With 20 years’ experience as a marketing and communications specialist, Rachel O’Connor identified a common marketing problem…many companies didn’t know where to advertise and reach their customers. So she created Reachible – a marketing platform which makes marketing easier. Rachel recently completed Soda’s LIFT programme, mentored by Tara Lorigan, co-founder of Co.ofWomen. We asked Rachel a few questions about her new startup.
How did the idea for Reachible come about?
Having worked in marketing for the majority of my career, I found that many companies either repeated marketing activity (even if it wasn’t that successful), or there was a lot of guesswork around where to place ads, or worse, companies didn’t do any marketing at all. I wanted to make marketing easier for everyone. So, in early 2021, I started my research and talked to a lot of people including business owners, marketers, agencies, and channel providers to truly understand what the problem was and that’s how Reachible was formed.
Tell us about Reachible…
Reachible makes it quick and easy for anyone to get in front of their next customer.
Perhaps you're a busy marketer, a business owner, or even run an advertising agency. The problem is the same; how do I know where to advertise to best reach my audience when there are so many options and the advertising landscape is constantly changing? Accurate channel selection is a vital part of the advertising process but is often overlooked due to time pressures, under resourcing, and lack of knowledge.
Reachible helps your business be more successful by getting your products and services in front of your next customer through accurate and unbiased channel selection.
What stage is your business at?
We launched last month and are offering the platform for free for everyone until 30 June 2022. (Sign up here!) So far, we have almost 200 channels on the platform, nearly 100 users, and over 250 searches have been carried out.
What has been your biggest challenge so far in terms of starting a new business?
Given software developers are in such hot demand, finding someone to build the platform has been impossible. Not one to back down from a challenge, I learnt how to build the entire platform myself, while doing all the other things a startup requires!
How did Soda’s LIFT programme help your business?
The LIFT programme helped give me the focus that I needed to keep going. Working with my mentor, Tara Lorigan, helped keep me on track and ensure that milestones I set were met. It also enabled me to go through the trademark process thanks to the funds I had access to.
What is your goal for Reachible?
The immediate goal is to have the largest database of advertising channels in New Zealand and use that to make marketing easy for everyone. Within five years, the aim is to have launched into Australia and the United States.
Do you have any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?
If you have the spark of an idea, some creativity, and a tonne of passion, then just give it a go. It really is an adventure not to be missed!