It’s been a while since our last blog post. We’ve been busy working on the next phase of Advicetap and today we’d like to give you a quick update.

If you haven’t already heard, Advicetap has joined forces with Business Edge Magazine to bring you a new online job service – introducing…www.FreshGigs.ca

FreshGigs.ca will be a specialized Canadian job board focusing on marketing, business, and creative jobs across Canada.

Business Edge is one of Canada’s largest and most well circulated business magazines and Advicetap is Canada’s online community for professional consultants and freelancers. Together, we’ll be working hard to make FreshGigs.ca a success!

Stay tuned for more specific details over the next few weeks about the transformation and launch but for now get ready for Fresh Gigs!

We recently sat down with DDB Canada Creative Director Cosmo Campbell at the agency’s Vancouver office. In 2009 DDB Canada was named #1 creative agency by Strategy Magazine. The firm offers its clients services in advertising, design, digital, direct response, public relations and more.

In this interview Cosmo shares how consultants and freelancers can get an agency’s attention, what kind of professionals are most in demand, the difference between working with a small agency vs. large agency, and much more.

Video Timeline for Your Viewing Pleasure
01:16 How to get an agency’s attention
02:49 Most in demand professionals are…
04:28 The difference between working with a small agency vs. large agency
05:45 Consulting and freelancing vs. working as part of a company
07:53 Finding your groove and staying productive

Over the past few months here at Advicetap we’ve been focusing on one major business goal – connecting Canadian businesses with pre-qualified marketing and creative professionals from all across Canada.

The good news is that it’s starting to work. Not only are we now charging companies a fee to post their gigs (yep, we broke up with that girl freemium and are feeling good about it too!) but over the last few months almost 100 companies from across Canada have posted projects with Advicetap!

Yesterday we launched a new Home Page design to reflect all of this. We not only feature logos of a few of the companies that have posted gigs with us but we also feature some top gigs, and Advicetap members from across Canada…To see the changes go to Advicetap (if you’re a member you’ll need to log out to see what we’ve done)

Hey there Cecilia, thanks for dropping by the Advicetap towers…we weren’t really expecting you but now that you’re here have a sip of your coffee and give us a run down of who you are and what exactly you do?

Thanks for having me! I guess you didn’t hear me skulking around in the back— I’m a Ninja, after all! More specifically, I’m the Networking Ninja of Kiwano Marketing, a sustainable marketing agency specializing in online marketing strategies and tools to help spread the word for our awesome clients.

My passion is (stealthily) making new connections; helping companies grow their online web presence by using a combination of public relations and social media. I love starting conversations, so you can easily find me on Twitter, LinkedIn and, of course, Advicetap!

Very cool, Kiwano Marketing sounds like an interesting company for sure! So I know you have an event coming up very soon called NetSquared Camp Vancouver…give us the break down on what that’s all about?

That’s right, this very Saturday, downtown Vancouver will host the very first NetSquared Camp in all of Canada! It’s a full day, unconference-style event bringing together non-profits and social entrepreneurs with all kinds of experts in technology and communications. NetSquared Camp will focus on hands-on learning, practical skill development, and (my inevitable favourite) lots and lots of networking.

In true unconference tradition, anyone can pitch a topic and lead a session. Check out some of cool session proposals we’ve received over the past few weeks. So if you’re curious, join me this Saturday and find out how ninjas do it:

Ninja School: Kicking Ass at Social Networking
What are the top do’s and don’ts for using social media networks as a networking tool? How do you portray your non-profit’s personality online and engage your volunteers, stakeholders, and sponsors? When’s the right time for moving the conversation offline? Join the Ninja for a casual, down-to-earth discussion on practical tips about how to get personable online.

So who is this event targeted at and are Advicetap members welcome?
Anyone passionate about Vancouver’s non-profits or social change should definitely check out this event! The goal of NetSquared Camp is to gather together the tribe who want to support Vancouver non-profits. That includes marketers, writers, graphic designers, video producers, strategists, fundraisers, and strategists. The wonderful community of experts you have at AdviceTap would be able to contribute valuable insights to the seminars and make some valuable contacts in Vancouver’s booming non-profit and social enterprise industries.

Can’t make it out this Saturday? Check out the Net Tuesday’s meetup for your monthly dose of social change geekiness!

Ok nice one, when and where is NetSquared Vancouver happening?
Date:
Saturday, August 14

Time:
9:00 am – 4:00pm

Location:
SFU Harbour Centre, 515 West Hastings Street

Cost:
By donation – Get your tickets today, this event will sell out!
Hashtag: #n2camp

Alright well thanks for the coffee and letting us know all about this exciting event, see you around Cecilia!
Thanks for having me, guys! See you at NetSquared Camp and thanks for supporting this local, community-driven unconference! Advicetap rocks!

The Advicetap crew had the chance to catch up with Matt Mickiewicz and bring you this interview. Matt is the co-founder of Sitepoint.com, 99designs.com and Flippa.com – which have had more than $50 Million run through them (Flippa averages $1.5-$2 Million a month in sales!).

Matt shares how he got started in the online business world, why the idea of a work-life balance for entrepreneurs doesn’t work, and the real difference between a lifestyle business and building a company.

Here’s the interview:

Timeline of the Interview for Your Viewing Pleasure
00:14 How did you get started in the online biz world?
01:00 How did you find your business partner?
01:26 Running a profitable business while in school
01:46 How did you position Sitepoint.com in the market to be successful?
02:47 How to deal with challenges and stay motivated
03:40 Why work-life balances don’t work when you’re building a “Business”
04:20 With 3 successful companies how is your work-life balance now?
04:42 The benefits of having an online business
05:10 Lifestyle business vs. Big time company
05:58 Your plans for the next 5 years

In part 2 of our interview with Jamie Scarborough (see part 1 of the interview here) you’ll learn

What’s Inside:
00:09 One of the Biggest Obstacles to Growing Your Business
01:02 How to Figure Out The Ideal Price Point
01:48 The Follow-Up Strategy the Experts Use

We recently caught up with Jamie Scarborough, Founder of Sales Talent Agency, Canada’s top sales recruitment firm. Jamie is a true sales expert having grown Monster.com’s sales by 400% and being named Sales Person of the Year twice.

In the first part of this two part interview, Jamie shares his experience and tips with Advicetap on how to land more clients with effective sales processes, how to cold call the right way, what consultants and freelancers should consider when presenting their fees and more.

Check out the interview below…

What’s Inside:
01:01 Making the Sale is all about Drive and Empathy
02:35 The Biggest Mistake Consultants and Freelancers Make When it Comes to Sales
04:04 Think Cold-Calling is Dead? Think Again!!
05:03 How to Cold Call the Right Way
06:47 The Right Time to Present Your Pricing and Fees

Last week we were having a little chat and coffee with Janice Tomich of Calculated Presentations about business, life, Vancouver, and more.

As we came to the end of our meeting we asked Janice if we could pull out our Kodak I8 HD camera and ask her a few questions…check it out!

This week we had the pleasure of sitting down with Ryan Holmes, CEO of Hootsuite and Director at Invoke Media. We talked all about productivity, success, failure and why it’s good to walk on your hands…

Hootsuite has over 400,000 users and manages more than 1 million social media accounts. While many of us are enjoying the application without spending a penny, the company will soon start charging for premium accounts…which will likely appeal to the many large brands that use the service, including TED, Facebook, Dell, AOL and many others.

Ryan is a true entrepreneur as you’ll hear about in this interview. Check it out!

Timeline of the Interview for Your Viewing Pleasure
00:22 Who is Ryan Holmes
01:08 Making the Work-Life Balance Work
02:22 How Do You Get Your Day Started?
03:35 History of Being An Entrepreneur
05:35 Why Fun and Not Corporate for the Hootsuite Brand
06:32 Your Secret to Success
07:53 Dealing with Failure
08:57 CEO of Hootsuite Walking on His Hands?

The other day as I was enjoying a strong coffee and a sun drenched morning and I started to think on the importance of undivided attention and showing interest during meetings.

You see I’ve noticed something recently – Many people don’t show enough focus or interest in the meeting and/or the person they’re meeting with.

As a business person, consultant, teacher, and DJ I get the chance to meet and communicate with lots of people! I usually enjoy meeting up with new people but over time I’ve found that many times people are only interested in what they are doing and what they have to say.

So today I decided to write a small list of some common communication pitfalls I’ve noticed in the last few months during meetings I’ve had:

• Checking text messages or answering phone calls
  This makes sense if you’re waiting on your wife to go into labour, or a million dollar deal to come through but in general checking mails and answering phone calls during meetings is just straight up rude!
• Poor eye contact
  I’ve met with people that continuously look around the room and at people that walk by our coffee or dinner table. I’m not sure why this happens but during a meeting try to focus and keep good eye contact with the person you’re talking to as it shows you’re interested.
• Playing with your nails
  I met with one lady who couldn’t stop looking at her newly painted nails everytime I was talking. Maybe she was a bit bored but it surely didn’t show me she was “into” our business meeting.
• Being the main person talking
  If you are the only one talking this usually isn’t a good thing. This is a big one people and it happens often. Make sure you are “sharing” the conversation. Asking questions, letting the other person talk or give opinions, and not interrupting. Seems to be common sense but you’d be surprised how many people forget these points.

So there you have it. A small list on what to avoid if you want to show interest when meeting up with people and working the scene.

Have I missed any pitfalls or tips here? Do you disagree? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this?