Watson - McLaren&Co

REINTRODUCING WATSON: A MARKETING EVOLUTION WITH IMMEDIATE IMPACT

Background

Watson is a long-established block management company serving Yorkshire and the North of England. While they had built success through reputation and referrals, they had never implemented a structured marketing strategy. With plans to grow and increase visibility, they needed a more proactive approach; one that aligned with their wider business goals and communicated who they are, what they offer, and why they stand out in a competitive market.

The existing website didn’t reflect their services, values, or audience, and their brand identity, while recognisable, needed refinement to reflect a modern, professional business with heritage and ambition.

Visit their new website: watsonpm.co.uk

Industry: Property Management

Services Delivered: Marketing Strategy, Brand & Messaging Strategy, Visual Identity, SEO Strategy, Website, Photography & Video

The Challenge

We identified three key challenges:

NO MARKETING STRATEGY
Watson had relied on word-of-mouth referrals and lacked a clear marketing plan. There was a need to move from reactive to proactive, with marketing aligned to business growth goals.

DISCONNECTED MESSAGING
The business had evolved, but its messaging hadn’t kept pace. It wasn’t clear who the services were for, or what made Watson different in a crowded property management space.

OUTDATED ONLINE PRESENCE
The existing website was unclear, unstructured, and lacked the content, imagery, clarity, and user experience to build credibility or convert interest into action.

The Solution

1. Marketing Strategy

OBJECTIVE:
Build a proactive marketing strategy to fuel growth, aligned with Watson’s wider business ambitions.

APPROACH:
Following in-depth workshops and internal research, we delivered a structured marketing strategy that mapped out key priorities, target audiences, and tactical opportunities across digital, content, outreach, and partnerships.

KEY OUTCOME:
A clear, actionable plan that turned ambition into strategy, enabling Watson to grow brand awareness, generate new leads, and engage more effectively with all stakeholders.

‘&Co.’ Partner: Opportunity Marketing

2. Brand and Messaging Strategy

OBJECTIVE:
Define a confident, unified voice that reflects Watson’s values, services, and professionalism, while speaking directly to their key audiences.

APPROACH:
We delivered a full brand strategy and messaging framework, including tone of voice, value proposition, and messaging pillars. This was informed by internal surveys and interviews, helping ensure the brand reflected both the business’s values and the voices of the people who deliver them.

KEY OUTCOME:
A confident and consistent brand message that reflects who Watson are today, and supports marketing, recruitment, and client communication going forward.

4. Visual Identity

OBJECTIVE:
Modernise and refine Watson’s existing brand identity without losing valuable brand equity.

APPROACH:
Rather than a full rebrand, we evolved the visual identity, modernising the green, correcting logo spacing, and introducing a complementary palette and triangular graphic device to add flexibility and visual depth. Detailed brand guidelines and templates for social media, PowerPoint, and Word ensured consistency across channels.

KEY OUTCOME:
A refreshed identity that feels modern, credible, and distinctive, while retaining trust and recognition among Watson’s long-standing client base.

‘&Co.’ Partner: Helen Boyes Design

4. SEO Strategy

OBJECTIVE:
Lay strong foundations for a high-performing website by aligning structure and content with search intent.

APPROACH:
We developed a new information architecture based on keyword research, search personas, and competitor insights. We mapped SEO opportunities to key service areas, created content clusters, and produced templates and topic banks to support ongoing content development.

KEY OUTCOME:
A solid SEO and content framework that not only improves visibility but ensures the new website structure is built for search and user intent from day one. Pages are built with the correct search features, better messaging and conversion actions.

‘&Co.’ Partner: Koji Digital

5. Webiste

OBJECTIVE:
Create a professional, user-friendly website that clearly reflects Watson’s services, values, and client focus.

APPROACH:
We developed a new structure built around Watson’s three target audiences, with clear service pages, improved UX, and content that brings their message and value to life. We wrote all copy, created wireframes, and managed the design and development, delivering a dynamic site that’s easy for the Watson team to maintain and update, and fully aligned to the detailed SEO strategy.

KEY OUTCOME:
A clear, professional website with intuitive structure, client-focused messaging, and strong calls to action. This resulted in a high-quality lead on day one of launch. Impressively, Watson requested no revisions to the final development site, a rare outcome that speaks to the accuracy of the strategy, the quality of execution, and our deep understanding of their business needs.

Visit their new website: watsonpm.co.uk

‘&Co.’ Partner: 21 Degrees Digital

5.Imagery

OBJECTIVE:
Replace generic stock photography with authentic, high-quality visuals that reflect Watson’s people, places, and values.

APPROACH:
We delivered a full content shoot, including video, drone footage, b-roll, and photography of staff, residents, and properties across Yorkshire. All imagery is authentic, featuring real Watson employees and real developments under their management, with no stock content used.

KEY OUTCOME:
A rich library of visual assets that adds credibility, warmth, and realism to Watson’s brand, both online and across marketing materials.

View the home page video

‘&Co.’ Partner: 21 Degrees Productions

The Results

Immediate impact, with a qualified lead generated on the first day the site went live, and a 21% increase in clicks in the first three weeks – a stark contrast to the old website’s performance.

A confident, consistent visual and verbal identity that reflects Watson’s professionalism, heritage, and ambition.

A user-focused, content-rich website that supports growth, credibility, and SEO, with clarity for all key audiences.

A structured plan that aligns marketing with business goals, supporting lead generation and brand awareness.

Authentic imagery Genuine photos and video content that show the real people and properties behind Watson, building trust and connection.

Compelling content A versatile library of visuals and messaging now supports every touchpoint, from the website and social media to proposals and award entries.

Distinct brand identity

1 Quality Lead on day 1

21% Increase in Clicks

Authentic imagery

Compelling content

cohesive marketing

“Before working with McLaren&Co., we’d never properly marketed ourselves as a business, despite trading for over 40 years. We knew our website didn’t reflect who we were anymore, and we needed hands-on support to guide that transformation. Lisa brought structure, insight, and energy to the project, from the branding and messaging right through to the new website. She completely understood what we needed, so much so that we didn’t request a single change to the final site, which speaks volumes. We had a high-quality lead on day one of launch, which we’d never had from our old site. I’d gladly recommend Lisa to anyone the advice, support and expertise she’s provided has been invaluable.”

Ian Omant
Managing Director, Watson

Conclusion

McLaren&Co. helped Watson evolve from a reputation-based business into a brand-led organisation, with the tools, strategy, and presence to grow confidently while staying true to their values and legacy. From strategy to execution, McLaren&Co. delivered a result so aligned with Watson’s vision that no changes were needed at launch – a rare feat that reflects a deep understanding of the client’s needs and meticulous end-to-end project management.

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