"Doubt is not a pleasant mental state, but certainty is a ridiculous one."
Voltaire
In today's Law Firm Marketing, Have you heard these 5 common, costly marketing lies?
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Valeant probe reprises Federal focus on drug pricing
Drug pricing, a key issue in the federal investigation of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., has been a frequent focus of federal prosecutions and whistleblower lawsuits in recent years. Pharmaceutical companies have paid more than $3 billion in fines to resolve pricing cases over the past decade, according to Patrick Burns, co-director of Taxpayers Against Fraud, a group that promotes whistleblowing. Valeant said late Wednesday that it had received subpoenas from US attorneys' offices in Manhattan and Boston seeking materials on a range of matters, including the financial aid it gives patients to pay for out-of-pocket costs as well as the pricing of its drugs. The company said it plans to cooperate with the investigation. Valeant share price is down partly on worries about scrutiny of its drug-price increases. Valeant said Thursday that it "has been shifting away from transactions that are dependent on price increases in order to meet our internal target returns" and that it doesn't boost prices on the "vast majority of the thousands of" company products.
US widens probe of Volkswagen
The US attorney's office in Detroit and the Justice Department's Fraud Section joined a sweeping federal probe of Volkswagen AG over emissions-test cheating, according to people familiar with the matter, signaling the government's intent to cast a broad net and explore numerous paths to a possible criminal case. The number of federal offices now involved in the Volkswagen case suggests an investigation could target the German auto maker and its employees for alleged offenses ranging from pollution to misleading government officials to claims made to consumers. The Federal Trade Commission, which investigates fraudulent advertising, confirmed its involvement, suggesting a focus on potentially misleading claims regarding the emissions.
Investor seeks to hold Ernst & Young liable for Madoff losses
Ernst & Young failed to serve as a gatekeeper for a Washington investment firm that sunk millions of dollars into Bernard Madoff's investment firm and should be held liable for its losses, the firm's lawyer told a jury.
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Chinese 'bad loan bank' plans to raise up to $2.5 billion in I.P.O.
China Huarong Asset Management has already secured $1.6 billion in commitments from institutional investors in a test of the market after a summer of volatility.
China suggests joint South China Sea drills with Asean
China has proposed joint maritime drills with South East Asian nations in the hotly-contested South China Sea in 2016. Beijing is currently hosting an informal meeting for defense ministers from the region. China's defense minister Chang Wanquan has suggested drills for "maritime rescues and disaster relief". China's reclamation activities in the sea in recent years have raised tensions with its neighbors.
Chinese actress Angelababy's face examined for court case
A top Chinese actress has had her face examined as part of a high-profile legal case in China, local media report. Actress Angelababy is suing a clinic for defamation after it alleged she had plastic surgery done on her face. The actress has been dogged by rumors of plastic surgery for years. Doctors who examined her on Thursday said that her looks were genuine.
Have you heard these 5 common, costly marketing lies?
By Tom Trush
When it comes to marketing, promises can be as plentiful as lies.
Unfortunately, thanks to the Internet's far-reaching effects, almost anyone can attract an audience and spread misinformation. So please excuse me as I hop atop the soapbox and shed light on five common claims.
Marketing Lie #1: "People must see your ad 7 (or some higher number) times before they remember and respond to it."
Truth: In a post last year, I labeled this fib (likely created by a wishful ad exec) " the biggest lie in advertising." The reality is, prospects won't respond to a bad ad whether they see it once or 1,000 times. So keep adjusting your ad until it produces the leads you need. Expecting people to magically respond after a certain point is about as rational as believing in email's demise (see Lie #5).
Marketing Lie #2: "You must get your company name and logo out there."
Truth: Unless you're a big brand such as Amazon or Apple (and have a matching marketing budget), prospects could care less about your company name or logo. So instead of making either one the focal point in your marketing, prove your capabilities by delivering useful information that helps your prospects. After all, they only care about what you can do for them (even better if you can help them solve a problem).
Marketing Lie #3: "We'll get you to page 1 on Google ... guaranteed."
Truth: Getting your website listed on any search engine for a trivial phrase searched a few times each month won't bring you much benefit. Sure, some SEO trickery might help you ride higher in the results -- but don't expect your "success" to last long. Of course, you can also use pay-per-click advertising for a top ranking. But, keep in mind, just because you have traffic doesn't mean those visitors convert and create sales.
Marketing Lie #4: "I'll make you a best-selling author."
"Best-selling author" is destined to become one of marketing's most meaningless phrases. These days, far too many authors with a title on an Amazon subcategory list have bestowed themselves as a "best seller." Please understand, Amazon best seller lists update every 60 minutes. Get several friends to buy your book at a specific time and you can sit atop an Amazon list for an hour or two. Have a Kindle version, spend a day giving it away for free and the "best seller" process becomes even easier.
Marketing Lie #5: "Email is dead."
Email's demise comes up every year. Thanks to social media and mobile devices, though, you could argue email is more alive than ever. After all, it allows for personal communication and relationship development when you establish yourself as a valued resource, instead of a self-promoting spammer. In fact, according to the Direct Marketing Association, email's current return on investment hovers around 4,300%. Not too bad for a "dead" medium.
Tom Trush is available at https://www.writewaysolutions.com.
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© Trey Ryder
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Aduana
México y Estados Unidos pusieron en marcha el predespacho aduanero con el fin de impulsar el comercio bilateral en Norteamérica. (Presione aquí)
Esmeraldas
Un grupo de capital estadounidense está invirtiendo más de US$100 mlls. para modernizar la industria colombiana de esmeraldas, en su mayor parte dominada por explotaciones artesanales.
(Presione aquí)
Minería
La compañía minera canadiense B2Gold anunció el reinicio de operaciones en la mina El Limón en Nicaragua. La minera tenía suspendidas sus acciones por conflictos con comunarios. (Presione aquí)
Convenio
Uruguay y China suscribieron un acuerdo de cooperación para promover las inversiones y el comercio bilateral, destacó la Secretaría de la Presidencia. Representantes del Instituto Uruguay XXI y del Consejo Chino para la Promoción del Comercio Internacional firmaron el acuerdo el jueves durante la IX cumbre empresarial China-Latinoamérica y el Caribe 2015, en Guadalajara, México. Uruguay también suscribió convenios similares con las provincias de Chongqing, Hebei y Tianjin.
Brazil top court puts presidential impeachment efforts on hold
Brazil's Supreme Court on Tuesday issued an injunction freezing opposition party efforts to start impeachment deliberations against Rousseff. Despite the injunction, lower house speaker Eduardo Cunha said that he would continue to review impeachment requests. However, the Supreme Court's ruling allows Rousseff some time to gather support in Congress pending a decision by Dunha on initiating proceedings.
Migrant crisis: EU approves Turkey action plan
EU states have approved an action plan for Turkey, which it is hoped will ease the flow of migrants to Europe. Nearly 600,000 migrants have reached the EU by sea so far this year, many of them travelling from Turkey to Greece before seeking to head north. Turkey made a number of demands in exchange for helping to stem the flow. European officials agreed to accelerate visa liberalization for Turks wanting to visit the EU's borderless Schengen area - if Turkey complies with certain criteria, and "re-energized" talks over Turkey joining the EU.
"Flight MH17: Russia and its changing story
When a Dutch team revealed this week what caused the Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 air disaster in eastern Ukraine, their inquiry steered clear of saying who fired the missile that brought the plane down, killing all 298 people on board. But Russian officials immediately complained the inquiry was biased, keen to absolve the Moscow government of any blame. And deep within the report, months of disagreement are revealed between the Russians and the Dutch Safety Board (DSB) in what soon resembles a blame game. Under the rules of international crash investigations, the DSB has no authority to apportion blame, although board chairman Tjibbe Joustra said later that pro-Russian rebels had been in charge of the area from where the fateful missile was fired. For months, Russian experts directly challenged the DSB's findings, and all the while the Russian arguments constantly appeared to change. It was like a high-stakes game of chess: one side waiting for the other to move, then analyzing it and trying to hit back with a counter argument."
European court quashes Swiss conviction for genocide denial
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that a Turkish politician should not have been prosecuted for denying that the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turkey was genocide. Judges ruled by 10 votes to seven that Dogu Perincek's 2007 conviction for racial discrimination by a Swiss court infringed his right to free speech. Perincek had said "the Armenian genocide is a big fat lie". The ECHR ruled that Perincek had not called for "hatred or intolerance".
Tesla launches 'autopilot' update but urges caution
Tesla has launched a software update for its vehicles - enabling the cars to have an "autopilot" mode. While not fully self-driving, the software means the Model S and new Model X can "automatically steer down the highway, change lanes, and adjust speed in response to traffic". Tesla chief executive Elon Musk said the autopilot mode was designed to increase driver confidence on the road. However, Musk said users adopting the software - available in North America from Thursday - should exercise caution while using it. "It should not hit pedestrians, hopefully," he told the media. "It should handle them well." He added that if the car is involved in a collision, the driver is still liable. "The driver cannot abdicate responsibility. That will come at some point in the future."
For students accused of campus rape, legal victories win back rights
As colleges have been cracking down on campus sexual assault, some students have been complaining that schools are going too far and trampling the rights of the accused in the process. "Once you are accused, you're guilty. We're living in a society where you're guilty before innocent now. We used to not be fair to women on this issue," he says. "Now we're on the other extreme, not being fair to guys." As colleges crack down on sexual assault, some students complain that the schools are going too far and trampling the rights of the accused in the process. In recent months, courts around the nation have offered some of those students significant victories, slamming schools for systems that are stacked against the accused. Schools are overcorrecting.
France rejects 'tampon tax' change
French MPs have voted against an amendment which would have cut VAT paid on sanitary products from 20% to 5.5%. Socialist MPs had introduced the amendment to the budget for 2016, saying that as "basic needs," tampons, towels and menstrual cups should be taxed at the lower rate. But the proposal was rejected in the early hours of Thursday morning. The government opposed the change, saying it would reduce tax receipts in 2016 by 55m euros ($63m). The feminist collective behind the proposal, Georgette Sand, said it "saw red" at the outcome.
US troops to stay in Afghanistan in policy shift
Obama has confirmed plans to extend the US military presence in Afghanistan beyond 2016, in a shift in policy. Speaking at the White House, he said the US would keep 5,500 troops in the country when he leaves office in 2017. Originally all but a small embassy-based force were due to leave by the end of next year. But the US military says more troops will be needed to help Afghan forces counter a growing Taliban threat. The president wanted to bring home all US troops during his tenure. But it now looks like US forces will be fighting — on a limited basis — in a trio of wars when he leaves the White House.
Chile president announces process to create new constitution
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet announced on Wednesday the government has begun the process of drafting a new constitution. According to Bachelet the new constitution is necessary because the current version was created during a dictatorship and does not accurately reflect the ideals of democracy. She explained that although changes have been made to the document throughout the years, it continues to obstruct the exercise of democracy in the nation. The process will begin in the next few days with a stage of civic education for the people, expected to last until March 2016.
Iran council gives final approval to nuclear deal
A group of top Iranian jurists and theologians approved the nuclear deal with world powers on Wednesday, marking the completion of the last step before implementation of the deal may begin. The Iranian Parliament accepted the nuclear agreement on Tuesday and moved the process on to the Guardian Council, which determined the legislation was consistent with the constitution and Islamic law. The nuclear agreement is now law in Iran, and Iran has the power to withdraw if world powers do not hold up their end of the deal regarding the lifting of economic sanctions. Officials request that the sanctions be removed by January at the latest.
Minnesota court rules warrantless DWI blood tests unconstitutional
The Minnesota Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that an officer must obtain a warrant in order to test the blood of a person suspected of driving while intoxicated (DWI). Minnesota's implied consent law, Statute § 169A.20, subdivision 2 (2012) makes it a crime for a person "to refuse submit to a chemical test of the person's blood, breath, or urine" when suspected of DWI. The court held that this statute implicated a fundamental right, differentiating between a breath test and a blood test because blood tests can only be administered by qualified health care providers and are far more intrusive than breath tests. The court held that these differences made the "warrantless search of ... blood" unconstitutional. However, the court also held that if exigent circumstances were present, the warrantless search of blood would be constitutional under the Fourth Amendment.
World's worst currency prompts intervention call of Divine kind
God save the kwacha. That's what Zambian President Edgar Lungu wants his people to pray for on a national day of devotion and fasting on Sunday to reverse a decline in the world's worst currency and fix a litany of problems from plunging copper prices to electricity shortages. "These days are like the last days. We need more prayers." Lungu, 58, is seeking divine intervention to help an economy in crisis as government efforts fail to halt the kwacha's 45 percent slump against the dollar this year, the most of 155 currencies tracked by Bloomberg. "Anxiety and distress prevail throughout the land," Lungu said last month when he proclaimed the day of prayer and fasting. "Indeed, hope seems to have deserted the minds of the people.
Turkey sacks Ankara police chief after suicide bombings
Al Jazeera, Doha, Qatar
MPs approve Osborne's budget rules
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Israeli-Palestinian violence: What you need to know
CNN International, London, England
Heidi Klum is 'mom and a dad at the same time' since her split from Seal in 2012
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Denmark's Princess Marie denies boob job after Her & Nu magazine claimed she had one
Daily Mail, Conservative daily, London, England
Tense times in Jerusalem
EuroNews, International news, Ecully Cedex, France
Israel seals off East Jerusalem after 'Day of Rage' attacks
France 24, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
?? Sanat to present a rich program in its new season
Hurriyet Daily News, (Liberal, English-language), Istanbul, Turkey
'Blood moon' prompts Mormon announcement: This is NOT the end of the world
Independent The, London, England
Pompeii's pilferers punished with a curse from the gods
Telegraph The, Conservative daily, London, England
The Apprentice 2015: episode 1, live
Telegraph The, Celebrity news, London, England
Hung ouster in motion, Chu calls for party unity
China Post, English-language daily, Taipei, Taiwan
Up to 10 Million People Made Sick by Their Phones
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea
Pope Francis makes historic first US visit
Hindustan Times, New Delhi, India
Minister vows to return donations from firms involved in bid-rigging
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan
Financial services startup Square files for $275M IPO
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
Ukraine President cancels trip over protests in eastern Ukraine
Straits Times, Pro-government, Singapore
Beat the post holiday blues
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia
Nike says expects revenue of $50 bn by 2020
The Economic Times, Business, Mumbai, India
It's official ó the 1% finally own 50% of everything
Canadian Broadcasting Centre, Toronto, Ontario
New York teen dies after beating at church during 'counselling'
Globe and Mail The, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada
Liberty Reserve Brought Down By 'Joe Bogus': How The Feds Arrested Arthur Budovsky
International Business Times, Business news organization, New York, U.S
Wall St declines as Wal-Mart's weak forecast drags on retailers
Reuters, Business News, New York, U.S
Malaysia's embattled PM facing stern test as parliament returns
Reuters, World News, New York, U.S
Blue Jays cut lead to 2-1 against Rangers in Game 5
Toronto Star, Toronto, Ontario
US troops to help fight Boko Haram
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
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