The following SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity. More about the SMART 100.
This innovation initially came to life when…
We saw the need for Business to be able to access simple, clear web strategy consulting + planning, and thence order ‘best of breed’ related site/s and systems, for a low cost (less than half that of traditional processes), get it fast, and then access ongoing support and an ever expanding library of members-only ‘how-to’ content on Web Marketing (and anything that touches it), along with the usual ‘how to use the system’ type stuff and direct support. This is the advanced (revised) version of something I’ve been working on (albeit slowly) for 3.5 years.
WHAT & HOW
The purpose of this innovation is to…
…perpetrate the truth about what works online en masse, and empower small businesses to take charge of their own online systems + marketing in an easy, no-techno-babble way, by provision of both education and the tools to easily implement.
It does this by…
…guiding business owners (and/or consultants) through the planning process with simple, clear video-based explanations at each step of the process. There is a combination of free (some just teaser) content, and well organised educational content within the client/members area to boot, + direct-contact reactive support and pro-active maintenance, critical systems monitoring 24/7, even domain names are ‘auto-renewed’. 
PURPOSE & BENEFITS
This innovation improves on what came before because…
Currently a business needs to invest circa $3-6k (+) to get a reasonable website (and shopping-cart etc.) up and going + create content. Either that or there are very ‘techy’ or ‘designy’ DIY systems that are just tools – usually not ‘best practice’ across all areas, and which seem to incorrectly assume business owners already know what they need.
Its various benefits to the customer/end-user include…
Getting maximum results per dollar and minute invested in both education and tools + Search Marketing! Full control over all online content and own marketing systems, without any ‘technical’ skills or Specialist software skills (e.g. Photoshop, html editors, etc.).
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
In the past, this problem was solved by…
Spending arduous hours & often reasonable $ sums learning different aspects from disparate sources and having to figure it out how it all goes together for one’s self, or spending bucketloads of money with one or more service providers to ‘do it for me’ – often with hit and miss results.
Its predecessors/competitors include…
Doing things the hard and/or expensive way (as per above), or somehow managing to hire a ‘guru’ of all different aspects of: Marketing & Copywriting, Technical+Programming and Design – who hasn’t yet realised their market worth (a RARE individual at best).
TARGET MARKET
It is made for…
Australian ‘Small Businesses’ (initially). It is a service designed for every type of industry and business imaginable – not a ‘one size fits all’, but a ‘one flexible base system adapted and customised for all’. It is for startups through to businesses (est t/o circa $5-10m) that can’t (or won’t) justify at least $15k per year spend with their more ‘traditional’ web agency. By Q3 2011 it will be for the rest of the English-speaking world as well – USA, UK in particular. NZ by Q2 2010.
DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY
It is available for sale through…
The Web (Directly), Business Consultants, Marketing Consultants & Business Coaches, Specific Vertical Market channels and Centres of Influence, Affiliates*, and for *free* as part of a seminar/workshop series we’ll run under our main brand.
Our marketing strategy is to…
Initial test by way of 10-20 ‘giveaways’ – will promote through existing network including clients, friends and associates or via a couple of test channels; thence it will be made available through various contacting and educating the aforementioned channels as well as known effective direct marketing methods – including everything from Adwords and Facebook ads to seminars etc.
SUPPORTING IMAGES AND/OR VIDEO
SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR THIS INNOVATION
While the judging is now officially over, you can still show your support for this innovation in one of the following three ways:
- Hit the VOTE UP button: Top left of each page (Not available for IE users)
- Trigger a Reaction: Re-Tweet, Like on Facebook, etc.
- Leave a Comment: Share the love!
To check out the Anthill SMART 100 Readers’ Choice winner for 2010, click here.
