Customers are at the heart of any business. Positive customer engagement can increase your business’ appeal and boost long-term customer satisfaction. Explore advice on how to take customer feedback and turn it in to constructive change to improve your business.
As society becomes more digitally connected, technology is helping to unleash the potential of many regional businesses.
Even as COVID-19 restrictions ease in most states, many consumers are still choosing to shop online instead of in store. But are you delivering when it comes to delivery?
Despite COVID-19 restrictions easing, many people might still prefer to shop online instead of in-store this Christmas. Is your business ready to meet the demands of the holiday rush?
New technology has been changing the way consumers pay for goods and services for a while, but the physical limitations caused by COVID-19 have only accelerated the shift. As s...
Finding – and keeping – your competitive edge as a business is a tricky affair. If you’ve made a recent pivot to online trade, the way you interact with your consumers has like...
It’s no secret that video is an excellent medium to deliver a marketing message. Whether your objective is brand awareness, product education or sales, nothing captures attenti...
With these simple changes, your business can revitalise its online checkout experience to meet your customers’ expectations – and to keep them coming back.
Your website needs to keep up with the latest digital marketing trends and best practices to find new customers and maintain a healthy, sustainable rate of sales. Unsure where ...
Are you looking to get extra attention for your business online – and quickly – but don’t know where to start? Here’s a guide to help you DIY your digital marketing when you do...
Many small businesses in Australia may find that their websites could actually be doing them more harm than good. Running a small business means juggling many balls at once – a...
Without a website, it can be hard for potential customers to find your business. Thankfully, it's easy to get online and connect with new customers across town and around the w...
Customers love finding bargains online – no surprises there. But in recent years, digital sales events such as Click Frenzy, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have had a real impac...
For many, SEO can seem like a foreign concept, better left to tech brands. But there are very real benefits to having a smart site, and easy ways to go about it. Search Engine ...
If your business isn’t online today, does it exist? The short answer is no – because 62% of customers won’t consider a small business if they can’t find it online. This disconn...
The majority of Australian customers regularly use search engines to find and research a business, but as Telstra’s most recent Small Business Intelligence Report tells, only 2...
Businesses around Australia are engaging with more customers and solving emerging business problems with data. We’re looking at more ways you can use this information to equip ...
Little Big Company is a predominantly online business using efficient communications to manage customer orders. As the industry evolves, so too does the company. All success...
You don’t need a million dollar budget to get the best logo. Start-ups and small businesses now have access to world-class designers thanks to dedicated online marketplaces. It...
These days, marketing your business effectively doesn’t require advanced skills or hefty budgets. These 5 tips are today’s fundamentals – make sure your business is doing them ...
Social media can be a valuable tool to grow your business. Here are some simple ways to make the most of it. Social media is all about building relationships. When you put your...
Why settle for a good relationship when you can have a great relationship? Be the best in your trade, build rapport and let the power of word-of-mouth see your business soar. G...
Avoid mistakes, focus on mobile and learn the tricks of the trade from digital expert Stephen Scheeler, Senior Advisor at McKinsey & Company and former Managing Director of Fac...
Active Truth is a home-grown business success story, with a mission to help women of every size and shape feel good, look good and get moving. But while the activewear brand ha...
Want your client base to grow and stay loyal to your business? Follow these basic customer service steps and enjoy the long-term benefits. Building quality customer relationsh...
Social media and digital marketing can help you reach customers in many places, 24 hours a day. Unfortunately, small business owners can't work in many places, every hour of th...
Excellent customer service is the cornerstone of a booming business, but delivering on your promises can sometimes be a challenge. Jeff Haden looks at the best ways to achieve ...
The old saying: If you please a customer they’ll tell one person, but a bad experience and they’ll tell seven. Here’s how to flip those figures and get the good rap ‘brand amba...
Every interaction with a customer needs to add value to the relationship. What motivates your customers to choose your business instead of your competitors’? Is it price, quali...
We’re in the middle of a digital marketing revolution, with an array of digital tools and technologies available to small businesses. But, as with any tool, it’s how you use it...
79 per cent of Australians use social media, with 59 per cent logging in five times a day or more (Sensis*). Yet many small businesses are unsure how to use social media effect...
When small businesses want to boost customer loyalty, they often focus on dis-counts and special offers. However, there are many more ways you can make customers feel all that ...
While many businesses look at technology as a way to make them more productive, others see it as an opportunity to delight customers. Adding a little tech to your business coul...
Chances are, you’ve visited a website that immediately made you perform an action. That could be signing up to a newsletter, buying a product, or clicking on a button. It’s be...
We asked two experts, VinoMofo CEO and co-founder Andre Eikmeier and Booktopia founder Tony Nash, what makes their customers click that magical ‘purchase’ button. Again and aga...
With businesses operating in so many different channels—both on and offline—the challenge is how to give your customers the consistent and unified experience they expect. Today...
Where has this year gone? In less than a month we’ll be cranking the Christmas tunes, stuffing ourselves silly on turkey, seafood and pudding, and sitting around the Christmas ...
Artisans the world over have discovered e-commerce, overcoming the disadvantage of small scale and remoteness from the market to help take their products to the world. The onli...
Even smaller operations can mine social media data and use those insights to build a better business. To most of us, the unique selling point of social media is the attention i...
The Smarter Guide To Marketing 2.0 brings together some of the brightest marketing minds to help get your business on top. In a world where a global marketplace is an internet ...
Some retailers are using same-day delivery to entice online shoppers and trump the competition. But is delivery within a few hours something that most retailers can realistical...
You don’t need to exhaust yourself being all over every variety of social media, just choose the channels where your customers are. One of the questions I’m often asked about m...
Bicycles Online started life in a backstreet garage and, on the strength of its great customer service and streamlined e-commerce processes, now turns over $5 million annually.
Direct mail has been the faithful companion for marketers for aeons. And merging the digital with the physical is giving it a new lease on life. Direct mail was once a faithful...
Marketing is a fundamental ingredient in the recipe book for success in businesses. But as technology continues to create new ways of talking to your audience, we look at what ...
Shaun McInerney of Fresh Fellas says his best tool for customer service is right there in his pocket – his Telstra smartphone. It doesn’t get more competitive than the bustle o...
Taking the first steps into the world of eCommerce can sometimes seem like a daunting process. For a couple of businesses that attended the Neto eCommerce bootcamp last year, t...
Marketing to a culturally diverse audience can be tricky. Even if your customers are based in Australia, its size and multiculturalism mean careful consideration of your audien...
Selling online is now a firm component within most businesses’ digital strategy. We speak to the founder of Australia’s National Online Retailers Association for his thoughts o...
Looking to launch an online retail offering? We spoke to four Aussie online stars for their stories, secrets and eCommerce lessons learned in setting up.
What is Webrooming and how you can take advantage of this shopping trend? Webrooming is the sibling of showrooming, which is the practice of using stores to compare produc...
Regardless of the type of business you have, or product or service you sell, there is massive untapped potential in email marketing and the automation of your campaigns. In an ...
With email, there’s a fine line between ‘read’ and ‘delete’. How can you make sure you’re getting cut-through? Out of all the forms of marketing your business, email is still o...
Over more than 150 years, the Victoria Racing Club has built a brand that’s gone global and appeals to Aussies from vastly different social strata. We speak to CEO Simon Love a...
Mass production as a competitive advantage is no longer enough. To meet customer expectations, manufacturers need to turn to mass customisation. In days gone by, manufacturers ...
Marketing can be an expensive exercise, but knowing what the media is after can go a long way towards getting your name out in the local community. Public Relations is the age-...
Looking for something to help you land the next big deal? Jeff Haden explores the tech that can help you get the (digital) ink on the page. Selling: every business owner does i...
Everyone likes dealing with their friends. But can a social relationship between business and consumer benefit the bottom line? You know that rush of adrenaline you get when yo...
Sometimes the best way to market your business isn’t to go big, and a focus closer to home is more valuable. Local Area Marketing (LAM) means the marketing and advertising acti...
How can you transform your retail business overnight? Start by encouraging your staff to step out from behind the counter - and support a greater focus on the customer with new...
A new report from Telstra, The Personal Supply Chain shows that retail is changing, with omni-channel shopping at the heart of the new paradigm. Twenty years ago, there was onl...
Marketing and advertising are crucial when building a brand. However, there’s another piece of the jigsaw that’s often overlooked: authenticity. Here’s why, as a business owner...
Small businesses are spoilt for choice when it comes to advertising. But with more users than the other major social networks, Facebook holds many opportunities for business. A...
Retail and customer service is dramatically changing, but a world where the online experience is also offline is becoming increasingly important. The overwhelming movement for ...
Quality isn’t an optional extra any more. It’s the status quo. Jeff Haden looks at why quality breeds loyalty. And loyalty delivers on the bottom line. You already know this, b...
When you set yourself a fundraising target, there are many ways to raise the capital. And today, more and more people are turning to crowdfunding to help them reach their goals...
Telstra brought experts together to discuss how businesses could make the most of their social media. Smarter has the highlights from the session. In a recent free Telstra Virt...
In a world where first impressions take just milliseconds to form, we look at the psychology of selling and spill the secrets to sale success. Owning a business is no small fea...
The internet and the online business world are ablaze with growth hacking. It’s a startup movement that uses data as a backbone to creatively fuel customer conversion, retentio...
Next time you walk into a department store, electronics chain or even your local pizzeria and ask one of the Retail assistants a question, there’s a chance they will consult th...
Social media can be one of the most effective places to market your business, but with so many different sites out there, how can you know where to start?
LinkedIn is more than a glorified Rolodex. It’s not just another site for job seekers and recruiters. And while it falls under a social media platform, like Facebook, or Twitte...
Multi-channel customer experience sounds like something big companies worry about. But with social media, websites and marketing collateral, small businesses need to present a ...
It might seem like the internet’s new buzzword, but growth hacking is serious business. And it’s changing the way smart companies think about acquiring and retaining new custom...
Personal branding can help you build your business, create engagement with customers and give insights into your values. So why do so many businesses shy away? When it comes to...
Investments in technology are essential – but don’t believe it will make the humble sales assistant an artifact of history. Customer satisfaction with in-store service is at a ...
From the first moment you place your customers on hold, make them queue for service or keep them waiting for a reply, you redefine your importance to them. Want to keep their l...
Find out how generosity, responsiveness and proximity can boost customer engagement. Tiffany Loh sits down with Nima Yassini and Robert Hutchison, authors of GRiP: A New Approa...
Your competition has just ended and you’ve been able to add hundreds of names to your database. Your next challenge is to tempt them to look at your offerings and make a purcha...
A recent Gartner Report on the rise of customer experience found that 65 per cent of companies surveyed had a dedicated Customer Experience Officer in their senior team. The ap...
Direct response TV has come a long way since those yell and sell spots we remember from years gone by. Direct response television (DRTV) has formed the backbone of marketing st...
Of all the online marketing strategies out there, few compare to the longevity and effectiveness of content marketing. And REA Group is a prime example of content done well. Th...
Bricks and mortar stores are waging a battle against the rising number of online sales. So how do you drive foot traffic? Innovative tools that can help drive foot traffic into...
In the second part of our series, Google Australia and New Zealand’s Head of Business and Brand Marketing talks about search engine marketing, analytics and the future of brows...
In a two-part series, we talk to Google Australia and New Zealand’s Head of Small and Medium Business Marketing on how businesses can market themselves online. According to Goo...
Discover how to take advantage of technology to nail your client meetings and make the most of sales opportunities. The word CRM (acronym for customer relationship management) ...
We all want the best products and a high level of service. If these expectations aren’t met, don’t expect to see a customer again. Here are four behaviours that will make you l...
Global companies are moving beyond seeing ‘social’ as media and are engaging social tools into everyday marketing messages. Where does Australia rate with this trend? Business ...
It is widely believed to be obvious that e-commerce fulfilment from the bricks-and-mortar store is a good thing. But is the model as efficient as we think? One of the keys to p...
When you engage your customers via social media, you’re speaking to them while they’re immersed in their lives, sometimes in places as intimate as their bedroom. Here’s how to ...
‘Push’ marketing has some converts among shoppers – but there are still plenty of doubters. When it comes to 'push' marketing by brands and Retailers, less is usually more...
Whispers that the social media giant was working on a new product aimed at businesses were first heard six months ago. With the pilot program now available, find out why compan...
Make sure customers come back. Find out how to build a bridge from individual transactions to long lasting customer relationships. Traditional, longstanding ideas in consumer-f...
If you could make one investment that had these three outcomes – motivate and inspire staff, spread the word to new networks about your brand and stimulate creativity within th...
Social selling is fast becoming a mandatory program for any business. But without the right framework, will your social sales strategy sink or swim?
It’s time for the business card to step aside. The book you’ve penned about your business is now the best way to generate business leads and let people know you’re the expert.
Don’t be fooled by the recent moderation in spending growth by Australians on merchandise from overseas-based e-Retail sites. Global cross-border e commerce is vibrant and pros...
Can small businesses rely on social media to drive a promotional campaign?
Is there anything more exciting than being trackside at a big horseracing carnival? The betting thrills, the people watching and of course the magnificent horses make the races...
It’s a mixed up muddled up world as online retailers open stores. Find out what this trend means for you.
All of the best recreational, educational, and training apps are designed to keep users interested. Here’s how you can build an app that conquers boredom.
How to extract the feedback you need to grow your business.
Can technology save the shopping centre and provide a well-oiled experience for customers?
Why online Retailers need a m-commerce strategy. Part 2 of our interview with Adam Jacobs from The Iconic.
Retail analyst Michael Baker talks to Adam Jacobs, co-founder and managing director of The Iconic, about starting the leading fashion Retailer.
Adam Jacobs, co-founder and managing director of The Iconic, discusses ways to make e commerce returns simpler for customers.
More than half of Australian small businesses are trailing their competitors in the online sphere. Smarter takes a look at a new course that promises to make it easier.
Facebook’s visuals-based social media network Instagram has launched its own standalone video app. Here's how to get the most out of it for your business. Last June, Instagram ...
Murky waters exist in every industry, but some get a worse rap than others. Here’s how you can throw your business a lifeline and prove to your customers you're worth their tru...
Online shoppers are set for a new experience with the launch of the online marketplace Alphatise, where buyers get behind the wheel of the consumer wagon. We chat to Ben Nowlan...
Online shoppers are set for a new experience with the launch of the online marketplace Alphatise, where buyers get behind the wheel of the consumer wagon. We chat to Ben Nowlan...
The mobile phone is our constant companion, so is it the perfect device to deliver advertising?
Deborah Latouf decided her children came first and started Entropy. Deborah Latouf, former sports scientist, started Entropy in 2007 when she decided that her children cam...
Stay connected and use the most of the tools and technology available to business owners. The adage of many successful small businesses used to be ‘location, location, location...
To what degree should a store be used to fulfil e commerce orders? In the omnichannel retailing world, the physical store, once merely a humble sales channel, knows it has to b...
For many businesses, the last quarter of the financial year is make-or-break time. If your revenue projections peak towards the busy Christmas or summer season, now's the time ...
Difficult deliveries for online orders is holding back e commerce in Australia. One of the things that continues to confound e-commerce in Australia is the challenge of deliver...
Local businesses possess all the tools of building customer relationships that the big brands use. Among the most highly paid and sought-after advertising executives these days...
Can your bricks-and-mortar store compete with e commerce tactics and still retain customers? Charging different customers a different price for the same product at the same tim...
Facebook's business pages received new features and new ways of finding and using the tools you need. Facebook begun rolling out their back-to-basics take on the News Feed, but...
New research looks into e commerce industry trends to reveal the industry sectors on the rise. Aussie e-commerce platform, Bigcommerce, which powers more than 50,000 online sto...
Ever wondered how business owners get the opportunity to provide expert comment in print or digital articles? Read on for tips on becoming a journalist’s source. Here’s the str...
Businesses don't just thrive on the quality of their products or services. It is crucial that every aspect of your brand is sending out the right signs, as Rowan Dean explains.
One of the issues that most small businesses face when it comes to digital marketing is the money-time conundrum. When running all the aspects of a business is already more tha...
Tiffany Loh explores how glamour portrait company Sherbet Birdie gets the best out of social media. Sherbet Birdie’s glamour portraits have a vintage flair, but Sasha Dobies us...
Increasingly professional service firms are using the ‘free report’ or ‘white paper’ as a marketing strategy, and here's why. Whether you’re running a building inspection servi...
You don't have to pretend to be someone or something you're not for your business to get publicity. There’s a lot of hype and quite a bit of nervousness around personal brandin...
These easy steps can help you build your following without a huge marketing spend. Social media is now an integral part of marketing and advertising plans, but some small ...
A customer loyalty program is much more than a card-based reward system - it's a way to create brand fanatics. The report For Love or Money? 2013 Consumer Study into Australian...
A captive (car bound) audience and a reach of millions across many demographics – but is radio in reach of a small business budget? Radio as an advertising medium will allow yo...
Sometimes it comes down to having the right vibe to persuade people to spend their money with you – and that’s regardless of price, says Rowan Dean. I remember one of my first ...
Delizia’s gelato was a trade secret among Brisbane’s top restaurants until the family business started sharing its history with the general public in a major brand redesign. It...
Steven Curtotti’s Wild Olives Italian restaurant is growing in popularity, thanks to its loyal customers and a Sensis digital marketing makeover. Wild Olives had only recently ...
Facebook's graph search functionality has now launched, here's how to help customers discover your business when using it. Announced in January and released to a limited audien...
These healthcare equipment providers use the Telstra DOT (Digital Office Technology)™ package to serve their clients better. It’s been just over a year since Katheran Pettigrew...