Being aware of your competitor’s movements is vital for the sustainability of your own business. It is not something that can only be done on the odd occasion, it is a constant. Your Marketing Plan must include a market research process to continuously keep yourself in-the-know about what your competitor is doing and what you need to do in order to get ahead of them at every turn. How Research Keeps You Ahead of Your Competitors.
Why Competitor Research Analysis Is Vital
Includes critical areas of sales and marketing:
– Marketing Plan
– Marketing Tactics
– Product Management
– Sales Process
– Sales Admin
Companies in rapidly changing industries, such as those in the field of app development, digital marketing, tech hardware, and the likes, are continuously researching competitors and conducting eCommerce research to understand how well they are doing and what is happening in the market. There is no room for thinking that you don’t have to worry about what services your competitors are offering to your clients of which you are not.
You have to strive to continuously learn from their mistakes whether it be through market strategy failures or discontinued defunct products. The same can be said for their successes in these areas of business. An app development company wouldn’t be able to have success in finding new clients if it didn’t look at apps of award-winning agencies. The same goes for any other company, really.
Think of it as a method to strengthen your business through growth in more ways than one. This aids your business in staying one step ahead of your competitor every step of the way. Competitor research is what teaches you how not to run your business in the ways in which your competitor have failed.
You also need to open to opportunities for change and adaptation. Marketing of businesses in any way, shape, or form is constantly advancing as rapidly as the overall technology we use today. This too will enhance your business’s growth for years to come.
What to Do Before Conducting Your Competitor Analysis
Before you embark on the market research journey of discovery to develop a complete analysis of who and what it is your competitor does, there are a few factors you need to take into account. As a startup business owner, you have to make the decision as to whether you want to do the research on your own or whether you want a business research analyst to do the work for you.
A business research analyst may be able to provide you with an extensive breakdown of what your competitor can and cannot do, however, their version will only be an overall review. Whereas if you conducted the competitive analysis on your own, you would be able to identify more than just what your competitor does and doesn’t sell.
The analysis expert may conduct a review twice a year yet you still have ample opportunity to keep up to date on the daily product specials and new marketing strategies your opponent is doing. How much do they invest in advertising budgets? Are they advertising new and improved products and services? Do you need to go the extra mile to beat that sort of competition? Only you will be able to make this calculated judgment.
How to Create The Best Competitive Research Analysis
Like you would with any business venture, you have to have a written breakdown of what it is you want to achieve with this analysis report.
- What products and services does your competitor offer?
- Do they make use of digital marketing strategies or solely rely on print advertising? Are they doing SEO for apps?
- Does your competitor use social media to draw in more customers by means of a business website, which uses social media’ features to increase their brand exposure as well as the service which they offer?
You must have clear and specific knowledge of what target market your business is aimed at and whether you have the resources to provide this audience with what they want and need. Conduct target market surveys to find out more about what else you can offer your clients as well as what services they wish you would provide.
Enable your clients to sign up with a loyalty program your business can offer so that these clients keep coming back for more. If you have access to online analytics tools, you will be able to ascertain through page insights on what is and isn’t benefiting your clients or your business.
Market Research Keeps You Ahead of Your Competitors
It is important to remember the value of what your business has to offer people as opposed to what your competitors can’t offer. By conducting extensive competitor research to develop an accurate analysis of exactly what your competitor does and how they do it. This will give you the advantage of consistently improving your products, services, and marketing strategies.
Creating optimal brand awareness through exposure on social media platforms and the high quality of products and services will always put you one step ahead of the rest! Create the entire sales and marketing process. View sample sales and marketing policy and procedures with no obligation. Take advantage of our money-back guarantee and buy the Sales and Marketing Policies, Procedures and Forms manual risk free!
BIO: Rilind Elezaj is an experienced a Digital Marketing Specialist with a demonstrated history of working in the marketing and advertising industry. Rilind possesses a strong entrepreneurial mindset and has devoted his career to enhancing the sphere of digital marketing. In his methodological approach, Rilind integrates web development and other digital marketing solutions to create hybrid strategies that bring the best results.