COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS WHAT IT TAKES TO WIN

Laying Out the Competitive Landscape Start your competitive research by looking for: Brand Messaging How effectively they communicate what they do, who they do it for, and how they do it. Product, Services, and Industries Where are you competing? Head-to-head or only in certain products or services? What industries do your competitors market towards? Online Presence How current and relevant is their website? What is the ease of access to information? Is there any unique tools they have to offer? Social Networking Whether your competition is doing it or not, check if there’s any opportunity to shine on social.

Head-to-Head Comparison A quick snapshot comparing competitors will give you better idea of how you compare. Company Locations Employees Revenue ($, mil) Red Caffeine Lombard, IL 17 Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Competitor 3 Example: Data can be collected at your local library from databases such as Hoovers or the ReferenceUSA database by infoUSA

Is Your Brand Getting the Point Across Dive deeper into your competitor’s brand messaging strategy. Are they getting their point across effectively? Is their logo succinct with their tagline and the value propositions they bring to the table? Logo Tagline Messaging Key Differentiators We think different and that’s the + Our unique blend of marketers + technologists impacts a business from the inside out. The outcome of our holistic approach is alignment with your vision, team culture and business goals. Whether we’re building a brand, marketing campaign, website, or software application, we are passionately committed to fueling your business. A turn key solution to marketing needs. Including Strategy, Branding, Technology, and Marketing. Key benefit being, everything is integrated and aligned. Proven process. A team built around culture. Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Example:

Compare Products/Services Offered Outline all the services and products each competitor offers. Then decide: Who are direct competitors (competitors whose products and services are highly similar)? Or indirect (competitors who offer only a few similar products and/or services)? Competitor Service 1 Service 2 Service 3 Service 4 Red Caffeine Strategy – Competitive Analysis, Primary and Secondary Research, Marketing Auditing. Branding – Logos, Naming, Marketing Materials, Sales Tools, Web Design, Brand Architecture. Technology – Websites, Apps, Databases, eCommerce, and everything in-between. Marketing – Content, Search Engine Marketing, Social, PR, Experiential, Email, Direct. Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Competitor 3 Example:

Industry Focus Comparison Example: Some competitors only cater towards certain industries. Identify if there’s a gap that your services and/or products can fulfill. Industry Red Caffeine Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Competitor 3 Corporate Medium IT High Government Healthcare Low Entertainment Hospitality Education Transportation Manufacturing Market concentration Low = Less than 5 projects High = 7+ projects, typically 10+

Web Presence VS. Competitors Web Site Appearance User Experience Resources Unique Tools Social Red Caffeine Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Competitor 3 Example: Appearance: Modern or dated User Experience: Overall quality of ease of access to information Resources: Is there value or downloadable content Unique Tools: Do they have client portals or calculators etc. Social: Do they have networks listed on their site * Domain Authority, Organic & PPC should be assessed by 3rd party LEGEND Poor Average Great

Who is Social? Company Red Caffeine Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Comparing your social media presence with your competitors can help you identify if you’re behind the eight ball or if you have a chance to dominate in a certain social realm. Example: Company Red Caffeine Competitor 1 Competitor 2 Competitor 3 Social Links on Site? Yes LinkedIn Followers 124 Twitter Followers 707 Facebook Likes 376 YouTube Followers 13 Google Plus For a clear perspective of how social media platforms differ, click here!

HAVE QUESTIONS? Jimmy Merritello – Strategy & Digital Lead jimmy@redcaffeine.com | 630-785-6903