For those who haven’t seen the stunning internet site of the marketing based company, you simply have to see it now at www.milestone-belanova.com.au
It started it out as just a dream when Barbara first moved to the Central Coast and began commuting to Sydney
Barbara’s background was corporate, working in companies like Zurich Australia, HCF and FAI group, specializing in marketing.
Her career covered many senior roles including marketing services manager, advertising communications manager, direct marketing manager and market research manager.
She was by then a much sought after senior executive, but decided the time was right for a sea change and she moved to the Central Coast.
Two years of “backwards and forwards” to Sydney on a daily basis while holding down senior roles convinced her to look for new opportunities.
She took the plunge and started up an agency as a marketing consultant and freelancing design and other creative services.
That agency became Milestone-Belanova, a company that brought big city advertising and marketing skills to the Central Coast.
It meant Coast companies no longer had to go to Sydney to get state-of-the-art results.
Since that establishment in 1997, the name Milestone-Belanova has been synonymous with strategic, innovative and high-end marketing, advertising and digital media.
Indeed, Barbara’s personal mission was to deliver the level of marketing services normally restricted to large city-based corporations to businesses of all sizes and locations.
Today, Milestone-Belanova’s growing creative and technical team operates from a professional studio in East Gosford to deliver high-end creative communication strategies where every marketing dollar spent delivers proven results.
“Our goal is to help SMEs become more successful by inspiring, empowering and supporting them locally with the level of strategic and creative marketing, advertising and digital media services normally reserved for big city corporate,” Barbara told CCBA.
“Over the years, we have developed streamlined systems, procedures and custom-developed technology capable of delivering this high standard at a competitive price.”
Milestone-Belanova’s client base includes businesses of all sizes, from start-ups and SMEs to major international clients. Working closely with clients ensures Barbara and the team understand the business and its target markets well. This enables them to design and develop tailored and strategic marketing and communications that deliver genuine results.
The 2011 Central Coast Women in Business Lifetime Achievement Award winner has recently embarked on developing a franchise network with strategic marketers servicing clients directly in regional markets throughout Australia under the Milestone-Belanova brand.
Milestone-Belanova’s services include strategic marketing, repositioning, branding and corporate identity work, online marketing and web development, trade show and promotional work, graphic design, advertising (new and traditional media), direct marketing, copywriting, and scriptwriting for TV and DVD/video.
However its core business remains small to medium business. In particular, it is suited to a medium size business with Milestone-Belanova acts as their marketing consultant, providing designers, digital assistance and web development.
The company’s office has grown over years to full service agency with 11 staff with Barbara the marketing strategist and creative director.
Its team is versatile, providing includes design, copywriting, web development, video editing, animations and 3D renders.
It also provides expertise on SEO, social media, Pay per clicks SEM and AdWords etc, all in house.
“Our philosophy is to employ everybody, we employ a lot of young people,” Barbara said. “We also give work experience to young people.”
Barbara is passionate about not outsourcing overseas. “We won’t outsource, and we firmly believe in supporting local young people, especially those who get their degrees but can’t get a job because they don’t have any experience. “
“We really see ourselves as part of a community contributing to the future of young people on the coast.”
Success inevitably led to Barbara and her team featuring in prestigious awards and in Milestone-Belanova was a Finalist in the Central Coast Business Excellence Awards in the small business category.
Barbara also won the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011 for the Central Coast Women in Business organisation.
Milestone-Belanova was also a finalist in 2012 in business and professional services for Central Coast Women in Business.
In 2009, Barbara was the only female among a small group of respected, well-established Central Coast business leaders who shared a vision to connect with other local leaders in their respective fields.
The Wild Fig Service Alliance was born, bringing experienced business owners together to learn from each other and share skill sets.
Members could do business with other likeminded people who wanted to be leaders in their particular industry and who genuinely believed in a high level of customer service.
“We’ve achieved some good things through Wild Fig and have run a ball a few times delivering 10’s of thousands of dollars to charities on the coast such as Coast Shelter,” Barbara said. “The alliance has a belief in giving back to the community which is the same belief we share at Milestone –Belanova,” she said.
“We see the Central Coast as a unique community that is close and allows us the opportunity to work closely together to support each other and support the community that supports us.
“We also work nationally and internationally, clients throughout Australia and New Zealand, so while we are on the coast and a big part of our Central Coast community although we do a lot outside this area as well,” Barbara said.
So, the sky is the limit for Barbara and her talented Central Coast company, with the need for specialized marketing in this digital age continuing to explode in growth. You can find out more at www.milestone-belanova.com.au.
You can check out the Wild Fig group at www.wildfigservicealliance.com.au
