Published on the 02/05/2018 | Written by Jonathan Cotton

The Number 8 Wire approach just doesn’t cut it in the modern world says new tech marketing group…

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

That’s according to Jane Smallfield, co-chair of a new tech marketing group – the aptly named Technology Marketers Group – which looks to connect marketers in the Kiwi tech industry as well as promote marketing as an important discipline within the greater technology community.

“The experience of our founding members is that too often marketing’s voice isn’t being clearly heard within New Zealand’s technology companies,” she says. “That’s about to change”.

Launched this week, the advocacy and networking group says it intends to improve the success of New Zealand tech companies by bringing together marketers “so they can share experiences, strategies and techniques to help each other and to avoid wasteful duplication of effort and resource”.

Marketers should consistently be included at the senior management table, says Smallfield, with proper budgets, meaningful KPIs and a wider understanding of how marketing integrates with product development, sales and overall company operations.

“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,” says co-chair, Bob Pinchin.

Pinchin says that research – including the annual Market Measures report, a national study that benchmarks the sales and marketing activity of Kiwi tech companies – consistently shows that Kiwi tech companies aren’t using marketing and sales support automation systems enough, especially 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,” he says.

“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”.

The group officially launches itself this week with events in Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland, with 150 expected to be in attendance.