The $1,000 Acquisition Checklist Challenge

The challenge. We check how your business wins and handles customers against our Acquisition Checklist below. If your business passes every item, so that we cannot find a single thing to improve, we pay you NZ$1,000.

Please read this first. The checklist is long on purpose. It is the full list of things we would otherwise offer to help with, from the website to the ads to the follow-up. Passing every item takes a business that has already done a great deal of work, and most businesses we check will not pass every item. It is still a real challenge: every item has a written pass test, and a business that meets all of them wins.

1. Who can enter. A business that has traded in New Zealand for at least 12 months, represented by an owner or someone who can decide for it. One entry per business. Not open to our current or past clients, businesses related to them, or our staff and their families.
2. No purchase. Entry is free and you never have to buy anything from us.
3. The checklist that applies. The checklist on this page is version 1, dated 15 October 2026. The version published on the day we accept your entry is the one used for your business. We never add an item to your entry after that.
4. How it is checked. Over a screen-share call of up to 60 minutes, you show us the evidence each item asks for (screens, settings, reports, real examples). We never ask for your passwords and never log in to your accounts ourselves. We also run our own tests: test phone calls, test texts, test enquiries through your website and social pages, and PageSpeed Insights tests. We run those tests within 7 days before or after the call, and we tell you when the testing window starts.
5. Pass or fail. Each item is marked pass or fail against its written pass test only, never on our opinion. Within 10 working days of the call we send you a written result listing every item, whether it passed, and for any fail the exact reason and the evidence we saw.
6. If you disagree. Within 7 days of receiving the result you can dispute any fail in writing. We re-check that item with you on the evidence. If the evidence meets the written pass test, the item passes.
7. One re-check. If some items fail, you can ask once, within 60 days of the result, for those items to be checked again after you have fixed them. Items that passed stay passed.
8. When we pay. If every item passes (after any dispute or re-check), we pay the business NZ$1,000 by bank transfer to a New Zealand business bank account within 14 days of the final result. It is money, not a credit or a discount.
9. When we don't pay. If any item fails, no payment is due. You keep the written result and can use it however you like, with or without us. If you do not take part in the call or do not show the evidence an item needs, that item fails.
10. Honest evidence. Evidence must be real and current. An entry that relies on staged, borrowed or altered evidence is disqualified.
11. Limits. We accept at most 5 entries a calendar month, in the order they arrive; later entries move to the next month. We may close the challenge at any time; every entry accepted before then is honoured.
12. Tax. A payment may be taxable income for your business. We cannot advise on your tax.
13. Privacy and confidentiality. What you show us is used only for the challenge and is kept confidential. We never publish anything about your business without your written permission.
14. Law. The promoter is C.E.A SMITH LIMITED. New Zealand law applies. Nothing here limits your rights under the Fair Trading Act 1986 or, where it applies, the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.

The Acquisition Checklist (version 1, 15 October 2026)

Every item must pass. "We test" means we run the test ourselves; "you show" means you show us on the call.

A. Website

• A1Mobile speed and quality

  Your home page scores 90 or more in all four categories (Performance, Accessibility, Best Practices, SEO) in the PageSpeed Insights mobile test. Best of three runs.

  Evidence: We test

• A2Desktop speed and quality

  The same four scores of 90 or more in the PageSpeed Insights desktop test. Best of three runs.

  Evidence: We test

• A3Secure address

  Every version of your address (with and without www, http and https) ends up on one https address with no browser security warning.

  Evidence: We test

• A4Works on a phone

  On a phone-sized screen (390 pixels wide), every main page has no sideways scrolling and text is readable without zooming.

  Evidence: We test

• A5Tap to call

  Your phone number appears on every page and dials when tapped on a phone.

  Evidence: We test

• A6Enquiry form that works

  We send a test enquiry through your website. It reaches you, and you show it to us.

  Evidence: We test, you show

• A7Book or request a quote online

  A customer can book a time or request a quote on your website without phoning.

  Evidence: We test

• A8Clear services and areas

  Your home page says what you do and which areas you serve, visible on a phone without scrolling past the first screen.

  Evidence: We test

• A9Real reviews on the site

  Your website shows real customer reviews, each traceable to its source (for example your Google profile).

  Evidence: We test

• A10Found on Google

  A search for your business name shows your website, and every main page has its own page title and description.

  Evidence: We test

• A11Visitor and enquiry numbers

  You can show the number of website visitors and website enquiries for the last 30 days.

  Evidence: You show

B. Google Business Profile

• B1Verified, right category

  Your profile is verified and its primary category matches your main service.

  Evidence: You show

• B2Details complete

  Hours, phone number, website and service areas are filled in and correct.

  Evidence: We test

• B3Photos

  At least 10 photos of your real work, team or premises, at least one added in the last 90 days.

  Evidence: We test

• B4Reviews

  At least 20 Google reviews, at least one of them in the last 60 days.

  Evidence: We test

• B5Reviews replied to

  Every Google review from the last 12 months has a reply from the business.

  Evidence: We test

• B6Kept current

  At least one post or update on the profile in the last 30 days.

  Evidence: We test

C. Calls, texts and messages

• C1Every call answered

  We ring your business number three times on different days, at least once outside business hours. Every call is answered by a person or an AI receptionist that takes the caller's name, number and what they need.

  Evidence: We test

• C2Call details reach you

  For each of our test calls, the caller's details reach you in writing (text, email or app) within 5 minutes, and you show us.

  Evidence: We test, you show

• C3Texts answered

  We text your business number. Inside business hours a reply arrives within 15 minutes; outside them an automatic reply arrives within 5 minutes.

  Evidence: We test

• C4Website enquiries answered

  Our test enquiry (A6) gets an automatic reply within 5 minutes and a personal reply within 4 working hours.

  Evidence: We test

• C5Social messages answered

  We message your Facebook page and, if you have one, your Instagram account. Each gets an automatic reply straight away and a personal reply within 4 working hours.

  Evidence: We test

D. Follow-up

• D1Enquiries followed up

  Every enquiry that does not book is followed up automatically at least twice over the following 7 days.

  Evidence: You show the automation and a real example

• D2Quotes followed up

  Every quote that is not accepted is followed up automatically at least twice over the following 14 days.

  Evidence: You show the automation and a real example

• D3Booking confirmations and reminders

  Every booked job gets an automatic confirmation and a reminder before the job.

  Evidence: You show the automation and a real example

• D4Review requests

  Every finished job gets an automatic review request.

  Evidence: You show the automation and a real example

E. Leads, quotes and invoices

• E1One place for every lead

  Every enquiry, from calls, texts, the website, social messages and ads, lands in one system (a CRM or job system) with where it came from. Our test enquiries from section C are in it.

  Evidence: You show

• E2Quotes from templates

  Quotes are produced in software from saved templates or a price list, not typed from scratch, and can be sent the same day.

  Evidence: You show a real example

• E3Entered once

  A job moves from enquiry to quote to job to invoice without anyone typing the same details into a second system.

  Evidence: You show a real example

• E4Invoice reminders

  Invoices are sent from software, and overdue invoices get automatic reminders.

  Evidence: You show the automation and a real example

• E5Pay online

  Customers can pay an invoice by card or a payment link.

  Evidence: You show

F. Advertising

• F1Ads running

  You have run paid ads on Meta (Facebook and Instagram) or Google in the last 30 days.

  Evidence: You show

• F2Meta tracking

  If you run Meta ads: the Meta Pixel is on your website and the Conversions API is sending server events, and Events Manager shows both for your lead or enquiry event in the last 7 days.

  Evidence: You show

• F3Google tracking

  If you run Google ads: conversion tracking for both calls and website enquiries, with conversions recorded in the last 30 days.

  Evidence: You show

• F4Retargeting

  A retargeting campaign is running, shown to people who visited your website or engaged with your ads, with spend in the last 30 days.

  Evidence: You show

• F5Landing pages

  Every live ad leads to a page or form about that ad's specific offer, not just your home page.

  Evidence: You show, we test

• F6Testing

  At least 3 different ads (different images, videos or wording) have run in the last 60 days.

  Evidence: You show

• F7Cost per lead

  You can show a report of ad spend, leads and cost per lead for each campaign for the last full month.

  Evidence: You show

G. Results

• G1Leads to jobs

  You can show how many enquiries became paid jobs last month, broken down by where the enquiry came from.

  Evidence: You show

• G2Speed to lead

  You can show the average time from a new enquiry to your first reply for the last 30 days, and it is under 1 hour inside business hours.

  Evidence: You show

That is 40 items. Pass all 40 and you win NZ$1,000.

Questions

Email info@ceasmith.com or call 03 567 1600. The other offer terms: Free website build and Fund One Business: one systems upgrade, on us.