When owning and operating a small business, there will be many competitors in your field, no matter what the industry is. Your competitors can either be other small business or large corporations, and it is important to stay on top of what your competitors are doing. By staying up to date with how your competitors are conducting their business, you can gain further knowledge of the industry and how you can progress your company. For a wedding planning company, there will undoubtedly be numerous competitors. Despite not competing with large corporations, it however does not make the competition any less complicated. With multiple small business competing against each other, your industry becomes more cut throat, with each small business fighting to be at the top of the industry.
While each wedding company conducts bridal shows, you must do anything and everything in your power to make your company stand out above your competitors. Focusing on all aspects of your business is the best way to go about this, rather than targeting one specific area. By showing the various skills of your staff, such as writing materials, bridal shows, weddings, photography, and videography, you are displaying how your business is well rounded, and focuses on putting all of the pieces of the puzzle together to give the customer a full idea of what your company can accomplish.
Although making your small business stand out among your competitors is vital in improving your company, it is also very important to consistently keep tabs on what your competitors are doing. The wedding planning industry changes and evolves just like any other industry, which is why it is crucial to know what is going on around you. For example, a competitor may have inside knowledge on what the latest trends are in wedding dresses, which will give them a step up when conducting a bridal show. By gaining a further insight as to how this particular competitor knows this inside information, your company can perhaps connect with this source, and further improve its bridal shows.
A dynamic way to stay up to date with your competitors is setting up a Google Alerts account for your business. Google Alerts is a free service, and is a clear and simple way to detect what your competitors are doing on a regular basis. By getting alerts about what your competitors are doing, you are able to see what is happening in your industry instantaneously. Not only is it important to have Google alerts for your competitors, but several key industry terms as well. This can include “wedding dresses”, “bridal shows”, or “wedding photography”. By getting alerts on some of the various wedding lingo, you can guarantee that your business will always be up to date with the evolving industry.
Google Alerts is a great tool to use for any small business, and there are many creative ways to use it to advance your business. For example, if you are alerted about an article pertaining to a catering company receiving an award, you can take the extra step in contacting the author, and congratulating them on their work. Following this, you have established a working relationship with the author, and can further inquire with the catering company.
There are endless tools online that are easy to use and free, and it is only up to you to use them to your advantage. Establishing a successful public relations network is a necessity for any business, big or small. By using Google Alerts to stay up to date with your competitors, operating a successful small business will be easier, pleasant, and less stressful.