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What is Hilltops Connect?

Hilltops Connect is an online platform backed by a collaborative marketing strategy that is designed to allow local business owners, creatives, community service providers, and event coordinators to come together to be seen, supported, and found.

Explore How it Works

The Marketing Strategies that Fuel Hilltops Connect

How Does it Work?

Hilltops Connect works by bringing local businesses together into one shared platform, so small businesses can be promoted collaboratively — not individually.

Instead of competing for attention in isolation, businesses on Hilltops Connect benefit from being part of a platform that helps people explore local businesses in our region. The key difference is that Hilltops Connect is built on collaboration. When more businesses are part of the platform, sharing it, driving traffic to it, it becomes more useful, more visible, and more valuable for everyone involved.

Behind the scenes, Bees To Honey Marketing actively promotes the platform through an event-led and story-led marketing strategy.

The event-led strategy aligns Hilltops Connect with local events and seasonal activity, when people are already paying attention and actively deciding where to go, eat, shop, and book.  The story-led strategy builds connection and trust by sharing the real stories behind local businesses — helping people understand who you are and why choosing local matters.

This is supported by ongoing promotion through social media, email marketing, campaigns, and paid advertising — bringing steady attention to the platform and the businesses within it.  Because businesses are positioned together, the visibility builds collectively. When the platform gains attention, every listed business gains exposure.

Your listing becomes your permanent presence within that collaborative guide — helping people find you, trust you, and choose you when they are ready.

Hilltops Connect doesn’t replace your marketing. It strengthens it by giving your business a stable, collaborative presence backed by ongoing promotion — so you can breathe knowing your visibility doesn’t stop on the days you’re too busy to promote yourself.

What is Collaborative Marketing?

Collaborative marketing is when local businesses combine their marketing effort, allowing everyone to benefit from stronger, more consistent visibility than they could achieve alone. Hilltops Connect is the platform that makes this possible — bringing businesses together and actively promoting them as part of one shared, ongoing marketing effort.

Most small businesses and local initiatives don’t have the time, budget, or energy to run consistent, effective marketing on their own. Marketing becomes something that either gets pushed aside while you focus on actually running your business or takes so much time that it gets in the way of running your business.

Collaborative marketing changes that.

Instead of each business trying to stay visible alone, Hilltops Connect brings businesses together on one shared platform, where the visibility, audience, and marketing momentum are built collectively. We share the platform. We share the audience. And most importantly, we share the marketing effort.

This makes professional, ongoing marketing achievable at a level that would be difficult, expensive, or impossible for most businesses to sustain individually.

Hilltops Connect is not about competing for attention. It’s about creating visibility through collaborative marketing. Instead of dozens of small, disconnected marketing efforts, we combine forces to create stronger, more consistent campaigns that keep local businesses visible over time.

Collaborative marketing reduces the pressure on individual business owners, while increasing overall reach, consistency, and effectiveness. It allows small businesses to benefit from ongoing marketing activity, without having to carry the full responsibility alone.

This is the foundation Hilltops Connect is built on.

Story-Led Marketing: Building Trust Through Real Business Stories

Story-led marketing helps people understand who you are, what you do, and why your business exists — in a way that builds trust and connection.

Most small business owners know their story, but struggle to explain it clearly. Through Hilltops Connect, Bees To Honey Marketing guides you through a simple questionnaire and shapes your answers into a clear, authentic business story written in your voice.

This story becomes the foundation of your marketing.

It helps customers understand you faster, connect with you on a human level, and feel confident choosing your business. A well-crafted story also gives you words you can reuse across your Hilltops Connect listing, website, social media, newsletters, and advertising — saving time and making your marketing easier.

Unlike traditional advertising, story-led marketing doesn’t rely on pressure or sales tactics. It simply introduces people to the real person behind the business. When people understand your story, they are more likely to trust you, remember you, and choose you.

Through collaborative marketing on Hilltops Connect, your story is not only written — it is also shared and promoted as part of the wider platform, helping more people discover and connect with your business over time.

Story-led marketing turns your experience, your purpose, and your “why” into one of your most powerful and reusable marketing assets. 

Craft Your Story Here

Event-Led Marketing: Visibility When People Are Already Paying Attention

Event-led marketing uses local community events as natural visibility opportunities for local businesses.

When events are happening, people are already out, engaged, and deciding where to eat, shop, visit, and book. Hilltops Connect positions listed businesses in front of this increased attention.

Through the platform, Bees To Honey Marketing promotes local businesses alongside community events — before, during, and after they happen. This helps businesses benefit from the extra activity and interest that events create, even if they are not directly running the event themselves.

Event-led marketing ensures your business is visible during the times when people are most likely to take action — turning community attention into real visibility for local businesses.

Collaboration Marketing Works – Now Let’s Boost it Even Further

Hilltops Connect doesn’t rely on people finding the platform by chance. Bees To Honey Marketing runs targeted paid advertising campaigns to actively bring attention to the platform, the businesses listed on it, and the activity happening across the local community.

These campaigns promote the Hilltops Connect platform as a whole, align with local events when attention is naturally higher, and importantly, introduce people to the real stories behind local businesses. This story-led approach helps people connect with businesses on a human level, building familiarity and trust — not just awareness.

As more people discover Hilltops Connect through these campaigns, they explore the platform, browse categories, and discover multiple local businesses. This creates ongoing visibility across the entire platform, benefiting all listed businesses — not just one at a time.

Because this paid advertising is run as part of a collaborative marketing system, businesses gain the benefit of professionally managed campaigns without needing to run or fund full advertising campaigns on their own.

This ensures Hilltops Connect is continuously attracting attention, bringing new people into the platform, and keeping local businesses visible — even when individual business owners are focused on running their business.

Paid advertising helps turn Hilltops Connect from a passive listing platform into an active, ongoing marketing system working in the background for the local business community.

What is Authentic Marketing?

In an online world full of artificial intelligence, polished ads, fake reviews, and shallow content, people are craving something real.

They want to know the people behind the businesses. They want to understand who they are supporting. They want connection, not just transactions.

This is where collaborative marketing becomes especially powerful.

Hilltops Connect doesn’t rely on generic advertising. It shares real businesses, real stories, and real people. It builds visibility through authenticity — not noise.

Our towns, farms, businesses, events, and community spirit offer something genuine. Hilltops Connect helps bring that authenticity forward, so the right customers can find you and feel confident choosing local.

Why Isn’t it Free to List on Hilltops Connect.

We actually do have a free option, which is a full listing but without any ‘clickable’ links to your business.  It’s not a bad deal – in fact it’s a lot for $0.  But we don’t recommend it at all – not if you want results.  Our paid listings are design to drive potential customers your way – and that’s what you want – isn’t it?

Most online directories simply list your name and contact details — and then leave you to do all the marketing yourself.

Hilltops Connect is different. It is not just a listing site. It is a collaborative marketing platform, actively promoted and managed by Bees To Honey Marketing to create real, ongoing visibility for the businesses on the platform.

We rely on collaborative marketing — where each business contributes a small amount, and together we create marketing reach and consistency far beyond what most could achieve alone.

This allows us to:

• Run ongoing paid advertising that promotes the platform and the businesses within it
• Include your business in event-led and themed promotional campaigns throughout the year
• Share real business stories that build trust and connection
• Keep professional marketing affordable by spreading the cost across the platform
• Continuously improve and grow the platform to increase visibility for everyone involved

Collaborative marketing is what makes Hilltops Connect sustainable.

When each business contributes, the platform grows stronger. When the platform grows stronger, every listed business benefits.

This isn’t just about having your business online.

It’s about being part of a collaborative marketing platform that works continuously to keep local businesses visible, supported, and connected.

Our Packages
Where Does Your Business Fit?

Bee Seen 
Free listing → A full, professionally designed listing on Hilltops Connect ready to get you noticed.  Upgrade for more lead generating features including clickable website links, social media links, and a direct business owner contact form.

More info below.

Bee Found
Paid listing → A , fully designed and functional listing. Includes clickable website link, social media links, and contact business owner form — making it easy for news customers to find you and take action.

More info below.

Bee Everywhere
Story-led promotion  Most Popular
Everything in Bee Found, plus a professionally written story, paid story promotion, social media shout-outs and inclusion in ongoing campaigns.

More info below.

Hilltops Hero
Category Sponsor 
Top leadership position within a category, with banner placement, story, listing, recognition, and optional quarterly ad amplification. 

More info below.

Pay-It-Forward
Leadership visibility that supports another local business or community group. This isn’t just about getting your business seen.
It’s about helping others be seen too.

More info below.

What Others Are Saying

“Since joining Hilltops Connect – Your Local Guide, we’ve definitely seen more new customers through the door. But the real surprise was the Google stats: searches up 26%, calls from our Google page up 121%, and directions up 82% — all within just two weeks!”
Cathy Simpson, Wombat Cottage Café

“What makes Hilltops Connect so special is Sharon’s genuine commitment to supporting local creatives, events, and businesses. It’s not just promotion — it’s real collaboration across the region, and that’s something I deeply value.”
Heather Ruhl, Young Society of Artists

“The hundreds of visitors we had through our gallery during HOBTRACK has elevated our business beyond belief.”
Mark & Therese Crowe, Murringo Barracks

Click the tabs below to show full details of each package

Hilltops Hero Category Sponsor
Exclusive leadership position within your category
One business only per category

$3,300 per year (12-month sponsorship inclusive of GST)
($275 per month) 

As the Category Sponsor, your business is positioned as the clear leader in your sector on Hilltops Connect. Your business is seen first by people actively looking for what you offer.  Your banner sits at the top of your category, your listing is professionally presented, and your business is recognised throughout the year.

This position establishes your business as the clear and visible leader in your category.

Your sponsorship includes

Top-of-category banner placement
Your professionally designed banner is placed at the very top of your category and links directly to your listing.

Professionally presented business listing
A full professionally designed listing showcasing your business and built to drive potential customers your way 

Feature story about your business
A professionally written story published on Hilltops Connect and used in promotions across the year — helping people connect with and choose your business.

Ongoing sponsor recognition
Monthly acknowledgement across Hilltops Connect social media and recognition in newsletters (quarterly minimum), reinforcing your leadership position.

Recommended: Visibility Amplification (Optional)

Add a $110 per month advertising budget
Each quarter, we create and run a targeted one-month advertising campaign promoting your business and special offers to local and regional audiences.

The full $100 per month is used entirely as advertising spend. Campaign creation and management are included in the sponsorship. ($10 is GST).  Total $1320 per year (ad spend) to run 4x month long paid promotions per year. 

This ensures your business reaches both Hilltops Connect visitors and new audiences across the region.

Ad Creation Included in your Sponsorship
We will create and run four targeted advertising campaigns across the year. We take care of the entire process — writing the content, designing the ad, setting it up, targeting the right local and regional audience, and monitoring its performance while it runs. Each campaign runs for one month and directs people to your listing or business story, helping ensure your business is seen not only by Hilltops Connect visitors, but also by new audiences across the region.

Download Our Sponsorship Handout

Designed for businesses that want to stand out from the crowd — not just be listed.

Bee Everywhere
Story-led promotion that builds trust in your business

$330 per year or $27.50 per month (GST inclusive)
Includes Pay It Forward — your listing also supports another local business or community group

Bee Everywhere is designed for businesses that want more than just a listing. It combines a professionally presented listing with story-led promotion and ongoing visibility across Hilltops Connect.

Your business isn’t just listed — it is actively promoted.

Your package includes everything in Bee Found, plus:

A professionally written story about your business
We create a custom story about your business — who you are, what you offer, and what makes you part of the Hilltops community. You review and approve it before it is published.  This story not only raises awareness of your business but builds understanding of why you do what you do – which increases trust in your business. 

Featured promotion of your story
Your story is shared across Hilltops Connect social media and promoted with paid advertising for two weeks — at our expense, not yours. This introduces your business to a wider local and regional audience.

Ongoing inclusion in Hilltops Connect campaigns
Your business is automatically included in our themed promotions, seasonal campaigns, and ongoing shout-outs throughout the year.

____________________________________

Why businesses choose Bee Everywhere

Stories build recognition, trust, and connection.

This package ensures your business is not only visible — but actively promoted as part of the Hilltops Connect platform.

It’s a win-win. Your story helps grow the platform and promote the region — and your business benefits from the increased exposure, engagement, and credibility this creates.

Ideal for businesses that want ongoing visibility — not just a static listing.

(No payment up-front. We will contact you to confirm)

Bee Found
Full listing designed to drive customers to your business

$165 per year (GST inclusive)
Includes Pay It Forward — your listing also supports another local business or community group

Bee Found transforms your Hilltops Connect listing from a passive presence into an active pathway for customers to discover you, click through, and make contact.

Instead of simply being seen, your listing works as a direct connection point between your business and the people already searching for what you offer.

Your Bee Found listing includes

Fully functional professionally designed business listing
Your business is presented in a clear, professional format designed to help customers understand what you offer and take the next step.

Clickable website link
Visitors can move directly from your listing to your website, allowing them to explore your services, view your work, and take action.

Social media links
Customers can easily connect with your business across your social media platforms, helping build familiarity and trust.

Direct contact form
Customers can send enquiries directly from your listing, removing barriers and making it easy for them to reach you.

Active customer connection features
Your listing is designed to guide interested visitors toward contacting your business, turning visibility into real opportunities.

Ideal for businesses that want their listing to actively connect them with customers — not just exist online.

(No payment up-front. We will contact you to confirm)

Bee Seen
Free business listing

Bee Seen gives your business a professionally designed presence on Hilltops Connect, helping locals and visitors discover what exists across our region.

We create and present your listing in a clear, professional format so your business is visible within your category and part of the Hilltops Connect platform.

Your free listing includes

Professionally designed business listing
Your business is presented in a structured, professional format that reflects your presence within the local business community.

Category placement
Your listing appears within the relevant category, allowing people browsing Hilltops Connect to discover your business.

Visibility as part of the Hilltops Connect platform
Your business becomes part of a trusted local visibility platform designed to strengthen awareness of businesses across the region.  Your listing will benefit from traffic being generated through our collaborative story-led and event-led marketing strategies. 

Important to know

Bee Seen provides visibility but does not include direct customer contact features.

This means your listing does not include:

• Clickable website links
• Social media links
• Direct contact form

These features are part of the Bee Found package, which allows customers to easily click through, connect with you, and make enquiries.

Bee Seen is a strong first step — with the option to unlock full visibility when you’re ready.

The Pay-it-Forward Opportunity
Leadership visibility that supports another local business or community group

Hilltops Connect is built on collaboration. When more local businesses are visible, the whole region becomes stronger.  That’s why every paid listing on Hilltops Connect includes a Pay It Forward opportunity.

When you join with a paid listing, you’re not just increasing your own visibility — you’re helping another local business, creative, or community organisation get seen too.

How it works

For every Bee Found or Bee Everywhere listing, Hilltops Connect will create and support a second listing for a local business or organisation that could benefit from greater visibility.

This could include:

• A small retail shop
• A local creative or maker
• A community group or charity
• A local market, event, or program

You can nominate someone to support, or we can recommend a local organisation doing valuable work.

Their listing will include a “Supported by [Your Business Name]” acknowledgement, recognising your contribution to strengthening the local business community.

Why businesses choose to Pay It Forward

Many established businesses already have strong word-of-mouth and steady demand. Pay It Forward offers a meaningful way to:

• Demonstrate leadership within the local community
• Support the visibility of other local businesses and organisations
• Be recognised as a business that contributes to the strength of the region
• Strengthen their own presence on a trusted local platform

This isn’t just about getting your business seen.
It’s about helping others be seen too.

Stronger visibility. Stronger community. Stronger together.

(No payment up-front. We will contact you to confirm)