Alphablogs

Welcome to this edition of Canada 9-5!

Canada 9-5 showcases blogs by Canadian professionals, workers, businesses and associations. There are many such blogs by internet technology specialists but very few that use the amazing technology of blogging. The blogs you see here are literally pioneers of Canadian business blogging.

Book Publishing in Vancouver
In a post on client confidentiality, our own Carol Sill says

So often we have good ideas that we feel are unique, only to find someone else is also incubating the same thought, or one so similar it is hard to believe there wasn’t some kind of “security breach”. I have had several cases of two potential clients showing me plans for projects that were remarkably similar, and both within the same week! This kind of synchronicity always amazes me, but still I keep the two projects separate in my mind, and do not disclose them to one another, let alone to the outside world.

Entrepreneurial Smarts from Toronto
Canadian Entrepreneur is the blog by Rick Spence: business writer, speaker and content marketer, and former editor/publisher of PROFIT Magazine. He hails from “Toronto and Afghanistan”. Canadian Entrepreneur has a very interesting guest article by Toronto-based marketer extraordinaire Michael Hepworth, the “Streetsmart Marketer”. 10 ways to build your credibility contains some reminders that are practically blueprints for article series for any business blogger, for example

• Educate them on how to buy your product or service. Help customers understand what their buying criteria should be.
• Be sincere. Sincerity is being believable and presenting the facts in a way prospects understand.
• Provide testimonials. Few people like to be the first to use a product or service.
• Establish yourself as an authority. Write and speak on your specialty.
• Support your sales with editorial and articles. PR is important in building your credibility.
• Tell prospects why. If you are offering a discount or a special deal, give a reason for it.
• Point out a non-fatal flaw in your product. This gives special promotions more credibility.

Branding Reflections – Vancouver
Robert Park, “Catalyst” at Vancouver business incubator The Network Hub relates a tale of caution: How to destroy your brand equity: JPG Magazine screwed up.

In the past, corporations held a lot of power as to how to treat their customers. Several factors contributed to this: lack of choice, lack of clear information, and lack of consumer power. Things have been changing over the past few years. Thanks to new social technologies on the Internet, people are a lot more organized and coordinated. They share information with each other and work together. And if you want to sell them something, or utilize their collaboration to create some sort of value, you better understand them well. Or else, they’ll ditch you. And your reputation could get ruined in the process.

Creativity in Ontario
Ken, a creativity coach, talks about perfectionism in The Upside Of Perfect. He quotes Mary-Elaine Jacobsen who shows the positive side of much-maligned perfectionism ..

there is quite a distinction between unhealthy and healthy forms of perfectionism, the latter being present in many gifted individuals…In fact, fulfillment and pleasure may well be linked to painstaking effort and unconstrained use of one’s gifted abilities.

Real Estate in Vancouver
Coal Harbour Vancouver: Living on the Urban Waterfront is a good example of a niche blog. Coal Harbour is a small but very affluent, up-and-coming and beautiful area of Vancouver. This real estate blog talks about real estate and investment opportunities but also about some other tidbits, like this post. Checking Out the Neighbourhood – By Plane shows how a vast country like Canada uses planes like other countries use taxis.

Other contributions include
How to own a house or apartment for free
10 Questions to Ask When Writing Hypnotic Posts (Blog Marketing Tip #17)
Fall TSM Travel Writing Contest: Win $125!

Thanks for all the submissions! Our next carnival will be on December 8. If you want to appear on this carnival, please submit your post here.

(this article can be found in the All Women Blogging carnival)