This document discusses competitive intelligence and provides tactics for gathering intelligence about competitors in a fast, cheap, and ethical manner. The document outlines the role of competitive intelligence in understanding risks and gaining advantages over rivals. It then describes various tools and sources for competitive intelligence, such as profiling companies and executives, monitoring websites and discussion groups, conducting interviews, and attending trade shows. The document emphasizes gathering intelligence from publicly available sources and stresses that intelligence gathering should be ethical.
Open Sourcing The Analyst Business Apachecon 2009James Governor
Keynote for ApacheCon Europe 2009 in Amsterdam. A humourous look at how the industry analyst business is subject to some of the same pressures as proprietary software. Examining the impact of open source, web collaboration, coordination and peer production mechanisms on the sector, and how RedMonk has tried to ride this wave.
As the World Turns: How Trends are Affecting Marketing ProgramsIABC Houston
How will technology impact your business in 2011? Rob Bartlett and Susan Farrell share trends, tools and techniques to better help you manage your communications practice in changing times.
Open Sourcing The Analyst Business Apachecon 2009James Governor
Keynote for ApacheCon Europe 2009 in Amsterdam. A humourous look at how the industry analyst business is subject to some of the same pressures as proprietary software. Examining the impact of open source, web collaboration, coordination and peer production mechanisms on the sector, and how RedMonk has tried to ride this wave.
As the World Turns: How Trends are Affecting Marketing ProgramsIABC Houston
How will technology impact your business in 2011? Rob Bartlett and Susan Farrell share trends, tools and techniques to better help you manage your communications practice in changing times.
Social Media for Small Businesses: What Blogs, Forums and Social Networks Can...PR 20/20
Presentation originally given at the 2008 COSE Small Business Conference in Cleveland on Oct. 22, and then to the Cleveland Digital Publishing Users Group on Oct. 30. Audio to come.
Natural search as the just-in-time conversation opportunity. Natural search is the online connecting point between your business and your target audience, and natural search marketing is the tool to make sure you are there to converse.
An Inbound Marketing 101 presentation I did on June 4, 2009 in Appleton, WI at the Bottom Line: Social Media for Business seminar, organized by Red Shoes Pr.
[Workshop] Analyzing Your Deliverables: Developing the Optimal Documentation ...Scott Abel
Presented by Nicki Bleiel at Documentation and Training LIfe Sciences, June 23-26, 2008 in Indianapolis.
Documentation deliverables have evolved beyond manuals and online help in recent years, and with the emergence of Web 2.0, things are changing faster than ever. Technical communicators have many more options to enhance the user experience, and developing many of them provide the opportunity to work with other departments to find a more holistic approach to content development and delivery. But there is no one-size-fits-all set of solutions. This workshop will review the types of analysis you need to do to determine which deliverables are right for your project, your customer, and your company.
Other factors that can’t be ignored, such as translation needs, staff/time constraints, file size limitations, corporate image and control, and proprietary concerns will also be discussed, including:
Analyzing the Product
* Intended audience; delivery method (desktop, web application, etc.); competitor offerings; software development methodology. The UI as part of the Help system. Product Management expectations.
Identifying User Wants and Needs
* Preferences and expectations for information; work environment; knowledge and experience levels.
Ascertaining Internal Needs and Opportunities
* Working with Training, Support, and Marketing to reduce duplication and provide the user with consistent, useful information.
* Finding ways to incorporate information from other departments to improve documentation.
Accessing Deliverable Options
* What is the optimum mix for the product?
* The traditional: online help, manuals, embedded help, job aids, forums, web sites, technical support knowledgebases.
* Emerging trends: wikis, blogs, RSS feeds, software demonstrations, podcasts, and other collaborative tools. They can supplement and/or enhance the traditional. Or, they may be a better fit for internal knowledge management or marketing use.
Optimizing the Library
* Single-sourcing; best practices for structuring information; continuous publishing
Analyzing Your Deliverables: Developing the Optimal Documentation LibraryScott Abel
Presented Nicki Bleiel at Documentation and Training Life Sciences, June 23-26, 2008 in Indianapolis.
Documentation deliverables have evolved beyond manuals and online help in recent years, and with the emergence of Web 2.0, things are changing faster than ever. Technical communicators have many more options to enhance the user experience, and developing many of them provide the opportunity to work with other departments to find a more holistic approach to content development and delivery. But there is no one-size-fits-all set of solutions. This workshop will review the types of analysis you need to do to determine which deliverables are right for your project, your customer, and your company. Product analysis, user expectations and needs, internal needs, deliverable options, and optimizing your library will all be discussed; as well as translation needs, staff/time constraints, file size limitations, corporate image and control, and proprietary concerns.
Independent Wedding Professionals Association. Presentation given by Jeff Sauer to the Independent Wedding Professionals Association in MN on 12/20/2011.
Lessons from Saturday Night Live's Digital Word of Mouth Strategies360i
360i's Sarah Hofstetter, Vice President of Emerging Media & Client Strategy, and NBC's Matt Allen, Senior Executive Director of Marketing, spoke at WOMM-U on May 13.
The role of online social networks in inter-firm collaborative innovation and...Dr. Rob Duncan
Rob Duncan\’s 2012 doctoral thesis on the role of online social networks in inter-firm collaborative innovation and problem solving. Research into a population of LinkedIn users showed how people have formed important relationships with people in other organizations through tools like LinkedIn, and that those relationships have allowed them to be more innovative and effective in their work. Also suggests a starting framework of best practices for organizations wishing to make conscious use of online social networks in their organizations.
LinkedIn Inter-firm Relationships: Collaborative Asset or Competitive RiskDr. Rob Duncan
Inter-firm relationships facilitated through online social networks like LinkedIn are both a collaborative asset and a competitive risk. Although there are clear benefits to sharing ideas and problems with an extended professional networks, there are also risks of inappropriate or accidental sharing of sensitive information with competitors due to a lack of formal policies, guidelines or training around the appropriate usage of online social networks and the types of information that can and can't be shared over these networks. These risks can be mitigated through best practices such as the creation of explicit guidelines on inter-firm information sharing as well as training to educate users on the use and interpretation of the guidelines. Employing these risk reduction strategies will ensure that the benefits of inter-firm connectedness continue to outweight the risks.
More Related Content
Similar to Competitive Intelligence - Fast, Cheap & Ethical By Rob Duncan March 5, 2009
Social Media for Small Businesses: What Blogs, Forums and Social Networks Can...PR 20/20
Presentation originally given at the 2008 COSE Small Business Conference in Cleveland on Oct. 22, and then to the Cleveland Digital Publishing Users Group on Oct. 30. Audio to come.
Natural search as the just-in-time conversation opportunity. Natural search is the online connecting point between your business and your target audience, and natural search marketing is the tool to make sure you are there to converse.
An Inbound Marketing 101 presentation I did on June 4, 2009 in Appleton, WI at the Bottom Line: Social Media for Business seminar, organized by Red Shoes Pr.
[Workshop] Analyzing Your Deliverables: Developing the Optimal Documentation ...Scott Abel
Presented by Nicki Bleiel at Documentation and Training LIfe Sciences, June 23-26, 2008 in Indianapolis.
Documentation deliverables have evolved beyond manuals and online help in recent years, and with the emergence of Web 2.0, things are changing faster than ever. Technical communicators have many more options to enhance the user experience, and developing many of them provide the opportunity to work with other departments to find a more holistic approach to content development and delivery. But there is no one-size-fits-all set of solutions. This workshop will review the types of analysis you need to do to determine which deliverables are right for your project, your customer, and your company.
Other factors that can’t be ignored, such as translation needs, staff/time constraints, file size limitations, corporate image and control, and proprietary concerns will also be discussed, including:
Analyzing the Product
* Intended audience; delivery method (desktop, web application, etc.); competitor offerings; software development methodology. The UI as part of the Help system. Product Management expectations.
Identifying User Wants and Needs
* Preferences and expectations for information; work environment; knowledge and experience levels.
Ascertaining Internal Needs and Opportunities
* Working with Training, Support, and Marketing to reduce duplication and provide the user with consistent, useful information.
* Finding ways to incorporate information from other departments to improve documentation.
Accessing Deliverable Options
* What is the optimum mix for the product?
* The traditional: online help, manuals, embedded help, job aids, forums, web sites, technical support knowledgebases.
* Emerging trends: wikis, blogs, RSS feeds, software demonstrations, podcasts, and other collaborative tools. They can supplement and/or enhance the traditional. Or, they may be a better fit for internal knowledge management or marketing use.
Optimizing the Library
* Single-sourcing; best practices for structuring information; continuous publishing
Analyzing Your Deliverables: Developing the Optimal Documentation LibraryScott Abel
Presented Nicki Bleiel at Documentation and Training Life Sciences, June 23-26, 2008 in Indianapolis.
Documentation deliverables have evolved beyond manuals and online help in recent years, and with the emergence of Web 2.0, things are changing faster than ever. Technical communicators have many more options to enhance the user experience, and developing many of them provide the opportunity to work with other departments to find a more holistic approach to content development and delivery. But there is no one-size-fits-all set of solutions. This workshop will review the types of analysis you need to do to determine which deliverables are right for your project, your customer, and your company. Product analysis, user expectations and needs, internal needs, deliverable options, and optimizing your library will all be discussed; as well as translation needs, staff/time constraints, file size limitations, corporate image and control, and proprietary concerns.
Independent Wedding Professionals Association. Presentation given by Jeff Sauer to the Independent Wedding Professionals Association in MN on 12/20/2011.
Lessons from Saturday Night Live's Digital Word of Mouth Strategies360i
360i's Sarah Hofstetter, Vice President of Emerging Media & Client Strategy, and NBC's Matt Allen, Senior Executive Director of Marketing, spoke at WOMM-U on May 13.
The role of online social networks in inter-firm collaborative innovation and...Dr. Rob Duncan
Rob Duncan\’s 2012 doctoral thesis on the role of online social networks in inter-firm collaborative innovation and problem solving. Research into a population of LinkedIn users showed how people have formed important relationships with people in other organizations through tools like LinkedIn, and that those relationships have allowed them to be more innovative and effective in their work. Also suggests a starting framework of best practices for organizations wishing to make conscious use of online social networks in their organizations.
LinkedIn Inter-firm Relationships: Collaborative Asset or Competitive RiskDr. Rob Duncan
Inter-firm relationships facilitated through online social networks like LinkedIn are both a collaborative asset and a competitive risk. Although there are clear benefits to sharing ideas and problems with an extended professional networks, there are also risks of inappropriate or accidental sharing of sensitive information with competitors due to a lack of formal policies, guidelines or training around the appropriate usage of online social networks and the types of information that can and can't be shared over these networks. These risks can be mitigated through best practices such as the creation of explicit guidelines on inter-firm information sharing as well as training to educate users on the use and interpretation of the guidelines. Employing these risk reduction strategies will ensure that the benefits of inter-firm connectedness continue to outweight the risks.
The Big Power of Small Favors: Using Linked In For Relationship BuildingDr. Rob Duncan
Join social media expert Rob Duncan for this crash course on LinkedIn and how it can be used to build businesses of all sizes. Learn about how the biggest benefits come through helping others first through small favors.
Teambuilding Lessons From A Voyage Around Cape Horn 2009Dr. Rob Duncan
Join Rob Duncan on his epic 80 day voyage around the dreaded Cape Horn on a tall sailing ship. Thrills, chills and life lessons abound in this inspiring and motivational presentation.
2. Your speaker
• Rob Duncan
• Director, BCIT Applied Research
Liaison Office
• Long-time marketing intelligence
consultant & BCIT instructor
• Author of “Competitive Intelligence:
Fast, Cheap & Ethical” (2008)*
* Best Business Book s of 2008
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 2
3. Agenda
• Entrepreneurial risk
• The role of competitive intelligence
• Intelligence is everywhere!
• Fast, cheap, ethical CI tactics
• Conclusion & questions
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 3
4. Entrepreneurial risk
• Inventor syndrome:
…They will love it!
… Nobody else is doing this!
… We have no competitors!
… Ours is better/faster/cheaper!
… We can out-run the competition
… We’re going to be rich!
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 4
5. The role of CI
• Understand risks
• Reduce risks
• Assess strengths
• Uncover vulnerabilities
• Gain advantages
• Obtain early warning
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 5
6. Overall goals of CI
• Get 1% ahead of rivals
• Work toward sustained
advantage
• Get early warning on
competitor actions
• Deepen understanding of
industry fundamentals
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 6
7. What CI should be
• What CI should be: • What CI shouldn’t be:
– Fast – Slow
– Anticipatory – Reactive
– Easy – Cumbersome
– Inexpensive – Expensive
– Ingenious – Espionage
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 7
8. Common pitfalls in intelligence
• Wrong questions
• Too literal
• Too linear
• Failure of imagination
• Focus on history
• Over-reliance on
computer systems
• No trust in intuition
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 8
9. Intelligence is everywhere!
• Intelligence includes all
forms of:
– Data
– Information
– Knowledge
– Judgments
– History
– Speculation
– Intuition
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 9
10. Frequently overlooked sources
• Yourself, your friends, colleagues
• Your customers
• Observation & mystery shopping
• Product sampling
• Human intelligence
• Trade shows
• Competitor’s website
• Blogs, discussion boards, online social networks
• Intuition
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 10
11. Starting points for CI
• The CI cycle
• Understanding forces driving competition
• Putting a system in place
• Defining intelligence objectives
• Sources of intelligence
• Reporting of CI
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 11
12. Competitive Intelligence Cycle
1. What questions does the
company need answers
to?
1. Planning
4. Dissemination
2.
and Direction
Collect the information
from various sources.
3. Use analysis to move
information to
intelligence.
4. Act on the intelligence
which will create more
2. Collection
3. Analysis
questions.
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 12
13. What questions should be
asked?
• What to look for
– Emerging technologies
– New products/services
– Alliances and acquisitions
– Movement of key personnel
– Changing customer perceptions and
expectations
– Regulatory changes
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 13
14. What information should be
gathered?
• Competitor products/services
• Competitor strategies
• Pricing/cost structures
• Customer demographics
• Customer needs/wants
• Supplier information
• Future and substitute products/services
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 14
15. A CI philosophy…
•Fast beats perfect
•Cheap beats expensive
•Ethical beats sleazy
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 15
17. Company profiling
• Company history
• Financial situation
• Prices, products and promotions
• Supply & distribution chains
• Technology & workforce
• Production facilities, capabilities
• Key executives
• Strategic alliances
• Competitors
• Positioning strategy
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 17
18. Some basic tools:
• Google
• Company’s own website
• EDGAR (www.sec.gov) for publicly-traded US companies
– Look for 10K (annual), 10Q (quarterly) & other filings
• SEDAR (www.sedar.com)
– Same idea for Canadian companies
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 18
19. Website change alerts
• WatchThatPage.com
• www.watchthatpage.com
• Alerts you via e-mail of any
updates to web pages that you
tell it to track
• Free, but requires that you
register
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 19
20. Archived snapshots of your
competitor’s website
• WayBackMachine
• www.archive.org
• Type in Website address, and
you get all the snapshots of
the site that are stored
• Can see how competitor’s
strategies etc. have been
evolving
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 20
21. Tapping into discussion groups
• Google groups
• Searches for information
in discussion groups
• Can also be used to post
questions, stimulate CI
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 21
23. Executive profiling
• Basic facts
– Place and date of birth
– Education, work history
– Personal/family situation/hobbies
• Successes, failures
• Strengths, weaknesses
• Personality type (eg. Myers-Briggs)
• Friends, associates
• Mentors, critics
• Decision/strategy style
• Preferences, hot buttons
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 23
24. Some profiling tools
• Corporate website
• Personal websites
• Blogs
• Zoominfo.com
• Google, Google News
• Social networks
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 24
25. Tapping into blogs
• Clusty.com
• Clustering search engine that
can search blogs
• Aggregates blog searches from
these engines:
– Technorati
– Blogdigger
– Blogpulse
– Feedster
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 25
26. LinkedIn
• www.linkedin.com
• Professional profile
• Schools
• Work history
• Connections
• Q&A
• Groups
• Recommendations
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 26
27. Facebook
• www.facebook.com
• Personal life
• Friends
• Friends of friends
• Habits
• Interests
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 27
28. Twitter
• www.twitter.com
• Interests
• Location
• Activities
• Who follows them
• Who they follow
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 28
30. CI from yourself & friends
• Become a customer of the competition
• List the “Top 10” things that bug you as a customer
• Become a shareholder of the competition
• Test/use the competitor’s products
• Have an informal “focus group” with friends
• Get friends to do “mystery shopping”
• Goal is to gain just 1% more insight than the competitor
has about you
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 30
32. Human Intelligence
• Intelligence gathered from people directly
• Most overlooked source
• People have a tendency to talk
• Elicitation
• Conversational hourglass
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 32
34. Trade Show Intelligence
• Lots of CI info in 1 place
• Companies are there to “show off”
• Often staffed by sales people (talkers)
• Plenty of printed material
• Expert speakers and seminars
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 34
35. List of exhibitors
• Example from
www.buildexvancouver.com
• Full list of exhibitors
– Links to their websites
– Exact booth location
– Can use map to plan
approach
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 35
37. Speakers
• Identify key speaker
targets (website)
• Do background profiling
• Plan what to listen for
• Specific questions
• Get copies of material &
contact info
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 37
38. Trade show tactics
• Quick overall “visual” sweep to confirm location of key
targets
• “Snag & bag” sweep to get easy to obtain printed
material, demo disks etc.
• Backroom analysis to confirm & refine approach to
human intelligence
• Confirm key human targets & questions
• Conduct interviews
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 38
40. CI Matrix
• A tool for summarizing key factors
• Can see at-a-glance how we compare to
competition on these key factors
• Most important parts:
– Threat Assessment and
– Counter Attack Strategy
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 40
41. CI Matrix
Threat
Factor Factor Factor Factor Factor Counter-
Assess
1 2 3 4 5 attack Strategy
ment
Our Company N/A N/A
Competitor A
Competitor B
Competitor C
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 41
43. SCIP code of ethics
1. To continually strive to increase the recognition and respect of the
profession.
2. To comply with all applicable laws, domestic and international.
3. To accurately disclose all relevant information, including one's identity and
organization, prior to all interviews.
4. To fully respect all requests for confidentiality of information.
5. To avoid conflicts of interest in fulfilling one's duties.
6. To provide honest and realistic recommendations and conclusions in the
execution of one's duties.
7. To promote this code of ethics within one's company, with third-party
contractors and within the entire profession.
8. To faithfully adhere to and abide by one's company policies, objectives,
and guidelines.
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 43
44. Review: a CI philosophy…
•Fast beats perfect
•Cheap beats expensive
•Ethical beats sleazy
Copyright Rob Duncan, 2009 44