Marketing & Sales
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Small Retailers Poised for Growth Despite Retail Squeeze, Says E-commerce Expert
- March 14, 2024
Contrary to predictions that the days of small retailers are numbered, emerging new technology and shopper values suggests small retailers are well-positioned to thrive in the coming years—unlike the retail middle which will do it tough. Mark Presnell, Managing Director of Convergence, an Auckland-based e-commerce integration firm says the recent challenges faced by medium-sized retailers like Godfreys and Michael Hill highlight the pressure on the retail middle ground. "They often lack ...
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Forget the Handshake: Mastering LinkedIn Networking for Kiwi Businesses
- March 14, 2024
Meet-and-greet business networking may soon be a thing of the past for New Zealand's small and medium businesses (SMEs)—worryingly, however, most Kiwi SMEs seemingly lack the mindset and skill set to adapt. While referrals and word-of-mouth (WOM) have traditionally been king, the digital landscape demands a new approach. Unfortunately, many Kiwi businesses appear to be struggling to translate their traditional networking skills to platforms like LinkedIn. "The problem is, many busine...
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Death of SaaS as AI redefines the shopping experience?
- February 8, 2024
The demand by New Zealand consumers for speed, convenience and experiential shopping in 2024 may mean that most software as a service (SaaS) solutions – particularly in retail – have passed their 'use by date' even before reaching maturity as AI moves to transform the shopping experience. Managing Director of eCommerce Integration Specialists Convergence Mark Presnell predicts that the SaaS market may disappear as quickly as it arrived because it cannot offer best-of-breed function...
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Digital Darwinism: B2B sector urged to adapt or die in 2024
- December 28, 2023
Business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce companies are urged to look to business-to-consumer (B2C) for digital strategies to help them survive the tightening and evolving New Zealand economy in 2024. Mark Presnell, Managing Director of Convergence, an eCommerce integration firm based in Auckland, says the B2B sector has been caught napping because traditional strategies, like referrals and in-person visits, are no longer as effective as they were pre-pandemic because of the rise of remote wor...
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The holidays do not need to be a time of despair for SMEs
- December 22, 2023
While many look forward to the holiday break, there will be many New Zealand businesses looking forward with a sense of dread because the downturn in activity is not only painful, but it can also lead to business failure. Assia Salikhova, the Managing Director of Wellington business development agency Smarketing Lab, suggests that businesses don’t have to give in to defeat. “The holidays don’t have to be a freeze period for businesses,” Salikhova says. “It’s those who sei...
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A shift in data privacy and trust: Can we trust the cloud?
- December 5, 2023
In an unexpected development in the evolution of artificial intelligence (AI), many companies may reconsider using cloud-based AI systems in favour of on-premises servers. This shift, spurred by increasing concerns over AI's capacity to safeguard data confidentiality and privacy, signifies a notable reversal from the previous trend towards cloud computing. Mark Presnell, Managing Director of Convergence, an eCommerce integration firm based in Auckland, said that most people were under...
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The holidays are tough on many businesses, but here’s how to get through
- December 4, 2023
While many SMEs and some bigger companies brace for the Christmas cashflow slump--because of that 'holiday feeling'--there is no reason to resign themselves to a tough two or three months if they exercise some initiative. Irwin Hau, the founder and director of Melbourne web design agency Chromatix and the Australasian MarTech SaaS start-up ConversionCow, urges businesses to take the initiative and make hay while everybody sleeps. "The business-to-business sector largely fal...
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Ten last minute Christmas gift ideas you can make for under $1
- December 4, 2023
With Christmas just around the corner, many people may not have realised that they can use artificial intelligence (AI) to revolutionise the gifts they give with a unique blend of creativity, technology, and a personal touch. Irwin Hau, the founder and director of Chromatix Web Design, a renowned web design agency in Melbourne, and the Australasian MarTech SaaS start-up ConversionCow, said innovative gift ideas not only leverage the latest in AI and technology but also add a personal ...
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Kiwi businesses warned to beware of losing secrets to ChatGPT
- November 6, 2023
The recent unintended leak of Samsung's confidential source code, when a staff member decided to use ChatGPT, should warn all New Zealand companies that their intellectual property is at risk when staff are allowed to use artificial intelligence unchecked. Mark Presnell, the managing director of Auckland eCommerce integration company Convergence, said the incident underlines the potential perils of AI when used in a company setting. "Every company offers a point of difference because that ...
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AirNZ's outsourcing move keeps local contact centre staff on their knees
- October 26, 2023
Air New Zealand's decision to temporarily outsource some call centre activities to the Philippines because there is a shortage of suitable staff is understandable, but also a self-perpetuating practise because it cheapens the profession—the moment you find a cheaper alternative, the less locals earn, says industry body Customer Contact Network New Zealand (CCNNZ). CCNNZ CEO, Elias Kanaris, said he understands Air New Zealand's decision to move contact centre activities offshore temporarily ...
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Outing the hype: The need to return to 'honest Australian business' online
- September 27, 2023
Fake claims and half-truths are more significant and even more acceptable in 2023 than ever before, particularly in social media and on websites, which puts pressure on 'honest' Australian businesses to compete against over-hyped promises from some competitors. Irwin Hau, the founder and director of Chromatix Web Design and the Australian tech SaaS start-up ConversionCow, is urging honest businesses to bulk up their trust factors to make it easier for their customers to distinguish between ...
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Retail business owners falling short on educating themselves about technology
- September 19, 2023
In this new digital driven world New Zealand retailers continue to lose money and opportunity because of not only their reluctance to invest in technology but more so by their failure to upskill and learn more about the tech driving their businesses—it's no longer something that retailers can simply 'leave to the experts'. Mark Presnell, who is managing director of Auckland eCommerce integration company Convergence, says that while Kiwi business owners are often derided for being slow to t...
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Digital divide could mean early retirement for many Kiwi businesses
- September 12, 2023
A changing of the guard is gaining pace in New Zealand with the rise of 'younger' decision-makers in their 20s and 30s who rely on digital media like LinkedIn to network, job hunt and inform decisions. It's a development that is leaving behind older business owners and managers and causing a generational shift in power far sooner than previous generations. Assia Salikhova, the Managing Director of Wellington business development agency Smarketing Lab, says many busin...
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Kiwi retailers urged: Forget convenience, keep your promise instead
- August 10, 2023
A concerning trend by New Zealand's retailers is to take the easy route and opt for well-known, "convenient” technology stacks—usually American—like WooCommerce, Wix and Shopify; they are generic and frequently don’t allow retailers to fully deliver on their unique customer experience promise. Mark Presnell, who is the managing director of Auckland eCommerce integration company Convergence, says his integration company works with many and various technology stacks. Still, almost e...
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Is the famous Kiwi ‘can do’ attitude sabotaging growth?
- July 27, 2023
A Kiwi’s natural tendency to get stuck in is often seen as a positive, but it may also have a darker side because business owners (SMEs) are so busy doing, that they don't see the train coming. Assia Salikhova, the Managing Director of Wellington business development agency Smarketing Lab, says she comes across business leaders who were caught out by the disruptions that resulted from the recent school holidays slow down, even though school holidays come around four times a year, every year...
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Hybrid shopping the future but human element at risk
- June 28, 2023
The future of retailing is unfolding, and it’s hybrid—a combination of online shopping and in-person—and Kiwi retailers need to adapt fast and implement a multi-channel buying experience to remain relevant in the marketplace. Mark Presnell, the CEO of Convergence, a specialist in eCommerce integration, says the new model combines online and offline shopping, putting pressure on retailers to offer a seamless and convenient engagement. “It is not uncommon for New Zealanders to place...
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Times for retailers may be tough, but that’s no excuse for cutting staff
- May 30, 2023
There’s no question that Kiwi retailers are struggling with reports that almost half did not achieve their sales targets in the first quarter of 2023, and while some may be pondering cutting staff—if they haven’t already—but that would be a mistake. Mark Presnell, the CEO of Convergence, a specialist in eCommerce integration, is urging employers to avoid going down the same old path of cutting people loose because such cost-cutting tactics are a thing of the past. Retailers have so ma...
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Improving customer experience key to local eCommerce competitiveness
- April 27, 2023
Kiwi retailers can defend against the incursions into the New Zealand market by overseas eCommerce retailers offering better prices, but they will need to deliver a flawless customer experience; the problem is that so few local retailers recognise the opportunity. Mark Presnell, the CEO of Convergence, a specialist in eCommerce integration, says, "She'll be right won't wash with globalisation, especially as the current global supply chain mess is limiting local access to products to which US...
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New Zealand SMEs urged to prepare for tough times.
- April 4, 2023
As SMEs across New Zealand face pressure from various adverse conditions such as rising interest rates, labour shortages, and declining sales, it's now urgent for SMEs to take proactive steps to prepare for the coming storm. Vijay Nyayapati, an EOS facilitator who works with big and small clients across New Zealand, says some clients have noticed declining sales, some as high as an 80 per cent drop. "Interest rates are rising, and businesses that are not prepared will f...
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Threat of downturn must shift attention to loyalty
- March 29, 2023
Rising interest rates, a recession on the horizon and high levels of inflation combined, make for a perfect storm that will put huge pressure on retailers already under strain after the pandemic, unless they get better at retaining customers through loyalty initiatives. Mark Presnell, who is the managing director of eCommerce integration company Convergence, said a clever loyalty programme can create the highest marketing return on investment by helping to keep customers engaged. “But it...
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Minimum wage increases will hurt already reeling horticultural industry
- March 21, 2023
The minimum wage increase in April will cut into the New Zealand horticultural industry's already tight margins and put increased financial pressure on a sector decimated by bad weather, not least the floods. Some small growers could go under as a result. From April 1 this year, the adult minimum wage across New Zealand will rise to $22.70 per hour. The training and starting wage rates will increase from $16.96 to $18.16. "We're not say don't pay fair wages for a fair day's work—pick...
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NZ tourism industry warned expect a different Chinese tourist post COVID
- March 2, 2023
New Zealand is one of a select few countries granted approved destination status (ADS) by China's Ministry of Culture and Tourism, however, Kiwi businesses need to start marketing to China urgently if local businesses want to benefit—but Kiwis will need to focus on certain changes in Chinese tourist thinking and priorities. Anne Casey, the chief executive of Marketing Minds, a local marketing agency that works in the Chinese market, said research published in December 2022 revealed that t...
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Co-working spaces overtaking work-from-home and the traditional office
- February 22, 2023
The Crate Flexible Office Space–a coworking facility on Auckland's North Shore–is experiencing an overwhelming number of inquiries weekly compared to any other time since it was founded 10 years ago--demand is booming in the new reset. A few months ago, working from home was the new normal, and few held out hope of a complete return to the office. While that trend seems to be holding steady, it isn't the whole story. From The Crate’s current experience, Coworking is fast overtaking th...
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Mom ‘n pop investors moving to sell-up amid recession fear
- February 10, 2023
As interest rates rise and house prices start to come down, the market is seeing a rise in mom-and-pop property investors contemplating whether to sell their investment properties in the expectation that times may get tougher, said Ray White Mairangi Bay agent Drew Miller. New data from the CoreLogic House Price Index showed home prices might dip a further 15-20% in the second half of 2023. On top of that, while increases in the Reserve Bank’s official cash rate (OCR) are forecast...
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Kiwi retailers returns processes frustrating customers and losing money
- February 10, 2023
With 30 per cent of all products purchased online likely to be 'comebacks', the returns process continues to be an underestimated cost to retailers--many do not know the number of returns or resulting losses--and a source of frustration for Kiwi shoppers. According to NZ Post, New Zealanders spent more than $550m online on physical goods during the significant November sales events such as Click Frenzy, Singles' Day, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. That equated to about 161,000 transactions ...
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Pandemic changed work-life priorities for self-employed and SME owners too
- January 9, 2023
A pandemic induced slowdown in immigration, escalating compliance obligations, widespread talent shortages and the subsequent high cost of labour is driving a sharp increase in Kiwi SMEs looking to outsource everything from administration and compliance obligations to sales support. Director and co-founder of ManageMe Outsourcing Services, Tatjana Day, said today that the outsourcing trend is another example of how companies and people are adapting to the changed post-pandemic environme...
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Rise of AI marketing tools a potential honey trap for Kiwi SMEs
- January 5, 2023
An award-winning New Zealand marketing agency is warning that the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) tools like copy.ai and the new ChatGPT, while useful, could quickly turn into money or time traps for unsuspecting business owners looking for a silver bullet. This year’s winner of the Westpac Auckland Business Awards 2022 (South & East) Excellence in Marketing, CEO and founder of the Auckland marketing agency Marketing Minds, Anne Casey, said people are always looking for a shortcu...
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New Zealand’s eCommerce sector failing the customer experience
- January 4, 2023
A New Zealand eCommerce expert is worried that the art of retail may be lost to the cookie cutter approach currently dominating local online shopping sites. Mark Presnell, managing director of eCommerce Integration Specialists Convergence—a company that integrates eCommerce sites with backend software and processes— believes New Zealand’s eCommerce retailers could be more successful if they stopped boring shoppers and instead rediscovered the art of both the ‘theme’ and the ‘sho...
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SMEs warned to beware of digital snares this Christmas
- December 8, 2022
Digital marketing technology may be more of a time waster and productivity killer than a panacea this Christmas because it could ty your staff away from other important activities like customer service, an Auckland digital agency warns. Fuel Design director, Jason Carr, said wasted time can be crippling for e-commerce and bricks-and-mortar companies, both of which are hoping to capitalise on the revenue injection during the Christmas shopping rush period. This holiday season, a lot of reta...
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Online retailers urged: Don’t make gift returns a nightmare this Christmas
- December 8, 2022
One of the most important ways an online retailer can make themselves more attractive to shoppers looking online for Christmas gifts this year is to provide a strong returns process to build trust and confidence with consumers. Mark Presnell, managing director of eCommerce Integration Specialists Convergence—a company that integrates eCommerce sites with backend software and processes—said eCommerce is not only handicapped by the inability of shoppers to touch, smell, and try on a product...
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House vendor confusion leading to losses and disappointment
- November 25, 2022
Property vendors who try to outsmart the market by holding out for the heady sales prices of yesterday are bound to come unstuck, a local Ray White real estate agent is warning. Ray White Mairangi Bay real estate agent, Drew Miller, said today that mixed messages from commentators about where the market is going is leading to vendor confusion, indecision and, in some cases, cause financial losses. "People hear that prices are trending down, then they read that some regions are recording re...
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Death of Ads: Kiwi SMEs grappling with how to front their own marketing
- May 6, 2022
The demise of flashy advertising and catchy jingles has created new and uncomfortable pressure for mom-and-pop business owners who now have to front their own interactive marketing media, and it's a reality that's leaving many cold. Presentation coach and former NZME broadcaster John Maybury said customers expect the people they are buying from to interact with them, but it's a level of personal engagement that few business leaders feel equipped and confident enough to handle. "For most Ki...
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SEO For Small Business
- April 4, 2022
As leaders and business owners do you sometimes wonder about how much of an expert you really need to be? Personally, I have subscribed to this quote: “Even if you don’t do the work, you should know the work.” The statement is loaded with tripwires and it needs to be used with some caution. You need to guard against being a micromanager, or thinking you need to be the expert in everything to be an effective leader. Equally, you don’t want to get bogged down in the detail, but unless y...
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Purpose and Expression
- March 21, 2022
The 2 words you need to train your staff NEVER to say. If you employ staff, why do you? I am not referring to legal semantics here, like are they employed or are the subcontractors etc. What I am asking here is: are you employing staff just to lay your hands on, well, more hands? Or in the ideal world, should these people be contributing to the overall improvement of the business? No judgement here, either scenario could work for you. If you just want more available hands then the path to ...
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How to use influencer marketing
- March 9, 2022
What is influencer marketing? With the rise of more and more people becoming influencers by gaining huge followings of ‘fans’ on social media platforms, there is a great opportunity for marketers to invest in influencers. Influencer marketing is a type of social media marketing where influencers are paid to promote and endorse products. The reason it works so well says it all in the name, ‘influencers’. They are able to influence what their followers will purchase as they have esta...
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Your good news is boring
- February 11, 2022
The media is full of bad news because we are drawn to conflict and carnage, but not because our instincts move us to watch for threats (as some suggest). I believe that it’s not the negativity that draws us, but our irrepressible hope for a happy ending. Understanding this will make your content more interesting. If you want to share positive, upbeat content, the chances are that it will flop (almost as badly as my recent plunge off the rocks at Piroa Falls, Maungaturoto). Like rubbernec...
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Customer relationships could save Kiwi SMEs in Covid aftermath
- February 9, 2022
Now, as New Zealanders finally start to look to life in a post-pandemic economy – with the disruptions and challenges that isolation and rising inflation may bring – Kiwi SMEs will have a better chance of getting through if they prioritise customer relationships and connectedness. Bejoy Jose, the director of Mello Technologies – a digital marketing agency and authorised Zoho Customer Relationship Management partner based in Auckland – said its often the aftermath of global events like...
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Is your content marketing barking up the wrong tree?
- January 19, 2022
Research suggests that more than 70% of created content dies a lonely death. Could you be making this common audience strategy mistake? Building an audience is difficult because most companies settle for obvious content, usually in their area of expertise, without thinking through the subtleties of what their potential audience really needs. To illustrate this, imagine you want to create an IT support podcast that appeals to company CEOs and general managers (the decision-makers). The podc...
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Let your brand lead demand
- September 6, 2021
By Sanele Ngubane A brand is far more than the name of a company or business; it's the identifier, the mission statement, the integrity and the backbone of it. A nurtured, purposefully curated, and consistent brand will create long-lasting demand. It should be "what you see is what you get" in the most positive sense of the phrase. Let the branding that your consumer sees manage the expectation of the service you provide. To have a brand leading the demand, you need to build a stron...
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YouTube, Vimeo & Self Hosting Videos: What Option Should You Use?
- March 31, 2021
Firstly there are several players in the market when it comes to video hosting and if you’re running a site that depends on videos then there are other solutions for you that are not mentioned in this post. This post is designed to help the average company who wants to put promotional, training or even testimonial videos on their website. YouTube is the world’s most well known and most used video streaming service behind Netflix. YouTube accounts ...
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Conversion Rate Optimisation Explained
- March 26, 2021
It does not matter whether you sell camping gear, financial services, or eco-friendly clothing, one of your main goals is to convert as many leads into sales as possible. This is what conversion rate optimisation is all about. Often shortened to CRO, conversion rate optimisation is something that no business can afford to overlook today. Not only does it help you to improve your bottom line, but it will save costs, empower your marketing team, and increase the efficiency and sales of multi...
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What is Digital Marketing?
- January 8, 2021
We talk a lot about digital marketing here at Mars Digital, but I don’t believe I’ve ever gone into an explanation of exactly what digital marketing is. So this is exactly what I’ll be doing in this post. At a very high level, digital marketing is the process or act of advertising through and on digital platforms such as search engines like Google (through SEO, PPC, and more), websites, social media, email, and mobile applications. While putting together notes for this article I actuall...
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5 Conversion Rate Optimisation Tips
- January 7, 2021
While your site maybe number one from an SEO perspective, there really is no point if it’s not generating any leads or sales; and that is where conversation rate optimisation comes in. Conversion rate optimisation is rooted heavily in user experience and design and is the process of improving a websites performance when it comes to “converting” traffic. Here are five tips you can do right now to improve the conversion of your website. 1. Show off Your Pr...
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Add a Google Reviews Link to Your Invoices
- January 4, 2021
[et_pb_section fb_built="1" admin_label="section" _builder_version="3.22"][et_pb_row admin_label="row" _builder_version="3.25" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat"][et_pb_column type="4_4" _builder_version="3.25" custom_padding="|||" custom_padding__hover="|||"][et_pb_text admin_label="Text" _builder_version="4.7.4" background_size="initial" background_position="top_left" background_repeat="repeat"]Reviews are a powerful way to build trust with your...
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How NZ Labour crushed the National Party on Facebook
- November 3, 2020
The National Party spent approximately $167,000 more on Facebook than Labour or the Greens in the lead up to the recent general election but their strategy to use multiple messages across a broad range of topics – compared to Labour's one or two – may have helped contribute to their undoing. Chief Executive Officer of Auckland digital marketing agency Insight Online, Kim Voon, said today that Labour's Facebook campaign was characterised by just one, sometimes two, messages consistently. ...
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