The Marketing Wingman

22/09/2026

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve spoken to several people who either got knocked sideways by nasty winter bugs 🤧 found themselves unexpectedly navigating our fabulous (?) ACC system or have been feeling overwhelmed 😔

It rocks your boat a little and you really feel for those who have been doing it tough. It also reminds you that nothing is more important than your health and those you care about.

But hitting pause is a little harder when you are the boss, the salesperson, the delivery team and the IT wizard, all rolled into one. Who's going to get the work done? Who will pay the bills?

Here are some strategies that might just help 👇

10/09/2026

Quick one for you today 👇

Did you know people decide whether they trust your website in about 50 milliseconds? That's before they've read a single word 😅 (roughly the same attention span as a teenager scrolling TikTok, if that helps put it in perspective!)

So what actually needs to be on your homepage to make that split-second count?

Turns out it's not that complicated:
✅ A real photo of your actual team or work (not stock — people can always tell 👀)
✅ One clear line saying what you do and who it's for
✅ A next step that's easy to find — book, call, enquire
✅ Your contact details, visible without scrolling
✅ A couple of trust signals — reviews, how long you've been around, etc.

Oh, and here's the twist for 2026 🤖 — AI search tools are reading your homepage the exact same way now, checking for the exact same things, before they'll recommend you to someone. So getting this right isn't just for humans anymore.

I've put together a free checklist covering all of it — homepage content AND what the AI bots are looking for. Link below if you want a copy! 🔗

P.S. If you've been meaning to give your homepage a refresh but haven't gotten around to it — this is your sign 😉

09/09/2026

Anthropic safety executive Evan Hubinger says AI could kill humans.

24/08/2026

As the creator of the chameleon I can’t wait to see what s/he ends up being called.

To me he feels like Craig….

Love creativity ❤️

🦎 OUR CHAMELEON NEEDS A NAME — AND IT'S GOING TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER

Every good mascot needs a name. Ours has been rocking rainbow scales on the Irlen North Trust logo since we launched, and honestly? It's about time we sorted that out.

So here's the deal: highest bidder gets naming rights.

💜 Comment your bid below
💜 Highest bid by 31 August wins
💜 Every single dollar goes straight towards funding Irlen assessments for tamariki and rangatahi across Northland
💜 No minimum bid — $2 or $200, every bit helps unlock a brighter future for a kid who needs it

The Trust Board reserves the right to gently veto anything questionable (we see you already thinking of something ridiculous 👀), but otherwise — go wild. Puns encouraged. Te reo names welcomed.

Drop your bid in the comments and let's give this chameleon the name it deserves. 🌈

Unlocking Brighter Futures, one child (and now one chameleon) at a time.

18/08/2026

83% of Kiwis check Google reviews before choosing who to use. That's not a "nice to have" anymore.

Here's the good news though — your happiest customers aren't ignoring you on purpose. They just don't think to leave a review unless you actually ask. And a business with 50 reviews averaging 4.7 stars will beat one with 5 reviews at a perfect 5.0, every single time. So you don't need to chase perfect. You need one simple system for asking.

In this week's post: exactly where to find your review link, what to actually say (word for word scripts included), when to ask, and — because it happens to every business eventually — how to handle a bad review without losing your cool. Read the full post 👇

P.S. Want next week's tip landing straight in your inbox? Subscribe below 👇

10/08/2026

74% of all NZ businesses are just one person wearing every hat. 🎩

That's over 450,000 of us juggling emails, invoicing, ordering stock, the school run — and somehow also being expected to launch a thought-leadership podcast. Yeah, nah.

So each week, I'm sharing one practical, no-jargon marketing tip built for real small business owners — not the six-figure-budget crowd.

This week: the free Google tool most Kiwi businesses aren't using properly — your Google Business Profile. Full article (with downloadable guide) 👇

P.S. Want next week's tip landing straight in your inbox instead? Subscribe here 📥

27/07/2026

The power of roller skating 🤣

Explore this post and more from the SipsTea community

20/07/2026

Sunday nights used to mean one thing at our place: a mountain of clean laundry dumped on the lounge floor, and all of us rifling through it looking for our own socks. 😅

These days my laundry pile's a lot smaller (thank goodness), and I've upgraded to the "fancy" wash cycles — including Persil's quick-cycle option. And look, it's probably just clever packaging around the same formulation... but it feels like I'm saving on power. And that feeling? That's smart marketing.

Because here's the thing: customers always hold the power. If you're not building your products or services around what your customers actually want right now — not what they wanted five years ago — someone else will.

Case in point: Blockbuster had the chance to buy Netflix in 2000. They said no. We all know how that ended. 📼➡️📱

As the old proverb goes: when the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills.

So — are you a Netflix, or a Blockbuster? 👀

Swipe through for my quick checklist on adapting your products or services to changing customer needs ⬇️

Need a fresh set of eyes on your marketing? Give me a call — 021 615525.

13/07/2026

Today, 14 July, twenty three years ago I added to the population. After all these years I still remember the nurses at Auckland's National Women's Hospital commenting on the capacity of my daughter's lungs.

You've probably got your own version of this story - some momentous life event that has stayed with you. Whatever it is, it's a good reminder about the power of acknowledging special moments.

Smart employers already know this, and take the time to write a thank you note for a team member that has gone above and beyond. Smart business owners know to call a customer after their first purchase of a new product. Yup - the money has already changed hands but what's important is creating an enduring relationship, not just a transaction.

None of this costs much and in the depths of winter in a crazy world, it's these moments that make a real difference.

If you're interested, I write a weekly article called A Bit More with insights, practical tips and the latest news from the world of New Zealand marketing. See below to get it delivered to your inbox 👇

P.S. Happy birthday to a very special daughter.

30/06/2026

I can already hear my healthcare and aged care clients gasping 😲 Robots should never take over the role of real human care, right 🤖 People need people — not robots...

But here's a question worth sitting with: what happens when you don't get frequent visitors at your aged care facility? What if your favourite carer is off sick, or leaves for another job? What if there's another lockdown (and the medical profession seems to think it's a case of when, not if)?

Perhaps this isn't about robots replacing people at all. Perhaps it's about adding another dimension — another layer of care that's there when the human touch isn't always available.

I'd love to hear your thoughts. Where do you sit on this one?

A humanoid robot named Abi is helping combat loneliness among resid...