Purpose and significance of 1. competitor research

Competitor research refers to the process of collecting, analyzing and evaluating competitors' information to understand competitors' strategies, capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, dynamics and expectations, so as to provide a basis and reference for enterprises to formulate their own strategies and marketing strategies. The purpose and significance of competitor research are as follows:

Understand the market environment and competitive situation. Competitor research can help companies grasp the size, growth, trends, structure, segmentation, demand, change, etc. of the market, as well as the number, type, status, influence, behavior, etc. of competitors, so as to judge the attractiveness and competitiveness of the market, as well as their own strengths and weaknesses.

Analyze competitors' strategies and capabilities. Competitor research can help companies gain an in-depth understanding of competitors' mission, vision, values, goals, strategy, organization, resources, capabilities, core competencies, innovation capabilities, risk tolerance, etc., thereby revealing competitors' strategic intentions and strategic logic, as well as competitors' strengths and weaknesses.

Assess the strengths and weaknesses of competitors. Competitor research can help enterprises systematically compare the differences and advantages and disadvantages between themselves and competitors in terms of products, prices, channels, promotion, services, brands, etc., so as to identify the strengths and weaknesses of competitors, as well as their own opportunities and threats.

Predict the dynamics and expectations of competitors. Competitor research can help enterprises monitor and analyze the dynamics of competitors, such as the development and listing of new products, the entry and expansion of new markets, the introduction and application of new technologies, the establishment and maintenance of new cooperation, the emergence and response of new changes, etc., so as to predict the future behavior and objectives of competitors, as well as their own impact and challenges.

In summary, competitor research is an indispensable part of a consulting project, which can provide customers with valuable information and insights, help them develop effective competitive strategies, enhance their competitive advantage and market position, and enhance their profitability and sustainability.

Key points of report writing and presentation 2. competitor research

The report of competitor research is one of the important results of the consulting project, which is the main way for the consulting company to present the process and results of competitor research to the client, as well as to provide relevant suggestions and solutions. The main points of the report writing and presentation of the competitor survey include the following:

1. Determine the research object and scope

The first step in writing and presenting a report on competitor research is to determine the object and scope of the research, I .e. to identify which competitors to investigate and what aspects to investigate. This step needs to be comprehensively considered and selected according to the customer's needs, project objectives, market conditions, time constraints and other factors, so as to avoid too large or too small a scope, which will affect the efficiency and effectiveness of the research.

In general, there are several ways to determine the object and scope of the survey:

Porter's Five Forces Analysis. This is a commonly used method of analyzing the competitive structure and competitiveness of the industry, which divides the competitiveness of the industry into five aspects: the bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers, the threat of potential entrants, the threat of substitutes and the degree of competition of existing competitors. By analyzing the influencing factors of these five aspects, we can determine the attractiveness and competitiveness of the industry, as well as its own advantages and disadvantages, so as to select the most important competitors and research aspects.

The competitor matrix method. This is a commonly used method to analyze the relative position and differentiation of competitors. It divides competitors according to two dimensions, such as market share and product quality, price and service, innovation ability and brand awareness, etc., so as to form a matrix, which can intuitively see the relative advantages and disadvantages of competitors, as well as their own opportunities and threats, in order to select the most representative competitors and research aspects.

SWOT analysis. This is a commonly used method to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of oneself and competitors. It compares and matches internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and threats) to form a four-quadrant diagram., You can clearly see the competitive situation of yourself and your competitors, so as to select the most competitive competitors and research aspects.

The above three methods can be flexibly combined and applied according to specific situations and needs to determine the research object and scope. Generally speaking, the research object should include direct competitors and indirect competitors, that is, enterprises competing with customers in the same market or the same product area, as well as enterprises that may pose potential threats or opportunities to customers. The scope of research should include aspects of competitors' strategies, capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, dynamics and expectations, as well as other aspects related to the customer's competitive strategy, such as competitors' customers, suppliers, partners, stakeholders, etc.

2. Collect and analyze competitor information

The second step in the preparation and presentation of competitor research reports is the collection and analysis of competitor information, I .e. the process of obtaining relevant data and information about competitors through various channels and methods, as well as the collation, induction, comparison, evaluation and interpretation of such data and information. This step requires reasonable planning and arrangement according to the research object and scope, as well as the time and budget of the project, so as to avoid the lack or redundancy of information, which will affect the quality and effect of the research.

In general, there are several ways to collect and analyze competitor information:

The desktop research method. This is a commonly used method to collect competitors' public information. It mainly uses the Internet, libraries, databases, newspapers and magazines, industry reports, government documents, patent documents, academic papers and other existing literature materials, as well as competitors' official websites, annual reports, press releases, job advertisements, product catalogues, promotional activities and other self-disclosed information, to obtain information on competitors' basic situation, history, organizational structure, financial situation, market performance, product characteristics, technical level, strategic direction, etc.

Field survey method. This is a commonly used method to collect non-public information of competitors. It mainly conducts on-site inspections, observations, experiences, interviews, etc. in person or by entrusting a third party to the competitor's location, sales point, production base, exhibition and other places., To obtain information about the competitor's internal situation, operating status, market feedback, customer satisfaction, product quality, service level, innovation ability, etc.

network analysis method. This is a commonly used method to analyze the relationship network of competitors. It mainly analyzes the contact, interaction, influence and value of competitors' customers, suppliers, partners, stakeholders and other parties by constructing a social network diagram of competitors, so as to reveal the information of competitors' resources, capabilities, advantages, disadvantages, opportunities, threats and so on.

The above three methods can be appropriately selected and combined according to specific situations and needs to collect and analyze competitor information. In general, the collection and analysis of competitor information should follow the following principles:

comprehensiveness. The collection and analysis of competitors' information should cover all aspects of the research as much as possible, and do not omit or ignore any information that may have an impact on customers.

Accuracy. The collection and analysis of competitors' information should ensure the authenticity, validity, timeliness and consistency of the information as much as possible, and do not appear or disseminate any wrong, outdated, contradictory or ambiguous information.

Objectivity. The collection and analysis of competitor information should avoid subjective bias, emotion, judgment and inference as much as possible, and do not make any unfair, unreasonable or inappropriate evaluation or comment on competitors.

3. Write and structure report content

The third step in writing and presenting the report of the competitor survey is to write and structure the content of the report, that is, to write and arrange the text and charts of the report according to the collected and analyzed competitor information, as well as the customer's needs and the objectives of the project, as well as the title of the report,AbstractCatalogue,Text、Conclusion, recommendations, appendices, etc. This step requires reasonable design and expression according to the purpose, audience, style, length and other factors of the report, so as to avoid the lengthy or simple content, which will affect the readability and credibility of the report.

In general, there are several ways to write and structure report content:

The Pyramid Principle. This is a commonly used method of organizing and presenting the content of a report, following several principles: startingConclusionStart with support.ConclusionStart with the most important information and then give secondary information; start with the overall information and then give detailed information; start with the same information and then give different information. In this way, the content of the report can be presented in the shape of a pyramid, thereby improving the logic and clarity of the report.

The MECE principle. This is a commonly used method of decomposing and classifying the content of a report, which follows two main principles: mutual exclusivity, I .e., the content of the report should avoid duplication or overlap, and completeness, I .e., the content of the report should cover all relevant aspects. In this way, the content of the report can present a tree-like structure, thereby improving the integrity and systematicness of the report.

Story line method. This is a commonly used method of connecting and displaying the content of the report. It mainly passes through the following steps: determine the theme of the report, that is, the core information or point of view that the report wants to convey; Determine the plot of the report, that is, the main information or argument that the report wants to show; Determine the turning point of the report, that is, the attention or reflection that the report wants to achieve; Determine the outcome of the report, that is the purpose or effect. In this way, the content of the report can be presented in the form of a story, thereby enhancing the attractiveness and persuasiveness of the report.

The above three methods can be flexibly applied and combined according to specific situations and needs to write and structure the content of the report. In general, report content should be written and structured in accordance with the following principles:

Simplicity. The content of the report should be written and structured to avoid being lengthy or simple as much as possible, so that the content of the report neither lacks important information nor contains redundant information.

Consistency. The content of the report should be written and structured to maintain, as far as possible, the title of the report,AbstractCatalogue,Text、Conclusion, recommendations, appendices and other parts of the content and style of consistency, so that the content of the report presents a whole effect.

clarity. The content of the report should be written and structured in clear, accurate, specific, and understandable language and expression as much as possible, so that the content of the report can be correctly understood and accepted by the audience.

4. Design and produce report charts

The fourth step in the writing and presentation of competitor research reports is the design and production of report charts, which is the process of selecting and creating visual elements such as graphs, tables, charts, pictures, diagrams, etc. of the report based on the content of the report written and structured, as well as the purpose, audience, style, length and other factors of the report. This step requires reasonable selection and production according to the content of the report and the characteristics and needs of the information, so as to avoid too many or too few charts, which will affect the visibility and sensitivity of the report.

In general, there are several ways to design and produce report charts:

Graphic selection method. This is a commonly used method of selecting a report chart. It mainly selects the most suitable graph according to the content of the report and the type, purpose, relationship, comparison and other factors of the information, such as column chart, line chart, pie chart, scatter chart, radar chart, map, organization chart, flow chart, etc., so that the report chart can effectively convey and display the meaning and characteristics of the information.

The chart design method. This is a commonly used method of making report charts, which is mainly based on the content of the report and the data, variables, dimensions, indicators, units and other factors of the information, to design the most appropriate tables, charts, pictures, diagrams, etc., so that the report chart can accurately present and explain the data and results of the information.

Chart beautification method. This is a commonly used method to optimize the report chart. It mainly beautifies the most appropriate color, font, size, shape, symbol, label, title, annotation, etc. according to the importance, relevance, difference and trend of the report content and information, so that the report chart can clearly distinguish and highlight the focus and details of the information.

The above three methods can be appropriately applied and combined according to specific situations and needs to design and produce report charts. In general, the design and production of report charts should follow the following principles:

Relevance. The design and production of report charts should be as relevant as possible to the content and information of the report, and do not use or produce any charts that are irrelevant or do not match the content and information of the report.

Simplicity. The design and production of report charts should avoid complexity or simplicity as much as possible, so that the charts of the report are neither missing important elements nor containing redundant elements.

Consistency. The design and production of the report chart should be as consistent as possible to maintain the content and style of the report's chart, so that the report's chart presents an overall effect.

5. Communicate and feedback on the report

The fifth step in writing and presenting the report of competitor research is to communicate and feedback the report, that is, according to the purpose, audience, style, length and other factors of the report, as well as the needs of customers and the objectives of the project, to select and use the presentation methods and channels of the report, as well as the communication and discussion of the report with customers, as well as the process of collecting and processing customers' opinions and suggestions. This step requires reasonable arrangement and implementation according to the content of the report and the characteristics and needs of the information, so as to avoid too much or too little communication and feedback, which will affect the acceptability and improvability of the report.

Generally speaking, there are several ways to communicate and feedback on the report:

Presentation and channel selection methods. This is a commonly used method to select the presentation mode and channel of the report. It mainly selects the most suitable presentation mode and channel according to the complexity, importance, sensitivity, urgency and other factors of the report content and information, as well as the needs of customers and the objectives of the project, such as written report, oral report, slide report, video report, email report, telephone report, network report, etc, so that the presentation of the report can effectively achieve the desired purpose and effect.

Communication and discussion of methods and skills selection method. This is a commonly used method of selecting the communication and discussion methods and skills of the report. It mainly selects the most appropriate communication and discussion methods and skills according to the content of the report and the characteristics and needs of the information, as well as the needs of customers and the goals of the project, such as questions, answers, explanations, examples, summaries, clarifications, confirmations, suggestions, feedback, etc, thus enabling the exchange and discussion of the report to effectively enhance understanding and trust between the two sides.

Comments and suggestions collection and processing methods and skills selection method. This is a commonly used method to select the methods and skills of collecting and processing opinions and suggestions of the report. It mainly selects the most suitable opinions and suggestions according to the contents of the report and the characteristics and needs of the information, as well as the needs of customers and the objectives of the project. Methods and skills for collecting and processing, such as questionnaires, interviews, observation, recording, analysis, evaluation, improvement, follow-up, etc, so that the comments and recommendations of the report can effectively reflect and meet the needs and expectations of customers.

The above three methods can be appropriately applied and combined according to specific situations and needs for communication and feedback of reports. In general, communication and feedback for reporting should follow the following principles:

Timeliness. The communication and feedback of the report should be carried out as soon as possible after the presentation of the report, without delay or delay, so as not to affect the timeliness and effectiveness of the report.

Integrity. The communication and feedback of the report should maintain the authenticity, validity, timeliness and consistency of the content and information of the report as much as possible, and do not conceal or tamper with any content and information that may have an impact on customers.

Respecting sex. The communication and feedback for the report should be as respectful as possible to the needs and expectations of the customer, and should not impose or ignore any comments and suggestions that may be of value to the customer.

Report writing and presenting cases 3. the competitor research of Champ Consulting.

Shangpu Consulting is a professional consulting company that provides consulting services in strategy, operation, organization, human resources, market, finance, etc. Its clients cover various industries and fields, such as manufacturing, energy industry, financial industry, medical industry, education industry, government agencies, etc. Champ Consulting has extensive experience and case studies in the writing and presentation of competitor research reports, some of which are typical:

Case 1: Provide a report on competitor research for a manufacturing customer to help the customer analyze its competitive advantages and disadvantages in the global market and formulate corresponding competitive strategies. Champu Consulting used Porter's five-force analysis method and competitor matrix method to determine the customer's main competitors and research scope, including the competitor's market share, product quality, price strategy, innovation ability, brand awareness and so on. Champ Consulting used desktop research and field research to collect and analyze information about competitors, including competitors' annual reports, websites, press releases, product catalogs, customer reviews, and market reports. Champ Consulting used the Pyramid and MECE principles to write and structure the contents of the report, including the title of the report,AbstractCatalogue,Text、Conclusion, recommendations, appendices, etc. Using graphical selection and chart design methods, Champ Consulting has designed and produced charts for the report, including bar charts, pie charts, scatter charts, radar charts, etc., to visually show the relative position and differentiation of competitors. Champ Consulting adopted the methods of slide report and mail report, carried out the communication and feedback of the report, communicated and discussed with the customer, collected and processed the customer's opinions and suggestions, and finally got the customer's approval and satisfaction.

Case 2: Provide a competitor survey report for an energy industry customer to help the customer understand its competitive situation and development trend in the field of new energy, and formulate corresponding competitive strategies. Shangpu Consulting adopted the SWOT analysis method and the competitor matrix method to determine the customer's main competitors and research scope, including the competitor's technical level, cost structure, market penetration, policy support, social responsibility and so on. Shangpu Consulting uses desktop research and network analysis to collect and analyze relevant information about competitors, including competitors' patent documents, academic papers, industry reports, government documents, and social networks. Champ Consulting used the pyramid principle and story line method to write and structure the contents of the report, including the theme, plot, turning point and ending of the report. Using graphical selection and chart beautification, Champ Consulting has designed and produced charts for the report, including line charts, maps, organization charts, flowcharts, etc., to clearly show the competitor's technical route and network of relationships. Champ Consulting adopted the methods of oral report and video report, carried out the communication and feedback of the report, communicated and discussed with the customer, collected and processed the customer's opinions and suggestions, and finally got the customer's approval and satisfaction.

Case 3: Provide a financial industry client with a report on competitor research to help the client predict its competitive dynamics and expectations in the field of digital transformation, and formulate corresponding competitive strategies. Champu Consulting used Porter's five forces analysis and SWOT analysis to determine the client's main competitors and research scope, including the competitor's digital strategy, digital capabilities, digital advantages, digital disadvantages, digital dynamics and digital expectations. Champu Consulting used desktop research and field investigation methods to collect and analyze relevant information about competitors, including the development and launch of new products, the entry and expansion of new markets, the introduction and application of new technologies, the establishment and maintenance of new cooperation, and the emergence and response of new changes. Champ Consulting used the pyramid principle and story line method to write and structure the contents of the report, including the theme, plot, turning point and ending of the report. Using graphical selection and chart beautification, Champ Consulting has designed and produced charts for the report, including bar charts, pie charts, scatter charts, radar charts, etc., to visually demonstrate the digitization level and trends of competitors. Champ Consulting adopted the methods of oral report and video report, carried out the communication and feedback of the report, communicated and discussed with the customer, collected and processed the customer's opinions and suggestions, and finally got the customer's approval and satisfaction.