‘Technology is an equaliser’ – how regional Aussie businesses are going global, quickly
The very first thing Tara Baker and Arlia Hassell did after they got engaged in 2016 was dart to a Melbourne magazine store in search of wedding inspiration. The two girls had the same questions all straight couples have: should they hire a planner? How can they stretch their budget? Who should they invite? And, actually, is it OK to uninvite people after the cards go out? But they were at a loss – there was nothing on the shelves like that aimed at gay couples. And the sites online seemed more concerned with talking about sexuality than the giddy details of the big day.
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“We wanted our love to be celebrated like everyone else’s,” Tara says. “We thought surely others felt the same?” Two months later, after much chat, Tara and Arlia decided to fill the void themselves. They set up an Instagram feed at 2 am one night and, two weeks later, a basic website. “It was a learning curve,” she admits. “But after we started reaching out to people, girls came to us. Facebook was great for building a community.” So quickly was the spread, that more than 15,000 users downloaded a subsequent digital publication released in February 2017. And more significantly, those early downloads came from all around the world.
“I’m very stubborn,” Tara jokes of her rush to move the project forward at lightning pace.
Of course, it’s tempting to see this as a smart case study of how, increasingly, small publishers have the courage to print things bigger ones wouldn’t. And that’s true. But really the picture goes further. In 2018, technology now allows all types of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) from all around the world to connect with audiences who were previously unreachable. Moreover, it’s allowed companies to spring up that wouldn’t otherwise have a hope of gaining traction with an advert in the local paper or a poster blue-tacked onto a pub window.
Facebook’s Kaylie Smith
“Technology can be a great equaliser,” says Kaylie Smith, ANZ director of SMB for Facebook. “Any business, no matter where it’s located, can establish a presence online at low or no cost, and connect with customers located across town, across the country or around the world.”
She’s right. Today ‘Dancing With Her’ – also in print, no less – is the first magazine of its type in the world. And it’s no surprise. Firstly, it’s beautiful. Its minimalist design lets the photography take centre stage, but, what’s also unique, is that each is supplemented with the stories behind the big day. There have been countless tales, but one couple Tara particularly remembers, for instance, were from the opposites ends of the world. After they married in South Africa, they were separated for three months. DWH told the story of their journey to be reconciled. It’s the kind of journalism that wasn’t happening before they got involved.
It’s also why Facebook commisioned a new report, prepared by PwC, that aims to lay bare how important these projects are to the health of the Australian economy. Its findings are startling. In 2017, for instance, 35% of Australian SMB’s exported to the foreign markets, and 80% of those have a Facebook page. Over a third of Australian businesses now earn international revenue within just two years of establishment. Essentially, worldwide expansion is not the far-flung dream it used to be, but something that can happen rapidly. Today, businesses are born global. Dancing With Her, for example, spiked interest from 40 counties after issue one went live.
Dancing With Her mixes wedding photography with the stories behind the big day
It’s important because these kinds of businesses are increasingly becoming the backbone of the Aussie economy. In 2017, SMBs in Australia hired 120,000 employees and nearly 30% of those derived from regional Australia. “Using online services to engage with customers removes many of the geographical barriers traditional brick-and-mortar businesses face,” adds Kaylie. “This allows small businesses in regional areas of Australia to access the larger markets of the state capital cities and provides low-cost access to global markets.” In fact, the report reveals 57% of SMBs with a Facebook Page have hired more staff as a result of the growth they have experienced aided by Facebook
But it can often be difficult to know where to start, which is why Facebook has created Blueprint, a new site that teaches businesses how best to take advantage of technology. There are more than 70 e-learning courses in topics including brand safety, boosting posts and driving in-store visits, with exams and certification after completion. All you need to start is a Facebook account.
“We’ve seen a momentous shift in export dynamics,” continues Kaylie. “It’s a long way from traditional business models where a company would only venture into foreign markets once it had established itself domestically.” Or more simply put: in a country with Australia’s population spread, that’s a game changer.
Dancing With Her wants to go further, too. “We had no idea it would become what it became,” Tara adds. “But we’ve found the US is screaming out for this so we’re about to move into that market.” Los Angeles and New York, she explains, are first up and then, who knows?
The only problem is the pair have been so busy with the project they haven’t found time to get married themselves.
“We have a running joke that we need to have a business baby before the big day arrives.”
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I have recently embarked on a new career as a Social Marketer and am finding myself both thrilled and scared of this “leap of faith” that I have taken. It is imperative to my business that I learn as much as I can about social networking and marketing. Society said at 60ish I no longer have anything to offer. I call BS on that and I’m going to prove it. I just need to find the right Mentor. If location doesn’t pose a barrier then why should age.
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