Purpose of 1. Competitor Research

The purpose of competitor research is to help companies gain an advantage in the competition, increase market share and profitability, and achieve sustainable development. Specifically, competitor research can help companies:

Understand the size, structure, trends and changes of the market, as well as the development stage, life cycle and competitive landscape of the industry;

Identify and analyze the types, numbers, characteristics, strategies, objectives, resources, capabilities, behaviors, strengths and weaknesses of competitors, as well as their impact and threats to the enterprise;

Discover opportunities and gaps in the market, as well as strategic gaps and weaknesses of competitors, providing direction and inspiration for business innovation and differentiation;

According to the information and dynamics of competitors, evaluate their own competitiveness and competitive position, determine their own advantages and disadvantages, as well as the need to improve and enhance the aspects;

According to the actual situation of the market and competition, formulate reasonable objectives and strategies, including market positioning, product strategy, price strategy, channel strategy, promotion strategy, etc., as well as corresponding implementation and monitoring measures.

Methods and procedures for 2. competitor research

The methods and steps of competitor research can be adjusted and optimized according to the specific situation and needs, but the following process can generally be followed:

Determine the research object and scope: according to the industry and market in which the enterprise is located, as well as the definition and classification of competitors, determine the list and scope of competitors to be investigated, generally including direct competitors, indirect competitors, potential competitors and substitute competitors, as well as their key information and data;

Collect and organize information: collect and organize competitors' information and data through a variety of channels and methods, including public and non-public, quantitative and qualitative, first-hand and second-hand, such as official websites, social media, news reports, industry reports, market research, customer feedback, supplier cooperation, employee recruitment, corporate interviews, etc;

Analyze and evaluate information: analyze and evaluate the collected and collated information and data, and use various analytical tools and models, such as SWOT analysis, Porter's five forces analysis, value chain analysis, core competitiveness analysis, etc., from different angles and dimensions to reveal competitors' strategies, objectives, resources, capabilities, behaviors, strengths and weaknesses, as well as their impact and threats on the enterprise;

Form and present report: according to the results of analysis and evaluation, form and present the report of competitor research. The report shall include the following contents: research purpose, research object, research method, research result, research conclusion, research suggestion, etc. The report shall use clear language and charts, highlight key points and conclusions, and avoid irrelevant and repeated information.

Case Study of 3. Competitor Research

Take Shangpu Consulting Company as an example. The company is a well-known independent third-party research and investment and financing consulting organization in China, dedicated to providing professional solutions for corporate strategic decision-making. The company's main business areas include market research, investment consulting and IPO consulting, and the following is a brief analysis of competitors in each of these three areas.

1. Competitors in the field of market research

Market research is the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting market-related information to provide a basis and advice for a company's market decisions. The services of market research include industry research, market segmentation and user behavior research, channel model research, competitor research, market entry research, consumer research, investment decision evaluation, etc.

Competitors in the field of market research can be divided into international and domestic. International competitors are mainly some world-renowned market research institutions, such as Nielsen, Ipsos, Roland Berger, McKinsey, Boston Consulting, etc. These institutions have deep accumulation and extensive influence in the field of market research. Their advantages lie in brand awareness, customer resources, data quality, analysis methods, global network, etc, but their disadvantages are higher prices, longer service cycles, and lower levels of localization. Domestic competitors are mainly some local market research institutions, such as Analysys think tank, iResearch Consulting, CCID Consulting, Zhongyikang, Horizon Research, etc. These institutions also have a certain scale and reputation in the field of market research. Their advantages lie in low price, short service cycle, high degree of localization and so on, but their weaknesses lie in brand awareness, customer resources, data quality, analytical methods, and global networks.

The advantages of Shangpu Consulting Company in the field of market research lie in its professional team, rich experience, flexible service, innovative thinking, efficient execution and so on. It can provide customers with customized market research solutions to meet the different needs and expectations of customers. The shortcomings of Shangpu Consulting Company in the field of market research lie in its relatively small scale, low brand awareness, fewer customer resources, limited data sources, and narrow global coverage. It needs to enhance its own visibility and expand customers. Efforts are made in the following aspects: base, expanding data channels, and increasing international cooperation.

A specific case of Shangpu Consulting in the field of market research is that it provides research services on the Chinese market for a European automobile manufacturer, helping it understand the scale, structure, trends and changes of the Chinese market, as well as the needs, preferences and behaviors of Chinese consumers, and formulating entry strategies and marketing strategies for the Chinese market, including the choice of target market, product positioning and design, price setting and adjustment, channel establishment and management, promotion methods and means, etc., which laid the foundation for its success in the Chinese market.

2. Competitors in the field of investment consulting.

Investment consulting is the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting investment-related information to provide a basis and advice for a company's investment decisions. The services of investment consulting include the discovery and evaluation of investment opportunities, feasibility studies of investment projects, the formulation and optimization of investment plans, the identification and control of investment risks, and the prediction and evaluation of investment benefits.

Competitors in the field of investment consulting can be divided into professional and comprehensive. Professional competitors are mainly institutions focusing on investment consulting, such as Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, etc. These institutions have professional teams, rich experience, extensive resources, advanced technology, etc. in the field of investment consulting. Their advantages lie in service quality, service scope, service efficiency, service reputation, etc, however, their disadvantages lie in higher service prices, lower service flexibility, and weaker service innovation. Comprehensive competitors are mainly institutions that provide a variety of consulting services, such as McKinsey, Boston Consulting, Bain Consulting, Roland Berger, etc. These institutions also have a certain strength and reputation in the field of investment consulting. Their advantages lie in service diversity, service integration, service innovation, etc., but their disadvantages lie in service professionalism, service depth, service detail, etc.

The advantages of Shangpu Consulting in the field of investment consulting lie in its independent third-party role, objective analysis perspective, comprehensive data support, accurate decision-making advice, etc. It can provide customers with objective, comprehensive and accurate investment consulting services to help customers maximize the return on investment. The shortcomings of Shangpu Consulting in the field of investment consulting are that its service scale is relatively small, its service brand is weak, its service resources are few, and its service technology is relatively backward. It needs to improve its own scale, brand, resources, technology, etc. Improve.

A specific case of Shangpu Consulting Company in the field of investment consulting is that it provided an American venture capital fund with investment consulting services in the Chinese market, helped it discover and evaluate some potential investment opportunities in the Chinese market, including new energy, Artificial intelligence, biomedicine, e-commerce and other fields, and formulated investment plans and risk control measures for it, it provides a guarantee for the success of its investment in the Chinese market.

3. Competitors in the field of IPO consulting

IPO consulting refers to the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting IPO-related information to provide a basis and advice for an enterprise's IPO decision. The services of IPO consulting include IPO feasibility study, IPO plan formulation, IPO project management, IPO financial consultant, IPO legal consultant, IPO audit consultant, IPO public relations consultant, etc.

Competitors in the field of IPO consulting can be divided into financial and non-financial. Financial competitors are mainly institutions that provide IPO financial advisory services, such as CICC, CITIC Securities, China Merchants Securities, Huatai Securities, etc. These institutions have strong financial strength, rich financial experience, extensive financial resources, and efficient financial processes in the field of IPO consulting, their advantages lie in financial professionalism, financial efficiency, financial credibility, etc., but their disadvantages lie in higher financial costs, lower financial flexibility, and weaker financial innovation. Non-financial competitors are mainly institutions that provide IPO non-financial advisory services, such as Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, etc. These institutions also have a certain influence and reputation in the field of IPO consulting. The advantages lie in non-financial diversity, non-financial integration, non-financial innovation, etc., but their disadvantages lie in non-financial professionalism, non-financial depth, and non-financial detail.

The advantages of Shangpu Consulting in the field of IPO consulting lie in its independent third-party role, objective analysis perspective, comprehensive data support, accurate decision-making suggestions and so on. It can provide customers with objective, comprehensive and accurate IPO consulting services to help customers realize the maximum value of IPO. The shortcomings of Shangpu Consulting in the field of IPO consulting are that its service scale is relatively small, its service brand is weak, its service resources are few, and its service technology is relatively backward. It needs to improve its own scale, brand, resources, technology, etc. To improve.

A specific case of Shangpu Consulting in the field of IPO consulting is that it provided IPO consulting services to a Chinese Internet company, helped it complete its listing on Nasdaq in the United States, and raised nearly $1 billion for it. Provide support for its expansion in the international market. Shangpu Consulting Company provided the company with IPO feasibility study, IPO plan formulation, IPO project management, IPO financial consultant, IPO legal consultant, IPO audit consultant, IPO public relations consultant and other services, which successfully passed various approvals and audits and created a good market image and reputation for it.

4. competitor research how to combine their own situation, set reasonable goals.

The results of competitor research can not only help enterprises understand the situation of competitors, but also help enterprises understand their own situation, so as to formulate reasonable goals and strategies. Specifically, competitor research can help companies:

Determine your own market positioning: by comparing the strengths and weaknesses of yourself and your competitors, determine your position and role in the market, such as leaders, challengers, followers, experts, etc., as well as your own target market and target customers, so as to formulate corresponding market strategies, such as attack strategies, defense strategies, follow strategies, focus strategies, etc;

Determine its own product strategy: by comparing its own and competitors' product features, functions, quality, performance, design, innovation, etc., determine its own product advantages and differentiation, as well as its own product portfolio and life cycle, so as to formulate corresponding product strategies, such as product development strategy, product improvement strategy, product extension strategy, product elimination strategy, etc;

Determine their own price strategy: by comparing their own and competitors' price level, price elasticity, price structure, price changes, etc., to determine their own price advantage and pricing methods, as well as their own cost structure and profit margin, so as to formulate corresponding price strategies, such as high price strategy, low price strategy, competition strategy, penetration strategy, stratification strategy, etc;

Determine your own channel strategy: by comparing your own and competitors' channel type, channel quantity, channel quality, channel efficiency, channel control, etc., determine your own channel advantages and channel choices, as well as your own channel costs and channel profits, so as to formulate corresponding channel strategies, such as direct sales strategy, inter-sales strategy, multi-channel strategy, vertical strategy, horizontal strategy, etc;

Determine your own promotion strategy: by comparing your own and competitors' promotion methods, promotion methods, promotion efforts, promotion effects, promotion feedback, etc., determine your own promotion advantages and promotion combinations, as well as your own promotion costs and promotion benefits, so as to formulate corresponding promotion strategies, such as advertising strategies, public relations strategies, sales strategies, promotion strategies, word-of-mouth strategies, etc.

In summary, competitor research is an important basis for strategy and decision-making, it can help companies understand the market environment, competitive situation, competitive advantages and disadvantages, as well as potential opportunities and threats. Enterprises should be based on the results of competitor research, combined with their own situation, formulate reasonable goals and strategies to gain advantages in the competition, improve market share and profitability, and achieve sustainable development.