EU ethanol tariff

Brazil's president on Wednesday called the European Union's tariffs on ethanol a "distortion" of international trade as he wrapped up a visit to Sweden, one of the few EU nations that back Brazil's campaign to drop the levies. Lula is on a diplomatic charm offensive. Support from those countries could help Brazil pressure the 27-member bloc to slash ethanol tariffs, although experts said such moves would face strong resistance from bigger EU members anxious to protect their fledgling biofuels industry.

Unions and Big Three inch towards their deal

General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler are widely expected to keep their existing contracts with the UAW in force, and both sides appear happy to keep talking. Such a pragmatic arrangement would be in keeping with the low-key atmosphere that has pervaded the negotiations so far and reflects the union's recognition of all three carmakers' perilous financial positions. In the past, a settlement with one company has been used to extract a series of "pattern" concessions from the others.

SEC Crackdown

The SEC charged 37 audit firms and 32 audit partners that took part in auditing public companies without registering with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The alleged violations are more than a paperwork problem, SEC officials said.

What's Bolivia's capital? The answer is disputed here

The home of the president, Congress, central bank and government ministries might be in La Paz, but residents of Sucre, Bolivia, insist that their city is the real capital.

'Vice' stocks beat socially conscious ones this year

To paraphrase Gordon Gekko, sin is good. Or in this case, at least a little better than investing your conscience. At a time when the volatility on Wall Street has many investors re-examining their investments and trying to understand strategies that involve quantitative analysis, strategic investment vehicles or mortgage-backed securities, several small mutual funds have relied on the Wall Street equivalent of the good and evil approach. The Vice Fund, based in Dallas, has invested substantially in "sin stocks," companies that may promote drinking and gambling as well as military contractors and tobacco companies. "We're not advocating these behaviors at all - we're just looking at this through the eyes of an investor," Charles Norton, portfolio manager of the fund, said, who himself does not smoke, drinks "on occasion," and gambles a couple of times a year. "Our ultimate goal," he said, "to just make money."

• Daily Press Review

Kenyan MPs torpedo graft probes
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

IRC sends emergency response team to volatile North Kivu
CongoPlanet.com, Independent online news aggregator

Cyber fraud: Two nabbed
GhanaWeb, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Uganda: Army Abuses Civilians in Plan to Secure Karamoja
Human Rights Watch (Africa), International news press releases

UN backs indigenous peoples' rights
iafrica, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa

The government has the right to expropriate
Independent Online, News portal, Cape Town, South Africa

Nozizwe: Let SA judge if I failed in my duties
Mail & Guardian Online, Liberal, Johannesburg, South Africa

Castrate me, says paedophile
News24.com, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa

Brazilian physicists launch campaign to boycott Dell
Brazil Sun, Independent online news aggregator

Angostura to establish US head office in Indiana
Caribbean News Portal, Online news aggregator

Brazil: Report on Past Atrocities a Key Step Forward
Human Rights Watch (Americas), International news press releases

Latin America:  Women Victims of Violence Face Hurdles to Justice
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy

18 for Cabinet in Jamaica
Jamaica Gleaner, Independent daily, Kingston, Jamaica

Peru: Photo of the day - Royal Inca Remains
Living in Peru, News portal, Lima, Peru

Dark matter key to formation of first stars: study
The Globe and Mail, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada

Bush orders gradual pullout
Toronto Star, Liberal daily, Toronto, Canada

Aid rushed to Indonesia quake survivors
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia

Bush: U.S. Must Help Iraq Defeat Terrorists
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea

India disfavours military action against Iran
India Express, News portal, Mumbai, India

Uma Khurana not for suing stingers
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India

Captivity
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan

Police constable risks job for RM10 handbag
Malaysian Star, Online news portal,  Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Foot and mouth outbreak comes at worst time for farmers
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand

6.9-magnitude earthquake rocks Indonesia's Bengkulu
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China

Your Honour's wife's honour's finally restored
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia

Parts of ASI affidavit to be withdrawn
The Hindu, Left-leaning daily, Chennai, India

Northern Rock shares fall by 20%
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England

Politicians pay tribute to Belfast greengrocer
BreakingNews.ie, Online news portal, Cork, Ireland

Madeleine 'was killed by overdose of sleeping tablets'
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England

Warner Bros. to launch 23 projects for broadband TV
DMeurope, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Phil Redmond: I'll bring Culture cash to people
icLiverpool, Online news portal, Liverpool, England

Russia's designated prime minister hints at presidential run
International Herald Tribune, Independent daily, Paris, France

Mercy Lift Through Window
Isle of Wight County Press, Independent daily, Isle of Wight, England

Garry Newlove: Another teen charged
Manchester Online, Independent daily, Manchester, England

Farming in chaos yet again
News & Star, Independent daily, Carlisle, England

Czech Republic edge Ireland 1:0 in important Euro qualifier
Radio Prague, Online news portal, Prague, Czech Republic

Northern Rock Seeks Emergency Aid
Sky News, Independent newscaster, Middlesex, England

Terror Arrests in Vienna:  Austria's 'Jihad by Telecommute'
Spiegel International, Liberal newsmagazine, Hamburg, Germany

Bank of England makes dramatic intervention
The Guardian, Liberal daily, London, England

Ex-PM Bhutto set for Pakistan return
The Irish Times, Centrist daily, Dublin, Ireland

No thin model ban for London fashion show
The Scotsman, Moderate daily, Edinburgh, Scotland

Bank raid ends in bloodbath
The Sun, Conservative tabloid, London, England

Madeleine McCann 'died from overdose'
The Telegraph, Conservative daily, London, England

Family fights to protect mystery of Mad King Ludwig
Times Online, Conservative daily, London, England

Sunni Sheikh Fighting Qaeda in Iraq Killed
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England

Estrada must be jailed, says whistle-blower
Gulf News, Independent daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Bush: 5,700 Iraq troops home by Christmas, 21,500 back by July
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel

Politics-US/IRAQ:  Sheikh's Killing a Blow to Bush
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy

ATV to resort to arbitration
Middle East North African Network, Online financial portal, Amman, Jordan

New Russian PM Eyes Presidency
Nahamet, Online news portal, Beirut, Lebanon

Turkish investigators hunt suspect  in foiled Ankara bombing
The Daily Star, Independent daily, Beirut, Lebanon

Amidst heavy security protestors threaten to end regime 
Yemen Times, Independent weekly, Sana'a, Yemen

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