Survey to explore high-performing tech firms' marketing secrets

Last year New Zealand tech businesses were too reliant on their founders and highest-value salespeople to sell their products and services, and a new survey aims to find out if that has changed.

The ninth annual Market Measures survey aims to gain feedback from at least 300 New Zealand based technology companies about how they market and sell their products.

The survey, conducted by Concentrate and Swaytech, is sponsored by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise.

According to Concentrate managing director Owen Scott, tech is a large part of New Zealand's future so there needs to be more focus on how the country can grow its tech firms through quicker and more efficient means.

"In the 2017 study of more than 300 tech exporters, we found that Kiwi companies are over-reliant on company founders and high-value sales people to sell their products and services," Scott says.

He adds that the Market Measures survey is also about discovering what New Zealand high-performing tech companies does to grow faster than the average firm, and then measure how their marketing and sales stacks up against US counterparts.

''More than 46% of companies said a founder was still closely involved in sales, and the average sales person in an export market was paid a base salary almost 50% higher than the typical equivalent US sales person.

"It's not a scalable approach to generating export sales – 40% of the surveyed companies reported that productivity was their main problem when it came to managing their sales teams," he explains.

The Market Measures survey is about sales strategy and recognises that there is more potential for lead generation and conversion.

Swaytech CEO Bob Pinchin adds that New Zealand's tech industry has work to do when it comes to selling and marketing its products and services, particularly in a world market.

"Marketing is still seen as a variable expense rather than a critical investment. This needs to change if we are to fulfil our true potential on the global stage," he comments.

The results will be available as a report in October 2018. Participants of the survey will receive the report for free; members of Market Measures supporters can access the report for $75 (including GST); and it will available for the general public to purchase for $375 (including GST).

Those who want to participate can visit marketmeasures.co.nz.

Market Measures 2018 is supported by industry groups ATEED, Canterbury Tech Cluster, ChristchurchNZ,  FinTechNZ, WREDA, NZ Hi-Tech Trust, NZ Tech Industry Association, New Zealand Software Association, Priority One and NZ Tech Marketer's Group.