Article by Callum Morgan at Morgan Branding
When setting up Morgan Branding I was aware that I was entering an already busy and competitive market.
We certainly weren’t the first marketing agency to open, nor did we have a back catalogue of work to showcase. However, what we did have was bags on enthusiasm, a small, but skilled team and an open mind.
Rather than fearing our competitors I chose to research them and in some cases reach out to them to see what I could learn from them as individuals and their businesses. I listened to podcasts, watched videos, read blogs, articles in order to grow and learn. By taking this approach I was able to quickly develop an understanding of the challenges competition faced day to day and saws how they tackled them. It was through this research that I was able to identify an opportunity for us to stand out from the crowd with our state-of-the-art 360° Virtual Tour technology.
An example of this was when I first took on the marketing and management of Plas Colwyn, a luxury self-catering holiday let in Beddgelert, North Wales. My initial thought was to look at how other properties were being managed and marketed and reach out to those owners who I could see were ahead of the game. The responses I received were mixed, as some holiday let owners were not interested in sharing their experiences, whilst others welcomed my call and were happy to share their wealth of knowledge with me as the new kid on the block.
I kept in touch with many who opened their doors to me and now I repay those favours given through supporting them in this digital era with modern day marketing techniques and strategies. Ultimately, it was this experience that led to my investment in the virtual tour equipment that is an integral part of the business here at Morgan Branding. I now work with many of the same people who helped me in the past through the utilisation of our 360° Virtual Tour service, supporting them with websites that attract more direct bookings and by offering social media management support and advice.
Ultimately, my advice when considering your competitors is, embrace them. Work out how you can differentiate yourself, but whatever you do be aware of what they are doing, as It will benefit your business in the long run.
