Coaching Builds Business Excellence
A collaborative approach to marketing has led to the success of one of the Hutt Valley’s best new businesses.
Cartridge World Lower Hutt, winner of the Best Emerging Business category in the 2002 Hutt Valley Business Excellence Awards, has utilised marketing coaching since opening two years ago. The success of the Lower Hutt store has enabled Cartridge World to expand into the Wellington market, with a new store opening in central Wellington in August.
Marketing coaching is a step away from the traditional practice of employing a consultant to provide and implement a marketing plan, by enabling local businesses to undertake their own marketing. It was evident in the 2002 Hutt Valley Business Excellence awards that those companies that had external marketing coaching were well represented amongst the winners.
Bill Swan, manager of Cartridge World Lower Hutt, says employing Helen Down, a marketing coach from Synthesis Marketing, is the “number one best business decision” he ever made.
“I can categorically state that every business owner should have a Helen – someone who is more a marketing coach than a traditional marketing consultant,” says Mr Swan. “The coaching she has provided for us has been very interactive and very much a two way relationship, rather than just being told ‘This is what you are going to do’. Our marketing plan started from a template we were given from Synthesis Marketing and we have built it cooperatively through a lot of brainstorming and discussion.”
Mr Swan believes the benefits to Cartridge World Lower Hutt of this collaborative approach to marketing have been tremendous.
“Marketing coaching to me means having an external partner in your business who can view it from a different perspective and keep prompting you to achieve your dream. When you’re involved in day to day running of a business you can get narrow minded in your thoughts and end up focusing on the next thing on the ‘to do’ list, rather than the big picture. Coaching forces us to keep looking at the big picture and reminds us of where we are heading.
“Having someone like Helen as a marketing coach means that you always have someone to bounce ideas off and it takes the loneliness out of owning a business. I can drop her an email or call up anytime to discuss a new idea.”
Ms Down, managing director of Synthesis Marketing, believes marketing coaching is a cost effective way for small and medium businesses to have an experienced marketing professional working for them.
“Marketing is not difficult and with the right coaching and guidance businesses are able to take the product and industry knowledge they already have and use it to make sound business decisions. The coaches hindsight and business experience can become the business owners foresight, enabling them to avoid costly mistakes.”
Published: Hutt Valley Business Monthly, October 2003.
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