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SWOT Analysis - Beyond The Text Book

When conducting strategic planning for any company - online and/or offline - it is useful to complete an analysis that takes into account not only your own business, but your competitors' activities and current industry happenings as well. A SWOT is one such analysis.

Laptop Battery SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Completing a SWOT analysis helps you identify ways to minimize the affect of weaknesses in your business while maximizing your strengths. Ideally, you will match your strengths against market opportunities that result from voids in your competitors' products and/or services.

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Thinkpad Traditionally, a SWOT confines strengths and weaknesses to your company's internal workings while opportunities and threats refer only to the external environment. Here, I suggest a twist to the "text book" approach. To get a better look at the big picture, consider both internal *and* external forces when uncovering opportunities and threats.

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Microsoft A Basic SWOT Analysis
You can develop the basic analysis in a brainstorming session with members of your company, or by yourself if you are a one-person shop. To begin the analysis create a four-cell grid or four lists, one for each component:

5. new report, 1 June 2007 ... new report Here is a SWOT analysis for mobile ... report Here is a SWOT analysis for mobile marketing based on the discussion ... It's important to keep in mind that mobile marketing covers a range of disciplines ... Strengths?- Adoption of the mobile internet is speeding up and consumption ...

Laptop Computers | Strengths | Weaknesses | Opportunities | Threats |

laptop computers is driving strong sales for notebook computers, according to the latest quarterly sales figures from the research firm IDC, which reported a 37% computer sales for the second quarter, compared with a year earlier. In the U.S., laptop sales grew 17.7%, while sales of desktop computers and servers fell 4%. The New York Times ( 10), CNET ( 10)

Laptop Computer Then, begin filling in the lists.

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Desktop Computer Strengths - Think about what your company does well. Some questions to help you get started are: What makes you stand out from your competitors? What advantages do you have over other businesses?

Notebooks Weaknesses - List the areas that are a struggle for your company. Some questions to help you get started are: What do your customers complain about? What are the unmet needs of your sales force?

Lenovo Opportunities - Traditionally, a SWOT looks only at the external environment for opportunities. I suggest you look externally for areas your competitors are not fully covering, then go a step further and think how to match these to your internal strengths.

Hard Drive Try to uncover areas where your strengths are not being fully utilized. Are there emerging trends that fit with your company's strengths? Is there a product/service area that others have not yet covered?

Travelstar Threats - As with opportunities, threats in a traditional SWOT analysis are considered an external force. By looking both inside and outside of your company for things that could damage your business, however, you may be better able to see the big picture.

Gateway Some questions to get you started: Are your competitors becoming stronger? Are there emerging trends that amplify one of your weaknesses? Do you see other external threats to your company's success? Internally, do you have financial, development, or other problems?

Laptop Parts Expanded SWOT Analysis
You can take an additional step beyond a traditional "text book" SWOT analysis by delving deeper into industry dynamics. A more complete SWOT analysis can help you better understand your company's competitive situation.

Software One way to step beyond a traditional SWOT analysis is to include more detailed competitor information in the analysis. Note Internet-related activities such as trade organization participation, search engine inclusion, and outside links to the sites. This will better help you spot opportunities for and threats to your company.

Hard Drives You can also take a closer look at the business environment. Often, opportunities arise as a result of a changing business environment that would affect a SWOT analysis. Examples include:

Electronics * A new trend develops for which demand outstrips the supply of quality options. Early on, the trend toward healthy eating coupled with an insistence on good-tasting food produced a shortage of acceptable natural food alternatives, for example.

Canon * A customer segment is becoming more predominant, but their specific needs are not being fully met by your competitors. The U.S. Hispanic population experienced this phenomenon in the late 1990's and early 2000's.

Desktop Pc * A customer, competitor, or supplier goes out of business or merges with another company. With the demise of many pure-play "dot coms", examples of this abound. As each went out of business, opportunities arise to gain the defunct business' customers.

Desktop Computers You can also expand the reach of a SWOT analysis through surveys. You can learn more about your own as well as competitor's sites and businesses. Areas to consider researching include 1) customer awareness, interest, trial, and usage levels, 2) brand, site, and/or company image, 3) importance of different site or product attributes to your customers, and 4) product and/or site performance.

Think Pad Whether using a basic or more advanced approach to SWOT analysis, you are sure to come away with newfound insights. Use these to increase your company's effectiveness and as input into your business or marketing plan

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Data Recovery About the Author
Bobette Kyle draws upon 12+ years of Marketing/Executive experience, Marketing MBA, and online marketing research in her writing. Bobette is proprietor of the Web Site Marketing Plan Network, http://www.WebSiteMarketingPlan.com , and author of the marketing plan and Web promotion book "How Much For Just the Spider? Strategic Website Marketing For Small Budget Business," http://www.HowMuchForSpider.com/TOC.htm .

Cisco (Note: Small business management and marketing articles written by Bobette Kyle are generally available for reprint provided the byline and "About the Author" resource box remain intact. Please make at least one of the links in the "About the Author" resource section clickable. Also, your Web/publication must be non-offensive and appropriate as explained here and you may not charge a fee if allowing others to reprint the article.)

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