In The News

Published on Shortpress written by Sylvia Pennington.

American entrepreneur Elon Musk is the driving force behind Tesla Motors, the electric car startup named in honour of iconic electrical engineer and physicist Nikola Tesla.

Superlative branding and marketing have seen Tesla’s offerings develop extraordinary cachet since the 2008 launch of its first vehicle, the sleek and sexy Tesla Roadster.

So what lessons can small business owners take from the Tesla marketing playbook?

Published on The Age on November 5, 2014 and written by Sylvia Pennington.

It's one of the most critical - and sometimes ephemeral - aspects of business. So how do you get it?

Money may make the business world go round – but hot on its heels comes trust; the belief that the person we're dealing with is honest and will act in good faith. Most of us like to think of ourselves as "trustworthy" – but what does it actually mean and how do we go about convincing others that we merit the description?

By Sylvia Pennington (stuff.co.nz)

Are you a Jaxon, a Rylee, a Danyle or a Jorja? Or, as a parent, have you christened a Klowee, Zaq, Jesyka, Kayleb, or even an Epponnee-Rae, in tribute to the double-barrelled bub of Kath and Kim fame?

'Creatively' spelt names have become all the rage in recent decades. Parents in favour see them as a celebration of uniqueness that will enable their children to stand out from the crowd.

But what's the story when the schoolroom is swapped for the workplace? Is an unconventionally spelt moniker a help or a hindrance when climbing the corporate ladder?

The former, says Mellissah Smith, the founder of Sydney and Atlanta-based consultancy Marketing Eye, who scored her name by accident, courtesy of her immigrant father.

"Mum and dad couldn't spell," Smith says.

Marketing Eye has been selected for the 2014 Best of Cave Creek Award in the Web Services category by the Cave Creek Award Program.

Each year, the Cave Creek Award Program identifies companies that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and our community. These exceptional companies help make the Cave Creek area a great place to live, work and play.

Published on WorkflowMax

Ah marketing – the bane of many business owners’ calendars. We’ve got to do it, but it takes precious time and resources away from what we really love doing – which is working with our clients.

By learning to do marketing in a smart way, and to create low-cost strategies with results you can measure, you can actually cut down on the time spent marketing, and focus on the techniques that WORK for your business. And one of the best ways to learn about what is and isn’t working in marketing is to read marketing blogs. You get all the information you need in blog-sized chunks, and you’re able to access the top marketing minds without having to pay them thousands in consulting fees.

By Susan Jennings, published on mediashower.com


Mellissah Smith has spent more than two decades working in and thinking about marketing, experience that has culminated in founding Marketing Eye, an agency for small and medium-sized businesses. Mellissah spoke with us about the future of marketing, and the opportunities marketing offers small businesses.