Manchester Money stuck with its name - even when clients saw it as a barrier
Manchester Money might once have found its name a hindrance beyond the city limits, but today that identity is a core growth engine.
"We were toying with whether to keep the name," said Julia Brownley, sales director at Manchester Money. "Because it [may have] deterred people from other areas." Yet by committing to its Manchester branding and investing in SEO, the firm saw what Brownley describes as "a thousand percent more online inquiries."
The firm now draws international attention precisely because of its strong local brand. "We get approached from people from all over the world... looking to partner up with a mortgage broker because people are buying the flats in Manchester," she said. "It's been quite a powerful marketing tool and name, to be fair."
Community focus builds visibility and leads
Brownley, who leads a seven-person team, credits the company’s visibility to community outreach. Sponsorships of local football and cricket clubs have increased brand recognition. "Chris [Barker, MD] is very into football, he's a football coach. And that's increased kind of visibility around the area because kids are wearing our kits," she said.
The firm also runs financial literacy sessions in secondary schools, covering everything from budgeting to salary expectations. "What kind of job pays a certain salary in order to buy a house at a certain price... just budgeting things like that," Brownley explained.
The impact has been direct. "We've had, just through putting Facebook posts on, parents contacting us about the mortgages they have, teachers as well," she said. "It's certainly driven our business growth."
Appearances at careers fairs and mock interview sessions have further cemented the brand. "We've been featured in local newspapers... as a thank you," Brownley added. "People see familiarity and think, 'Oh, Manchester Money are sponsoring that team.' It's all kind of brand awareness."
Operational improvements and partnerships support scale
To enhance client experience and scale more efficiently, Brownley points to building strategic relationships with local solicitors and marketing vendors. "They now are, like, trusted to streamline our process and act on our behalf," she said.
Automation has also helped. The firm partnered with a local marketing company to digitise elements of its CRM, especially around remortgage reminders and post-sale engagement. "That was all a manual approach before, which was quite a hefty job," she noted.
Membership in the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce has opened new corporate channels. "We're in talks to deliver a staff benefit... with free fees for the mortgages or a free will," she said.
Referral relationships with estate agents have also proved fruitful. "I've had a few contacts from my previous employment... and we then service their clients as they would expect," said Brownley.
A targeted digital strategy underpins local identity
The company has replaced its Trustpilot reliance with Google Reviews and created borough-specific landing pages tailored to local search traffic. "Different messages on those landing pages that would appeal to the local residents," said Brownley. "Last month we were in the top three, top four, top ten of all the associated words."
Brand visibility is reinforced through personal appearances and promotional wear. Staff attend community events and mortgage clinics in branded gear. "The last one we did, there's a wine and cheese night," Brownley recalled. "Quite a few people from different businesses coming to chat to us."
Trust and repeat business fuel organic growth
Feedback loops and direct outreach help the team stay attuned to client needs. "I'll ring up random clients that have completed and ask them about our services," said Brownley. "A standard set of 10 questions... and that's part of our consumer duty compliance."
That attention has cultivated a strong referral network. "One client referred six people to us within the space of two months," she said.
It also reduces the need for high-cost advertising. "We don't buy Google ad leads or anything like that. We don't need to," said Brownley. "If we're getting repeat business, referrals... that's 100% profit returned to the business."
Ultimately, she credits the firm's grounded presence and consistent visibility. "They're seeing us on the website, they're seeing us out and about, they're seeing us in branded merchandise. It builds trust."
