swot analysis example for event planning

SWOT Analysis for Events 2023

SWOT analyses are part of the basics of business administration and are taught at universities and schools all over the world. But how much is behind the theoretical concept and how does it help you plan your next event?

We took a closer look at the theory and give some practical tips for SWOT analysis in event management. You can also download your own SWOT analysis template and white paper .

What is a SWOT Analysis?

The SWOT analysis is a popular method for situation analysis and is often used especially in the fields of marketing, management and also in leadership development. But it can also be useful in assessing the success of your event.

Fundamental to the SWOT analysis is a valid assessment of strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities. Based on this assessment, the status quo can be evaluated and strategies and future perspectives can be considered and evaluated.

The name, SWOT, can be derived from these four categories:

Opportunities

These categories are presented in a table, the so-called SWOT matrix. Different factors can be ranked here based on their importance. Further down in this blog article, we have prepared some suggestions for the SWOT analysis for you and your event.

SWOT Analysis in Events

SWOT helps you analyse the success of current, past, and upcoming events. With the SWOT analysis, you not only identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of your project, but also divide the factors into internal and external. This facilitates the assessment for the following project. You can't change most of the external factors of your event, such as the weather. But you can make sure that you are well-prepared for all circumstances. Important hint for your SWOT analysis: Stay realistic. No whitewashing, no doom and gloom.

You should always conduct an initial SWOT analysis before your event takes place. This way you can identify weaknesses as well as opportunities and adapt your strategy accordingly, which makes the process more efficient and multiplies the potential event success.

But what does a SWOT analysis for events look like? We have prepared a template for your event management and give you an inspiration with which factors you could fill it.

Free SWOT Analysis White Paper + Template

SWOT analysis for your event can be tedious, but with the right template and whitepaper, you'll be well equipped. Download the free one for your event here.

Internal and External Factors for the SWOT Analysis of Your Event

SWOT analysis divides not only into the 4 factors of Strength, Weakness and Opportunities and Threats, but also into External and Internal factors.

You should start by dividing into external factors and internal factors.

Internal factors of the SWOT analysis include individual strengths and weaknesses of your event and project team: personnel, image, motivation, leadership qualities etc. These factors are very individual and can be different for different events. They should therefore always be developed individually. A SWOT analysis can also be useful for a competing event concept. If you happen to focus on a field where your competitor is strong, but you are weak, this will be noticed, and you can adjust your strategy.

External factors in the SWOT analysis include, for example, trends, political changes or legal circumstances. At the latest, since the Covid pandemic and the Infection Protection Act, everyone is aware of the scope that external factors can also have for the success of their own event.

For your inspiration, we have summarized some factors for your weaknesses and strengths and risk and opportunity analysis:

Internal & external factors of a SWOT analysis

Internal factors for swot analyses at events.

Event concept

Team formation

Motivation of the team

Relationship to partners

Relationship to investors

Good network of speakers and service providers

Technical know-how

Efficiency of operations

Loyalty of guests

Fixed costs

External Factors for SWOT Analyses at Events

Competition

Legal requirements

Market development

Changed legal situation

Economic situation

Local events

Reception by guests

Cooperation

What Does the SWOT Analysis of My Event Tell Me?

Your SWOT table is filled in, but what does the SWOT matrix tell you now? How does a table affect the success of your event?

Generally speaking, there are 4 strategies that you can derive from this table.

Promote - the SO strategy (strength - opportunities)

SWOT analyses are part of the small basics of business administration and are taught at universities and schools all over the world. But is this just a theoretical concept and how does it help when planning your next event? We at Sweap have taken a closer look at the theory and give some practical tips for SWOT analyses in event management.

In the best case scenario, this area is huge at your event: this is where your strengths meet your opportunities. Here, you can leverage your team's skills to gain an advantage. Contrast your strengths with your opportunities and try to "match" the two - this way you can identify connection points and build on your advantages.

Neutralize - the ST strategy (strength - threats)

You can use your strengths to mitigate and avoid risks. Identified risks can be prevented by your own skills and planning - this is called neutralization strategies.

Catch up - the WO-strategy (weaknesses - opportunities)

Nobody can do everything. There can also be certain weaknesses in a team, for example due to a lack of personnel in one area. But those who have identified weaknesses can work on them specifically. Strengths can be transformed into weaknesses through these transformation strategies. This strategy is particularly important if you find the processes that you can improve, especially in an area where your competitor is strong.

Avoidance - The WT strategy (weaknesses - threats)

Ideally, this area of your matrix should be very small, because it poses a threat to the success of your event. If you can't avoid this area increasing, it's important to keep the damage as small as possible: Work on your weaknesses while trying to keep the possible damage as small as possible.

Examples of SWOT Analysis for Events

Here are a few examples of how this tool might be used to assess an event:

A music festival might conduct a SWOT analysis to identify its strengths (e.g., a popular lineup of artists, a scenic location), weaknesses (e.g., limited parking, a history of inclement weather), opportunities (e.g., potential sponsorships, new revenue streams), and threats (e.g., competition from other festivals, public safety concerns).

A political campaign might use a SWOT analysis to assess its chances of success by looking at factors such as its strong points (e.g., a well-known candidate, a strong ground game), weaknesses (e.g., a lack of funding, low approval ratings), opportunities (e.g., favorable demographics, a divided opposition), and threats (e.g., negative media coverage, voter apathy).

A charity organization might conduct a SWOT analysis to evaluate a fundraising event it is planning. This analysis might reveal that the event has strengths such as a compelling cause and a strong network of donors, but weaknesses such as a lack of community awareness and a limited budget. It might also identify opportunities such as potential partnerships with local businesses and threats such as competition from other fundraisers.

Your Free SWOT Analysis White Paper + Template

The SWOT analysis for your event can be tedious, but with the right template and white paper you are well-equipped. Download the free event SWOT analysis bundle here .

5 Tips on Creating an Event SWOT Analysis

Here are five tips for creating an effective SWOT analysis for events:

Involve a diverse group of stakeholders in the analysis process. This will ensure that a wide range of perspectives and experiences are taken into account when evaluating the event.

Be specific and objective when identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the event. Avoid making assumptions or jumping to conclusions, and focus on facts and data to support your assessments.

Prioritize the factors that are most relevant to the success of the event. Not all strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats will have the same impact, so focus on the ones that are most likely to affect the event's outcome.

Develop actionable strategies to address the identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. A SWOT analysis is only useful if it leads to concrete steps that can improve the event's chances of success.

Regularly update the SWOT analysis as the event planning process progresses. New information and developments may arise that could impact the event, so it's important to revisit the analysis periodically to ensure it remains relevant and accurate.

Summary of the Insights

By identifying an event's strengths, organizers can focus on leveraging these advantages to make the event as successful as possible. For example, if an event has a strong social media presence, the organizers could use this to promote the event and attract more attendees.

By identifying an event's weaknesses, organizers can take steps to address these issues and mitigate their negative impact. For example, if an event has a history of poor attendance, the organizers could implement strategies to improve attendance, such as offering discounts or partnering with other organizations.

By identifying an event's opportunities, organizers can explore new ways to enhance the event and generate additional revenue. For example, if an event has the potential to attract sponsors, the organizers could reach out to potential sponsors and negotiate deals to provide additional funding and resources.

By identifying an event's threats, organizers can take steps to mitigate these risks and ensure the event goes smoothly. For example, if an event is threatened by inclement weather, the organizers could plan for contingencies such as providing covered areas or rescheduling the event.

The SWOT analysis can be a helpful tool if you need a quick status quo for your event planning strategy. It gives you a profound overview of your weaknesses and strengths and helps you make decisions. With the participation of all employees, it can strengthen internal communication.

However, SWOT analysis is not a panacea. The results should always be viewed with a certain degree of caution: Because all assessments are made on a subjective basis, the results are also easy to manipulate and, in the worst case, can be instrumentalized for a specific result. Data for competitor analysis is also always dependent on the respective insight and whether information is available at all.

But if these possible disadvantages are conscious during the process and results are classified accordingly, the SWOT analysis can also be a simple but powerful tool in event management.

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A Comprehensive Guide to SWOT Analysis for Event Planning

Introduction

Event planning is a complex and multifaceted undertaking that requires a strategic approach to ensure success. One valuable tool that event planners can utilize to assess their strategies and make informed decisions is a SWOT analysis. SWOT, which stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities , and Threats , is a framework that helps you evaluate the internal and external factors that can impact your event's outcome.

In this in-depth guide, we'll explore how to create a SWOT analysis for event planning, offering insights and actionable steps to enhance your event's chances of success.

What is a SWOT Analysis?

Before diving into the event planning specifics, let's break down the components of a SWOT analysis:

▸ S trengths:

These are the internal, positive attributes and resources that give your event an advantage over others. Identifying strengths allows you to leverage what you're doing well.

▸ W eaknesses:

Internal factors that can hinder the success of your event fall into this category. Identifying weaknesses helps you address areas that need improvement.

▸ O pportunities:

External factors and conditions that can be advantageous for your event fall under opportunities. Recognizing these allows you to seize potential advantages.

▸ T hreats:

External factors that can negatively impact your event are considered threats. Identifying threats helps you prepare for challenges.

Strengths and Weaknesses in Event Planning

A. Strengths in Event Planning:

▸ experienced event planning team:.

An experienced event planning team is a significant strength for any event. These individuals bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table. They understand the complexities of event planning, including logistics, vendor relationships, and attendee engagement. Their experience allows for smoother coordination and problem-solving, contributing to the overall success of the event.

▸ Strong Vendor Relationships:

Maintaining strong, long-term relationships with vendors is invaluable. These relationships are built on trust and reliability. Event planners with established vendor connections often benefit from cost savings, preferred services, and a streamlined planning process. Vendors familiar with your team's expectations can deliver top-quality results, reducing the likelihood of last-minute issues.

▸ Compelling Event Concept:

A well-defined and compelling event concept sets your event apart and captivates potential attendees. The strength lies in the uniqueness and relevance of the concept. It draws attendees who are interested in the theme or topic, increasing engagement and satisfaction. A strong event concept also provides a clear direction for planning and promotion.

▸ Access to a Large Venue:

Having access to a spacious venue is advantageous for events with a substantial attendance or specific space requirements. Large venues offer flexibility in accommodating various activities and layouts. They can enhance the attendee experience by providing ample space for networking, exhibits, and diverse presentation formats.

▸ Well-Established Sponsors:

Sponsors play a crucial role in supporting events financially and enhancing their credibility. Well-established sponsors bring a level of trust and authority to your event. They provide not only financial backing but also potential marketing reach and industry recognition. Strong sponsorship ties contribute to the event's overall success.

B. Weaknesses in Event Planning:

▸ limited budget:.

Budget constraints can be a significant challenge in event planning. A limited budget may restrict your ability to invest in essential event elements, such as marketing, technology, or guest speakers. To address this weakness, event planners must carefully allocate funds, seek cost-effective solutions, and explore sponsorship opportunities to make the most of available resources.

▸ Inexperienced Event Planning Team:

An inexperienced event planning team may lack the in-depth knowledge and skills required for effective planning. This weakness can result in inefficiencies, mismanagement, and overlooked details. To address this, consider investing in training and mentorship for the team or hiring experienced event professionals who can provide guidance.

▸ Tight Timelines:

Tight timelines can create a sense of urgency and pressure in the planning process. The weakness lies in the limited time available for thorough preparation and adjustments. Event planners dealing with tight timelines must carefully prioritize tasks, delegate responsibilities, and adopt efficient project management practices to meet deadlines.

▸ Lack of in-House Resources:

A shortage of in-house resources for specific event aspects, such as marketing, design, or technology, can be a significant weakness. It may require seeking external expertise or collaboration with specialized service providers. Event planners should identify resource gaps early and plan accordingly.

▸ Limited Marketing Resources:

Adequate marketing resources are essential for reaching and engaging your target audience. A weakness in marketing resources can result in reduced event visibility and attendance. Event planners with limited marketing budgets should focus on cost-effective marketing strategies, social media, content marketing, and collaborations to maximize reach.

Opportunities and Threats in Event Planning

C. Opportunities in event planning:

▸ emerging event technology:.

The rapid development of event technology presents a valuable opportunity for event planners. Adopting the latest event management software, virtual event platforms, and interactive tools can enhance attendee engagement and overall event experience. Leveraging emerging technology allows for innovative event formats and global reach.

▸ Diverse Attendee Engagement:

The opportunity to engage diverse audiences is a key advantage. Event planners can design inclusive programs that cater to a wide range of interests, backgrounds, and demographics. Offering diverse session formats, languages, and accessibility features can attract a broader audience and enhance the event's impact.

▸ Strategic Partnerships:

Building strategic partnerships with organizations, associations, or complementary events can lead to significant opportunities. Collaborations can expand the event's reach, increase brand exposure, and tap into a shared audience. Partnerships may involve co-hosting sessions, cross-promotion, or joint marketing efforts.

▸ Hybrid and Virtual Event Formats:

The rise of hybrid and virtual event formats provides the opportunity to reach a global audience. Event planners can extend their event's reach by offering virtual attendance options, enabling remote participation, and catering to individuals who may not be able to attend in person.

▸ Customization and Personalization:

The ability to customize and personalize attendee experiences is an emerging trend. Event planners can leverage attendee data to tailor content, recommendations, and networking opportunities. Personalized experiences can enhance attendee satisfaction and loyalty.

D. Threats in Event Planning:

▸ competing events:.

The proliferation of events in various industries can be a significant threat. Competing events may draw attendees away, leading to reduced attendance and competition for sponsorships. Event planners must monitor competing events, differentiate their offerings, and choose event dates carefully.

▸ Technology Challenges:

While technology offers opportunities, it also poses threats. Technical issues, such as platform failures, connectivity problems, or cybersecurity threats, can disrupt virtual or hybrid events. Event planners should have contingency plans in place to address technology-related challenges.

▸ Budget Constraints:

Budget constraints are not only a weakness but also a potential threat. Limited resources may hinder event quality and marketing efforts, impacting attendance and overall success. Event planners must be resourceful in seeking cost-effective solutions and securing sponsorships.

▸ Changing Regulations:

Evolving regulations, especially in light of health and safety concerns, can pose threats to event planning. Sudden changes in regulations may affect event capacity, health protocols, or travel restrictions. Event planners need to stay informed and adapt event plans accordingly.

▸ Unpredictable External Factors:

External factors, such as natural disasters, economic downturns, or global crises, can disrupt event planning. Unpredictable events may lead to cancellations, lower attendance, or logistical challenges. Event planners should have contingency plans and consider event insurance to mitigate risks.

Analysis and Action Plan:

A. Strengths Analysis:

Your experienced event planning team is a valuable asset. Their in-depth knowledge of event logistics, vendor management, and industry trends ensures smooth execution. Additionally, their problem-solving skills and adaptability are key in addressing unexpected challenges during the event. Your team's expertise can also help in designing innovative event formats that engage attendees effectively and align with your event's objectives.

The strong relationships you've cultivated with vendors offer several advantages. These relationships allow you to negotiate favorable terms, pricing, and value-added services. Collaborate closely with your preferred vendors to explore exclusive partnerships. Such partnerships can lead to additional benefits, such as dedicated service teams or exclusive offerings for your event.

A compelling event concept is a significant strength. It serves as the foundation for your event's identity and can set you apart in a competitive market. To leverage this strength, continuously refine and expand upon your event concept. Seek feedback from past attendees to ensure it remains captivating and relevant. Stay ahead of industry trends to anticipate changes and adapt the concept accordingly.

▸ Access to a Large Venue :

Your access to a spacious venue provides ample opportunities for creativity. To maximize this strength, careful planning of space utilization is essential. Consider creating interactive zones, thematic areas, and engaging exhibits within the venue. Ensure that the venue layout enhances the attendee experience and encourages networking and exploration.

Your well-established sponsors contribute to the event's success. To capitalize on this strength, work closely with your sponsors to align their goals with your event's objectives. Develop innovative sponsorship packages that offer tangible benefits and valuable exposure for sponsors. Create opportunities for sponsors to interact with attendees and showcase their products or services effectively.

▸ Loyal Attendee Base:

A loyal attendee base is a testament to your event's quality and value. To maximize this strength, focus on retaining and expanding your loyal attendees. Implement loyalty programs, early bird incentives, and exclusive offers to keep them engaged. Encourage them to become brand advocates who promote your event to a wider audience.

▸ Effective Marketing Strategy:

 Your effective marketing strategy is crucial for reaching your target audience. To harness this strength, continuously refine your marketing tactics. Invest in data-driven marketing to understand attendee preferences and behaviors. Use content marketing, social media, and email campaigns to engage potential attendees throughout the year. Leverage the power of testimonials and case studies to highlight past successes.

B. Weaknesses Analysis:

A limited budget can pose challenges in event planning. To address this weakness effectively, it's crucial to prioritize expenses. Identify which aspects of the event require the most significant investments and focus your budget allocation on those areas. Explore alternative funding sources, such as grants or sponsorships, to augment your budget. Additionally, consider partnerships or collaborations that can provide financial support aligned with your event's goals.

An inexperienced event planning team may require additional support and guidance. To mitigate this weakness, invest in training and mentorship programs for team members. Consider hiring experienced event professionals who can provide leadership and mentorship to less experienced staff. This approach ensures that your team gains knowledge and expertise over time.

Tight timelines can add pressure to the event planning process. To address this weakness, implement efficient project management practices. Break down tasks into manageable stages, delegate responsibilities, and utilize project management tools to monitor progress. Careful time management and adherence to deadlines are essential to meet the demands of a tight schedule.

When you lack in-house resources, consider outsourcing specific tasks to external specialists or service providers. This helps address the resource gap effectively. Ensure clear communication and expectations when outsourcing tasks to maintain quality standards and alignment with your event's goals.

A limited marketing budget can be a weakness, but it's essential to make the most of available resources. To address this limitation, focus on cost-effective marketing strategies. Implement content marketing to engage potential attendees with valuable content. Use social media platforms to connect with your target audience and drive engagement. Measure the return on investment (ROI) of your marketing efforts to ensure efficient resource allocation.

▸ High Event Expectations:

High attendee expectations can be challenging to meet. To address this weakness, establish clear communication channels with your audience. Manage expectations by setting realistic event goals and delivering on promises. Regularly collect attendee feedback and use it to make data-driven improvements. Implement post-event surveys and utilize testimonials and case studies to showcase your event's value.

▸ Competition:

In a competitive market, it's essential to differentiate your event. Address this weakness by monitoring competing events in your industry and carefully choosing event dates to minimize direct competition. Focus on your event's unique value proposition and emphasize it in your marketing efforts to retain attendees and attract new ones.

C. Opportunities Analysis:

The advancement of event technologies offers numerous opportunities. To capitalize on this, embrace cutting-edge technologies such as virtual reality, AI-powered matchmaking, and event apps. These technologies can enhance attendee engagement, networking, and overall event experience.

▸ Sustainable Event Practices:

The growing focus on sustainability presents an opportunity to align your event with environmentally responsible practices. Consider adopting eco-friendly initiatives, such as waste reduction, carbon footprint reduction, and sustainable sourcing. Green event practices not only contribute to a positive image but also appeal to environmentally conscious attendees and sponsors.

▸ Diverse Revenue Streams:

Explore diverse revenue streams beyond traditional sponsorships and ticket sales. Consider offering premium packages, exclusive content, or paid workshops. Additionally, monetize digital offerings like webinars or virtual event components to increase revenue. Diversifying income sources can enhance your financial stability.

▸ Global Reach Through Virtual Events:

Virtual events have a global reach potential. Consider incorporating virtual components into your events, attracting attendees from various regions. Expanding your event's reach can lead to increased international recognition and a broader attendee base.

▸ Audience Data Utilization:

Leverage the power of data analytics to gain insights into attendee preferences and behavior. Utilize this data to personalize attendee experiences, improve event content, and optimize marketing efforts. Data-driven decisions can lead to higher attendee satisfaction and event success.

Collaborate with strategic partners to enhance your event's value. Seek partnerships with industry influencers, organizations, or media outlets that can provide exposure, expertise, and resources. Joint ventures can extend your event's reach and credibility.

▸ Innovative Content Delivery:

Explore innovative content delivery methods to engage attendees effectively. Consider interactive workshops, live polls, gamification, and immersive experiences. Innovative content formats can set your event apart and increase attendee engagement and satisfaction.

D. Threats Analysis:

▸ economic downturn:.

Economic downturns can impact event attendance and sponsorship opportunities. To address this threat, develop contingency plans that include cost-effective pricing options, early bird discounts, and flexible sponsorship packages. These strategies can help mitigate the effects of economic instability on your event's financial health.

Increased competition in your industry can lead to attendee and sponsor attrition. To counter this threat, conduct thorough competitor research and carefully select event dates to avoid direct clashes. Emphasize your event's unique value proposition and focus on attendee engagement to retain and attract participants.

▸ Technological Challenges:

Technology-related issues, such as network failures or technical glitches, can disrupt event proceedings. To mitigate this threat, work closely with experienced tech support teams and consider backup solutions. Regularly test and update event technology to ensure seamless operations.

▸ Legal and Regulatory Changes:

Changes in event-related regulations or data privacy laws can pose challenges. Stay informed about evolving legal requirements and adapt your event practices accordingly. Ensure compliance with data protection regulations and develop a clear data handling policy to safeguard attendee information.

▸ Natural Disasters:

Natural disasters, like hurricanes or earthquakes, can disrupt event logistics. Create a comprehensive crisis management plan that addresses potential natural disasters. This plan should include evacuation procedures, alternative venues, and communication strategies to ensure attendee safety.

▸ Health Concerns:

Health-related issues, such as pandemics or outbreaks, can impact event attendance. Develop health and safety protocols that address potential health concerns. These measures may include sanitization practices, social distancing, and contingency plans for virtual or hybrid events.

▸ Sponsorship Dependence:

Overreliance on a small number of sponsors can be risky. To counter this threat, diversify your sponsor portfolio by attracting a broader range of sponsors from various industries. Develop customized sponsorship packages that cater to different sponsor needs and objectives.

Regular Review

A SWOT analysis is not a one-time task. It should be an ongoing process, with regular reviews and updates. As your event planning progresses, circumstances may change, and new opportunities or threats may arise. Be prepared to adjust your strategies accordingly.

Conducting a SWOT analysis for event planning is a vital step in ensuring the success of your event. By identifying your event's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, you can make informed decisions and develop strategies that enhance your event's chances of success. Regularly review and update your SWOT analysis as your event planning evolves, and be prepared to adjust your strategies as needed. With a well-executed SWOT analysis, your event can navigate challenges and seize opportunities effectively.

Event planning is a complex and multifaceted undertaking that requires a strategic approach to ensure success. One valuable tool that event planners can utilize to assess their strategies and make informed decisions is a SWOT analysis. SWOT, which stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, is a framework that helps you evaluate the internal and external factors that can impact your event's outcome. In this in-depth guide, we'll explore how to create a SWOT analysis for event planning, offering insights and actionable steps to enhance your event's chances of success.

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SWOT analysis – an useful tool for event planners

• June 4, 2018 July 4, 2023

The event organizers often focus on logistics issues, recognizing that this is a key determinant of the event’s success. However, while no event can be successful without good logistics, it is not the purpose of the event itself. It is a one – among the others – of the key elements in the process of organizing events. First of all, when organizing an event – conference, workshop, training course – we plan goals we want to achieve. Therefore, the success of the event means we accomplished the goals set for it ( about the SMART goals in the event industry we wrote in earlier posts ).

While planning the event, it is worth to use the SWOT analysis – a simple tool to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks associated with the project. This analysis can be successfully used in planning events such as conferences, workshops or training courses.

What does a „SWOT” mean?

“ S ” stands for Strengths

“ W ” stands for Weaknesses

“ O ” stands for Opportunities

“ T ” stands for Threat

These are the features of the project (conference, workshop, training course) that can contribute to the project’s goal. Think about what is a strong feature of your event.

Examples of strengths:

• Exceptional lecturers – if you organize an event and you can offer its attendees contact with someone who is an authority in a given industry, it will certainly be your strongest asset.
• Experienced and motivated team – working with people who know what to do and at the same time work with commitment – regardless of whether they are volunteers or professional event coordinators – increases the chance of success of the event.
• Effective solutions for event management – an efficient online event registration and payment processing system certainly supports the success of the event.
• Effective tools for the promotion of events – if you operate in the event industry, you already know that without marketing in the social media promotion isn’t really possible.

These are the features of the project that can prevent you from achieving your goals. Think about the weaknesses of your event.

Examples of weaknesses:

• Lack of sufficient financing for the event – organizing events with the insufficient budget may contribute to its failure. Check if you have the right buffer in case of unforeseen expenses.
• Inexperienced event team – if there is a large staff turnover in your event team, this is definitely a weak side. You have to start working on it ASAP. There is nothing worse for an event than an inexperienced, uninformed employee on the first line of contact with your client.
• Inefficient registration and event management system – check whether the system you use is efficient. If it hangs up, runs slowly, loses data, can’t handle immense Internet traffic or is complicated, it is time to change it .

Opportunities

These are external factors that can be helpful in achieving project goals.

Examples of Opportunities:

• Little competition – if you operate in a niche market, you have the chance to strengthen your position and prepare for the times when your competitors become strong.
• Favorable economic conditions – the market situation is your ally, use it to prepare for potential “bad times”.
• Support from local authorities – if you have the opportunity to cooperate with local governments or local respected NGO’s it is great! Use this chance to work on the image of both, the event and your company.

These are external factors that may prove detrimental to the achievement of the project’s goals.

Examples of threats:

• Strong competition – this isn’t a reason to give up organizing events in a given industry, but it can be a significant factor affecting the achievement of your goal.
• Bad weather – this is a particularly serious threat when organizing an outdoor event.
• Unprepared infrastructure – choosing the place of the event, which is still “under construction”, but for the time of the event is to be ready, may expose you to Murphy’s merciless law .

SWOT in practice

First of all – identify the strengths and weaknesses of your event and also the opportunities that you can use and the threats that can stand in the way of achieving your goal.

Secondly – put the collected information in the table (you can easily find free SWOT analysis templates on the Internet).

Thirdly – answer the questions:

• Will you be able to use indicated strengths to take advantage of the opportunities?
• Will it be easier to overcome the threats thanks to the indicated strengths?
• Do the indicated weaknesses prevent you from seizing opportunities?
• Do the indicated weaknesses expose the event to threats?

Fourthly – start planning.

Thanks to the SWOT analysis, you will get the important information you need to effectively plan the event. It is very important to carry out this analysis BEFORE developing a plan for the event. This will enable the development of an appropriate strategy that will maximize the potential of strengths and project opportunities while minimizing the impact of vulnerabilities and threats.

If you are ready to organize your event, use a reliable and proven event registration software

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How to Use SWOT Analysis for Your Event

Savannah McIntosh

Jun 10th, 2019

Event Marketing

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When you are making efforts to create growth within your business, you should use every effective strategy available to you to ensure you get a clear picture of where you stand and how you can improve.

In fact, individuals and companies working within the event planning industry should be using the helpful strategy analysis called SWOT to gain a better understanding of their approach and opportunities for an individual event and/or brand. 

Using this method can allow you to make the most out of each event and consistently see satisfactory results for each endeavor.

Remember, “Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” - Chris Grosser

What is a SWOT analysis?

SWOT analysis is one of the top, traditional methods for outlining a situation or an event to determine what issues you face and discover how to effectively overcome them.

So, what exactly is a SWOT analysis?

The acronym SWOT, stands for:

• S-strength

• W-weakness

• O-opportunity

SWOT analysis is used to identify both internal and external factors influencing a situation or business plan. The idea is to create a graph/layout of each point in relation to your company and the event itself. 

Keep in mind these questions when you are building your SWOT analysis with your team. The more in depth of a  swot analysis for event management you have, the stronger event and branding strategy you will build.

These are the positive contributions of your company and/or upcoming event.

Everything you can control and create positively are your strengths. Since this article is about using SWOT for planning your event , all the questions below will be in regard to event attributes. Consider the following when building your strengths.

• What are the highlights of your event?
• What processes in planning are successful?
• What activities at the event are or have been successful?
• What assets do you have in your team? Strong skills? Leadership? Knowledge?
• What is the reputation of your event? Is strong?
• What advantages do you have over your competition?
• What makes you event different/unique from the rest?

A weakness is what sets you apart from the rest negatively; they take away from your strengths. To focus on your weaknesses, assess and answer the following questions and see what areas need improvement. 

• What asset of your event is holding you back from further success? Location? Market?
• What is your business lacking? Money? Resources?
• Do you have a complete team? Any positions that are missing?
• In what areas can you be more competitive in?
• Anything that noticeably needs improvement in your event?

Opportunities

Opportunities are options out there that can contribute to your growth.

Use this part of your chart to find what you can seek out to improve and build stronger for your event and/or company.

• What are the market trends?
• What is your customers’ buyer's journey?  Are you nurturing all your leads during this process?
• How can you encourage more ticket sales?
• Is your buying process accommodating and accessible?
• How can you improve your event reputation? Reviews? Testimonies? Videos?
• Are you marketing your event in every way possible? 
• Is your admissions/ticketing software flexible?
• Are you staying updated with all the latest event trends? 

A threat. Something you have absolutely no control over, unfortunately.

By having an external factor that could impact your event/company negatively, it’s important to consider creating a strategy for dealing with these threats if they ever occur.

Consider the following questions when building out this plan.

• Who is your competition?
• Who could potentially be your competition or come into the market?
• How is the technology you use evolving?
• Is your event/business still with the current trends of the market?
• Are consumer patterns changing?

What are the company’s strengths in relation to the proposed event?

For example, a sporting event, does your company have a connection within the sports industry you can harness? If you are hosting a gala , do you have the ability to hire popular or renowned talent for the event through connections?

Likewise, when it comes to weakness, where are you lacking in relation to the event at hand?

Is your budget limiting you to other possibilities, and if so, how can you increase or gain extra funds? 

For the opportunity section, you would highlight any unique opportunities around you that can help propel the event to even greater success.

Finally, you want to outline any potential threats you face that stand in the way of creating and hosting a successful event or endeavor. 

This infographic was created by Venngage Graph Maker

Why should you use SWOT analysis?

An event SWOT analysis allows you to clearly state and highlight the most important features of your strategy, positive and negative.

Taking the time to highlight your strengths and the different opportunities can allow you to focus in on them or address them more directly, and in contrast, outlining the weaknesses and threats can give you the chance to make strategy corrections and be aware of things that can sabotage your efforts.

Planning a strategy or event can include multiple interactions and points of interest that tend to blend together, making the big picture a little cloudy.

This is a direct and simplified way to point out the most critical details and keep them in the forefront of the plan to help direct your efforts to increase productivity and positive results.

Taking the time to create a detailed swot analysis for event management saves you time in the long run.

Limit surprises from unexpected issues

Another way the SWOT analysis can be incredibly beneficial is by translating as your outline for potential issues that can pop up, ultimately showing you how to recover from a hard blow with ease.

An example would be the weather for an outside event.

What if it rains, or the temperatures are not favorable?

That is considered an external factor that could threaten your event.

Then, you would be able to identify this threat and create a backup plan by knowing where and how to secure an indoor facility or plan if necessary.

Other issues may be key speaker who are unable to make it or run into delays in transit. A solution could include a live feed scenario as a backup plan or scheduling an alternate speaker for a hybrid presentation.

Clearly outline where you shine

We sometimes forget exactly where are strengths and opportunities lie. Taking some time to focus on them and make a visual representation can allow us to clearly identify them.

Once we identify where we shine, we can then take steps to use these advantages throughout our marketing efforts.

• What makes you special?
• Why are you different?
• How can you improve the lives of others?
• Why your event?

You will learn a lot about your brand after this simple exercise.

This is a great method to help you also identify other strengths and opportunities as you grow and evolve, without forgetting where you already excelled.

Using the SWOT analysis for each event can help increase positive results and maintain an awareness of the challenges each individual event faces.

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26 Oct 2023

Event Planning: Strengths and Weaknesses

How to make perfect planning for events in malaysia.

What is an Event Plan?

Regardless of the event format, be it a business partner meeting, a conference, a trade fair, a ceremony or a party, you need a centralised event plan to help steer you and your team towards a shared aim.

Simply put, an event plan is a strategy document that details all the aspects and elements of an event.

Key Elements of Event Planning (Step by Step)

We understand that organising an event can be a tedious job and accomplishing your goals with the event is even tougher. No worries as we’ve gathered here these 4 key components of event planning that, if followed, will ensure the success of your event.

1. Event Preparation

Your event planning process should always start off with market research, followed by writing an event plan—documenting budgets, finalising event venues, drafting timelines, researching suppliers like caterers or staff members and securing sponsorship.

2. Event Promotion

This covers all of the elements that help to market the event, raise awareness and up-scale the number of attendees. Email, social media, partnerships, word of mouth, SEO, advertising, blog, direct mail, PR and discount campaigns are some of the channels you may consider using.

3. On-site Event Management

To ensure the big day (or days) goes without a hitch and that everyone is where they need to be, you need to put out any onsite fires. Even before the event, you need to already have a contingency plan ready in case anything goes out plan.

4. Post-event Review

From event breakdown to reconciling of budgets, sending thank you messages to everyone involved, share event highlights on media, distributing surveys and a wash-up meeting, these are the post-event processes to go through. Lastly, refine and adjust for your next event.

How is Planning Important for an Event?

To pull off a successful event, physical or virtual, we must focus on the planning stage, which is the most crucial step in achieving the specified goals. In fact, proper planning for events can help in carrying out a variety of critical functions, including:

• Assists in obtaining authorisation for the event to take place
• Provides all stakeholders with a road map for the event
• Ensures that you examine all important perspectives during preparation
• Make sure that nothing is overlooked
• Provides support throughout the event
• Helps you make a decision during the event
• Provides a solid framework for crew briefings

What are the steps in the planning process? (Step by Step)

To get you started with event planning, here are the 9 simple steps to follow.

• Develop Your Event Goal & Objectives

Establishing a tangible goal and objective when planning for events is the very first step to take. Know why you are organising this event and be clear of what you hope to accomplish will make your following steps easier to deal with.  

• Build A Event Planning Team

In order to manage all of the specifics for an event, a dedicated team effort is required. Consider appointing a core committee member as the event chair, as well as individual chairpersons for subcommittees. Subcommittees could cover, for example, location, speakers, talents, publicity, sponsors, transportation, volunteer management, and so on.  

• Select The Right Venue

For the event venue, consider if there are good transport links to the place so that it is convenient for you and your attendees. For virtual events, do some research on the platform providers to ensure that it matches your budget, brand, preferred dates and anything else crucial to deliver an immersive experience.

• Pick A Date & Time

To set a date, remember to give yourself sufficient time as event preparation. Ideally, you should have at least 4 to 6 months to plan, subject to the nature of your event. Apart from that, double-check the calendar to find out if there are any clashes with other large events or celebrations such as the big bank holidays and religious holidays.

If you’re booking a venue, don’t forget to call and check for the slot available. When inviting key participants like speakers, VIP guests or stakeholders, it will be good if you could check dates with them in advance.

• Brand Your Event

By giving a unique name to your event, it will easily be etched in your target audience’s mind. Yet, do ensure that it is clear and descriptive enough so it’s easy for people to know what your event is about.  

Designing an event tagline and a logo can work as well. Both are effective branding tool that can be used on banners, event t-shirts, goodie bags, etc.

• Determine Administrative Processes

Plan ahead. Think and decide on how you and your team will be using to keep track of your planning, registration, budget, guests, and speakers lists. Consult tech experts and learn more about the event planning system they offer. You ought to layout the lead capture mechanism for later use.

• Engage Partnership & Sponsorship

The two major benefits of having a partnership or a sponsorship are to defray the costs and boost potential participation. Hence, you might want to consider calling on corporate sponsors to fund a portion of the event. Or, you could collaborate with partners who can offer an event venue or manpower to run the event.

• Create A Publicity Plan

To get people to join, you need to bring your event in front of their eyes. You may use both online and offline methods such as your event landing page, blog page, newsletters, events calendars, printed programs, media relations and social media to encourage registration.

• Evaluate Your Event

Do conduct organising debriefs with the team after the event. Present those data collected and comparing these data to the original event goals and numbers.

How to host a successful event?

The world of event management has changed significantly over the last few years, with newer technologies gaining ground and making things better. The emergence of different event software has made tasks a lot easier when deployed in event planning; one can even gain an edge over his competitors.

Aside from using these technologies to achieve set goals, it is important to analyse one’s strengths and weaknesses as an event planner. Every event planner has a differing degree of strengths and weaknesses. There are things that I value so much that do not matter to you. There are clients you would consider a perfect fit but would naturally drive me crazy.

Hence, take some time to learn about the personality you should have as a professional event planner will give you a much better understanding of your strengths and weaknesses during event planning. Subsequently, you, too, can improve your relationship with clients and vendors.

Strengths in Event Planning

These are expressly the attributes of your project which are critical in achieving objectives.

Some examples:

• Experienced event team
• Excellent PR
• High motivation level
• Usage of the right event marketing tools
• Good market share, strong brand name
• Many social media followers

Weaknesses in Event Planning

These attributes are harmful to your project and may impede you from achieving your set goals.

• Social loafing
• Inexperienced event team
• Lack of funds
• Low energy level
• Small social follower base
• Lack of media and corporate contacts
• Little or no brand recognition
• Small budget

A lot of people think they “know it all,” but in most cases, they are not aware of the field they are in.

However, with a due reflection on your strengths and weaknesses in event planning and external opportunities—and possible threats—you could protect yourself from missing out, and in certain cases against a bad event.  

How to plan an event from start to finish? (Step by Step)

Before you get your event planning Malaysia project off the ground, bear in mind that an event plan should be crafted in a creative way yet still making it simple to follow.

You do not want to draft a 20-page document and let it gather digital dust in some unloved folder a week later. Hence, if you need a guide to start off, here’s a template for creating a winning event plan.

• The Essentials

This section, also called the top bun of a burger, includes the event name, date, location and purpose . It gives the brief of the event you wish to host—the what, when, where and why.  

Identify your attendees’ core needs to proceed. What do they crave? Well, it could be the updates on the latest industry trends, entertainment to relax on weekends, opportunities for people to get involved in helping those in need, etc.

Once the needs are determined, start thinking about how your event can be planned to satisfy those needs, in terms of the event type, event format, scale and so on. Ponder carefully on what your event can offer and to what extend your event can match attendees’ needs. Give your attendees the reason why they should choose your event over everything else they could spend their time and money on.

This is about describing the key benefits of your events. For instance, you will have the best speakers in the industry to share their unique insights or the best bands in a particular music genre.

• Unfair Advantages

Your solutions could be general but think of what resources you have in hand that would make it difficult for your competitors to replicate. Do join more social events to connect with people of varied fields. They might possibly be your next potential collaborator.

For example, if you are going to host a conference, you will have a higher chance of securing more senior speakers than other conferences due to the relationships you have long built with them.

• Unique Value Proposition

To create a compelling unique value proposition, gather all the highlights of your event and make an exciting and memorable tagline of it. It should be something catchy and that no one has done that in the past.

Make it exclusive, for example, the only event your attendees get to meet and connect with the top 10 industry leaders. Or, an event that allows your attendees to be the very first to experience new products.

The essential demographics of the audience your event would want to focus on. Determine exactly who you are targeting for this specific event. Whether they are the single Millenials (aged 21-40) with disposable income but active on social media or people who are an avid environmentalist.

• Marketing Channels

Do not split your marketing channels into too many branches. Focus on only 3-5 so that you can have a sufficient budget to boost your event in each channel. Choose the channel based on who your target audience is and where they are more active.

For formal business meetings, use email, direct mail and paid social media; for festivals, utilise sponsors, social media and display ads.

• Key Metrics

Tie back your key metrics with the predetermined event purpose. Common key metrics include the profit/revenue, the average ticket price, membership growth, the total funds raised, the number of participants, the press mentions and so on.

• Event Costings

Here we come to the event budget that details your headline costs. Ensure everyone in your event planning team is on the same page as to what they can and can’t spend, and where they will need to make savings.

This includes the venue rental/platform charges, AV & equipment, insurance, talent fees,  marketing, branding and printing, food and beverages as well as the door gifts (optional).  

• Revenue Model

Document how you will be balancing the books and how much you expect to receive in return. Draft the percentage whether is a 50-50 (tickets-sponsorships), 60-30-10 (entrance fees-donations-sponsorships) or any other division.

How Evenesis helps in event planning?

Evenesis embraces the latest technology in event planning Malaysia software to enhance your event planning experience. Everything in one system, Evenesis can keep you and your team on top of the game while saving you time.  

Think, and be successful with Evenesis – the most powerful ticketing platform for all your event needs. Sign up today!

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• SWOT analysis: What it is and how to us ...

SWOT analysis: What it is and how to use it (with examples)

A SWOT analysis helps you identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for a specific project or your overall business plan. It’s used for strategic planning and to stay ahead of market trends. Below, we describe each part of the SWOT framework and show you how to conduct your own.

Whether you’re looking for external opportunities or internal strengths, we’ll walk you through how to perform your own SWOT analysis with helpful examples along the way. 

What is a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a technique used to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for your business or even a specific project. It’s most widely used by organizations—from small businesses and non-profits to large enterprises—but a SWOT analysis can be used for personal purposes as well. 

While simple, a SWOT analysis is a powerful tool for helping you identify competitive opportunities for improvement. It helps you improve your team and business while staying ahead of market trends.

What does SWOT stand for?

SWOT is an acronym that stands for: 

Opportunities

When analyzed together, the SWOT framework can paint a larger picture of where you are and how to get to the next step. Let’s dive a little deeper into each of these terms and how they can help identify areas of improvement. 

Strengths in SWOT refer to internal initiatives that are performing well. Examining these areas helps you understand what’s already working. You can then use the techniques that you know work—your strengths—in other areas that might need additional support, like improving your team’s efficiency . 

When looking into the strengths of your organization, ask yourself the following questions:

What do we do well? Or, even better: What do we do best?

What’s unique about our organization?

What does our target audience like about our organization?

Which categories or features beat out our competitors?

 Example SWOT strength:

Customer service: Our world-class customer service has an NPS score of 90 as compared to our competitors, who average an NPS score of 70.

Weaknesses in SWOT refer to internal initiatives that are underperforming. It’s a good idea to analyze your strengths before your weaknesses in order to create the baseline of success and failure. Identifying internal weaknesses provides a starting point for improving those projects.

Identify the company’s weaknesses by asking:

Which initiatives are underperforming and why?

What can be improved?

What resources could improve our performance?

How do we rank against our competitors?

Example SWOT weakness:

E-commerce visibility: Our website visibility is low because of a lack of marketing budget , leading to a decrease in mobile app transactions.

Opportunities in SWOT result from your existing strengths and weaknesses, along with any external initiatives that will put you in a stronger competitive position. These could be anything from weaknesses that you’d like to improve or areas that weren’t identified in the first two phases of your analysis. 

Since there are multiple ways to come up with opportunities, it’s helpful to consider these questions before getting started:

What resources can we use to improve weaknesses?

Are there market gaps in our services?

What are our business goals for the year?

What do your competitors offer?

Example SWOT opportunities:

  Marketing campaign: To improve brand visibility, we’ll run ad campaigns on YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram.

Threats in SWOT are areas with the potential to cause problems. Different from weaknesses, threats are external and ‌out of your control. This can include anything from a global pandemic to a change in the competitive landscape. 

Here are a few questions to ask yourself to identify external threats:

What changes in the industry are cause for concern?

What new market trends are on the horizon?

Where are our competitors outperforming us?

Example SWOT threats:

New competitor: With a new e-commerce competitor set to launch within the next month, we could see a decline in customers.

When should you use a SWOT analysis?

You won’t always need an in-depth SWOT analysis. It’s most useful for large, general overviews of situations, scenarios, or your business.

A SWOT analysis is most helpful:

Before you implement a large change—including as part of a larger change management plan

When you launch a new company initiative

If you’d like to identify opportunities for growth and improvement

Any time you want a full overview of your business performance

If you need to identify business performance from different perspectives

SWOT analyses are general for a reason—so they can be applied to almost any scenario, project, or business. 

SWOT analysis example

One of the most popular ways to create a SWOT analysis is through a SWOT matrix—a visual representation of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The matrix comprises four separate squares that create one larger square. 

A SWOT matrix is great for collecting information and documenting the questions and decision-making process . Not only will it be handy to reference later on, but it’s also great for visualizing any patterns that arise. 

Check out the SWOT matrix below for a simple example. As you can see, each of the quadrants lists out the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

When used correctly and effectively, your matrix can be a great toolkit for evaluating your organization’s strengths and weaknesses. 

How do you write a good SWOT analysis? 

A SWOT analysis can be conducted in a variety of ways. Some teams like to meet and throw ideas on a whiteboard while others prefer the structure of a SWOT matrix. However you choose to make your SWOT analysis, getting creative with your planning process allows new ideas to flow and results in more unique solutions. 

There are a few ways to ensure that your SWOT analysis is thorough and done correctly. Let’s take a closer look at some tips to help you get started.

Tip 1: Consider internal factors 

Often, strengths and weaknesses stem from internal processes. These tend to be easier to solve since you have more control over the outcome. When you come across internal factors, you can start implementing improvements in a couple of different ways.

Meet with department stakeholders to form a business plan around how to improve your current situation.

Research and implement new tools, such as a project management tool , that can help streamline these processes for you. 

Take immediate action on anything that can be changed in 24 hours or less. If you don’t have the capacity, consider delegating these items to others with deadlines. 

The way you go about solving internal factors will depend on the type of problem. If it’s more complex, you might need to use a combination of the above or a more thorough problem management process.

Tip 2: Evaluate external factors

External factors stem from processes outside of your control. This includes competitors, market trends, and anything else that’s affecting your organization from the outside in. 

External factors are trickier to solve, as you can’t directly control the outcome. What you can do is pivot your own processes in a way that mitigates negative external factors. 

You can work to solve these issues by:

Competing with market trends

Forecasting market trends before they happen

Improving adaptability to improve your reaction time

Track competitors using reporting tools that automatically update you as soon as changes occur 

While you won’t be able to control an external environment, you can control how your organization reacts to it. 

Let’s say, for instance, that you’re looking to compete with a market trend. For example, a competitor introduced a new product to the market that’s outperforming your own. While you can’t take that product away, you can work to launch an even better product or marketing campaign to mitigate any decline in sales. 

Tip 3: Hold a brainstorming session

Brainstorming new and innovative ideas can help to spur creativity and inspire action. To host a high impact brainstorming session, you’ll want to: 

Invite team members from various departments. That way, ideas from each part of the company are represented. 

Be intentional about the number of team members you invite, since too many participants could lead to a lack of focus or participation. The sweet spot for a productive brainstorming session is around 10 teammates. 

Use different brainstorming techniques that appeal to different work types.

Set a clear intention for the session.

Tip 4: Get creative

In order to generate creative ideas, you have to first invite them. That means creating fun ways to come up with opportunities. Try randomly selecting anonymous ideas, talking through obviously bad examples, or playing team building games to psych up the team.

Tip 5: Prioritize opportunities

Now, rank the opportunities. This can be done as a team or with a smaller group of leaders. Talk through each idea and rank it on a scale of one through 10. Once you’ve agreed on your top ideas based on team capabilities, competencies, and overall impact, it’s easier to implement them.

Tip 6: Take action

It’s all too easy to feel finished at this stage —but the actual work is just beginning. After your SWOT analysis, you’ll have a list of prioritized opportunities. Now it is the time to turn them into strengths. Use a structured system such as a business case , project plan, or implementation plan to outline what needs to get done—and how you plan to do it.

Why is a SWOT analysis important?

A SWOT analysis can help you improve processes and plan for growth. While similar to a competitive analysis , it differs because it evaluates both internal and external factors. Analyzing key areas around these opportunities and threats will equip you with the insights needed to set your team up for success.

A SWOT analysis isn’t only useful for organizations. With a personal SWOT analysis, you can examine areas of your life that could benefit from improvement, from your leadership style to your communication skills. These are the benefits of using a SWOT analysis in any scenario. 

1. Identifies areas of opportunity

One of the biggest benefits of conducting an analysis is to determine opportunities for growth. It’s a great starting point for startups and teams that know they want to improve but aren’t exactly sure how to get started. 

Opportunities can come from many different avenues, like external factors such as diversifying your products for competitive advantage or internal factors like improving your team’s workflow . Either way, capitalizing on opportunities is an excellent way to grow as a team.

2. Identifies areas that could be improved

Identifying weaknesses and threats during a SWOT analysis can pave the way for a better business strategy.

Ultimately, learning from your mistakes is the best way to excel. Once you find areas to streamline, you can work with team members to brainstorm an action plan . This will let you use what you already know works and build on your company’s strengths.

3. Identifies areas that could be at risk

Whether you have a risk register in place or not, it’s always crucial to identify risks before they become a cause for concern. A SWOT analysis can help you stay on top of actionable items that may play a part in your risk decision-making process. 

It may be beneficial to pair your SWOT analysis with a PEST analysis which examines external solutions such as political, economic, social, and technological factors—all of which can help you identify and plan for project risks .

Plan for growth with a SWOT analysis

A SWOT analysis can be an effective technique for identifying key strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Understanding where you are now can be the most impactful way to determine where you want to go next. 

Don’t forget, a bit of creativity and collaboration can go a long way. Encourage your team to think outside of the box with 100+ team motivational quotes . 

Related resources

SMART Goals: How To Write Them and Why They Matter

8 time-saving Asana tips to get more done, faster

Why templates and bundles are game-changers for your workflow

6 tips to use portfolios for cross-project planning

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SWOT Analysis in Event Planning

Products/services research.

• - Find out how the company promotes its products
• - How the company wants to build/enhance the image associated with its product (also known as the brand image)?
• - What is the market value and market share of the company and its products?
• - Who are the customers of the product?
• - What are the features of the product?
• - What are the advantages and disadvantages of the product in comparison to competitors' products?

All this research will later help you in making an effecting promotional campaign for your corporate event.

SWOT Analysis

In SWOT Analysis:

'S' stands for Strengths 'W' stands for Weaknesses 'O' stands for Opportunities 'T' stands for Threats

It is a strategic planning tool which is used to identify and analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in your project. SWOT analysis can also be done on your organization.

Strengths: These are the attributes of your project/organization which are helpful in achieving project's objectives. For e.g.: experienced event team, high motivation level, excellent PR, good market share etc.

Weaknesses: These are those attributes of your project/organization which are harmful in achieving project's objectives. For e.g.: social loafing, lack of funds, inexperienced event team, low energy level, lack of media and corporate contacts etc.

Opportunities: These are those external factors which are helpful in achieving the project's objectives. For e.g.: little competition, favorable economic conditions, support from the local authorities, availability of the state of the art infrastructure etc.

Threats: These are those external factors which are harmful in achieving the project's objectives. For e.g.: high competition, little or no support from local authorities, bad weather, poor infrastructure, high lab our rate, unavailability of raw material etc. It is very important that you conduct SWOT analysis before developing an event plan to develop a strategy which maximizes the potential of strengths and opportunities of your project and at the same time, minimizes the impact of the weaknesses and threats.

Analysis Report

After conducting market, competitors, product/service research and SWOT analysis, create a report which contain details of all the research work done by you. Documentation of your research work is important, later for event evaluation. Your analysis report will also help you in getting sponsorship for your event.

3 Great SWOT Analysis Examples with Real Companies

Whether you want to assess the current position of your business, expand to new markets, or simply develop a new strategy, a SWOT analysis is probably one of the first steps that you will probably make in that direction. And, if it wasn’t on your radar, it should be! Today, we will see some of the best SWOT analysis examples to get you inspired, and help you understand how to do use it effectively for optimum results.

If you are not familiar with the concept, a SWOT analysis is a key technique for assessing some of the most important aspects of your business. In fact, its name comes from the abbreviation of these aspects:

Strengths – internal

These are the strengths of your company compared to other industry competitors. For example, what is it that you do particularly well that others don’t? What is your unique selling proposition , or that service or aspect of your business that differentiates you from the rest?

Do you have a particular competitive advantage over your biggest competitors? This could be technology, an easy access to primary resources, more product personalization, and so on.

Assessing your strengths will help you identify your current position on the market. But also, give you insights on those aspects that represent a clear advantage for your business, so you can leverage them even more.

Weaknesses – internal

Weaknesses, as you might have guessed, are the exact opposite of your organization’s strength. In other words, what do your competitors do better than you ? In what aspect do they have a clear advantage over you?

Is it something that you offer but can improve, or is it a service or an aspect that you lack altogether? For example, your customer service might be unsatisfactory. Or maybe, a competitor has a particular technological feature that your product don’t offer at all.

We will see more of this with practical cases in our section of SWOT Analysis examples.

Opportunities – external

The next aspect of the SWOT analysis is evaluating the positive trends that can open a new opportunity for your business. They usually arise from the outside of your organization , such as industry changes, important movements on the competitors’ landscape, or even a change in the laws applicable to your industry.

Analyzing other factors, such as VUCA – the leadership theory on volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity, can also reveal new opportunities for your business. To identify them, you will have to look around you from an external perspective.

Can you spot any current trends that could represent an opportunity for your business? For example, the COVID-19 pandemic made companies like Nike and Adidas sell protective masks on their website as a part of their product portfolio. And many new businesses opened to profit from the changes.

Threats – external

Threats are another aspect that is external to your business, but can impact you negatively if you aren’t paying attention. Some examples include supply chain problems, shift in market requirements, changes to current laws and regulations, and so on.

Of course, threats are not always easy to identify. You will have to be proactively looking for them – if they are obvious, it is probably too late. What is the competition doing? How is the current technology evolving?

Are you noticing a change in user behavior regarding the consumption of your particular product? All these questions can help you get a better understanding of the market , and what could potentially be harmful to you.

And now, let’s get right to our SWOT analysis examples!

Disclaimer: These examples are merely my own analysis and interpretation of the information that is publicly available online for these companies. I don´t work at any of these companies, and I do not pretend that I actually know what is going on behind the scenes for any of them. It is just a practical exercise with real companies with the purpose of giving you a clear idea of how to perform a SWOT analysis.

1. The Coca Cola Company

First on our list of SWOT analysis examples is this one from The Coca Cola Company.

SWOT Analysis examples #1: The Coca Cola Company

Let’s discuss it in detail.

• Variety of products – one of the biggest strengths that The Coca Cola Company has is their incredible variety of products across different categories. In fact, there are over 500 brands across 200 companies owned by Coca Cola. This not only gives them a higher control on the market, but also more diversified expertise, and less overall competition.
• Market share – with a market share of 43% in the soft drink industry, they have a very solid positioning compared to many other competitors. Which also means that it would be extremely difficult to compete with Coca Cola and its almost unlimited resources.
• Brand recognition – Coca Cola is one of the most recognized brands in the world, which gives them a huge advantage in front of their competitors. It also means that any new product or brand they invest in will gain visibility almost immediately.
• Secret recipes – and last but not least, the company prides itself in having a secret recipe for its flagship product – the Coca Cola. This means that this product will be difficult to replicate by competitors.

• Health trends – one of the biggest weaknesses that the company has is its unability to adapt to current health trends. As people are becoming more and more conscious about the unhealthy food and the amount of sugar they are consuming, soft and sugary drinks are slowly getting substituted by healthier options.
• Sugar substitute – another health-related weakness for the company involves the difficulty of improving their quality of their product without affecting its famous taste. Coca Cola has been actively looking for healthy sugar substitutes for years with no success.
• Current positioning – the current positioning of Coca Cola and its soft drinks is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing, because everyone knows the brand and the product it offers. This kind of brand recognition is something that every company dreams of.

However, this weakness comes with the fact that Coca Cola already has a certain reputation established for itself that is difficult to change. And, considering its sugary drinks with mysterious and secret ingredients, it is certainly not the most positive one.

Opportunities

• Health trends – if The Coca Cola Company closely monitors and responds adequately to current health trends, they have a huge opportunitiy to increase their market share. And get an even bigger chunk of the soft drink industry. Especially if they manage to find a healthy substitute for sugar.
• Few major competitors – considering the dominance of the brand and only a few major competitors for these particular types of products, Coca Cola can quickly introduce new products with the right Marketing strategy.
• Healthier alternatives – although the company is quite dominant when it comes to soft drinks, a lot of other healthier alternatives are arising on the market. Flavoured waters, smoothies, organic drinks, green juices, and so on, are just some of the alternatives that people are starting to prefer as they get more conscious with their health.
• Negative press and media coverage – although The Coca Cola Company is known for its brilliant Marketing strategies and its incredible brand recognition, it also gets a lot of negative coverage for being unhealthy. In-depth research, Youtube videos, and even articles from reputable sources such as The Telegraph might cause serious harm in the long run.

Now that we have seen the first one, let´s move on to the next on our list of SWOT Analysis examples!

Next on our collection of SWOT analysis examples is Airbus, the world’s largest airliner manufacturer, and the one who took the most orders in 2019. So, let’s see what are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for Airbus:

SWOT Analysis examples #2: Airbus

• Market share – with an estimated market share of almost 63% , Airbus is the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world, which gives the company a very strong and powerful position in the industry.
• Global network & international presence – with business operations located in Europe, the Americas, Africa & The Middle East, and Asia, Airbus has an incredible international network and presence.
• Innovation & technology – additionally, Airbus is putting a huge focus on investing in technology, innovation, and next generation manufacturing, more than any other competitor in the industry.
• Eco-efficiency – and last but not least, another strength that Airbus counts with is eco-efficiency. The company has been recognized is a leader in proposing and developing solutions for sustainable aviation.
• Delay in delivery – in 2019, Airbus took more orders for aircraft delivery than any other competitor, including its biggest rival Boeing. However, this caused a delay in the delivery of the orders, causing the company to accumulate a lot of backlogs.
• Operational inefficiencies – compared to rivals such as Boeing, Airbus has gained a reputation of being somewhat inconsistent when it comes to executing operations. The company is often delaying launches of its new models – for example, the launch of Airbus A380 was delayed by more than one year. This weaknesses is definitely something that Airbus could work on.
• High production costs – another key weakness of the company is the fact that it has higher production costs than its main rival Boeing, which leaves them with lower profit margins.

• Boom in Travelling – as the travelling industry is booming due to the growing percentage of the middle class, and the lower costs for airplane tickets compared to a decade ago, aircraft manufacturers are receiving more orders than ever. In fact, even in the next few years, the air traffic is anticipated to grow by 4.3% annually. According to Airbus , this alone will require “ 39,200 new passenger and dedicated freighter aircraft over the next 20 years.”
• Technological advances – over the last few years, the industry has gone through a lot of innovation processes and technological improvements. This has allowed Airbus to improve its weaknesses and offer better and faster performance. Also, the fact that aircrafts are becoming more and more secure with the new technologies make people want to travel even more. 
• Competition – the competition in the aerospace industry is practically considered a duopoly. The reason why is because Boeing and Airbus have a combined share of 91% for the whole commercial aircraft market globally. This means that they will not have to fight off small competitors, but also that the competition between both companies is extremely fierce. Which can be a significant threat for Airbus.
• Global pandemic – in 2020, the whole world suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic. This alone had a severe impact on the growth of the commercial aircraft market, as people suddenly had to stop travelling. And although this was a temporary decrease that is slowly starting to recover, aircraft manufacturers like Airbus will be affected at least for the next one year.
• Potential competitors in key markets – of course, the fact that Airbus and Boeing are currently dominating the global market does not mean that this will last forever. Currently, important markets like China and Russia are also planning to develop their own commercial aircraft. If that happens, it will most probably shrink the market share for Airbus.

Next on our list of SWOT Analysis examples is Zara, one of the biggest clothing companies in the world. Zara is a brand owned by Inditex , among with several others such as Bershka, Stradivarius, and Oysho.

SWOT Analysis examples #3: Zara

• Efficient manufacturing & delivery – Zara is one of the most efficient clothing companies in the world when it comes to all operational processes – manufacturing, delivery, supply chain and logistics. Reportedly, the company needs just 1 week to develop a new product and get it to all 2,259 stores it has worldwide, compared to an industry average of 6 months. This gives Zara a huge advantage when it comes to delivering new designs in record time.
• Competitive pricing – additionally, the company also offers a very competitive pricing for the variety and amount of products it offers. Its clothing is targeted to a middle class audience, although it´s also true that the pricing is adapted to the characteristics of each market. For example, the prices for Zara in South Korea are 96% higher than the prices in Spain, taking into account the exchange rate of the study.
• Strong global presence – As we already mentioned, Zara has over 2,200 stores across 96 countries, positioning itself as a strong international brand with a solid support (Inditex, with over 7,000 stores ).
• Fast reaction to new trends – the company is known for imitating high-fashion trends, and it is extremely fast when it comes to spotting and replicating them for its own products.

The company´s strengths is what makes it one of my favourite SWOT analysis examples on this list. They are very well defined, and definitely makes Zara stand out from competitors. However, this does not mean that there are no weaknesses:

• Zero policy advertising – the company is famous for its zero policy advertising. This means that, instead of investing in Marketing and Communication actions, they use the money for opening new stores. Although this policy has some awesome benefits, I think that it´s also a very big weakness. The heavy digital advertising done by competitors can completely overshadow Zara in the long run.
• Limited product stock – because Zara delivers fashion pieces in record time, they don´t produce as much stock as other companies would. Which is not great news for customers who often love a piece, and it is already out of stock – or simply not in the size they need.
• Controversies – additionally, the company is also involved in multiple controversies revolving child labour and paying under minimum wage. As people are getting more and more conscious about these topics, these controversies is doing a lot of harm to the company´s reputation. 
• High fashion imitation – as we already mentioned, Zara is known to imitate fashion trends. Which means that they are not a trend setter, and they do not offer a lot of unique and creative pieces designed exclusively by them.

• Growing demand for high fashion – currently, there is a growing demand for clothing that looks high fashion, but don´t cost thousands of dollars for a single piece. This is a great opportunity for Zara, which does precisely what people want – selling high fashion style for affordable prices.
• Fast fashion – as customer behavior is changing, people get bored with everything faster than ever. And this is true for fashion as well – clothes that people would wear for months and years now get substituted with new pieces much more often. Which is another excellent opportunity for Zara as the so-called “fast fashion is on the rise”.
• Market growth – according to Statista , the growth of the apparel market is steadily increasing by 5-6% every year, which is great news for clothing companies like Zara.

And now, let´s take a look at the external changes that are imposing a threat for this one of our SWOT analysis examples:

• Growing competition – the increasing demand for fashion and apparel also means that competition is growing as well. With huge online providers taking over the Internet such as ASOS, Fashion Nova, Shein and others, Zara´s popularity is becoming threatened by other companies. Especially considering the fact that these providers actually offer products from multiple brands at the same place.
• Increasing costs – another tendency that could impose a significant threat for Zara are the increasing costs for production and raw material. Which, as a consequence, will probably reduce its revenue and profit margins. Especially considering the fact the prices are already relatively low! For now, Zara has managed to develop a well integrated and efficient supply chain that keeps the cost of raw materials low. But this might not last forever, especially if the prices keep rising.
• Regulatory threats – the business industry is gradually getting more and more regulated. On a global scale, governments and legal agencies are regulating all kind of sectors and businesses, and the fashion market is not an exception. This includes labour, quality, customer services, and many other aspects of the industry. All of these regulations might eventually have a negative impact on Zara.

Do you want to learn more about SWOT analysis? You might want to check these articles:

• 9 Effective Ways to Identify Opportunities in SWOT Analysis
• 10 Common SWOT Analysis Mistakes in 2022 & How to Fix Them

Need more SWOT analysis examples? Check out our article on Coca Cola SWOT analysis.

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How do you write a good SWOT analysis?

The first step for writing a good SWOT analysis is to determine your objective - what company and strategy are you going to analyze? Next, take a piece of paper and draw a grid with 4 squares, labeling each one of them as it follows - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. The key to a good SWOT analysis is getting as specific as possible with each section in order to get more tangible and clear points of action.

What is a SWOT analysis tool?

SWOT analysis is a technique for strategic planning that allows you to assess and identify the strengths and weaknesses of your company (internal factors), as well as the opportunities and threats that may come from the outside, including market trends and competition (external factors).

Why is SWOT analysis important?

SWOT analysis is important for businesses because it provides them with a simple, but powerful framework to assess their own ability to compete on the market, identifying strengths to highlight and weaknesses to work on improving. It also gives them a quick glance at the market from an outside perspective, allowing them to spot current opportunities and identify potential threats that should be addressed as early as possible.

What is the most difficult part of the SWOT analysis?

While the answer may vary between companies and industries, the most difficult part of the SWOT analysis tends to be Opportunities. The main reason why is because the answer may sometimes require a comprehensive and detailed market research to reveal certain opportunities.

And that was all from me, folks! I hope you liked my in-depth SWOT analysis examples. I think the best way to learn a concept is to see how it is applied in practice. For this reason, I wanted to focus this article from a practical rather than a theoretical perspective. However, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to send me an email at mkto[email protected], or just let me know in the comments below!

Thank you for taking the time to read my article 3 Great SWOT Analysis Examples with Real Companies, and I hope to see you in the next one!

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The Event Strategy Network

Unleashing the Business Potential of Your Event

May 14, 2020 by JN

SWOT Analysis for Events

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning technique used to help identify the current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a business before deciding on a new strategy.

The objective is to gather meaningful information in each category that can be used for a competitive advantage.

Here’s a sample of questions you can ask about your event to identify your competitive advantage:

• What are our best organizational assets (valuable resources you own or control)?
• What do we do better than other organizations (our unique selling proposition)?
• What are our best event assets?
• What does our event do better than others?
• What do customers/members/competitors say are our event’s strengths?
• What does our organization do worse than other organizations or what do other organizations do better than us?
• What elements of our business add little or no value?
• What elements of our events add little or no value?
• What are the most common complaints about our event?
• What do customers/members/competitors say are our event’s weaknesses?

Opportunities

• What current or emerging trends might positively effect our business?
• What current or emerging trends might positively effect our event?
• Is there a need in our industry we’re not meeting, but could?
• Is there an unmet need in our industry that we could meet?
• Is there a gap in the market or a niche we’re not currently targeting, but could?
• Is there something our customers/members are asking for we’re not offering?
• Do our competitor’s events have a weakness we can take advantage of?
• What current or emerging trends might negatively effect our business?
• What current or emerging trends might negatively effect our event?
• What obstacles does our business face?
• What obstacles does our event face?
• What natural or man-made crisis might threaten our business?
• What natural or man-made crisis might threaten our event?
• What are our competitors doing or planning that could negatively impact us?
• Who is not a current competitor but might be one in the future?

As you can see, a thorough SWOT analysis asks questions about the organization as well as its event. This is because an event is a business-within-a-business. In order for both to thrive, their strategies have to be aligned. If an organization has certain strengths (i.e., marketing), that strength will be reflected in its event. Conversely, if the organization is lacking in certain areas, that weakness will also be reflected in its events. You can’t address one without impacting the other so it’s best to analyze them as a whole.

For more information on how to conduct a SWOT Analysis, click here .

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Swot analysis of event management .

Swot analysis of event management. Event management is the process of developing and organizing small and large-scale personal and corporate events. It comprises recognizing the target customer market, analyzing the company’s requirements, developing the event concept, and collaborating with the technical team before implementing the event plan.

Some of the main types of events are as follows;

• Conventions
• Formal parties
• Conferences

Various charitable organizations, celebrities, and businesses organize events for the purpose of celebrating achievements, fundraising, establishing business relationships, and labeling. However, some of the main steps of event management are as follows;

• Estimating budget
• Site selection
• Getting necessary permits
• Parking and transportation
• Hiring speaker and entertainer
• Organizing decoration
• Event security
• Coordinating with vendors and suppliers
• Developing emergency plan
• Emergency plan

Today, we’ll discuss a swot analysis of event management. It is going to focus on the internal strengths and weaknesses; external opportunities and threats to the event management. Here’s the swot analysis of event management as follows;

Strengths of Event Management 

Some of the key strengths in the swot analysis of event management are as follows;

PR & Market Share

If the event management company has got excellent PR (public relations) and market share in organizing successful events; then it would help the company attract more event contracts. If you organize successful events day after day, then it would attract the attention of potential clients and allow you to establish relationships with them.

Focus on Networking

The profession of event management means organizing a series of successful events and functions of different day after day. It allows the event planners and company leadership to expand their network and establish new connections on a daily basis. In fact, the success and growth of event management companies are on establishing and strengthening connections.

Relationships with Vendors & Partners

Organizing an event requires you to have a strong relationship with suppliers, vendors, and partners in different areas of business like food, catering, cooking, serving, furniture, and equipment. The event would be successful if event planners and organizers have a strong relationship with the vendors and partners.

Professional Team

Pulling off a great event demands teamwork and it requires the collaboration and coordination of various partners and team members. The main reason behind the success of event management companies is their access to a professional team. If they have got expert team, it would help them to organize great events.

Excellent Service

The profession of event management falls under the category of service industry. Successful event management companies offer excellent services to their clients. However, they are highly efficient in décor, interior and exterior designs, seating arrangements, stage, podium and everything else would be up to the mark.

Weaknesses of Event Management 

Some of the main weaknesses in the swot analysis of event management are as follows;

Limited Media & Corporate Contacts

New event management planners and companies have got limited market exposure. People haven’t seen their work and attended their planned events, and they’re reluctant to hire them to conduct their events. In order to strengthen their market position, they should expand their network and market exposure.

Poor Branding

The reason some event management companies have got limited corporate networks is that they have a poor branding strategy. They are not right about promoting and marketing their brand that would attract the attention of potential clients.

Small Scale

In order to organize and plan large and mega-events, you need access to a bigger network of vendors and suppliers. But the problem with the new event management companies is that they don’t have access to the mass scale resources, which limits their capability to grow and conduct big events.

Limited Awareness

Many new event management companies have got limited brand awareness in the market and a small database of clients and customers. Therefore, it is difficult for them to attract new clients and new contracts.

Shortage of Funds

The differentiating factor between a successful and failed event is the availability of funds and resources. Many new event planners have got limited resources and small budgets, limited exposure in the market; which makes it difficult for them to work on bigger projects.

Opportunities for Event Management 

Some of the main available opportunities in the swot analysis of event management are as follows;

Supportive Economic Conditions

In the growing economy, people would host parties, functions, and public gathering events. Stable economic conditions create an environment of certainty; people are willing to hire event management companies to organize events for them. Resultantly, it is a win-win situation for all the stakeholders.

Friendly Authorities

When it comes to organizing public mega-events, then event planners need to get permits and security protocols from the local authorities. Usually, experienced event management professionals have got good working relationships with the local authorities, and it is easy for them to get permits and security for their events.

High Demand

During the wedding and holiday season, the demand for event management planners is high because people want their events to be perfect. It presents a great opportunity for all types of event management companies to offer something unique and take advantage of the opportunity to a great extent.

Threats to Event Management 

Some of the potential threats in the swot analysis of event management are as follows;

Expensive Material

Global political conflicts, inflation, and high fuel prices have increased the running material cost. When the cost of running materials is high, it would decrease the profitability of event management planning companies. It is because if they increase the service charges to some extent, then people won’t hire them.

High Competition

Entry into the event management planning market is very easy, and it has made the event management industry highly competitive. It is significant for the new event planners to beware of the competition and how to deal with them.

Economic Recession

In case of economic recession, when the purchasing power of people is low, a high interest rate, and the high unemployment rate would compel businesses and companies to host small parties without hiring any professional.

Conclusion: SWOT Analysis of Event Management 

After an in-depth study of swot analysis of event management; we have realized that event planners are significant for organizing successful events. If you are learning about event management, then you should keep in mind the abovementioned factors.

References 

Ahsan Ali Shaw is an accomplished Business Writer, Analyst, and Public Speaker. Other than that, he’s a fun loving person.

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SWOT analysis for an event planning business

This paper will discuss a SWOT analysis for an event planning business. The analysis will discuss economic, legal and regulatory issues and trends in the particular state for the business. The paper discusses how to critique the business to adapt to change. The supply chain and the organization of the business will be discussed. The paper will identify issues and opportunities made aware from the SWOT analysis. Major issues that the business may face will be discussed along with a hypothesis of the conclusion whether or not the business idea should continue to go forward.

The decline of the economy has bought about new creative choices for entertainment trends across the country, the trends and shifts have compelled event planners to be more creative. Seeking out new ideas and concepts. A SWOT analysis was compiled as a strategic plan for starting a new event planning business. The analysis concluded that some of the strengths of starting this business were events can be planned on short notice, this is a creative venture, access to technology is readily available, lots of social involvement, little to no completion, experience with similar functions.

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Some weaknesses brought to light were: no variety of suppliers, no clients, no marketing, low economy, minimum resources. The SWOT analysis showed opportunities of: a chance to meet new clients, expand into different locations, the desire for services, and word of mouth. Some of the threats observed from the SWOT analysis were: liabilities, no market, expensive for consumers, zoning laws and decorations and events may be limited.

Some steps that need to be taken in order for the business to survive and succeed would be to research and plan the business, get some expert advice and business training, select a location, learn about financing options, select a name, determine the legal structure of the business, in the state if Ohio, any new news needs to register with the state, if the business is not using the personal name of the owner/ operator. But if the business is a sole proprietorship, there is no need to register.

Obtain an Employer Identification Number, this number is used to identify the business entity to the Federal Government, register for state taxes, businesses that operate in Ohio are required to register for specific tax identification numbers, licenses, permits and unemployment insurance, obtain business licenses and permits, in order for a business to operate in the state of Ohio a business license or permit is needed from the state and local government. Change is constant and required.

The business has to be able to respond to complex and fast moving marketplace changes. The business will have to be ready and willing to make drastic changes, which sometimes may mean reductions in force to restructurings, keeping up on technology and revamping product lines and suppliers. Many businesses under estimate the power of change and do not manage change effectively. If the business underestimates change it also underestimates the goals of the business that the changes were intended to achieve.

If the business fails to implement effective change management strategies there could be costly results, which could include reduced engagements, customer loyalty, productivity, performance, quality and ultimately the success of the business. The company has to implement systems for managing change that benefits the entire workforce and be able to adapt and uphold the new changes. The business will need to create an agile process that addresses business change and not let it be a one- time event but an on-going process.

The business will encompass many different changes that help promote and benefit the success of the business. The business will acknowledge change management as a part of the bigger strategic management plan. The business will focus on improving overall performance in order to drive favorable business results. Instead of just focusing on a single facet of delivering a product or service to the client, the business will focus on the entire process from the contracted suppliers to the customers and everything aspect in between.

The company will choose and develop the best suppliers, the company will design and implement systems and processes that will improve the customer interface and customer experience, while reducing transaction costs, keeping inventory at a minimum and improving service, outsourcing materials and services, managing an effective inventory and supply management system, effective service management, managing quality of services and supplies and constantly analyzing the supplier chain to increase revenue, improve customer service, reduce cost for the business and the customer and ultimately improve profitability for the business.

The management team will be critical thinkers who will analyze the business regularly, manage the business effectively, and improve business processes using strategic thinking and analyzing skills. The management personnel will learn and understand international management issues because some of the supplies may come from a foreign country so there may be some national boundary crossing taking place.

There has to be strong communication skills in order to deal with different clients and different suppliers and team building skills because management will be working in a diverse business, coming in contact with many different people and personalities. Some of the issues with an event planning business is that lots of times there be times when you have to outsource services of an event and in these cases you have to worry about returning the equipment back in its original condition, where sometimes the business may incur costs from clients guests damaging things like tablecloths that may get cigarette burns in them and so forth.

Some issues could also arise from improper crowd control, creating comfortable events, being prepared for disasters. Event planning can come in the form of planning small or large parties, political party conventions, meet and greet sessions, or business conferences, and there is always some type of event going on somewhere which means there are event planning opportunities everywhere on many different budget levels. Some major issues with event planning are not being able to visualize, an event planner needs to be able to clear their mind and visualize the event.

Not being organized could be a major issue with an event planning business, an event planner needs to be able to locate things quickly and be able to keep accurate records of all aspects of an event, the planner needs to be able to plan every detail of an event, time management skills are a must because there has to be the ability to multi task. Another issue is control an event planner needs to always have a backup plan because there will be times when things do not go as planned.

I think once the research and all the required permits and licenses are obtained that starting an event planning business would be a great idea. I don’t think the economy would affect this business much because there are many events that need planned from corporate functions to small functions. It would be wise to take pictures of some events that you do or video for showing purposes, maybe do some pro bono works for friends and family to get the name out there. Create a website, print up some fliers offering discounts and maybe host a low cost event at a night club.

The final conclusion it to not reject H0 in favor of H1 because there was not a definite conclusion that the data could be accepted in H1 due to similar results from all data reviewed. This is not stating that the null hypothesis is true it only suggests that there is not sufficient proof against H0 in favor of H1. With rejecting the null hypothesis, it simply suggests that the alternative hypothesis may be true. The results were too close to conclude unfavorably and just a little more favorable to conclude that the business idea would be successful.

All four areas reviewed were of importance and would equally contribute to the success of the business. Knowing what strengths the business had would help in knowing the capabilities of the business. Reviewing the weaknesses would show where improvement are needed, the review of opportunities and threats would reveal changes that could occur in the competitive environment, the social cultural environment, the political and legal environment, and the internal business environment.

Identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of a company is not enough it is just a snap shot. When compiling data for a SWOT analysis is beneficial to minimize or eliminate both weaknesses. Weaknesses should be turned into opportunities and threats should be equaled to optimize the potential of the business. SWOT analysis can be very beneficial for a business.

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Event planning SWOT analysis

Are you going to write an event planning business plan? please provide a sample SWOT analysis for an event planning company to help you shape your competitive strategy.

Event planning Business Plan Economic analysis strong>

If you are looking for a business that requires less stress to set up and possibly minimal start-up capital, you may want to consider starting an event planning business. The cost of running an event planning business versus the revenue you get each year can vary (this only applies if you’ve been able to gain a foothold in the industry and get a reliable facility – with large companies and even government agencies).

On average, most people who start an event planning business start their business with a small office / shared office space or a virtual office and still do well in the business. When it comes to event planning, one thing is for sure – most of your appointments predate subcontracting and event planning will take place at your client’s office or home.

The truth is, the cost of running an event planning business can be kept to a minimum because there are always ways to reduce operational and overhead costs. In fact, most people who run an event planning business choose to run the business alone, or at most with multiple full-time employees, just for the sole purpose of reducing overhead and maximizing profits. .

Sample SWOT Analysis of Event Planning Business Plan

Tony Tammy House of Events, LLC utilized the services of a consulting and structuring specialist to help the company create a well-structured event planning event that can compete profitably in the highly competitive industry of planning of events and entertainment.

Part of the job of the business consulting team was to work with our organization’s leadership to perform a SWOT analysis for Tony Tammy House of Events, LLC. Here is a summary of the results of the SWOT analysis conducted on behalf of Tony Tammy House of Events, LLC;

Our main strength lies in the strength of our team; our workforce. We have a team that can do all they can to make our clients value their money; a team trained and equipped to pay attention to detail. We are well positioned and know that we will attract many customers from the first day we open our doors for business.

As new event planning equipment, it may take some time for our organization to enter the market and be accepted in the already saturated industry of event and entertainment planning; this is perhaps our greatest weakness.

The possibilities for event planning and entertainment are huge considering the numbers. weddings, parties and other events held daily in the United States. As a versatile event planning tool, we are ready to seize any opportunity that presents itself.

Some of the threats we are likely to face during a business planning event in the United States are adverse government policies, the emergence of a competitor in our business, and a global economic downturn, which generally affects the purchasing power. There is little we can do about this threat except to be optimistic that everything will continue to work to our advantage.

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Event Planning SWOT Analysis Template

Event planning is a high-pressure industry, where success depends on meticulous planning and flawless execution. To stay ahead of the game, event professionals need to assess their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. That's where ClickUp's Event Planning SWOT Analysis Template comes in!

With this template, you can:

• Identify your unique strengths that set you apart from the competition
• Pinpoint areas for improvement to enhance your event planning processes
• Identify emerging market trends and potential opportunities for growth
• Mitigate potential risks by analyzing threats and developing contingency plans

Whether you're planning a corporate conference or a grand wedding, this template will help you stay on top of your game and deliver events that leave a lasting impact. Don't miss out on this essential tool - try ClickUp's Event Planning SWOT Analysis Template today!

Benefits of Event Planning SWOT Analysis Template

When using the Event Planning SWOT Analysis Template, you can benefit from:

• Identifying the unique strengths and competitive advantages of your event planning company
• Recognizing and addressing any weaknesses or areas for improvement in your event planning processes
• Identifying potential opportunities in the market, such as emerging event trends or untapped target audiences
• Assessing potential threats and risks that could impact the success of your events, allowing you to develop contingency plans and mitigate risks effectively

Main Elements of Event Planning SWOT Analysis Template

When it comes to event planning, conducting a SWOT analysis is crucial for success. ClickUp’s Event Planning SWOT Analysis Template provides all the necessary tools to conduct a thorough analysis:

• Custom Statuses: Track the progress of each analysis with custom statuses such as Researching, Analyzing, Evaluating, and Completed.
• Custom Fields: Utilize 4 custom fields including Worksheet Link, Completion Rate, Objective, and Timeline to gather and analyze data, measure progress, and set achievable objectives.
• Custom Views: Access different views such as the SWOT Summary Board View, the Strengths and Weaknesses List View, the Opportunities and Threats Table View, and the Completed Analysis Calendar View to gain different perspectives and effectively plan your event.
• Task Management: Benefit from features like task assignments, due dates, attachments, and comments to collaborate with your team and ensure a smooth event planning process.

How to Use SWOT Analysis for Event Planning

When planning an event, it's important to conduct a SWOT analysis to evaluate its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Follow these steps to effectively use the Event Planning SWOT Analysis Template:

1. Identify the event's strengths

Start by listing all the positive aspects of your event. These could include a unique concept, a strong team of organizers, a well-known speaker, or a prime location. Analyze what sets your event apart and make sure to highlight its strengths in your SWOT analysis.

Use custom fields in ClickUp to create a checklist of strengths and assign them to team members for further analysis.

2. Determine the event's weaknesses

Next, identify any areas where your event may fall short. This could include limited budget, lack of experience in event planning, or a small target audience. Be honest with yourself and critically assess any potential weaknesses that may impact the success of your event.

Create tasks in ClickUp to address each weakness and assign team members to find solutions or mitigate risks.

3. Explore potential opportunities

Consider any external factors that could positively impact your event. This could include trends in the industry, a large potential audience, or partnerships with influential organizations or sponsors. Look for opportunities that can maximize your event's success and create a competitive advantage.

Use the Goals feature in ClickUp to set specific objectives and strategies for capturing these opportunities.

4. Evaluate potential threats

Identify any potential obstacles or threats that could jeopardize the success of your event. This could include competing events, budget constraints, or unforeseen circumstances like bad weather. Anticipating and preparing for these threats will help you develop contingency plans and minimize their impact on your event.

Use the Gantt chart feature in ClickUp to create a timeline and allocate resources for handling potential threats.

5. Develop an action plan

Based on your SWOT analysis, create a comprehensive action plan to leverage strengths, mitigate weaknesses, capitalize on opportunities, and mitigate threats. Assign tasks to team members, set deadlines, and track progress using ClickUp's task management features.

Utilize the Automations feature in ClickUp to streamline and automate repetitive tasks, freeing up time for more strategic planning.

By following these steps and using ClickUp's features, you can conduct a thorough SWOT analysis for your event and develop a strategic plan to ensure its success.

Get Started with ClickUp’s Event Planning SWOT Analysis Template

Event planning companies or professionals can use the Event Planning SWOT Analysis Template to assess their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats when organizing and executing events. This will help them develop effective strategies and deliver successful, impactful events for their clients.

First, hit “Add Template” to sign up for ClickUp and add the template to your Workspace. Make sure you designate which Space or location in your Workspace you’d like this template applied.

Next, invite relevant members or guests to your Workspace to start collaborating.

Now you can take advantage of the full potential of this template to conduct a comprehensive SWOT analysis:

• Use the Strengths view to identify and highlight your company's internal advantages and competitive strengths
• The Weaknesses view will help you identify areas for improvement and potential challenges that you need to address
• Utilize the Opportunities view to identify potential market trends, new client segments, or emerging event opportunities
• The Threats view will help you identify potential risks, such as competition, changing regulations, or economic factors
• Organize your analysis into different statuses, such as Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, to keep track of each aspect
• Update statuses and add relevant information as you conduct your analysis to ensure accurate and up-to-date insights
• Monitor and analyze your SWOT analysis regularly to develop strategies and make informed decisions for successful event planning.

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Template Includes

Expand to see 4 custom fields.

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• Completion Rate

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Event Planner SWOT Analysis

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Event Planner Business Plan

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Introduction

• Expertise and Experience: Possessing experience and knowledge in event planning can give you a competitive edge and effectively execute events to the client's satisfaction.
• Versatility: Being able to plan and coordinate events for varied clients, including corporate events, social events, and private events, can open up numerous opportunities for the business.
• Flexibility: The ability to be flexible in adjusting and adapting to the constantly changing needs of clients is crucial in event planning, and can help to ensure the success of the event.
• Network of Contacts: Establishing a network of reliable vendor contacts and other professionals in the industry can help to enhance the quality of services offered to clients.
• Exceptional Customer Service: Providing a high standard of customer service, from initial consultation to post-event follow-ups, can help to build a positive reputation and generate repeat business and referrals.
• Limited capacity: Event planning requires time and resources, which limits the number of events you can plan simultaneously. This can be a significant weakness for a growing business.
• Dependency on vendors: Since events require various vendors, such as caterers, florists, and entertainment providers, any delay in their work or non-performance could harm the client's event and the planner's reputation.
• Seasonal business: Event planning is typically a seasonal business, with most events taking place in the summer and during the holiday season. This can pose a significant challenge to maintain a consistent income throughout the year.
• Intense competition: With low entry barriers, the event planning industry is highly competitive, with many aspiring planners looking to establish their business. It can be difficult to stand out in a crowded market.
• Unexpected crises: Events require multiple moving parts, and, without adequate contingency planning, unexpected crises such as inclement weather, technical issues, or emergencies, can severely impact the event's success and planner's reputation.

Opportunities

• Wedding Planner - Offer specialized wedding planning services to cater to the demand of engaged couples who want a perfect wedding day.
• Virtual Event Planning - With the rise of remote work and virtual events, offer services like virtual event planning, design, and coordination for clients.
• Corporate Event Planning - Plan and coordinate corporate events like product launches, conferences, and team-building activities for businesses and organizations.
• Event Marketing - Create marketing events and campaigns to promote products, services, and brands for businesses.
• Destination Event Planning - Design and plan events in exotic locations, like beaches or mountain tops, for clients who want a unique event experience.

By offering a range of event planning services, you can expand your business and cater to different client needs. Your network of vendors and professionals can also help you find new opportunities and niches in the event planning industry.

• Competition: In the event planning industry, competition is a major threat. There are other established businesses that offer similar services and have a reputation.
• Economic Risks: The economic stability of the country can impact an event planning business.
• Market Trends: The event planning industry is constantly evolving, and new trends can impact the success of an event planning business.
• Legal and Regulatory Risks: Event planning businesses face legal and regulatory risks, such as non-compliance to laws and regulations, which can result in legal woes for the business.
• Staff Management: Staff management can be difficult in an event planning business, particularly when it comes to scheduling and ensuring adequate staffing.

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How to Do a SWOT Analysis in Project Management: Template & Examples

As project managers, we’re lucky to have a full set of tools available to help us approach any project challenge. We have tools that bring our teams together, uncover issues, guide a project to an end, and everything in between. (I’m still waiting on that “easy” button, though!)

Determining what tool should be used in each situation can feel daunting. There are definitely some I pull out for every project, while others collect a bit more dust. 

The SWOT analysis is one I’ve left in the toolbox a bit too often. It’s probably not fair though. It’s a great tool that can bring the team together, create transparency around tough issues, and identify key risks and opportunities that will help with project planning . 

Let’s take a deeper look to see when and why you should give a SWOT analysis a bigger spotlight in your projects. 

What is a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool that allows you and your team to determine organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It’s typically represented as a table or matrix with each element in its own section or quadrant. 

A SWOT analysis assesses both internal and external factors:

• Internal factors are aspects within your control. They include skills, assets, resources, and competitive advantages. They are typically the strengths and weaknesses categories in the SWOT matrix.
• External factors are outside of your control. They might be major events, economic changes, marketplace shifts, pandemics, and more. These are the opportunities and threats. 

You can use a SWOT analysis to evaluate a project, business plan, content strategy, and even yourself. It’s very adaptable to many situations.

This type of analysis can be useful in project management because it allows you to identify areas of risk and growth within a project or team. From there, you and your team can use those findings to create a strategic plan that improves your chance of project success. 

Elements of the SWOT framework with examples

A SWOT analysis is made up of 4 core elements:

• S = Strengths
• W = Weaknesses
• O = Opportunities
• T = Threats

Let’s dive into what each SWOT component means and explore simple examples of each one.

Strengths are factors within your control that will help the project succeed. They might include a person, existing skill set, how the organization is positioned, or a specific aspect about the scoped project. I recommend listing out your strengths first to create a clear understanding of what success looks like and start your SWOT analysis on a positive note. 

Examples of project strengths

• Your team has experience delivering a similar custom application.
• The client team has full authority to make decisions.
• Leadership is on board and already started a company-wide digital strategy conversion.
• The budget has contingency built in.
• Your content team is fully staffed for the project.
• Your team has done 4 sites in that vertical in the last year.
• You already have detailed specifications of the product scope.
• A full brand redesign is already complete.

Weaknesses are internal factors that could negatively impact the project and make it difficult to succeed. Some strengths on your list might lead to a clear weakness, while weaknesses can help you identify opportunities in the next step.

Talking about weaknesses can be uncomfortable because no one likes dwelling on the gaps. If you do a SWOT analysis with an external client, let your team know what’s okay to call out in front of the client vs what’s best discussed internally. For example, it's good to alert your client to the fact your team is working on 2 projects at once because it sets clear expectations around your availability and response time.

Examples of project weaknesses

• Your team has never worked together.
• The client has all new leadership.
• Your team is allocated to 2 projects at the same time.
• Your client lacks resources in content, media production, or other areas.
• Your client has multiple levels of stakeholders.
• Project funding is limited and must be spent by a certain date.
• All content needs to pass through the legal department.
• Your team and clients use different project tools.

Opportunities

Opportunities are factors that can help your project succeed—or save it from failure—if correctly executed. The tricky thing is, they’re a bit outside of your control. They might be opportunities that already exist but haven’t been acted on, or they might be future wins that will come with the completion of the project. 

Reviewing the strengths and weaknesses you’ve already captured in your SWOT analysis will help you get ideas for this list. Just be sure any opportunities you include are concrete and realistic.

Examples of project opportunities

• Moving a more experienced team member to your project team
• Creating new channels for the company to capture revenue
• Obtaining a discount from a vendor
• Receiving another grant to fund the project
• Hiring someone new on the client side to support the work
• Attending an upcoming conference with access to real users
• Capturing new leads because of the project

Threats are external factors that could hurt the success of your project and are often out of your control. Identifying these factors before the project begins can help you set expectations with your team and stakeholders around potential points of failure. 

Examples of project threats

• A competitor is releasing a similar product on a faster timeline.
• The software code base for a section was recently released and could be buggy.
• A project vendor hasn’t been responsive.
• A team member is on maternity leave for 3 months.
• The client won’t give you access to other stakeholders.
• You don’t have access to users (or don’t think it’s important).

What are the benefits of using a SWOT analysis in project management?

A SWOT analysis is a simple yet powerful exercise that can easily flow into a project manager’s strategic planning process. It gives you and your team space to worry and dream and can also bring the project and its variables into more focus.

But how you complete the analysis—and what you do with its findings—determines the true value of the tool. Let’s look at several advantages a SWOT analysis can provide when it’s done right.

Identify (and address) project risks and gaps

Conducting a SWOT analysis enables you to identify areas of weakness and potential project gaps from the start. That way, you can address any concerns with a proactive project plan. Of course, not all risks are factors you can control, but at least knowing them allows you to create a better strategy. 

Set a positive tone

Performing a SWOT analysis also gives you the chance to discuss strengths and opportunities. Focusing on the good aspects of your project and team sets a positive tone right from the start. It also shines a light on skills and aspects you might not have realized you have available to you. 

Uncover client expectations

As a project manager, I’m always thinking, “But what do they really want?” I know a lot of time goes into the project scope, but the client always forgets to mention something. 

Think of your SWOT analysis as a free-form brainstorming session that gives you another chance to listen and learn. It’s always easier to work new insights or hidden scope into the plan at the beginning of a project instead of the middle or end.

Identify new revenue

Doing a SWOT analysis before a project begins can also uncover new project opportunities. While some of these items might be addressed in the current scope, many will not. This opens the door to discuss phase 2 work that could generate additional revenue for both you and the client.

Establish a framework for red flags

When reviewing a project’s contract scope, I always find red flags—those pesky items that keep every project manager up at night. 

A SWOT analysis makes it easy to sneak those concerns in with the positives so you don’t have to be a downer in your first meetings. It also gives others a chance to raise red flags so the bad news isn’t always coming from you. Discussing these upfront makes everyone aware of the risks, not just select stakeholders. 

Build a foundation for team communication

Completing this activity as a team with different levels of stakeholders from both sides can set the stage for effective communication . Establishing an open, transparent, direct, and welcoming environment early on can help everyone navigate future conversations—no matter how tricky. 

It also builds a culture of collaborative problem-solving. As a project manager, you might feel like you have to solve all the hard issues yourself. But creating a team approach can lift some of that weight right off your shoulders.

When should you skip a SWOT analysis?

While a SWOT analysis can be a useful planning tool in project management, other tools are too. So when does it make sense to leave this tool in the toolbox?

Here are a few reasons a SWOT analysis might not be a productive use of your time.

You lack stakeholder access

Sometimes a client limits your access to their team, leaving you with only 1-2 people to talk to on the client side. If you can’t pull a diverse group of stakeholders together from both sides, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to build a comprehensive and effective SWOT matrix. 

You and/or your client can’t be honest

The reality is, you won’t have an open and transparent relationship with every client. It might be because they’re new or have a different culture of communication in their organization. Or maybe your sales team committed to a project they shouldn’t have. 

Whatever the reason, if you or your client can’t be transparent about weaknesses and threats, your SWOT analysis won’t be very useful.

You have limited resources

If your budget is small, you likely have limited resources to complete the project—and that includes your own time as a project manager. 

While conducting a SWOT analysis workshop is a relatively quick task, it’s not going to be effective unless you spend time creating and executing an action plan afterwards. If you can’t reasonably take action on what you may uncover, go ahead and skip the SWOT analysis. 

You’re working with a repeat client

If you’ve worked with a client several times before and don’t appear to be solving a new, hard problem—or approaching a new product or revenue stream—there’s no need to go through the motions of a SWOT exercise.

Your project has an unclear scope

Are you managing a project with muddy goals and a scope that’s constantly changing (even though somehow a contract got signed)? If so, it’s best to put all your energy into workshops and tools that focus on clearly defining what you’re doing. In my experience, projects like these just lead to vague SWOTs anyway.

How to do a SWOT analysis for a project

There’s no wrong way to complete a SWOT analysis. It just depends on the project and the preferences of your team and stakeholders. Just be sure whatever process you use effectively brings everyone together. 

Here are the key steps I recommend taking to execute a good SWOT analysis. 

1. Identify your SWOT analysis goal

Every good process starts with a clear goal. If you know why you’re doing a SWOT analysis and what you hope to achieve, you can tailor your approach and conversations accordingly. This clarity might even lead you to other tools in your project manager toolbox that will help you reach your goals.

2. Determine your stakeholders

Next, figure out who needs to participate in the SWOT analysis for you to achieve your goal. While there might be times you need to do this exercise quickly on your own, working as a team that includes both internal and external stakeholders will give you a more comprehensive analysis.

Participants should represent different groups at all levels of the organization to bring a full and diverse perspective. They should also be willing to participate fully, honestly, and kindly in the conversation and be open to talking about some tough topics. For example, someone might have a role in a weakness or threat that ends up on the list. If people aren’t willing to dig in, you’ll end up with a surface-level analysis that’s less useful.

Including more people in the conversion will encourage teamwork and transparency—all things you want for the rest of your project. Of course, too many people could cause chaos and a lack of focus, so shoot for around 10 or fewer participants.

3. Identify which tool you’ll use for the SWOT analysis

Next, decide where you’ll create your SWOT analysis. Many folks love working within the classic SWOT matrix, and you can easily create one using Word or PowerPoint.

If you’re conducting your workshop remotely—or want folks to add ideas before, during, or after the meeting—consider using a collaborative tool instead. You could use an interactive whiteboard tool to create a shared matrix or set up a list or Kanban board in TeamGantt. What’s nice about a tool like TeamGantt is you can immediately transform items from your SWOT analysis into tasks with deadlines and responsibilities assigned.

4. Prepare your team 

One of the most important steps you can take is effectively preparing your team for the workshop. I have to admit, I’ve been lazy about this step at times in the past, but it’s really critical if you want people to be successful in the meeting.

Send the team attending the SWOT analysis workshop the following items ahead of time:

• The goal of the SWOT analysis
• Why they’ve been chosen to participate in the workshop
• An explanation of how the SWOT analysis will work
• What they should do to prepare for the meeting and how much time they need to set aside to prep
• Access to the tool you’ll use to conduct the SWOT analysis so they can get in and comfortable with it beforehand
• Next steps they can expect after the meeting (even if it doesn’t involve them) 
• Gratitude in advance for their thoughts, respect, and time

5. Conduct the SWOT analysis workshop

Use this workshop to brainstorm project strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats as a team. Guide the discussion to make sure the thoughts are clear and specific. If more information has to be gathered for a couple of items after the meeting, that’s okay, but the majority shouldn’t need follow-up.

Since I include both my team and the client in a project SWOT analysis, I like to keep the format simple. While I talk about the concept of internal vs external factors, I don’t build my matrix or workshop around it. In my experience, it’s just another layer for folks to process. Participants should be focused on brainstorming—not figuring out how to work within a complex framework. 

Try to fill in 2-3 items for each box of the SWOT matrix ahead of time to jump start the conversation. If the room gets quiet, give folks 10 minutes to gather thoughts and then share back. You could also use starter questions like the ones below to get ideas rolling.

Example questions to guide your SWOT analysis workshop

• What do your customers love about what you do?
• Does anyone have expertise in this subject or scope? 
• What resources are available in-house?
• What advantages do you have over your competitors?

Weaknesses:

• What do your customers dislike about what you do?
• Could any organizational factors negatively impact this project?
• Are there any gaps in team or project knowledge?
• Do you have any hard limits on the project (e.g., timeline, budget, scope)?

Opportunities:

• What can you do to compete better in your market?
• What resource changes or additions would help you?
• What tools will help you be effective?
• Can you help other areas of the business?
• Do other business initiatives depend on project completion and success? If so, how?
• Are your competitors doing anything related to your project?
• Are you working with any new or untested tools or software?
• Do you rely on any outside vendors?

Download an expanded list of example questions.

6. Prioritize and confirm

In this step, you’ll want to rank the factors from most to least important. Since time is usually limited, I focus on prioritizing the opportunities and threats lists. 

Questions like these can help you weigh the importance of each item on your list:

• Will it impact the project the most? 
• Is it something you can actually do something about? 
• Are there things you can’t address unless the project has more budget? 

You can either jump into prioritization at the end of your brainstorming session or tackle it online as a team after your SWOT workshop.

Once you feel good about the priorities you’ve set, clean up your SWOT analysis document, and send it to all your stakeholders to confirm everyone’s on the same page. 

7. Create and execute an action plan

Now it’s time to create a clear plan of action to execute on. Your to-do list might only take a couple of weeks to knock out, or it might take longer to work through. Either way, you’ll want to jump on an action plan quickly to show participants you took their feedback seriously and are committed to making the project a success.

It’s probably easiest to start with the internal SWOT factors you have control over, so focus on maximizing strengths and mitigating weaknesses first. Your action plan might include rearranging your team, finding a new tool, adding more resources, talking to sales, or more. 

Once these internal factors are in motion, take a look at the threats and opportunities that are more outside of your control. Work closely with your primary stakeholder or client-side project manager to determine the best course of action, including how you’ll handle any new opportunities or threats that may arise.

After you have a game plan, schedule any necessary meetings. Then create a clear plan with deadlines, and assign tasks to team members. Using an online project planner like TeamGantt makes it easy to communicate priorities to your team and report back to stakeholders so they know what steps have been taken and what’s to come. 

Get your action plan off the ground faster with one of our free project templates!

8. Monitor and revisit your SWOT strategy

If time allows, go back to your SWOT analysis throughout the project, as well as at the end. See if you’re accomplishing what you set out to do or if you have room to tackle any additional items now.

Self-reflection and solid data can help you hone your skills as a project manager and improve projects over time.

SWOT analysis example

To help you get a better understanding of how this process might work, let’s take a look at a sample SWOT analysis for a new marketing website build. Our example project also features a large lead-capture component that connects to Salesforce.

• Our development team has completed several Salesforce integrations.
• This project is a top priority for the client. Leadership has given staff permission to set other initiatives aside to help with the project.
• The core team has been through a website redesign in the past.
• The strategists are available right now and can jump into discovery and research.
• The new brand has already been created and approved, and all website assets are available.
• We don’t have much user data or feedback collected yet.
• The timeline is immovable.
• This is the project’s first phase, so the full team has not worked together.
• The company’s top 3 leadership positions changed in the last 6 months.
• The best new feature of the project won’t be ready until launch, so no video or images will be available for the website.
• The client has strict security procedures, and we need to work solely in Microsoft to share documents. However, our team is used to using Google.
• The Salesforce implementation contractor has offered to scale up their team to help implement the tool quickly.
• The client views this launch as phase 1 and has funding for 2 more phases.
• If the dev team gets stuck on another project, we have other dev team members we can move over to start all builds, except the Salesforce integration. 
• For another project, our team created a revenue-generating resource library. It could be another source of income.
• We’ve identified that 75% of site visitors don’t go past the homepage.
• The client doesn’t like their current workflow for lead capture, but they’re arguing internally about how it should change.
• The client has not used Salesforce before.
• The client’s main competitor just launched a new, sleek website. 
• The launch date is set for 4 months. We think the project needs 6 months. 
• Launch is expected to happen right after the December holidays.
• Our dev team has another project to wrap up before starting this project, and it’s been known to miss all its deadlines.

While the matrix format provides a nice visual in the meeting, it doesn’t transition nicely into your next steps as a project manager. Here’s how you might adapt this example to a Kanban board that allows you to prioritize action items easily, assign deadlines and people to tasks, add notes, etc.

Free SWOT analysis templates

If you're looking for a SWOT analysis template, a free one is always a great place to start. We created a few different options to help you save time preparing for and creating a SWOT analysis of your own. 

• SWOT analysis planner template [PDF] : Use these example questions to guide discussions around project strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• SWOT analysis template [Word] : Download this editable SWOT analysis template to create a simple one-page matrix for your project.
• SWOT analysis template [PowerPoint] : Use this SWOT analysis template to present your final analysis to your project team and/or stakeholders.

Take easy action on your SWOT analysis with TeamGantt

Want to make a SWOT analysis everyone can collaborate on? Try TeamGantt for free , and use our board feature to create and prioritize your SWOT analysis as a team. 

Once your analysis is done, transform action items into a plan that’s easy to schedule, manage, and track. Check out our free project template hub for ideas you can use to get your plan off the ground faster.

About the author: Lynn Winter

Lynn is a freelance Digital Strategist who combines 20+ years of experience in content strategy, user experience, and project management to bring a holistic approach to her work. She has spoken at numerous local and national conferences and hosts an annual conference for Digital Project Managers called Manage Digital ( http://managedigital.io/ ). You can connect with her at lynnwintermn.com .

Try TeamGantt for free today!

SWOT Analysis: How To Do One [With Template & Examples]

Published: October 05, 2023

As your business grows, you need a roadmap to help navigate the obstacles, challenges, opportunities, and projects that come your way. Enter: the SWOT analysis.

This framework can help you develop a plan to determine your priorities, maximize opportunities, and minimize roadblocks as you scale your organization. Below, let’s go over exactly what a SWOT analysis is, a few SWOT analysis examples, and how to conduct one for your business.

When you’re done reading, you’ll have all the inspiration and tactical advice you need to tackle a SWOT analysis for your business.

What is a SWOT analysis? Importance of a SWOT Analysis How to Write a Good SWOT Analysis SWOT Analysis Examples How to Act on a SWOT Analysis

What is a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning technique that puts your business in perspective using the following lenses: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Using a SWOT analysis helps you identify ways your business can improve and maximize opportunities, while simultaneously determining negative factors that might hinder your chances of success.

While it may seem simple on the surface, a SWOT analysis allows you to make unbiased evaluations on:

• Your business or brand.
• Market positioning.
• A new project or initiative.
• A specific campaign or channel.

Practically anything that requires strategic planning, internal or external, can have the SWOT framework applied to it, helping you avoid unnecessary errors down the road from lack of insight.

Free SWOT Analysis Template

A free SWOT analysis template, plus other helpful market research resources.

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Importance of a SWOT Analysis

You’ve noticed by now that SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. The framework seems simple enough that you’d be tempted to forgo using it at all, relying instead on your intuition to take these things into account.

But you shouldn’t. Doing a SWOT analysis is important. Here’s why.

SWOT gives you the chance to worry and to dream.

A SWOT analysis is an important step in your strategic process because it gives you the opportunity to explore both the potential risks and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead.  You’re giving yourself the space to dream, evaluate, and worry before taking action. Your insights then turn into assets as you create the roadmap for your initiative.

For instance, when you consider the weaknesses and threats that your business may face, you can address any concerns or challenges and strategize on how to mitigate those risks. At the same time, you can identify strengths and opportunities, which can inspire innovative ideas and help you dream big. Both are equally important. 

SWOT forces you to define your variables.

Instead of diving head first into planning and execution, you’re taking inventory of all your assets and roadblocks. This process will help you  develop strategies that leverage your strengths and opportunities while addressing and mitigating the impact of weaknesses and threats.

As a result, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of your current situation and create a more specific and effective roadmap. Plus, a SWOT analysis is inherently proactive. That means you'll be better equipped to make informed decisions, allocate resources effectively, and set realistic goals. 

SWOT allows you to account for mitigating factors.

As you identify weaknesses and threats, you’re better able to account for them in your roadmap, improving your chances of success.

Moreover, accounting for mitigating factors allows you to allocate your resources wisely and make informed decisions that lead to sustainable growth. With a SWOT analysis as a guide, you can confidently face challenges and seize opportunities.

SWOT helps you keep a written record.

As your organization grows and changes, you’ll be able to strike things off your old SWOTs and make additions. You can look back at where you came from and look ahead at what’s to come.

In other words, SWOT analyses serve as a tangible history of your progress and provide a reference point for future decision-making. With each update, your SWOT analysis becomes a living document that guides your strategic thinking and helps you stay agile and adaptable in an ever-changing business landscape.

By maintaining this written record, you foster a culture of continuous improvement and empower your team to make data-driven decisions and stay aligned with your long-term vision.

Parts of a SWOT Analysis

Conducting a SWOT analysis will help you strategize effectively, unlock valuable insights, and make informed decisions. But what exactly does a SWOT analysis include?

Let’s explore each component: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Your strengths are the unique advantages and internal capabilities that give your company a competitive edge in the market. A strong brand reputation, innovative products or services, or exceptional customer service are just a few examples. By identifying and capitalizing on your strengths, you can foster customer loyalty and build a solid foundation for growth.

No business is flawless. Weaknesses are areas where you may face challenges or fall short of your potential. It could be outdated processes, skill gaps within the team, or inadequate resources. By acknowledging these weaknesses, you can establish targeted initiatives for improvement, upskill your team, adopt new technologies, and enhance your overall operational efficiency.

Opportunities are external factors that can contribute to your company's progress. These may include emerging markets, technological advancements, changes in consumer behavior, or gaps in the market that your company can fill. By seizing these opportunities, you can expand your market reach, diversify your product offerings, forge strategic partnerships, or even venture into untapped territories.

Threats are external factors that are beyond your control and pose challenges to your business. Increased competition, economic volatility, evolving regulatory landscapes, or even changing market trends are examples of threats. By proactively assessing and addressing them, you can develop contingency plans, adjust your strategies, and minimize their impact on your operations.

In a SWOT analysis, you’ll have to take both internal and external factors into account. We’ll cover those next.

Free Market Research Kit

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• SWOT Analysis Template
• Survey Template
• Focus Group Template

SWOT Analysis Internal and External Factors

A SWOT analysis typically has internal (i.e., within your organization) and external (i.e., outside your organization) factors at play. Here's a breakdown of each.

Internal Factors

Internal factors refer to the characteristics and resources within your organization that directly influence its operations and performance. These factors are completely within your organization's control, so they can be modified, improved, or capitalized upon.

In a SWOT analysis, strengths and weaknesses are categorized as internal factors. Let’s look at a few examples.

• Brand reputation
• Unique expertise
• Loyal customer base
• Talented workforce
• Efficient processes
• Proprietary technology
• Outdated technology
• Inadequate resources
• Poor financial health
• Inefficient processes
• Skill gaps within the team

External Factors

External factors are elements outside the organization's control that have an impact on its operations, market position, and success. These factors arise from the industry climate and the broader business environment. You typically have no control over external factors, but you can respond to them.

In a SWOT analysis, opportunities and threats are categorized as external factors. Let’s look at a few examples.

• Emerging markets
• Changing consumer trends
• Technological advancements
• Positive shifts in regulations
• New gaps in the market you could fill
• Intense competition
• Economic downturns
• Disruptive technologies
• Changing regulations
• Negative shifts in consumer behavior

Remember, a well-rounded SWOT analysis empowers you to capitalize on strengths, address weaknesses, seize opportunities, and navigate threats — all while making informed decisions for the future.

Now, let’s take a look at how you can write a good SWOT analysis for yourself or for stakeholders.

How do you write a good SWOT analysis?

There are several steps you’ll want to take when evaluating your business and conducting a strategic SWOT analysis.

1. Download HubSpot's SWOT Analysis Template.

There’s no need to start from scratch for your analysis. Instead, start by downloading a free, editable template from HubSpot. Feel free to use the model yourself, or create your own as it suits your needs.

3. Identify your objective.

Before you start writing things down, you’ll need to figure out what you’re evaluating with your SWOT analysis.

Be specific about what you want to analyze. Otherwise, your SWOT analysis may end up being too broad, and you’ll get analysis paralysis as you are making your evaluations.

If you’re creating a new social media program, you’ll want to conduct an analysis to inform your content creation strategy. If you’re launching a new product, you’ll want to understand its potential positioning in the space. If you’re considering a brand redesign, you’ll want to consider existing and future brand conceptions.

All of these are examples of good reasons to conduct a SWOT analysis. By identifying your objective, you’ll be able to tailor your evaluation to get more actionable insights.

4. Identify your strengths.

“Strengths” refers to what you are currently doing well. Think about the factors that are going in your favor as well as the things you offer that your competitors just can’t beat.

For example, let’s say you want to use a SWOT analysis to evaluate your new social media strategy.

If you’re looking at a new social media program, perhaps you want to evaluate how your brand is perceived by the public. Is it easily recognizable and well-known? Even if it’s not popular with a widespread group, is it well-received by a specific audience?

Next, think about your process: Is it effective or innovative? Is there good communication between marketing and sales?

Finally, evaluate your social media message, and in particular, how it differs from the rest of the industry. I’m willing to bet you can make a lengthy list of some major strengths of your social media strategy over your competitors, so try to dive into your strengths from there.

5. Identify your weaknesses.

In contrast to your strengths, what are the roadblocks hindering you from reaching your goals? What do your competitors offer that continues to be a thorn in your side?

This section isn’t about dwelling on negative aspects. Rather, it’s critical to foresee any potential obstacles that could mitigate your success.

When identifying weaknesses, consider what areas of your business are the least profitable, where you lack certain resources, or what costs you the most time and money. Take input from employees in different departments, as they’ll likely see weaknesses you hadn’t considered.

If you’re examining a new social media strategy, you might start by asking yourself these questions: First, if I were a consumer, what would prevent me from buying this product, or engaging with this business? What would make me click away from the screen?

Second, what do I foresee as the biggest hindrance to my employees’ productivity, or their ability to get the job done efficiently? What derails their social media efforts?

6. Consider your opportunities.

This is your chance to dream big. What are some opportunities for your social media strategy you hope, but don’t necessarily expect, to reach?

For instance, maybe you’re hoping your Facebook ads will attract a new, larger demographic. Maybe you’re hoping your YouTube video gets 10,000 views and increases sales by 10%.

Whatever the case, it’s important to include potential opportunities in your SWOT analysis. Ask yourself these questions:

• What technologies do I want my business to use to make it more effective?
• What new target audience do I want to reach?
• How can the business stand out more in the current industry?
• Is there something our customers complain about that we could fix?

The opportunities category goes hand-in-hand with the weaknesses category. Once you’ve made a list of weaknesses, it should be easy to create a list of potential opportunities that could arise if you eliminate your weaknesses.

7. Contemplate your threats.

It’s likely, especially if you’re prone to worry, you already have a good list of threats in your head.

If not, gather your employees and brainstorm. Start with these questions:

• What obstacles might prevent us from reaching our goals?
• What’s going on in the industry, or with our competitors, that might mitigate our success?
• Is there new technology out there that could conflict with our product?

Writing down your threats helps you evaluate them objectively.

For instance, maybe you list your threats in terms of least and most likely to occur and divide and conquer each. If one of your biggest threats is your competitor’s popular Instagram account, you could work with your marketing department to create content that showcases your product’s unique features.

SWOT Analysis Chart

Download a free SWOT analysis chart included in HubSpot’s free market research kit .

A SWOT analysis doesn’t have to be fancy. Our SWOT analysis chart provides a clear and structured framework for capturing and organizing your internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats. It's the perfect visual aid to make sense of the wealth of information gathered during your analysis.

(Plus, you can always customize and paste it into a document you plan to share with stakeholders.)

But remember: Filling out the SWOT chart is just one step in the process. Combine it with our entire market research kit , and you'll have all the tools necessary to help your organization navigate new opportunities and threats.

SWOT Analysis Examples

The template above helps get you started on your own SWOT analysis.

But, if you’re anything like me, it’s not enough to see a template. To fully understand a concept, you need to see how it plays out in the real world.

These SWOT examples are not exhaustive. However, they are a great starting point to inspire you as you do your own SWOT analysis.

Apple’s SWOT analysis

Here’s how we’d conduct a SWOT analysis on Apple.

First off, strengths. While Apple has many strengths, let’s identify the top three:

• Brand recognition.
• Innovative products.
• Ease of use.

Apple’s brand is undeniably strong, and its business is considered the most valuable in the world . Since it’s easily recognized, Apple can produce new products and almost ensure a certain degree of success by virtue of the brand name itself.

Apple’s highly innovative products are often at the forefront of the industry. One thing that sets Apple apart from the competition is its product inter-connectivity.

For instance, an Apple user can easily sync their iPhone and iPad together. They can access all of their photos, contacts, apps, and more no matter which device they are using.

Lastly, customers enjoy how easy it is to use Apple’s products. With a sleek and simple design, each product is developed so that most people can quickly learn how to use them.

Next, let’s look at three of Apple’s weaknesses.

• High prices
• Closed ecosystem
• Lack of experimentation

While the high prices don’t deter Apple’s middle- and upper-class customer base, they do hinder Apple’s ability to reach a lower-class demographic.

Apple also suffers from its own exclusivity. Apple controls all its services and products in-house, and while many customers become loyal brand advocates for this reason, it means all burdens fall on Apple employees.

Ultimately, Apple’s tight control over who distributes its products limits its market reach.

Lastly, Apple is held to a high standard when it comes to creating and distributing products. Apple’s brand carries a high level of prestige. That level of recognition inhibits Apple from taking risks and experimenting freely with new products that could fail.

Now, let’s take a look at opportunities for Apple.

It’s easy to recognize opportunities for improvement, once you consider Apple’s weaknesses. Here’s a list of three we came up with:

• Expand distribution options.
• Create new product lines.
• Technological advancement.

One of Apple’s biggest weaknesses is its distribution network, which, in the name of exclusivity, remains relatively small. If Apple expanded its network and enabled third-party businesses to sell its products, it could reach more people globally, while alleviating some of the stress currently put on in-house employees.

There are also plenty of opportunities for Apple to create new products. Apple could consider creating more affordable products to reach a larger demographic, or spreading out into new industries — Apple self-driving cars, perhaps?

Finally, Apple could continue advancing its products’ technology. Apple can take existing products and refine them, ensuring each product offers as many unique features as possible.

Finally, let’s look at threats to Apple.

Believe it or not, they do exist.

Here are three of Apple’s biggest threats:

• Tough competition.
• International issues.

Apple isn’t the only innovative tech company out there, and it continues to face tough competition from Samsung, Google, and other major forces. In fact, Samsung sold more smartphones than Apple did in Q1 of 2022 , shipping 17 million more units than Apple and holding 24% of the market share.

Many of Apple’s weaknesses hinder Apple’s ability to compete with the tech corporations that have more freedom to experiment, or that don’t operate in a closed ecosystem.

A second threat to Apple is lawsuits. Apple has faced plenty of lawsuits, particularly between Apple and Samsung . These lawsuits interfere with Apple’s reputable image and could steer some customers to purchase elsewhere.

Finally, Apple needs to improve its reach internationally. The company isn’t number one in China and doesn’t have a very positive relationship with the Chinese government. In India, which has one of the largest consumer markets in the world, Apple’s market share is low , and the company has trouble bringing stores to India’s market.

If Apple can’t compete globally the way Samsung or Google can, it risks falling behind in the industry.

Starbucks SWOT Analysis

Now that we’ve explored the nuances involved with a SWOT analysis, let’s fill out a SWOT template using Starbucks as an example.

Here’s how we’d fill out a SWOT template if we were Starbucks:

Download this Template for Free

Restaurant Small Business SWOT Analysis

Some small business marketers may have difficulty relating to the SWOTs of big brands like Apple and Starbucks. Here’s an example of how a dine-in Thai restaurant might visualize each element.

Small restaurants can lean into their culinary expertise and service skills to find opportunities for growth and brand awareness. A SWOT analysis can also help identify weaknesses that can be improved, such as menu variation and pricing.

While a restaurant might not be as worried about high-level lawsuits, a small business might be more concerned about competitors or disruptors that might enter the playing field.

Local Boutique SWOT Analysis

In another small business example, let’s take a look at a SWOT analysis for a local boutique.

This shop might be well known in its neighborhood, but it also might take time to build an online presence or get its products in an online store.

Because of this, some of its strengths and opportunities might relate to physical factors while weaknesses and threats might relate to online situations.

How to Act on a SWOT Analysis

After conducting a SWOT analysis, you may be asking yourself: What’s next?

Putting together a SWOT analysis is only one step. Executing the findings identified by the analysis is just as important — if not more.

Put your insights into action using the following steps.

Take advantage of your strengths.

Use your strengths to pursue opportunities from your analysis.

For example, if we look at the local boutique example above, the strength of having affordable prices can be a value proposition. You can emphasize your affordable prices on social media or launch an online store.

Address your weaknesses.

Back to the boutique example, one of its weaknesses is having a poor social media presence. To mitigate this, the boutique could hire a social media consultant to improve its strategy. They may even tap into the expertise of a social-savvy employee.

Make note of the threats.

Threats are often external factors that can’t be controlled, so it’s best to monitor the threats outlined in your SWOT analysis to be aware of their impacts on your business.

When to Use a SWOT Analysis

While the examples above focus on business strategy in general, you can also use a SWOT analysis to evaluate and predict how a singular product will play out in the market.

Ultimately, a SWOT analysis can measure and tackle both big and small challenges, from deciding whether or not to launch a new product to refining your social media strategy.

Editor's note: This post was originally published in May 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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