In a recent training session I was hosting, one of the delegates talked about her experience with a car dealership. She said that she had bought her car through the dealership and was very happy with the service she got.

Many, especially in the business realm, are still struggling to come to terms with Twitter so Foursquare may still be that leap too far, having said that a number of enterprising NZ businesses are already taking advantage of it.

I read it too – the story that appeared in the Herald on Sunday that says some of us can’t stomach unaddressed mail. Apparently each year mailboxes receive the equivalent in unaddressed mail to the weight of a year-old baby.

Hopefully your brand stands for quality, reliability and trust. Why should someone buy your product or service if they cannot rely upon or trust you?

Sometimes a business appears that just wins you over right away. For me that business is Book Depository. Have you heard of it?

Walk through any shopping centre and it is hard to miss the “Sale” signs out front of nearly every retail outlet. There is no doubt retailers are doing it tough right now but should this be a surprise to us.

Does a seller (or buyer) really care how many properties a real estate agent has sold this year, or what the value of the properties they sold is.

Here are a list of vital questions you should be asking yourself before you appoint a marketing company to help your business:

So you’ve just mailed out your last DM campaign hoping to cajoule those guys (also known as prosects) one more time. Problem is you’re spending more from less budget to get less response.

Small businesses (19 or fewer employees) comprise 99% of New Zealand businesses and Dr. Kate Lewis (Research Associate of the NZ Centre for SME Research) predicts that the proportion of women business entrepreneurs is growing.

The most important marketing tactic ever devised is also the simplest. And it wasn’t invented by marketing people, but by business owners and sales people looking to grow their business the best, fastest, least expensive way possible.

As responsible business owners, we invest a lot of time answering the “what” question. What will I sell? What should my price be? What kind of marketing should I do?

As an Expo exhibitor and visitor, it often surprises me how little thought seems to be put into preparation of the stand, and how unprepared the sales team can be who are on the stand.

In the UK, Mothercare holds the enviable position of being a brand synonymous with new mums as the number one destination for all things baby and toddler-related.

Now is the Winter of our discontent” proclaimed Richard III in his opening speeach of the Shakespeare play but what do you think? Are you looking at a winter of content or discontent for your business?

Giapo, in support of World Malaria Day decided to donate all revenue earned between 3pm and 4pm on the 25th of April 2010 to UNICEF NZ.

Would you let an untrained builder renovate your home? What about a plumber on your bathroom?

Small Business in New Zealand make one fundamental marketing mistake. They don’t systemise and treat their marketing like a well tested and well oiled machine

A lot of people (including me) talk about competitive advantage and how it is vital to the ongoing success of a business. This is very true, but what is the BEST sort of competitive advantage to have and what is plan B if you don’t have one.

As someone who has spent several years living in Tokyo (1997-1999) I always have one eye on what goes on there. As a marketer it is (was) an even more remarkable place to see …