Introduction:
Te Hiringa Maori Business Expo 2010 held on the 6 February, provided trade display exhibits to showcase twenty-one businesses exhibiting business excellence, of which seventeen were Maori owned. The remaining exhibitors have strong relationships with Maori, building Maori business capacity including the four sponsors for 2010, Te Puni Kokiri, Poutama Trust, BNZ and Te Hiringa Maori Business Expo 2010 Organising Committee.
Exhibitors came from Gisborne, Whakatane, Tauranga, Auckland, Whangarei, Kaikohe, Kerikeri, Russell and Kaitaia. The venue chosen was the Waitaha Conference Centre, Copthorne Hotel & Resort Bay of Islands. The same venue will be used for 2011.
Objectives:
- To secure immediate Sponsorship for Te Hiringa Maori Business Expo 2011
- To mobilise immediate Marketing & Advertising campaigns as a fore-runner to Rugby World Cup 2011 in the Bay of Islands
- To build and foster partnership relationships with Maori, in showcasing business products & services
The Expo commenced Friday evening 5 February at 7pm with a Maori Business Network event. This enabled participants to exchange business cards, share information, make connections and do business. Eighty participants enjoyed the fruits of two Maori owned beverages the first Maori wine company Tohu Wines Limited. There are approximately 400 wineries in NZ. Tohu is in the top 30 after only five years. Within two years it intends to be within the top 10, if not the top 5. The 2nd showcase beverage was TaaKawa (Fruit of the Forest) indigenous Ale of NZ. Taakawa incorporates the kawakawa herb into a beer, based on a recipe developed by its owners The Waituna Brewing Company Limited, Rangitikei, in conjunction with Crop & Food Research Institute Limited.
Both Tohu wine and Taakawa ale products can be purchased nationally and internationally. Music was enjoyed and performed by Northland musician Mike Hoeta.
Our compliments to Poutama Trust who sponsored the event.
Saturday commenced at 9am with trade displays opening for business and ending at 5pm. The first of four speaker’s was world re-known William (Bill) Payne from the USA. Bill is a guest of Auckland University in association with Ice-house and the BNZ. Bill commenced his presentation at 10am providing tips and hints for business entrepreneurship - how to remain in business and - how to fund it.
The second speaker was Adrienne Gulliver who introduced the De Martini Method founded by
Dr De-Martini and spoke on “Money & Emotions”.
The third speaker was Mahmood Khan from BDO Bay of Islands who spoke on the subject “From Zero to Hero – steps to Achieving Economic Independence”.
Steve Bennett from Steve Bennett & Associates was the fourth speaker who closed the speaker presentations “Dashboard Indicators: nine priority areas of business every business owner should know.
Expo Results:
The Expo for its first year was a huge success. All 21 participants completed a survey questionnaire and results have been collated. Results point to a high standard of participation by commercial operators who are committed to achieving long term business results over time. It also points to the distinctiveness of respondents who normally operate in formal business settings in the marketplace leveraging their primary interest in Maori (either as a Maori owner) or a business interested in working with Maori, showcasing at a National event, where the populace is largely Maori with many tourists, day visitors and the community at large in attendance.
Highlights are:
- 77% of respondents made business sales of which 43% were more than $500 less than a $1000 and 14% at $1000+, 23% were not applicable.
- 67% of respondents did business with each other
- 19% of respondents from 10 choices identified Business or Trade Associations as their highest primary provider of business support followed closely by Accountants and Lawyers
- 90% of respondents say the expo met their overall expectations. The same number report they got value for money. A respondent, who said expectations were not met, noted “venue perfect, standard of stalls high but walking traffic poor.
- 95% of respondents will attend as an exhibitor at next year’s event.
- Good Speaker’s. Well organised event.
- 4 products from the Expo are with LIMS NZ for consideration to Rugby World Cup 2011
- 3 expressions of interest received from new interests to Sponsor in 2011
- 2 2010 sponsors signaled commitment to re-sponsor for the 2011 expo
- 20 Expressions of interest tendered to exhibit at 2011 from 2010 exhibitors
- 6 new expressions of interest tendered to exhibit at the 2011 expo
Learning from 2010:
Waitangi walking traffic was estimated at 40,000 on the day. The organiser’s projected expo traffic at 15% of the total, for good flow and visitor turnaround. The actual outcome was 9.5%.
The organising committee experience to a five month lead in time prior to the Expo 2010 “go live” has clearly shown us the need and requirement for a longer-term (11 months) marketing campaign. Planning for next year will include targeted publicity and advertising, marketing opportunities to social networks such as twitter and face-book and a focused Marketing Campaign to commence immediately on sign up of sponsorships |
