Fortunately for local online marketers, very few brick and mortar businesses (e.g. shopkeepers, retailers) are early adopters of Internet marketing. Their argument is that online promotion is unconventional, untested, expensive or a fad. Indeed, the opposite is true. People love to seek information on the web. Out of all Web users, an estimated 90% of shoppers first research their product online before they visit a retailer. Experienced Internet users will prefer to shop online for some products. There are 1.6 billion Internet users online; set to grow to over 2.3 billion within 5 years. So, marketing professionals expert at using the Web as a promotional tool can quickly gain market share for a local brick and mortar with a simple online marketing campaign. And online marketing can yield a very high return on little investment.

If you have a local business and are ready to grab your share of online customers, you are in luck. Just as Kiwis love: you can learn how to do it all yourself with the Otago Chamber of Commerce Online Marketing Series beginning in March 2010.

First, get an introduction to each topic with actionable demonstration through a 1 hour breakfast course in:

1. Website creation 101
2. Website usability 101
3. Search engine optimisation 101
4. Social media marketing 101

Then – as a follow-on -get in-depth coverage of how to master the fundamentals through a 3 hour workshop in:

1. Website creation 201
2. Website usability 201
3. Search engine optimisation 201
4. Social media marketing 201

All courses will be held at the Otago Chamber of Commerce, Ground Floor, Burns House, 10 George Street, Dunedin, New Zealand.

See the Internet marketing training course descriptions for details.

Research shows that for every $100 spent in my community, $45 is retained within my community. This allows for:

1. more jobs here
2. more tax revenue being spent on local services
3. a better standard of living here

I consider it my moral obligation to support my fellow city-dwellers before sending my money elsewhere.

Research also shows that for every $100 spent outside my community, only $15 is retained within my community. The consequences are:

1. fewer jobs here
2. less tax revenue being spent here
3. a poorer standard of living here

I consider it ethical to support my fellow Dunedin citizens first. If, due to inferior service or quality, I cannot spend my money in Dunedin, I will then look to Otago or elsewhere in New Zealand.

My philosophy on buying local also extends to banking. Banking with a New Zealand-owned bank is a patriotic economic choice as it keeps profits, jobs and tax revenue in New Zealand and helps lift our standard of living.

An estimated 8 million dollars a day is sucked out of our economy by foreign-owned banks. I am glad to play my part by banking local.

As an ongoing series, I will write more about our local business-people, making an even greater case for the buy local choice.

Your comments are always welcome. You are also invited to  guest blog  for NZ Online Marketing. Go on, sign up!

I predict tertiary institutions across the globe will begin offering such degrees as social media marketing appears to be here to stay.

Energy Link Ltd – our local energy market advisors – provide software tools that enable you to develop and implement superior energy strategies in the New Zealand electricity and natural gas markets. Energy Link also deliver energy market training courses in the following subjects:

• Introduction to the Electricity Market Wellington 2nd Mar 2010
• Nodal Pricing of Electricity Wellington 3rd Mar 2010
• Introduction to the Gas Market Wellington 4th Mar 2010
• Introduction to the Electricity Market Auckland 4th May 2010
• Nodal Pricing of Electricity Auckland 5th May 2010
• Hedging Electricity Auckland 6th May 2010

Energy Link are regarded as the nation’s leading energy market advisors and attendance at their energy market training courses comes highly recommended.

Do consider going on the next training.

This blog seeks to informally journal our adventures.

Subscribe to our feed, follow us on twitter, facebook, linkedin and youtube for the invigorating play-by-play!