Octopus Competitive Intelligence

  How to use competitive market research within a business plan A business plan aims to help a business know where it wants to go and how to get there. This article answers how to use competitive market research within a business plan. However, the plan should be viewed as a future-facing map, not as a static document. Competitive Intelligence should be used within the plan. Competitive Intelligence helps identify the strongest competition and where new opportunities may exist. Businesses can create strategies to stay ahead of the competition using this information. The stages of the competitive market research process for a business plan are: Planning Pre-research Secondary research Primary research Collation and analysis Reporting A business plan is a map Whatever the purpose of a business plan, it should be viewed as a future-facing map. Use it to know the direction you want to go and visualise the challenges you will face. Intelligence within a business plan consists of: Market...

  Why competitive analysis is highlighting the changing investor appetite landscape In many industries, it’s clear that there’s difficulty establishing an effective investment strategy. And understanding the changing landscape of investor appetites. The situation comes down to the achieving expectations of the cash injection without: Properly conducted due diligence  Competitive understanding and analysis  A  basic understanding of the needs and expectations of the investor. Appreciating the importance of finding the best investor(s) for a win-win relationship More than just a business plan Owners are all too often chasing money without any of the following put in place: A profile in each case of the investor demographics to build exact fits in both directions Understanding investment modelling and fit (alongside existing investments and other financing). Term sheets and dedicated proposals to match identified investor appetites Without these considerations, it’s an ...

  Do you know there’s too much reliance on secondary research? There is a growing problem with reliance on secondary research in the field of business. A good analyst will likely find more secondary information than you, but this can be a big problem if you are not careful. This article is called do you know there’s too much reliance on secondary research? Secondary research is best used in combination with primary. If misused, it can lead to inaccurate conclusions and a waste of time.  What is Competitive analysis? Competitive analysis determines the attractiveness, customers, competitors and the dynamics of a particular market within a specific industry sector. Develops an understanding of the relationship between supply and demand, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for your product or service to enable you to make more informed decisions about potential marketing strategies. Time-consuming and potentially inaccurate The main problems with using secondary rese...

The focus on Competitive Intelligence in product marketing often revolves around data collation. Data is represented in neat tables, charts, and good old battle cards. However, Competitive Intelligence can be used in so many more ways than this. This article is called Competitive Intelligence in product marketing and the missing pieces. Using Competitive Intelligence properly, you can uncover insights about your competitors. The Insights about their current and future products that you may not have known existed. Additionally, Competitive Intelligence help makes better strategic decisions. Creating comparison tables with ticks and crosses and SWOT We read articles about using Competitive Intelligence in product marketing. They tend to focus on creating comparison tables with ticks and crosses and SWOT. Two-page battlecards, benchmarking and understanding about where a product can win. The focus can be on these reporting tools and not the insight itself. Reporting tools that are incredi...

 https://www.octopusintelligence.com/what-can-octopus-competitive-intelligence-do-for-product-management-teams/ What can Octopus Competitive Intelligence do for Product Management teams? Competitive Intelligence is the Product Manager’s must-have tool, so you can: Better understand your markets Decide where to pitch against competitors  And know what’s next We realise that Product Managers’ Competitive Intelligence needs to be usable. Otherwise, it’s completely useless. Without any actionable strategy from the insight, you might as well not bother. There’s more insight than pretty battle cards and status quo encouraging benchmarking. Highly experience team We are highly experienced in working with Product teams. And they know we go beyond data, facts and figures. We deliver the insight and more certainty to tell your story: In the right way To the right people By the right channel And to give your products a future proof competitive advantage. To help make the product resilien...

  Why is data the least important part of Competitive Intelligence? Competitive Intelligence is essential for our better understanding of competitors. Notably our industry and changing consumer landscape. But why is data the least important part of Competitive Intelligence? Especially when the business world is full of data and tools for data. Lots of ways to manage data, thousands of platforms, and many many data experts. The next big thing in data must include a reference to AI. Or throw away statements about Big data, massive data or data lakes.  VUCA world The biggest offender within Competitive Intelligence is probably VUCA. Standing for Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. It sets out to describe the world we live in. Expect it doesn’t. We agree with Ben Gilad in his excellent book “ The opposite of noise “. He has another meaning for VUCA – Virtually Useless Catchy Acronym. He states that VUCA is an acronym to sell more noise to unsuspecting people. Built ...

  Why Competitive Intelligence projects can leave a bad taste in your mouth We are often asked how we conduct a Competitive Intelligence project. And why are we better than our opposition. But we think the question should be why Competitive Intelligence projects can leave a bad taste in your mouth. We are not blowing our trumpet at all, but we are consistently told that we deliver more than expected. And there is no one else that does what we do.  We deliver more than expected. But why is that? We know some excellent Competitive Intelligence Agencies around the world. So why have many of our clients have had their fingers burned in the past? Our experienced tells us many of you in organisations have experienced one or more of: Been burned before with expectations that never match reality  Experience massive disappointment in the end product they receive Don’t know where to start with Competitive Intelligence, so some may not bother Too much reliance on secondary research ...