Anatomy of an International Debt Collection Case – Legal
Anatomy of an International Debt Collection Case
Zhao Xiaomei Meggie
Introduction
In late June of 2003, I received an e-mail from Daniel Harris, who introduced himself as maritime lawyer from Seattle. He had found me through the internet and was asking me whether I was interested in helping arrest transshipped cargo in Dalian. I was excited about the task and I surfed Dans website [http://www.harrismoure.com] and learned Dan owns a small international law firm in Seattle, called Harris & Moure. I replied to him immediately and sent him some relevant provisions concerning cargo arrests under China legal system. He was very happy with my prompt and helpful reply and we soon were working together on the case. He later told me he was so impressed with my responses that he had picked me over numerous other lawyers throughout China.
Brief of the case
OOO Bolshoretskoe is a Russian fishing company that sold 400 Tons of pollock worth around US$700,000 to Alimex Seafood A/S, a Danish company. The pollock was scheduled to be transshipped from Dalian to Europe. Alimex had not yet paid Bolshoretskoe for the product. Bolshoretskoe owed Daxin Petroleum Pte, Ltd., a Singapore fuel supply company, around US$400,000 for fuel. M/V IVAN POLZUNOV, the vessel carrying the pollock, was scheduled to call on Dalian on 4 July, 2003. Our task was to seize the pollock for Daxin to get Bolshoretskoe to pay its debt.
Bolshoretskoe
Anatomy of an Online Marketing Failure – Mortgage
Anatomy of an Online Marketing Failure
John Taylor
Wife: "Im getting sick of these harrassing bill collectors who call me all hours of the night and day."
Husband: "I know Sweetheart. Im going to turn things around financially for us. Bill, down at the office, says that theres lots of money to be made on the Internet. I think Ill go to him for some advice and see if this is something I can do."
Wife: "Well something has got to change. The mortgage company said that if we were late one more time with our payment that our credit was going to be ruined."
Husband: "Dont worry. Ill figure something out."
**Next Evening At Dinner**
Husband: "Well Bill says that on the Internet that there are companies who will pay you cold hard cash just for reading their email and that its as easy as pie to get going and to start making some big bucks pretty fast."
Wife: "Get paid to read email Sounds like a scam to me!"
Husband: "Trust me this can really work. He told me the website to go and join up at. Cant wait to get started!"
Wife: "Alright I guess you have nothing to lose by trying. And wouldnt it be great if they really did pay out in hard cold cash"
**Four Weeks Later**
Wife: "The mortgage company called again. Hows your paid to read email business coming along We really need to catch up on some things. Wheres the cold hard cash we need right now"
Husband: "The good news is that my first check is in the mail!"
Wife: "Great! And the bad..."
Husband: "The check is for $5.68."
Wife: "What Holy Cow! Youve been reading hundreds of emails for almost a month! How much do you get paid for each email"
Husband: "For most of them I get a penny."
Wife: "#$$%%^^@#!!!"
Husband: "Dont worry, honey. One of the emails I read talked about making big money in online network marketing. This company that I just joined last night has a great plan where you get residual money just for signing up people."
Wife: "MLM For crying out loud!"
Husband: "Just give me some time to fill out my 7x7 matrix and then well be sitting pretty. I saw where one guy just won a trip to Europe! Wouldnt that be nice"
Wife: "This better work this time or else..."
Husband: "Dont worry, honey. Just give it time."
**Four Weeks Later**
Husband: "Great news! Ive got over 100 people in my power line and now I qualify for a commission check that should be here shortly."
Wife: "Finally! On 100 people how big will your check be"
Husband: "Well only 3 people actually bought any products so my first check should be $38 and some change."
Wife: "But you spent $49 to get into this darned thing!"
Husband: "Dont worry honey. Im branching out so that we can get multiple streams of income. I heard that Big Online Bookstore has an affiliate program where you just send people to their site and if they buy anything you automatically get commissions!"
Wife: "Im warning you! Something has to change here. Im getting sick of this I tell you."
Husband: "Dont worry. With the MLM and affiliate program Im sure things will turn around."
**Three Months Later**
Wife: "You received a check in the mail today from Big Online Bookstore. Open it so we can go cash it. Finally your hard work is paying off. How many people did you say you sent that bought books"
Husband: "The last 3 months Ive sent people to their site whove purchased over $1000 worth of books! Lets rip this baby open and head to the bank!"
Wife: "Whats wrong, honey How much is the check for"
Husband: "$69.15."
Wife: "Im going to STTRRAAAAANNNGGLLEE you!"
Copyright 2004 John Taylor
About The Author
John Taylor is a writer and publisher and his work includes The "Testing & Tracking" Special Report that explains what to test and how to test it http://www.Test-and-Track.com. He is Webmaster for the Amazing Marketing Tools web site where you will find an incredible range of resources to help you to develop the knowledge and skills to become a successful marketer.http://www.AmazingMarketingTools.com John also publishes the http://www.quogger.com weblog and he also runs http://www.Money-and-Power.com and http://www.Buy-Impulse.com
The Anatomy of Hype – Marketing
The Anatomy of Hype
Marcia Yudkin
On a copywriting board I frequent, someone expressed bafflement that several respected marketers criticized the tone of a sales page he wrote. "Why did they apologize to their subscribers while linking to my pitch This approach sells," he said.
Hype was the problem. If you use the following tactics, many educated shoppers cringe and go elsewhere:
Overblown claims. "If You Can Write Your Name, You Can Write a Book in 30 Days - Guaranteed!"
Overexcited tone. Lots of exclamation points, phrases in bold capital letters with underlining and a drumbeat of emphasis. "Programmers poured out their TOP-SECRET strategies that you, too, can use to earn a GATES-LIKE FORTUNE in the software business!!" "Take out your credit card and order RIGHT NOW!"
Unsupported and extreme superlatives. "The most important new product launch, ever."
Adjectives and adverbs you would not encounter from Exxon or IBM. "Mind-blowing" "Exclusive" "Huge" "Incredible" "Wildly" "Literally" necessary to distinguish truth from hoopla.
Exaggerations. "Theyve made millions under the radar." When most havent made that sum and the "secrecy" is just not having been asked.
Sounds impressive but untrue. Calling someone a best selling author who has not appeared on a recognized best seller list.
Lack of qualifiers. Statements that should include a bit of backpedaling but dont. Its really not "all," "only," "never," "sure-fire" or "will."
Marketers who favor a style full of hype argue that the numbers prove these techniques succeed, whatever the audience. When they tone down the pitch, sales drop. When they toss decorum to the winds and reinsert that hammering excitement and the fervid embellishments, sales return to previous levels. Case closed, they say.
Assuming their numbers are valid, this argument does have a point, but one of limited relevance to many situations. Hype may sell, but it may also undercut other business goals, in these ways:
Reputation. In whose eyes do you want credibility Use this tone and you can expect snickering rather than respect from established journalists, academics, Fortune 500 companies, most people with postgraduate degrees and colleagues who use any of those groups as their benchmark of respectability.
Partnerships and opportunities. If youre aiming at joint ventures with banks, universities, community organizations, trade associations and the like, hype counts very heavily against you. You may also endanger your chances of getting a contract from a major publisher if thats among your goals.
Trust. Are you aiming at a one-time sale or a long-term customer Hype works better in the former situation, especially where a buyer believes they can obtain a refund if the purchase doesnt live up to the promises.
Staying out of legal trouble. Some of the techniques listed above either flirt with deception or cross the line to lies. The other day I read through a Federal Trade Commission judgment against an Internet marketer for deceptive marketing and believe me, this is wrath you do not want to bring down upon yourself! Make sure you have a nitpicky lawyer to vet your copy if you favor a hyped style.
Please note that its possible to use a hard-hitting, dramatic direct marketing style with descriptive bullet points, calls to action and so on in connection with entirely truthful and completely respectable copy.
Hype does sell. But thats far from settling the issue of whether or not you should use it.
About The Author
Marcia Yudkin marcia@yudkin.com is the author of 6 Steps to Free Publicity, Persuading on Paper, Web Site Marketing Makeover and other books on business communication. She mentors business owners through www.MarketingForMore.com and mentors organizational marketing managers through www.MentorForMarketing.com. Sign up for her free weekly newsletter on creative marketing at www.yudkin.com/marksynd.htm.