Tech sector marketers unite – to market themselves

New group has made its debut with events in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland supported by Spark subsidiary Qrious

A number of specialist technology marketers and strategists have bandied together to form the Technology Marketers Group to boost the role of marketing in technology companies with the goal of boosting the success of New Zealand technology companies in domestic and export markets.

The group has made its debut with events in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland supported by Spark subsidiary Qrious, which it claims were attended by more than 150 leading marketers of technology goods and services.

Qrious’ general manager of data powered marketing, Nathalie Morris, said Qrious was supporting the organisation in the belief that the right combination of data and marketing could enable marketers to deliver outstanding customer experiences to compete in New Zealand and overseas.

TMG co-chair Jane Smallfield — VP Of global marketing for Auckland based payment systems manufacturer Invenco — said the organisation’s founding members believed that the voice of marketing was not being clearly heard within New Zealand’s technology companies, a situation that the new organisation aims to change.

 “If New Zealand is to achieve the goals it has set for its technology industries then it needs a strong, globally capable, tech marketing force to sell its goods into those global markets,” she said.

Smallfield said the new organisation would bring marketers together so they could share experiences, strategies and techniques to help each other and to avoid wasteful duplication of effort and resource.

She said the new group wants to see marketers consistently included at the senior management table with proper budgets, meaningful KPIs and a wider understanding of how marketing integrates with product development, sales and overall company operations.

Co-chair Bob Pinchin — a former board member of NZTech - said: “Too often we see sales and product teams positioned as the heroes within New Zealand technology companies, but without effective marketing, most companies won’t survive long-term.”

According to Pinchin research projects such as the annual Market Measures report consistently show that New Zealand’s technology companies are not making enough use of marketing and sales support automation systems, when compared to their overseas competitors.

“Too many New Zealand companies seem to have a culture that combines a number eight wire philosophy with a few individual hotshot sales people. They do a great job as far as they go, but their competition is literally ‘eating their lunch’ by using sophisticated marketing skills and sales automation systems to outperform them.”

 

Join the newsletter!

Or

Sign up to gain exclusive access to email subscriptions, event invitations, competitions, giveaways, and much more.

Membership is free, and your security and privacy remain protected. View our privacy policy before signing up.

Error: Please check your email address.

More about SparkTechnologyTMG

Show Comments
[]