Competitive Intelligence (CI)
Define Competitive Intelligence (CI) and explain the three ways that CI can be gathered.
Sample Answer
Competitive intelligence (CI) is the process of gathering, analyzing, and interpreting information about competitors to gain insights into their strategies, strengths, weaknesses, and market positioning. It involves monitoring competitors’ online presence, marketing campaigns, pricing, product offerings, and customer feedback.
CI can be gathered in a variety of ways, but three of the most common methods are:
- Publicly available information: This includes information that is publicly available, such as competitor websites, press releases, social media posts, and financial reports.
- Secondary research: This involves analyzing secondary data sources, such as industry reports, market research studies, and government data.
- Primary research: This involves gathering primary data through surveys, interviews, and focus groups.