One suggestion is to start with an exercise that is well labeled “Smart Bombing.” Analyze your company. What would you do if you were your closest competitor looking to attack your own company? Put yourself in your competitors’ position and think about how they might try to counter or off-set your advantages in the market place. Where are you possibly vulnerable?
Have your sales and marketing people do the same exercise. Do your answers and theirs match, or are there two (or more) significant schools of thought about where you stand in the market place? If you are in agreement, then you probably should start to attack the next logical step. If not, you’d better find a common ground. Step back from your day-to-day perspective to look at your organization.
Why do your customers buy from you? What is it that you offer that they value? Establish the benefits and write them down. Talk to your sales and marketing people. What is their perspective on the same question? Have them list the benefits of buying your products and services, and have them rank them in approximate order of importance. Analyze how you can gain dominance of the insight you have just gained. This will help give you a better-defined advantage in the market places where you compete.
Source: “Strategies and Processes for a Changing Economy”
Original Publication: Center for Simplified Strategic Planning
Subjects: Competitive Intelligence, Management, Strategy
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