Marketing Tips: What is SWOT Analysis?

SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning tool used to evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats facing a business or project. You can do a general SWOT analysis for your business or do just a marketing SWOT analysis. Usually, these intersect anyway for your business. 

It can be used to help make decisions about everything from product development and marketing strategies to corporate restructurings and mergers & acquisitions.

The goal of SWOT Analysis is to identify the key internal and external factors that will have the biggest impact on a company's ability to achieve its objectives.

Once these factors have been identified, they can be used to develop strategies that will capitalize on the company's strengths, minimize its weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities, and avoid or mitigate threats.

While SWOT Analysis is often thought of as something that is only used by large businesses, it can be just as helpful for small businesses and even individuals.

For example, a small business owner looking to open a new location might use SWOT Analysis to evaluate the potential of the new site.

Individual students or job-seekers can also use SWOT Analysis to help them make decisions about their future.

When conducting a SWOT Analysis, it is important to keep in mind that each factor should be considered in relation to the others.

For example, a company's strengths might include its experienced workforce and strong customer base. However, if the company is facing tough competition from other businesses, this could offset some of its strengths and turn them into weaknesses.

It is also important to remember that SWOT Analysis is not a one-time exercise. It should be revisited periodically as the business or project environment changes. By continuously identifying and adjusting to new strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, a company can stay ahead of the competition and achieve its goals.