SWOT for Sales Professionals

Generally speaking, SWOT Analysis are done in a team setting with members that represent expertise in various relevant areas. Rather than “analysis” though, it’s really more of a framework for thinking and discussion. 

For sales professionals in the process of working on a proposal, the results you are looking for from the SWOT discussion are favorable match-ups. 

Think about it this way … if a customer specifies a requirement for a new system to be installed within 90 days of contract, and you can deliver but you think your primary competitors can’t; then that is a strength of yours matched-up with a weakness of your competition. This then would not only be a point of emphasis in your proposal, but also an indication that you might be able to get a higher price since you may be the only option for the customer since you can deliver this “value” to the customer and others can't.

How To:

I’m not going to provide a template for this one; in my opinion you don’t need it! If you think you do, search on “SWOT Template” and select “Images” and you’ll be treated to a few hundred different versions! 

Instead, I’m going to break it down to those components that are important to you. Ask and answer these questions, either yourself, or preferably within a relevant team setting. If you have key questions but no answer or informed guesses; FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THEM! 

Also – focus more on Strengths and Weaknesses, and less on Opportunities and Threats. It will simplify this process and save you from wasting your time on less relevant discussion.

OK, here are your discussion questions:

1. What factors are important to the customer? What criteria will they use to choose vendors? How will they measure each response?
2. For each factor you identified as important, list your strengths and your weaknesses.
3. Now do the same for each of your viable competitors. Don’t forget to include the customer’s option of “doing nothing” or “doing it themselves”.
4. At this stage, you have a list of factors that are important to the customer and for each of those, a list of strengths and weaknesses of both yours and your competitors. This is where you’ll see the favorable (and unfavorable) match-ups.

Here’s an example below that demonstrates a review of 1 factor, the time it will take for solution installation. One might do this for all of the important factors. I have found most customers base their decisions on only 3 or 4 primary factors, though there may be many more you are exposed to. Figure out which are those key factors, you don’t have time to do this exercise 20 times!

Interpretation of the SWOT Example above: 

Regarding the customer’s requirement for an installation within 90 days; you have an advantage as you can install within 60 days, and no one else can even make the 90 required by the customer. While you may have an issue with the initial stability of your installation as indicated by early warranty service calls, you will have 30 days to shake out all the issues. Here - I would advise you to consider proposing a guaranteed 90-day turn-over to the customer, with a 30-day commissioning period where you train them, assist in loading data or other procedures.  You get the install done in 60 days, and buy 30 days to make sure the system is solid.

In the world of marketing, we have a saying about problems …. “If you can’t fix it, feature it”. So – the instability we expect in the first 30-days appears to the customer as testing, training, “get ready” time that you are providing them. VALUE!

If you would like to work through a SWOT example together, or work on an actual opportunity of yours, please reach out to me via LinkedIn Messaging. I am happy to help. Stew