Hamilton Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary wins prize
Tuesday 23 August 2011, 5:48PM
By Halo Biz
789 views
HaloBiz – the Waikato’s newest online business directory, has been described as being “socially innovative” and “the hottest online directory that makes a difference”, launched in Hamilton recently with two local fundraising competitions.
The first competition was an online, public search to find the Waikato’s Favourite Charity and the second was a lucky dip and open to all Community Organisation Members of the HaloBiz Network. Each prize was $500 cash.
HaloBiz is a business directory which, unlike other online directories, connects local businesses with local community organisations with local people. At the same time it returns at least 70% of its advertising fees to nominated community organisations. “Our research told us that locals wanted to be able to support local businesses that supported local community organisations” said General Manager, Julie South “but they didn’t know where to find this information easily so we solved that problem for them”.
HaloBiz launched in Hamilton in July with approximately 2,500 businesses and almost 700 community organisations, including the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Since then, many more businesses and community organisations have joined the Network. “Because we’re so different to regular directories it takes a little bit of getting your head around” says South “but once businesses realise not only do we forward 70% of their advertising fee onto their nominated community organisation which then gives them an entire new online marketing stream that’s already a “warm lead channel”, they’re right behind the win/win principle”.
Plunket Waikato was voted Favourite Waikato Charity and the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary won the $500 lucky dip prize.
The Fundraising Team at the Cathedral has also decided to list the Cathedral Anniversary Concert on the site as a way of not only promoting the concert but to offer more “bang for their sponsorship buck” for their sponsors. As South says, “it’s all about polishing as many halos as often as we can”.
Although launched and based in Hamilton, the HaloBiz website is now available nationwide to all registered charitable trusts, schools, churches and sports groups that want to increase their fundraising accounts and/or offer better value to sponsors.
For more information visit www.halobiz.co.nz or email julie@halobiz.co.nz.