(Bloomberg) — The first direct talks between Greece and Germany since a new anti-bailout government took power in Athens last week yielded no agreement on how to narrow their differences. German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said he and his Greek counterpart, Yanis Varoufakis, “agreed to disagree” in their Berlin meeting. That prompted Varoufakis to respond: “We didn’t even agree to disagree from where I’m standing.” Their encounter came hours after Greece lost a critical funding artery when the European Central Bank restricted loans to its financial system, raising pressure on the 10-day-old government to yield to German-led austerity demands to stay in the euro area. The next move is up to Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who swept to power promising to reverse five years of spending cuts that accompanied 240 billion euros ($272 billion) of bailout loans. While he’s retreated from demands for a debt writedown, he’s so far sticking to promises to increase pensions and wages that breach the conditions for financial aid. Varoufakis said the endless belt-tightening has had unwanted consequences. “Germany must and can be proud that Nazism has been eradicated here, but it’s one of history’s most cruel ironies that Nazism is rearing its ugly head in Greece, a country which put up such fine struggle against it,” Varoufakis said. Europe must never again “allow a 1930s-like depression to divide proud European nations.” ECB Limits The ECB set a limit of 60 billion euros on the funds that Greece’s central bank can provide under the emergency […]

As a career coach and consultant with a global practice and numerous online programs, I hear from hundreds of coaches a year who are struggling, flying through all their money, and feeling desperate for a silver bullet that will help them make money in the field they used to love (but now dread). I’ve been there, and know how scary it can be. But I’m beginning to hear this one sad confession over and over: “Kathy, I spent a ton of money this year paying for a well-known marketing expert for coaches to tell me that building my list is the answer to my success, and the key to building a list is to offer a telesummit that features other top coaches. Sounded good, and I tried to do it, but nothing came of it. It didn’t work, and I’m still broke.” When I hear a problem like this being repeated from all corners of the world, I know there’s a real issue that has to be addressed. I believe it’s a sham to tout the idea that one silver bullet will turn everything around, such as offering a telesummit (a virtual online conference) or any other one-shot program. To dupe failing coaches (or other floundering small business owners) into believing that the answer to their problems is a one-time endeavor is downright unethical. The reason these marketing “experts” push offering a telesummit is that they claim it will help coaches build a solid, sizable list that will then generate […]

Are you a last-minute shopper for holiday gifts? When it comes to buying gifts for your clients, don’t wait too long (especially if you have to ship them)! Giving a thoughtful gift to your clients is a great way to show your appreciation of them, as well as put a smile on their faces. Here are five tips to help you out: 1. Take Advantage of Free Shipping Day This year, Free Shipping Day is December 18. That’s the last possible day you can order something and have it shipped to arrive by Christmas. You also benefit by saving on those costly shipping fees — if you’re sending gifts to dozens of clients, that adds up! There are online retailers who participate in Free Shipping Day listed on the site. But don’t just look there: other retailers offer free shipping throughout the holiday season (sometimes requiring a minimum purchase), so build your shopping strategy around these sites. 2. Consider Your Recipient cookies as business client giftsIf you know your clients well, you probably can shop for them smartly. But, for example, do you know whether a client drinks or is on a special diet? These are things to take into consideration before sending alcohol or holiday treats. If you’re not sure, stick to something safe. Gift cards, candles, coffee gift cards … these are gifts least likely to cause an issue, and are generally well received. 3. Don’t Overlook Religious Beliefs Not everyone celebrates Christmas. Your clients may celebrate Hanukkah, […]

“There’s no such thing as millennials.” This bold proclamation by ad intelligence firm Exponential Interactive at Advertising Week yesterday will likely elicit scoffs and outrage from marketers who have made careers out of targeting Generation Y over the past decade. Of course millennials exist — just not in one neat, unified demographic. In his presentation “Marketing to Millennials? You’re Doing It Wrong,” Bryan Melmed, vice president of insights services at Exponential, explained that most marketers fail to effectively target millennials by relying too heavily on stereotypes about this generation as a whole. “People who want to target [millennials] have no idea how,” Melmed said. “They’re using preconceptions … and not getting at the underlying values of the millennial generation. Demographics are simplistic and patronizing, [especially] because millennials are more diverse and heterogeneous than any [generation] before. The millennial experience is so vastly different” from person to person. To study these differences, Exponential analyzed data collected from 4 million millennial “poster children” to discover significant trends in behaviors, interests and lifestyles among members of Generation Y. The company’s research revealed that three major forces have shaped the millennial experience: the economy, globalization and social media. These forces define important millennial populations, and within each of these categories are several subgroups, each with its own specific needs and preferences. While there is some overlap across categories, it’s important that marketers know which groups they want to target, and how to appeal to each one individually. [How to Capture Gen Y Consumers] Economy: […]

Customer loyalty in the travel industry is not what it used to be. With increased transparency on comparative prices and easier access to booking tools, travelers are increasingly loyal to those that provide the best prices and experiences. After attending PhoCusWright’s Travel Innovation Summit in November, we noticed how appropriate the summit’s theme of “cult of context” is in today’s market. Travel organizations can no longer afford to be generic, or attempt to appeal to everyone. Customers expect contextual relevancy and companies are expected to deliver. If I’m on a business or leisure trip to Asia, I probably want to know every detail about cost, flight routes, class of service, location and amenities. A few years ago, I’d have to cross-reference this information from books, websites and phone calls to travel agencies. Today I expect the most optimized solutions tailored to my individual needs. After all, in a hyper-connected world, why would I settle for anything less? The key to winning in a commodity-based landscape is to offer a contextual experience without increasing marginal overhead or sacrificing brand equity. This sounds simple enough, and in many instances it is. Knowing where a user is going, when they’re leaving, and why they’re traveling is now par for the course. Matching this information with user interests remains difficult. Below are three ideas we have to help do just that. Pay attention to their data. A customer’s data is more readily available today than ever before. Capturing the information you need to know […]

Facebook now has 100 million users across Africa, the company announced on Monday. This figure is half of all the Internet users in Africa, which sits at 200 million people. More than 80% of Facebook users are accessing the site from a mobile phone, showing high-growth countries are more connected than ever before. Facebook engineers started tweaking the company’s Android app earlier this year after a trip to Africa revealed that the app was loading very slow, and the lack of memory on the devices resulted in constant crashes. The team members also burned their monthly data plans in 40 minutes. The team reduced the app’s download size by 65%, and decreased start times by more than 50% in the six months following the trip. It looks like their work paid off. The huge numbers of people accessing the Internet on mobile devices in high-growth areas comes as many use their mobile phones not just to communicate, but as a lifeline for banking, employment and other necessary services. Keeping this in mind, Facebook and advertising agencies are customizing features and campaigns based on local insights, data speeds and available devices. Rob Norman, chief digital officer of media buying firm Global Group M, said in a blog post on Monday that services, such as Facebook, need to deliver maximum use for the smallest amount of data. “In Africa, we are seeing explosive growth and incredible momentum across the region. At the same time, when you look at the staggering cost of connectivity in many […]