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Personalised Marketing Strategy for NZ Small Businesses

Finally, a clear direction for your marketing — and a plan you'll actually use

  • Strengthening your brand, positioning, and messaging

  • Where to show up and how to get found — by people, Google and AI

  • Not ready for a full strategy yet? Start with The Visibility Blueprint

Stop Marketing Blind — Get a Strategy That Actually Fits

Maybe you're investing time and money in marketing and not seeing a return. The effort is there. The results aren't. Or maybe you just don't know what you should be doing, or where to even start.

Surprisingly, these are symptoms of the same underlying problem; no clear strategy holding it all together. And a strategy isn't as daunting as it sounds.

It's not a document that sits in a drawer — it's what informs the decisions you make behind the scenes about what you're selling, who your customer is, and what makes you different.

The clarity and direction that guides every marketing decision you make. There's a clear next step — whatever you're ready for. Ready to stop wasting time?

The Visibility Blueprint

The Visibility Blueprint is a focused marketing review for business owners who know something isn't working — but aren't sure what.

Before we meet, I review your website, Google Business Profile, and social media presence. You complete a short questionnaire. I do the analysis, identify your biggest gaps, and rank your priorities.

In our 90-minute session, I then walk you through your personalised Blueprint — a clear, ranked action plan with specific next steps. A month later, I check back in to see how you're tracking.

Whatever the outcome, you won't be left with a list and no support. You can act on it yourself, move into personalised training, or put the cost toward a full marketing strategy. The right next step depends on you — and we'll work that out together.

Book Your Visibility Blueprint

Special Offer: $595+GST — available until 30 June 2026

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What a Personalised Marketing Strategy Looks Like

Here's what goes into building one

maree gately marketing consultant and strategist from spread the word in whangarei nz

What You Get: Clarity & Foundation

A comprehensive, personalised marketing strategy document built around your business. It covers where you stand right now, who your ideal customers are and what motivates them, how your competitors are positioned — and critically, whether your brand, your positioning, and your messaging are all working together to attract the right people.

You'll walk away with a clear framework for your messaging, your platforms, your content, and your online visibility — including SEO and AI discoverability — plus a prioritised action plan so you know exactly what to do first.

The strategy is presented in a 1-hour strategy presentation, so nothing gets lost in translation. You'll leave with both a detailed reference document and a visual summary to refer back to, and a month later, I'll check in to make sure you're on track.

Beyond Strategy — Access to Ongoing Support

Once your strategy is in place, I'm still here. There are two ways to keep your marketing on track and making the most of every opportunity.

A structured Strategy Review at six or twelve months — where we revisit progress, adjust priorities, and agree on next steps. And ad hoc support for when you need a sounding board or guidance on a specific project or opportunity.

Both are available to strategy and Blueprint clients, as is personalised training, for those who want to build their own marketing capability alongside or independent of a strategy engagement.

How It Works — Two Pathways

Getting started is straightforward. If you're unsure which option is right for you, a short no-obligation call is all it takes.

Option 1: The Visibility Blueprint: Begin with a focused marketing overview that identifies your biggest gaps and tells you exactly where to focus first. The cost is credited toward a full strategy if you choose to go further.

Option 2: The Personalised Strategy: Know you need more help? I research, diagnose, and build a strategy around your business. When it's ready, I walk you through it step by step so you leave with a clear direction and the confidence to act on it.

Your Next Step: You can implement it yourself, step into personalised training to build the skills to do it confidently, or engage me to help with specific areas. Either way, you'll have a clear plan and know exactly what needs doing — and why.

maree gately marketing strategist with client in whangarei nz

Is Your Marketing Strategy the Problem?

If any of these sound familiar — the answer is probably yes!

Lack of Focus

You're busy and doing a bit of this and a bit of that — when you remember. But you lack consistency and a clear direction, so you're not sure what's working and what's not. 

Lack of Results

You're putting in the effort — posting, updating, showing up — but the enquiries aren't coming. Something's not connecting, and you don't know what.

Need a Refresh

Rebranding, repositioning, or starting something new — and you want to get the strategy right before you do anything else.

Client Feedback

"You definitely got my brief on brand positioning and target market.
Thanks for talking it through in plain English. This is a field that I have regarded as way above my head, but now I'm keen to get out there and try it!"

Karen Latimer — Mortgage Labs, Whangārei

[Link to more reviews] [Link to my portfolio]

What's Not Included

The strategy is the foundation. What happens next depends on what you need.

The strategy doesn't include content creation — but it gives you the overarching framework that guides every marketing decision you make.

Some clients handle implementation themselves. Others engage me to help with specific areas — content creation, creative direction, 1:1 training, or coordinating paid ads.

maree gately marketing consultant at spread the word in whangarei nz

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Visibility Blueprint?

The Visibility Blueprint is a focused marketing review for small business owners who know something isn't working but aren't sure what. Before we meet, I review your website, Google Business Profile, and social media presence and cross-reference that with your pre-session questionnaire. In our 90-minute session I walk you through a clear, ranked action plan — your Blueprint — so you know exactly what to fix first and why.

A follow-up call one month later is included, and ongoing review sessions are available if you want to check back in down the track. The cost of this is also credited towards a full marketing strategy if you choose to go further.

How is the Visibility Blueprint different from a full marketing strategy?

The Blueprint is a starting point — it identifies your biggest gaps and tells you where to focus first. A full marketing strategy goes much deeper, covering your positioning, messaging framework, competitor analysis, customer journey, platform strategy, content plan, and a staged implementation roadmap. For many businesses the Blueprint is the natural first step, and the insights it surfaces often inform whether a full strategy is the right next move. The cost of the Blueprint is credited toward a full strategy if you decide to go further.

Who is the Visibility Blueprint for?

It's for small business owners who are doing some marketing but not seeing results, or who aren't sure where to start. If you've been putting time and money into your marketing without a clear plan holding it together, the Blueprint gives you that clarity quickly and at an accessible price point.

It's also a good fit for businesses that aren't ready to commit to a full strategy engagement but want expert eyes on what they're doing.

What does a personalised marketing strategy from Spread The Word include?

Every personalised marketing strategy is different, but all of them address where your business currently stands, who your ideal customers are, how you're positioned relative to competitors, and what your messaging needs to say to attract the right people.

It also includes practical guidance on how to use your online platforms more effectively — so you're doing all you can to be visible to Google and improving your chances of showing up in the right places, including AI-powered search results.

You'll receive a comprehensive written strategy document, a visual summary, and a one-hour strategy presentation so you leave with clarity — not just a document.

Is a marketing strategy just a social media and advertising plan?

Not with me. Social media and paid advertising are marketing channels — and channels are only part of the picture.

Before deciding where to show up, you need to know what you're saying, who you're saying it to, and whether your brand and positioning are actually attracting the right people.

A personalised marketing strategy from Spread The Word looks at all of it — your brand, your market position, your messaging, your competitors, and your ideal customers — before making any recommendations about platforms, content, or advertising. It also takes into account your resources and capacity, so the plan you walk away with is realistic — not a wishlist that sits in a folder.

That way, whatever you invest in actually works.

How is this different from hiring a marketing agency?

Agencies are typically set up for larger businesses with bigger budgets — and you're often paying for a team, overheads, and services you may not need. A personalised strategy engagement like what I offer here is built around your specific business, your market, and what you can realistically implement.

No retainer, no lock-in, just clear direction you can act on straight away — with or without my ongoing involvement.

How long does a marketing strategy take to complete?

Every strategy is personalised, so timelines vary depending on the complexity of your business and market. As a guide, most strategies are completed within two weeks of the deposit being paid and the pre-strategy questionnaire being completed. You'll be kept informed throughout.

What if I only have a small budget for marketing?

That's exactly why a strategy matters. A limited budget needs to work harder — and a strategy ensures every dollar goes toward the right thing rather than being spread across platforms that may not be right for your business. The sooner you implement, the sooner it pays for itself — and for most small businesses, it only takes one or two new clients to do that.

Do I need to be based in Whangārei or Northland?

No — while I'm based in Whangārei, I work with small to medium businesses across New Zealand. Strategy sessions and walkthroughs are conducted via Google Meet or phone, so location is not a barrier. If you live locally, we can even meet over coffee.

How much does a marketing strategy cost?

Every business is different, so the rate depends on the scope and complexity of your situation. Get in touch for a short no-obligation call, and I'll give you a clear picture of what's involved and what it would cost for your business specifically.

Need Some Direction?

Activity doesn't equate to results — and neither does a strategy that sits in a drawer.

Let's build a strategy that puts your marketing to work.