…and that you find it helpful for your business.

Thank you for your feedback. Here are just some of the things you’ve said:
  • “It’s a good positive publication, something we need more of”
  • “Love the competitions and giveaways”
  • “Enjoy reading the stories about new small businesses and how there are people out there succeeding”
  • “Easy to read, easy to digest”
  • “It’s great, informative and to the point”
  • “Great little mag, very informative”
  • “Informative and easy to read”
  • “Excellent information and well presented”
  • “Full of useful and up to date information”
  • “A must-read for all people in business”
Would you like to say something about redline? Tell us what you think by 10 June and your comments could win you a $1000 Prezzy Card*

And remember, we’re always on the look out for new case studies. If something exciting is going on in your business – let us know!

*terms and conditions apply.

Calling all online traders

Monday, May 23, 2011

We’d like you to become part of our Online Trader Group. We want to get to know you and find out about your online trading experiences so we can design the right delivery solutions for you.

Sign up and you could become part of an online focus group.

This will give you the opportunity of sharing your views about a range of existing products – as well as some that are still in the pipeline. It’s also a great way to hear about product and services offers that are relevant to your business.

Have you checked out our dedicated page to buying and selling online yet? Take a look and tell us what you think and we’ll put you into the draw to win* a $1000 Prezzy Card.

*Terms and Conditions apply
You may have read in our latest redline magazine about redline online specials – special offers available exclusively to you as a redline online reader.

This week we’re delighted to offer you an exclusive additional discount on our already discounted ParcelPost Tracked prepaid tickets which means you get 15% off RRP.

These tickets are great for sending parcels when you want to know that they’ve arrived at their destination. They can be used to send parcels from your local PostShop store to any street, rural, PO Box or Private Bag address in New Zealand.

You can buy prepaid tickets for four different sizes of parcel:
All tickets can be used for parcels up to 3kg in weight and come in booklets of 20.

To take advantage of this exclusive offer simply buy ParcelPost Tracked prepaid tickets online (the four red tickets!) and make sure you enter the code REDLINETRACKED in the Coupon code box (in your shopping cart). This offer is available for one week only so be sure to order by midnight on Sunday 22nd May.

Don’t deliberate – just do it

Monday, May 9, 2011

This is the message from Campbell Brown, Marketing Director of direct deal site GrabOne.

GrabOne launched in an economic downturn, they were sure it was going to work – and never imagined it would be such an overnight success.

The GrabOne site offers daily experience deals at discounted prices. Every day, from midnight, subscribers can view a selection of new experiences, services and sometimes products – such as nights away, events, gym memberships, dinner out – all well below their normal retail price.

It’s based on a ‘buy together, save together’ philosophy whereby the deals will only go ahead once there are a minimum number of people who want to buy.

Campbell says, “GrabOne is all about doing and not deliberating. It’s a place where consumers are prompted to try something new at a great promotional price. Customers are crying out for affordable experiences and services and businesses are crying out for new customers. We’re bringing the two together.”

Doing and not deliberating is also the work ethos of the company. They’re an upbeat bunch. They love what they do and the vibe in the office is just amazing, according to Campbell.

Led by entrepreneur, Shane Bradley, GrabOne was launched just eight months ago with a start up crew of five. The company now employs 54 and is enjoying a healthy market share.

“The success has been phenomenal,” says Campbell. “It’s been a crazy ride. And there’s more to come not only in New Zealand but in the Australian market also, which has already seen us launch in Brisbane, and we'll soon be rolling out to five other cities.”

GrabOne, together with New Zealand Post, is offering redline readers a chance to win* some GrabOne credit.

If you’d like to bolster the credit of your GrabOne account to the tune of $200, simply post ‘I saw @Grab_One in the latest issue of @nzpostredline’ on Twitter and you’ll go into the draw.

…says Holly Cartmell, owner of 'So You Hairdressing' in Wellington.

She says that if you’re starting a business you simply have to have the right attitude. You’ve got to believe in yourself 100% and believe in what you’re doing.

Holly had no doubts that her business would work even though it was a little daunting at first. She started her business four years ago because she wanted to be more than an employee.

“I have always had loads of energy and enthusiasm. I also have a sunny disposition. I knew I could use all this to develop a really successful business,” she says.

Holly regularly checks in with her visions of how the business should be. She says this keeps her on track as a business woman and also gives her the chance to make changes and avoid any pitfalls.

One of the best things that Holly did was employ an industry-specific business coach.

“I knew where I wanted to go with my business and what I wanted to do. The missing link was working out how to get there and that’s where my business coach fitted in.”

'So You' now has a client base that is growing year-on-year. Holly puts this down to the fact that the salon makes its customers feel like Kings and Queens from the moment they walk through the door.

And Holly and her team believe that another way to their customers’ hearts is via personalised, direct mail.

“Every week we send out beautifully hand-written, personally addressed postcards reminding our customers that their appointments are approaching. If we haven’t heard from a customer for a while, we send out a letter, together with a voucher for a treatment we think they’ll like.”

'So You' also sends out thank you cards, especially where a customer has recommended the salon to someone else.

“And, it works,” according to Holly. “By spending time writing to our customers, we get to build up a relationship with them, get to know them better and so get to keep them for a long time.”