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Marketing and promoting your business

If you want your business to do well you'll need to let customers know what you offer. Whether your budget is big or small, there are many ways to spread the word about your business. It helps to understand what marketing is and how to use promotion techniques to boost your sales.

Online training: Positioning your business Opens in a new window

This free online training module provides a tactical plan to increase the chance that potential customers know exactly how you are positioned against the competition, so they can make a clear choice. Before you start spending money on marketing you need to decide where you want to position your company. It is designed to take 30 to 60 minutes to complete.

This information is brought to you by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise

Online training: How to target your marketing Opens in a new window

This free online training module will show you how to carefully select the most lucrative targets for your business, instead of trying to target everyone. Successful small businesses thrive by carefully targeting certain people, businesses, or segments of a market. If you don't target your marketing you could end up wasting a lot of time and money. It is designed to take 30 to 60 minutes to complete.

This information is brought to you by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise

Online training: Researching the competition Opens in a new window

This free online training module shows you how to research your competition. If your competitors are still in business they must be doing something right and you can look at what they’re doing to sustain their business. But they may also be doing some things badly. You may be able to exploit these gaps to develop a competitive advantage. It is designed to take 30 to 60 minutes to complete.

This information is brought to you by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise

A simple marketing plan

Most small businesses would benefit from a simple, practical marketing plan. The plan includes setting targets, tactics, implementation, budget considerations, and evaluation.

This information is brought to you by The Small Business Company

Plan for effective and efficient marketing Opens in a new window

A marketing plan and checklist for business owners that includes flowchart, step by step guide, and strategy planning.

This information is brought to you by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise

Gathering reliable marketing information Opens in a new window

This simple case study demonstrates how you can use Statistic New Zealand’s free Business Helper service to find business and industry data, estimate the size of your market, understand your customers better, and develop your marketing plan.

This information is brought to you by Statistics New Zealand

Measuring the return on your marketing investment

Are your marketing activities generating a return that justifies their cost? This article explains how you can measure your marketing ROI (Return on Investment) and adopt a more disciplined approach to measuring the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns to ensure they deliver real results.

This information is brought to you by Inside Out

How to build a competitive advantage

Finding an edge over your competitors is a critical part of being in business. You need to show your customers how your product or service is different. Use this three stage strategy to help build your own competitive advantage and remain viable in the market long-term.

This information is brought to you by The Small Business Company

How to develop a strong brand name Opens in a new window

How persuasive is your brand? Due to the fast paced lives many of us lead, brands have the power to persuade consumers more than ever. A strong brand will make your business more successful, and it's these strong brands that can be registered as trade marks. This seven step guide will help you to create a strong and registrable brand name.

This information is brought to you by A J Park

Common marketing mistakes Opens in a new window

A quick list of the 10 most common marketing mistakes business owners make plus tips for how to steer clear of them with your business.

This information is brought to you by The Small Business Company

How to encourage word of mouth

An article for business owners with six word of mouth marketing tips that can help you build a network of referral sources.

This information is brought to you by The Small Business Company

How good public relations are good for business

Public relations is an inexpensive way for your business to get noticed, create an impression, and be remembered. Follow these hints and generate good public relations for your business, which will provide your business with a foundation in the marketplace and generate greater sales figures in the long run.

This information is brought to you by The Small Business Company

What is the Advertising Code of Ethics? Opens in a new window

Advertising your product or service is an effective form of promotion for any businesses. But before doing so you need to be aware of what you can and can not do. Provided here is an overview of the basic principles and rules of the Advertising Code of Ethics.

This information is brought to you by New Zealand Standards Authority

Protecting your brand Opens in a new window

Is your brand protected? Whether you are aware of it or not, almost every business will have its own brand. Your brand may be the reason people are buying your products over your competitor’s. This article provides an overview for business owners to effectively plan, protect and develop their brand in a “systematic and strategic” way.

This information is brought to you by WHK Gosling Chapman

Using patents to gain a competitive advantage Opens in a new window

Patents are used to get an edge in the marketplace by protecting your market share and giving you the right to exclude others from making, using, selling or importing that product. This article provides an overview of some more reasons why patents are useful and explains what you can protect.

This information is brought to you by A J Park


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Did you know?

23 percent or almost one in four employees in New Zealand work in the wholesale and retail trade industries.