Marketers identify and analyze competition by first determining the category of products that are close substitutes. They identify current and potential competitors in both the industry and those satisfying the same customer needs. The range of competitors can be broader than just obvious competitors. To analyze competitors, companies gather information on each competitor's strengths, weaknesses, goals, and motivations by asking questions. This allows companies to understand competition and make strategic decisions.

1. How do marketers identify and
analyze Competition?
- Arushi Agrawal
IIT Kanpur

2. INDENTIFYING COMPETITORS

3. Determine Category Membership – The product
or sets of products with which a brand competes
and function as close substitutes

4. COMPETITORS

5. Identifying and Analyzing Competitors
INDUSTRY COMPETITION: Products close substitute to each other
MARKET COMPETITION: Companies satisfying same customer needs

6. The range of actual and potential competitors can be
much broader than the obvious.
A company is more likely to be hurt by emerging
competitors than by current competitors.

7. ANALYZE

8. Company needs to gather information about each
competitor’s real and perceived strengths and
weaknesses

9. What is each competitor
seeking in the marketplace?
What drives each
competitor’s behaviour?
ASK QUESTIONS?

10. RECAP
• Determining category membership
• Identifying and analysing competitors
• SWOT analysis
• Asking questions

12. These slides were created by
Arushi Agrawal, IIT Kanpur,
during a Marketing internship by
Prof. Sameer Mathur, IIM Lucknow
(See www.IIMInternship.com )