Marketing your business online

What’s the first thing most of us do when we’re looking for a product or service? Search online! Your online presence could be the first point of contact between you and your potential customers.  

Sure, you may need some help to set up a website. But once you’re up and running, it can save you a ton of time. 

You can use your website for all sorts of things. The main thing you want from it is to build your business and its reputation.  

Think about what you need to give customers an easy experience:

• Add a “Search” option so people can find what you offer. Or they can search for information to help them decide what they need. 
• Set up an online store, which means you may not need to have a physical shop or office. 
• Ask for reviews and feedback so people can see how good your products or services are. 
• Send out emails, newsletters or surveys as another way to connect with your customers. 

Behind the scenes, the website can easily collect data about visits, response rates and your customer database. It can also check if your customer service is working well.

What even is “marketing”? It just means how you get a product or service to a customer. It covers everything from advertising, to your website, to delivery or the checkout experience. 

Do you know who your target market is? These are the customers who want or need your product or service. They may not know about you, so marketing is how you can make sure they do! 

Marketing has four main parts, all starting with “P”: 

• Product: what you sell. 
• Price: what it costs. 
• Place: where and how to sell the product. 
• Promotion: how to promote your product. 

But marketing isn’t just about promotion or advertising. It helps you understand your customers and what they need. And it helps you understand your industry and adapt as you see new opportunities or openings. 
 
Marketing is time well spent, because the reward is seeing your business grow and develop. 

It can really help you stand out in a crowd. When new customers notice you, that’s how you can expand your business and its reach. Really good marketing can make your brand so easy to identify that it’s the first name customers think of. We can all name some brands that are leaders in their fields – that’s successful marketing! 

Who are your customers? — business.govt.nz

Watch Digital Boost marketing playlist — YouTube

More about marketing, and a tool to assess your approach — business.govt.nz 

What makes you unique?

USP is your “unique selling point”. What’s yours? It has to be something that’s different from your rivals. So think creatively and look around at what competitors are offering. 
 
Think about quality, price, reliability, exclusivity, convenience… How could you highlight something your business does best? 

What about a budget for marketing? Use one of these models to help you figure out your finances and what you can invest in marketing.
 
Using numbers to help make decisions (includes video, case study, guide) — business.govt.nz

Setting you up for success (includes a case study) — business.govt.nz

Things change quickly in the digital world. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just build your website and leave it to work its magic? Until the self-maintaining website is invented, it’s going to be up to you to keep it up to date.  

Think of your website as your “shop window” and make sure it looks good. If you keep your website relevant and easy to use, it’s a great way to reach customers, attract new ones, and see your business grow. 

But don’t stress – you’re not alone on this journey. Find out which tools you could use to help you. You can save precious time and money by using helpful tools like customer relationship management systems (CRM), marketing automation, market research/surveys or web analytics. 

The more active you are online, the more you can build your credibility and reputation. 

Watch videos explaining different marketing tools — business.govt.nz

Assess your business website (online assessment) — business.govt.nz

Digital marketing is a different ballpark to advertising. The world is online and it’s up to you to make the connections. Use whatever works for your industry, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Google and YouTube. 

You don’t have unlimited time, so choose what to focus on. Find out as much as you can about your customer base and the new customers you want to reach. Use email, newsletters, offers, referrals and reviews to build connections with the people you’re targeting. 

Plan your campaign carefully and be sure to measure performance. That’s how you’ll know your investment was worth it! 

Advertise to online customers (includes assessment tool) — business.govt.nz

Build strong connections (includes case study) — business.govt.nz