[newrealityltd]

whilst doing market research on my competitors, i find it hard to find ways they are marketing themselves to see what marketing most benefit companies such as mine.
anyone has any advice on how to find out how competitors market the company?

[notgoingtouni]

In a nutshell, if you don't know how they're marketing their business then they're not doing a very good job are they?!

Seriously though, look through Google to see if they have any AdWord campaigns or if they are optimising their site. Also look through all industry-related sites and see if they are advertising/linking, joining in forums etc.

Obviously you can't approach a competitor and ask them how they are doing it, but ask your consumers if they know of any companies doing the same thing as you, how they heard about them etc. That should give you a better idea.

[ParentsforPlay]

Not answering your question but just wanted to say there is a company near me that once a month has staff walking round our area all carrying a huge photo of a child in a frame and just knocks on doors to get bookings. It's a regular thing so it must work well.

I have used him in the past so it worked with me!

I think when someone says something like you will get 3 x X size photos it can be hard to imagine the size in your head (or how it will look on your wall) but actually seeing the size you get with this company makes all the difference. Don't know how you could do that a on a website really apart from perhaps a picture with the some sort of scale reference

Sarah

[boxby]

Set up a goggle alert for each of your competitors, with a daily alert so you can act quickly if you see something that you think you should be doing too. Very simple, google does it for you, and it's free!

[KingPin]

You might want to look into "Competitive Intelligence".

I currently use HitWise for this and it's probably one of the best things I have paid for.

Or another good way is to call them and act like a dumb potential customer. It's amazing how much info they give away just to gain business.

KP

[boxby]

I heard a lovely story about someone setting up a shoe shop. They dressed up their 9 year old in school uniform, gave them a clipboard, and sent them off with their daddy round all the top end shoe shops to do a "school project".

"Can I ask you what margin you make?"
"where to you advertise?"

Absolutely classic!!!