Finding rivals in your business and learning about their various marketing methods is the process of doing a competitor analysis, also known as a competitive analysis. You may compare this data to that of your competitors’ to determine your company’s advantages and disadvantages.
You can do a high-level competition study or delve into a particular area of your rivals’ industries. This post will concentrate on how to perform a generic competitive analysis, but you should modify this procedure to fit the requirements and objectives of your company.
How to perform competitors’ analysis?
It might be challenging to decide what to emphasize while performing a competitive analysis. Here are six steps to get you started: Think on the purpose of your competitor analysis before you start. Include any additional research fields that support these objectives.
1. Identify Your Rivals.
Consider where your clients would go if they didn’t buy from your firm while compiling a list of possible rivals. Searching for your product or its category on Google or another search engine and browsing the results is a simple method to get started. You may also conduct a poll or conduct an interview with current clients to learn more about the alternatives they looked at before choosing your goods or services.
So that you can commit adequate time and effort to investigating each rival, limit your list to 10 or less. To acquire a thorough understanding of the market, when you finish your list, try to include a variety of businesses. Businesses that fit into each of the three categories of competitors should be taken into account.
Direct Competitors : Direct rivals cater to comparable target markets by offering comparable goods or services. When you consider your competitors, these are probably the businesses that immediately spring to mind.
Indirect Competitors : A distinct item or service is offered in the same category by indirect rivals.
Potential Replacement competitors : Alternative rivals exist outside of your product area, yet they meet comparable client needs.
Direct and indirect rivals should receive the majority of your attention when doing a competitor analysis. Even so, it’s good to take a quick inventory of any substitute competitors that could jeopardize your company’s chances.
2. Profile the Target Market of Your Competitors.
In the absence of clients, a business cannot exist. You may learn a lot about your rivals’ company by gaining an understanding of who they sell to. To identify the ideal client for any business:
- Take a look at their mission statement.
- Take a look at the message they employ.
- Keep track of the social media contacts they make.
- Check to see whether any current clients are mentioned in the material.
Utilize this data to create a profile of the target market that your rivals are targeting with their goods and services. Since they are your rivals, these consumer profiles will presumably reflect those of your own target market, so pay attention to even minor variations.
3. Focus on the Marketing Mix.
Determine 4P’s – Product, Price, Promotion ,Place
- What features are included in the products your competitor is selling.
- What is their price model?
- What advertising Channels are they using for promotion & ad placement?
- Do they sell the products directly to their clients or do they have brand partnerships with other retailers?
4. Determine Your Brand’s Weaknesses & Strengths.
How would you describe your company? What makes you unique? How does your company differ from competitors? These questions are important because they help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. They also provide insight into how customers perceive your brand.
Competitive intelligence (CI) refers to the collection, processing, analysis, and interpretation of information related to competitor activities. CI helps companies gain insights into their competitive environment and develop strategies to compete effectively.
To answer these questions, you should conduct a thorough competitor analysis. This involves gathering data about your competitors’ businesses, marketing campaigns, and financial performance. You’ll then analyze the collected information to determine where your company stands against its rivals.
Stay tuned as we plan to bring more information on this topic in our webinars & podcast.