1. determine the research object and period

The first step in competitor research is to determine "who the competitor is". This needs to be based on their own business scope, target market, customer groups and other factors, taking into account the visibility of competitors, market share, product characteristics, price strategy, channel layout, brand image and other elements, from strong to weak, in turn research. At the same time, attention should also be paid to identifying potential competitors, such as new entrants, substitute providers, crossovers, etc., to prevent sudden attacks by competitors.

The second step in competitor research is to determine the "research cycle". This requires a reasonable arrangement of the time and frequency of research based on its own strategic objectives, competitive environment, resource conditions and other factors. In general, competitor research can be divided into regular research and ad hoc research. Regular research refers to the systematic research of competitors at certain time intervals, such as quarterly, semi-annual, annual, etc., in order to grasp the basic situation and development trends of competitors. Ad hoc research refers to targeted research on competitors in the event of major changes in competitors or the market, such as competitors launching new products, adjusting prices, expanding channels, changing executives, mergers and acquisitions, encountering crises, etc., to respond to competitors' actions or seize competitors' weaknesses.

Taking Shangpu Consulting as an example, its main competitors in the field of market research are Analysys, iResearch, Sadie, Zero, etc., and its main competitors in the field of investment and financing consulting are Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ernst & Young, KPMG, etc. Its main competitors in the field of IPO listing consulting are CITIC Construction Investment, Guosen Securities, CICC, GF Securities, etc. According to its own business characteristics and customer needs, Shangpu Consulting conducts regular and temporary research on these competitors to maintain sensitivity and insight into competitors.

2. decomposition of research objects and dimensions

The third step of competitor research is to decompose the "research object" and divide the "research dimension". This requires the analysis of the research object, find out all the roles associated with it, such as upstream suppliers, midstream enterprises themselves, downstream partners, end consumers, etc., and conduct research in turn. At the same time, it is also necessary to divide the research content, find out the various aspects that affect competitors, such as time dimension, commodity dimension, price dimension, channel dimension, promotion dimension, etc., and refine the specific problems under each dimension.

Take Shangpu Consulting as an example, its research objects in the field of market research can be broken down into four directions: upstream data sources, midstream Shangpu Consulting, downstream customer enterprises, and end target markets. Its research content in the field of market research can be divided into five dimensions: project dimension, method dimension, quality dimension, efficiency dimension and value dimension. Under each dimension, the following questions can be refined:

project dimension: what projects have the competitors undertaken? what are the types, scales, industries, regions, cycles, etc. of the projects? what are the sources, backgrounds, objectives, etc. of the projects? what are the difficulties, highlights, risks, etc. of the projects?

Method dimension: What methods do the competitors adopt? What are the theoretical basis, operation process, technical means, tool platform, etc. of the method? What are the advantages, disadvantages, innovations, limitations, etc. of the method?

Quality dimension: What is the quality of competitors? What are the standards, indicators, evaluation and control of quality? What are the level, stability, reliability and consistency of quality?

Efficiency dimension: What is the efficiency of competitors? What are the measurement, improvement, optimization, management, etc. of efficiency? What are the speed, flexibility, responsiveness, synergy, etc. of efficiency?

Value dimension: What is the value of competitors? What are the definition, creation, transmission and evaluation of value? What are the levels, differences, influences and continuity of value?

3. mobilize all resources and channels

The fourth step in competitor research is to mobilize "all resources" and use "all channels" to collect information about competitors. This requires giving full play to its own advantages, such as professional knowledge, industry experience, personal relationships, customer trust, etc., to obtain competitors' data and information from multiple aspects, multiple angles, and multiple levels. At the same time, it is also necessary to flexibly use various methods, such as desktop research, field trips, in-depth interviews, mysterious customers, web searches, social media, industry reports, government disclosures, patent applications, recruitment information, financial statements, etc., from public and non-public channels to obtain competitor information and news.

4. avoid superficial research

The fifth step in competitor research is to avoid "superficial research", that is, to understand some basic information about competitors on the surface, without in-depth analysis of the internal logic and motivation of competitors. This requires the induction, classification, sorting and analysis of competitors' information, to find out the laws, patterns, characteristics and differences of competitors, to reveal the thinking, behavior, decision-making and strategies of competitors, and to predict the trends, changes, reactions and influences of competitors. At the same time, it is also necessary to verify, compare, evaluate and test the information of competitors, distinguish the true, false, important, secondary, advantages and disadvantages of competitors, measure the level, ability, potential and threat of competitors, and formulate the optimization, improvement, transcendence and prevention of competitors.

5. to remove the false and keep the true and organize the report.

The sixth step in competitor research is to remove "false information" and retain "true information" and organize it into a systematic report. This requires screening, verifying, correcting and updating the collected competitor information, eliminating misleading, concealing, exaggerating and falsifying competitors, and retaining the facts, evidence, data and logic of competitors. At the same time, it is also necessary to sort out, summarize, summarize and present the information of the organized competitors to form a report with clear structure, complete content, rigorous logic and clear views, so as to facilitate the reading, understanding and use of themselves and customers.

6. analysis of competitors' strengths and weaknesses and strategies

The seventh step in competitor research is to analyze "competitors' strengths and weaknesses" and develop "competitors' strategies". This requires a comprehensive assessment of all aspects of competitors to identify their strengths and weaknesses, such as product quality, service levels, technical capabilities, innovation capabilities, market share, brand awareness, customer satisfaction, cost control, profit levels, and risk management. At the same time, it is also necessary to conduct an in-depth analysis of competitors' behaviors and motivations to identify competitors' goals and means, such as market expansion, product development, price wars, channel building, branding, marketing promotion, cooperative alliances, mergers and acquisitions, etc.

7. build a competitor's value chain and portrait

The eighth step in competitor research is to build a "competitor's value chain" and a "competitor's portrait". This requires combing and presenting the whole and parts of the competitor to form a clear picture and details of the competitor. The value chain of competitors refers to all activities and links involved in the process of providing products or services, such as research and development design, manufacturing, logistics and distribution, sales service, after-sales support, etc., as well as the value and cost created by these activities and links. A competitor's portrait is a description of a competitor's basic information and characteristics, such as name, logo, slogan, vision, mission, culture, values, organizational structure, management team, core personnel, key resources, and key partners.

8. monitoring of competitor dynamics and changes

The ninth step in competitor research is to monitor "competitor dynamics" and "competitor changes". This requires continuous attention and tracking of the current situation and future of competitors, and timely detection of competitors' actions and trends, such as competitors' new products, new services, new technologies, new markets, new customers, new cooperation, new changes, New problems, new opportunities, new threats, etc. At the same time, it is also necessary to feedback and adjust the dynamics and changes of competitors, and timely revise their own strategies and actions, such as their own product improvement, service improvement, technological innovation, market expansion, customer maintenance, cooperation expansion, change response, problem solving, Opportunity grasp, threat prevention, etc.

9. the development of targeted response measures

The final step in competitor research is to develop "targeted responses". This requires a reasonable competitive strategy and action plan based on the situation of competitors and their own goals, in order to achieve their own advantages and disadvantages of competitors. Competitive strategies can be divided into four types: leader strategy, challenger strategy, follower strategy, and focus strategy. Leader strategy refers to the strategy adopted by enterprises that occupy a dominant position in the market to maintain and expand market share, such as improving product quality, reducing product costs, increasing product types, improving service levels, strengthening brand promotion, and establishing loyal customers. Challenger strategy refers to the strategy adopted by enterprises with a certain share of the market to challenge market leaders, such as innovative product features, reducing product prices, expanding product channels, improving product image, strengthening marketing promotion, and attracting potential customers. Follower strategy refers to the strategy adopted by enterprises with a small share of the market to imitate the market leader, such as imitating product design, following product pricing, borrowing product channels, simulating product image, imitating marketing methods, and retaining existing customers. Focus strategy refers to the strategy adopted by enterprises that focus on a certain market segment in the market to meet the needs of the market segment, such as customizing product features, providing product differentiation, establishing product expertise, shaping product personality, implementing precision marketing, and cultivating loyal customers.