The document discusses competitive intelligence and how to use it to grow a business. It outlines why competitive intelligence is essential for business planning, how to gather intelligence about competitors through secondary and primary research, and how to use competitive intelligence strategically and tactically. The presentation emphasizes analyzing competitors' strengths, weaknesses, and likely strategies to inform a company's own competitive strategy and marketing communications.

1. Competitive Intelligence, how to get
it and how to use it to grow your business.
OCBA Presentation
Rob Garber – 12-15-11

2. Talking Points
Why this is an essential part of your marketing and
business plans
Forces that drive competition
Competitive overviews, company profiles, ongoing tracking
What kinds of things do you need to know about your
competition?
Analysis – the most important element – the added value
Strategic vs. tactical CI – the difference and why both matter
Sources of intelligence - gathering CI legally and ethically,
Making informed decisions – about what?
Communicating with the market place – Insight and Value
Prop
Rob Garber - OCBA CI Presentation

3. CI – Essential to your planning
How strong is the competition?
How many other companies are out there?
How strong is their position in the market?
What are barriers to entry for new companies?
How do they differentiate themselves?
Strengths and weaknesses of primary competition
How will they react to your moves?
How will you react to theirs?
What is your competitive strategy?
Low cost producer – just as good, for less
good
Differentiated offering(s) – The only one of it’s kind
Focus – segments, target markets – Number one amongst small
p
companies
Rob Garber - OCBA CI Presentation

4. Forces Driving Industry Competition
(Porter s
(Porter’s 5 forces that affect competition and profitability)
Potential
Entrants
Threat of new entrants
Industry
I d t
Competitors
Suppliers Buyers
Rivalry Among Bargaining power of buyers
Bargaining power of suppliers
Existing Firms
Substitutes Threat of substitute products or services
*Competitive Strategy, Michael E. Porter, 1998 ed.
Rob Garber - OCBA CI Presentation

5. Competitive templates
Initial overview (can be updated for tracking purposes)
Company profiles
Strategy – how they intend to win, what’s their approach, what’s the goal (not
financial) ex. B th l di supplier of l t computers.
fi i l) Be the leading li f laptop t
Position – overview of what they do, who they are, history, top execs, what they sell
Financial performance – VC funding, IPO, if public recent performance, market
cap, acquisitions, pricing if available.
p, q ,p g
Background – Top execs, strategies they are pursuing, current developments.
Technology – High level discussion about the tech that the company’s products are
based on that make it unique, or give it competitive advantage.
Offerings – Summary of how the company packages and brands its offerings
(products or services). Functional characteristics, advantages and drawbacks.
Partners – Partnering strategy, list of partners.
Analysis – The most important part of the exercise. Thinking about how and/or
exercise
should we compete. What are important considerations.
Strengths and weaknesses
Possible next moves – educated guesses on likely directions, anticipate possible business
activities and strategies.
strategies
Implications and recommendations – What does it mean to us, what should we do?
Rob Garber - OCBA CI Presentation

6. Competitive templates
Trend reports
Monthly
Brief (2 to 3 p g ) fast read format. (
( pages) (Can use hyperlinks in e-format).
yp )
Identify the trend in headline, with facts and figures to support why this is
a trend.
Bulleted “proof points” that are documented recent events that support the
observations.
Implications and recommendations. Separates “information” from
“intelligence” which is much more valuable.
Quarterly
This is usually a roll up of the previous monthly reports with updates, can
be more extensive (10 to 15 pages). More formal report.
Includes an executive summary in the beginning for fast overview.
Also, contains brief “snapshots” of competing companies that have come
up on th radar, and can form the basis of a deeper dive profile.
the d d f th b i f d di fil
Rob Garber - OCBA CI Presentation

7. Strategic vs. Tactical CI
Strategy focus usually feeds top Execs (decision makers)
and Marketing
Higher level overview of competitive strategy with more on market
dynamics, financial performance, external communications
(campaigns, PR), merger / acquisition and partnering activities,
new products / markets.
markets
Tactical focus is more for sales and product management
More product oriented (
M d t i t d (customer orientation of course) – selling
t i t ti f ) lli
against the competition, feature differentiation, account instead of
market orientation.
How can sales & service approaches and product features be
improved. Increasing the “win” percentage.
Reports include “Battle cards”, “Cheat Sheets” comparison
summaries, and quick read trend reports for use by field.
, q p y
Rob Garber - OCBA CI Presentation

8. Sources of Intelligence
Sources can be primary (quantitative or qualitative) and secondary
(existing published data and info)
Secondary search should be done first. You may have enough information, or
y y g ,
if you plan a primary study, it will help you to ask the right questions, and
maximize your efforts.
Secondary sources can include the obvious Google search in addition to:
Newspapers & magazines including trade / industry press
SEC info if your competitor is publicly held
Analyst reports
Speeches
Thorough search through company websites (compete.com to see traffic stats)
LinkedIn – people and company info
Twitter – can be searched various different ways
Job postings (indeed.com) what skills are companies looking for?
Use Wordle on a competitors web site to see what they’re focused on.
Slideshare.net
Slideshare net – presentations on just about anything.
anything
Your sales force – who are they running into?
Primary research focuses on competitive questions
Rating the competition
Win loss studies
Rob Garber - OCBA CI Presentation

9. Rob s
Rob’s Wordle
Rob Garber - OCBA CI Presentation

10. Marketing Communication
Delivering your messages to the market. The creative brief is how
the best ad agencies create high impact advertising.
Organizing a blueprint, getting the right insight, making the right
promise, getting the creative team on track.
The objective of the ad – what action do we want to inspire? (purchase path)
The target, individuals, what they think, how they act, what’s guiding their
behavior?
The insight – the most important belief, perception, attitude, motivation or need that
drives the target’s behavior.
target s
The promise – AKA value prop. Single minded answer that will solve the problem
expressed in the insight.
Support – Proof that the promise is believable.
Call to Action – What will be used to move the target closer to purchase?
Tone of voice, brand personality
Agency deliverables – what media will be used, cost & timelines
Success metrics
S ti
Rob Garber - OCBA CI Presentation

11. Take Aways
Do your homework on the competition
Make it an important part of your planning activity
Use it to develop a winning competitive strategy
Keep your eye on the competition on an ongoing basis
Understand your customer’s motivations, and send them the
right messages about why y
g g y you’re different and better.
Have a great holiday season, and a happy successful 2012!
Rob Garber - OCBA CI Presentation

12. Contact me if you have questions, or need
more info
Rob Garber
RHGARBER@VERIZON.NET
914-844-2560 (CELL)
LINKEDIN - www.linkedin.com/in/roberthgarber
Rob Garber - OCBA CI Presentation