Market mining

1. Benchmarking versus the marketplace and
Competitors for ideas and inspiration
MARKET Mining
Sales & Marketing PITCH
And THINK about what you learned when FILLING YOUR BRAIN.
List your 1 to 3 Most Interesting Findings or Idea Starters
1
2
3
Spend at least 1 HOUR Doing 1 to 3 of the following!Spend at least 1 HOUR Doing 1 to 3 of the following!
1. Borrowing Brilliance
Explore how other companies in other cities,
states, countries market similar services?
• How do they describe their offering?
• What do they promise customers?
• How do they package / price their offering?
• What do they communicate to build
credibility?
Take notes and file in this folder.
3. Digital Dig
Review Your Web Site & Competitions
• What is the “Overall Benefit Promise?”
• What builds credibility?
• If a new customer what would you perceive?
• If an established customer what would you
perceive?
Print findings and file in this folder.
2. BENCHMARKING MATRIX
Benchmark your offering versus competition
What are your advantages?
What are your disadvantages?
What customer should be buying but isnʼt?
- Why not?
What competitor is the most vulnerable?
Take notes and file in this folder
4. Pedigree
Explore among inside & outside experts
What were we the first at?
What are we the best at?
What niche or segment are we #1 at?
What awards or endorsements have we received?
Take notes and file in this folder
FILLYourBrainThinkDeeper

2. MARKET Mining
New Products & Services
And THINK about what you learned when FILLING YOUR BRAIN.
List your 1 to 3 Most Interesting Findings or Idea Starters
2
3
Spend at least 1 HOUR Doing 1 to 3 of the following!Spend at least 1 HOUR Doing 1 to 3 of the following!
1. Borrowing Brilliance
Explore how other companies in other cities,
states, countries market similar services?
• How do they describe their offering?
• What do they promise customers?
• How do they package / price their offering?
• What do they communicate to build credibility?
Take notes and file in this folder.
3. Digital Dig
Google search for spec sheets or brochures on
Services/products your competitors are offering?
Google.com/Patents for patent filings by competitors
USPTO searches for new trademarks by competitors
What are our customers saying about their plans?
Print findings and file in this folder.
2. Benchmarking
External
Advantages you have versus competition
Disadvantages you have versus competition
What new product would most “scare” competition
Internal
Unused resources or excess capabilities we have
What customer/market is the most profitable to
you
Take notes and file in this folder
4. Unexpected Successes
What products/services are seeing unexpected success
• Why is this?
What customers are growing faster than expected?
• Why is this?
What markets are growing faster than expected?
• Why is this?
Take notes and file in this folder
Benchmarking versus the marketplace and
Competitors for ideas and inspiration
FILLYourBrainThinkDeeper

3. MARKET Mining
Process Improvement
And THINK about what you learned when FILLING YOUR BRAIN.
List your 1 to 3 Most Interesting Findings or Idea Starters
1
2
3
Spend at least 1 HOUR Doing 1 to 3 of the following!Spend at least 1 HOUR Doing 1 to 3 of the following!
1. Benchmarking
Where possible learn from suppliers,
customers or employees how you compare
versus competition on
• Defects
• Overproduction
• Inventory Excess
• Production Efficiency
• Production Yield
And WHY youʼre different?
Take notes and file in this folder.
3. Digital Dig for NEW GREEN News
Search Google for latest Green News
• Latest Green Technologies
• Latest Green Experts
• Latest Green Regulations
• Latest Green Trends
• Latest Government Green Programs
Print findings and file in this folder.
2. Investment Wins versus Competition
Ask others investments would give us an
edge?
• What Basic or Advanced training?
• What preventative maintenance?
• What tools or technologies?
• What new equipment/people?
Take notes and file in this folder
4. Old Faithful
Asking others for advice...make a list of your
companyʼs
“Bullet Proof” Absolutely Reliable systems
- Why are they so good?
“Sometimes Reliable” systems
- What causes them to become unreliable?
“Highly Suspect” Absolutely Not- Reliable systems
- Whatʼs keeping us from fixing?
Put the list in this folder.
Benchmarking versus the marketplace and
Competitors for ideas and inspiration
FILLYourBrainThinkDeeper