Skip to main content

Competitor Research for eMarketing.

Competitor Research for eMarketing.


Where are we now? (External Perspective).

As you plan for eMarketing and during the plan's implementation, one needs to pay careful attention to the activities of competitors. So competitor research for eMarketing is essential when attempting to answer the question where are we now ( external perspective)? There are a number of approaches that can be employed, with the emphasis on each approach shifting depending upon the nature of our eBusiness and market. Here are some key tools of competitor research for eMarketing:

Use search engines.

General topics such as Google, Yahoo!, and MSN.

Type names of competitors.

Type industry, product or term.

Search 'down' into a directory structure e.g Yahoo!

Search a competitor's web site.

Product information, press releases, job opportunities.

Pricing information.

Distribution information such as where to buy.

(So publish only what you'd give away at a trade show!)

Hunt for trade associations.

Search for personal pages or 'Blogs.'

Different perspective e.g fans, ex-employees.

E.g. www.blogger.com, www.myspace.com, www.youtube.com

Ask your target market.

Send questions to named personnel, newsgroups, personal pages, mailing lists.

Conduct a survey using.

Buy secondary reports e.g. Datamonitor, Mintel.

Newsgroups and post queries.

Newsgroups on bulleting boards or forums.

Deja.com (Google).

Read online financial information.

Research public companies.

III.co.uk Ample UK.

FT.com UK.

Read online competitive information.

E.g. Hoovers.com - Paid for, in US.

Study demographic reports.

Statistics.gov.uk/census in UK.

Census.gov in US.

Original source material.

Business Source Elite, Newspapers, Kelly's, Kompass.

Monitor special interest material.

E.g Marketing Week (BSE) , Campaign (BSE), Marketing (BSE).

Use a professional researcher.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Consumer Buyer Behaviour

If a marketer can identify consumer buyer behaviour, he or she will be in a better position to target products and services at them. Buyer behaviour is focused upon the needs of individuals, groups and organisations. It is important to understand the relevance of human needs to buyer behaviour (remember, marketing is about satisfying needs). Let's look at human motivations as introduced by Abraham Maslow by his hierarchy of needs: The hierarchy is triangular. This is because as you move up it, fewer and fewer people satisfy higher level needs. We begin at the bottom level. Physiological needs such as food, air, water, heat, and the basic necessities of survival need to be satisfied. At the level of safety, man has a place to live that protects him from the elements and predators. At the third level we meet our social and belongingness needs i.e. we marry, or join groups of friends, etc. The final two levels are esteem and self-actualisation. Fewer people satisfy the higher leve...

marketing

what the meaning of marketing marketing it has more definitions all concentrate on activates and how we can achieve the target and goals but there is big concept is disappeared

The Product Life Cycle (PLC).

The Product Life Cycle (PLC). The Product Life Cycle (PLC) is based upon the biological life cycle. For example, a seed is planted (introduction); it begins to sprout (growth); it shoots out leaves and puts down roots as it becomes an adult (maturity); after a long period as an adult the plant begins to shrink and die out (decline). In theory it's the same for a product. After a period of development it is introduced or launched into the market; it gains more and more customers as it grows; eventually the market stabilises and the product becomes mature; then after a period of time the product is overtaken by development and the introduction of superior competitors, it goes into decline and is eventually withdrawn. However, most products fail in the introduction phase. Others have very cyclical maturity phases where declines see the product promoted to regain customers. Strategies for the differing stages of the Product Life Cycle. Introduction. The need for immediate profit ...