swot dans un business plan

Expert business plan and financial models

How to Write a SWOT Analysis for a Business Plan

• September 4, 2024
• Business Plan , How to Write

Navigating the complexities of business requires a clear understanding of your strategic position, and a SWOT analysis is an essential tool to help you achieve this clarity. It’s a straightforward method that breaks down into Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, providing a snapshot of where your business stands and guiding your future strategic moves.

With this guide, you’ll learn how to leverage your advantages, address challenges, seize new opportunities, and guard against potential threats. Let’s dive into the process together and set a strong foundation for your business’s strategic planning. Let’s dive in!

What is a SWOT Analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool used to identify and understand the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to business competition or project planning. This method helps organizations in assessing both internal and external factors that could impact their objectives.

• Strengths : Positive attributes internal to the organization and within its control. Strengths are resources and capabilities that can be used as a basis for developing a competitive advantage.
• Weaknesses : Factors that are within an organization’s control but detract from its ability to attain the desired goal. These are areas the business needs to improve to remain competitive.
• Opportunities : External chances to improve performance in the environment. Opportunities reflect the potential you can leverage to grow your business or project.
• Threats : External challenges to the business’s performance or project’s success. Threats might stem from various sources, such as economic downturns, increased competition, or changes in regulatory landscapes.

Why Use a SWOT Analysis?

We use a SWOT analysis for several important reasons in business and strategic planning:

• Strategic Overview : It provides a concise and comprehensive overview of the current strategic position of the business or project. By examining internal and external factors, stakeholders can get a clear picture of their situation.
• Decision Making : SWOT analysis aids in decision-making by highlighting the strengths to leverage, weaknesses to address, opportunities to pursue, and threats to mitigate. It helps in prioritizing actions based on the analysis.
• Opportunity Identification : SWOT analysis is instrumental in identifying new opportunities for growth and expansion. Opportunities might come from market trends , economic shifts, or changes in technology.
• Risk Management : By identifying threats, organizations can develop strategies to address or mitigate these risks before they become significant issues. It’s a proactive approach to managing potential external challenges.
• Resource Allocation : Understanding the organization’s strengths and weaknesses helps in the effective allocation of resources. Resources can be directed to areas where they are needed most or where they will have the highest impact.
• Competitive Advantage : It helps businesses identify unique features and capabilities that give them a competitive edge in the market. Recognizing these strengths can guide marketing strategies and business development.

How to Write a SWOT Analysis

Writing a strength in a SWOT analysis involves identifying and articulating the internal attributes and resources of a business or project that contribute to its success and competitive advantage. Here’s how to effectively write a strength in a SWOT analysis:

• Identify Internal Positive Attributes : Focus on internal factors that are within the control of the business. These can include resources, skills, or other advantages relative to competitors. Consider areas like strong brand reputation, proprietary technology, skilled workforce, financial resources, strategic location, and efficient processes.
• Be Specific and Relevant : General statements like “we have a good team” are less helpful than specific ones like “our team includes industry-recognized experts in X field.” The more precise you are, the more actionable your analysis will be. Ensure that the strengths are directly relevant to achieving the business’s goals and objectives.
• Use Quantifiable Data When Possible : Whenever you can, back up your strengths with quantifiable data. For example, “a customer satisfaction rate of 95%” or “a 20% lower production cost than industry average” provides concrete evidence of your strengths.
• Compare to Competitors : Strengths are often relative to the competition. Identify areas where your business outperforms competitors or fills a gap in the market. This might involve superior product quality, a unique service model, or a more extensive distribution network.

Example: Instead of simply stating “Experienced management team” as a strength, you could write: “Our management team has over 50 years of combined experience in the tech industry, including a track record of successful product launches and market expansions. This depth of experience provides us with strategic insights and operational expertise that have consistently resulted in market share growth and above-industry-average profitability.”

Writing a weakness in a SWOT analysis involves acknowledging and detailing the internal factors that limit or challenge your business or project’s ability to achieve its goals. Here’s a structured approach to effectively articulate weaknesses in a SWOT analysis:

• Identify Internal Limitations : Focus on internal attributes that are within the control of the organization but currently act as disadvantages. Weaknesses might include insufficient resources, lack of expertise, outdated technology, poor location, limited product range, or inefficiencies in processes.
• Be Specific and Honest : It’s important to be honest and specific about your organization’s weaknesses. Vague statements won’t help in addressing these issues. For instance, rather than saying “we need to improve our marketing,” specify “our current marketing strategy does not effectively reach our target demographic of 18-25-year-olds on digital platforms.”
• Use Internal Comparisons and Feedback : Compare your performance, processes, and resources against your own past performance or industry benchmarks. Utilize customer feedback, employee insights, and performance data to identify areas of weakness.
• Keep it Constructive : While it’s crucial to be honest about weaknesses, frame them in a way that focuses on potential for improvement. Consider each weakness as an area for development and growth.

Example: Instead of a broad statement like “Inadequate online presence,” a more effective description would be: “Our business currently lacks a robust online presence, reflected in our outdated website and minimal engagement on key social media platforms. This limits our ability to attract younger demographics who predominantly discover and interact with brands online. Improving our online visibility and engagement could enhance brand awareness and customer acquisition.”

Opportunities

Writing opportunities in a SWOT analysis involves identifying and articulating external factors that your business or project could exploit to its advantage. Opportunities are elements in the environment that, if leveraged effectively, could provide a pathway for growth, improvement, or competitive advantage. Here’s how to systematically approach writing opportunities in your SWOT analysis:

• Spot External Trends : Focus on the trends and changes outside your organization that could be beneficial. These might include technological advancements, shifts in consumer behavior, market gaps, regulatory changes, or economic trends.
• Be Relevant and Actionable : Ensure that the opportunities you identify are relevant to your business and actionable. They should align with your business’s strengths and capabilities, allowing you to take practical steps toward capitalizing on them.
• Use Market Research : Base your identification of opportunities on solid market research. Understand your target market , industry trends, and the competitive landscape to pinpoint where the real opportunities lie.
• Detail Potential Benefits : Clearly articulate how each opportunity could benefit your business. Whether it’s entering a new market, launching a new product line, or adopting new technology, explain the potential impact on your business growth and success.

Example: Rather than vaguely stating “New market segments,” a more strategic description of an opportunity could be: “With increasing consumer interest in sustainable living, there’s a growing market segment for eco-friendly products. Our business’s strong commitment to sustainability and existing lineup of environmentally friendly products positions us well to capture this emerging market. Expanding our product range to include more items that cater to eco-conscious consumers can tap into this trend, potentially opening up new revenue streams and enhancing our brand’s reputation as a leader in sustainability.”

Writing threats in a SWOT analysis involves identifying external challenges that could pose risks to your business or project’s success. These are factors outside your control that have the potential to harm your operations, financial performance, or strategic positioning. Addressing threats effectively in a SWOT analysis requires a focused approach:

• Identify External Challenges : Start by pinpointing the external factors that could negatively impact your business. This can include new competitors entering the market, changes in consumer preferences, technological advancements that render your product less desirable, regulatory changes, or economic downturns.
• Be Precise and Realistic : Clearly define each threat in specific terms, avoiding vague descriptions. Being realistic about the level of risk each threat poses is crucial; not every external challenge is a dire threat, but understanding the potential impact is key for strategic planning.
• Assess the Impact : For each threat identified, evaluate how it could impact your business. Consider the worst-case scenario and more likely outcomes to gauge the potential severity of the threat. This helps in prioritizing which threats need immediate attention and strategic response.
• Use Reliable Sources : Base your identification of threats on solid, reliable information. This might include industry reports, economic forecasts, and news sources that provide insights into market dynamics and external conditions.
• Consider Your Weaknesses : Link potential threats to your identified weaknesses. Understanding how external threats could exploit your vulnerabilities offers valuable insights for fortifying your business against these challenges.

Example: Instead of broadly stating “Economic uncertainty,” a more actionable description of a threat would be: “The looming economic downturn poses a significant threat to discretionary consumer spending. Given our business’s reliance on non-essential luxury products, a reduction in consumer spending could directly impact sales. This economic uncertainty requires us to diversify our product offerings and identify more value-oriented options to maintain customer engagement and spending during tighter economic conditions.”

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La matrice SWOT

L'analyse SWOT ou matrice SWOT (pour Forces, Faiblesses, Opportunités et Menaces en français) est un outils d'analyse stratégique de l'entreprise. Elle permet de réaliser un diagnostic avant de lancer son projet. Sont objectif est d'évaluer la pertinence d'une stratégie future. Mais pour obtenir une analyse pertinente des résultats de cette matrice, elle doit être réalisée sérieusement et de manière exhaustive.

Vous êtes ici :

• Définition de l'analyse SWOT
• Les 2 axes de l'analyse SWOT

Les 5 étapes pour faire une analyse SWOT

Application du modèle, le conseil de creer-mon-business-plan.fr, définition de l’analyse swot.

La matrice SWOT , acronyme anglophone de S trengths, W eaknesses, O pportunites et T hreats, permet d’obtenir une vision synthétique d’une situation en présentant les F orces et les F aiblesses de l’entreprise ainsi que les O pportunités et les M enaces potentielles (en français, on parle d’analyse FFOM). L’intérêt de la matrice SWOT est qu’il permet de rassembler et de croiser les analyses interne et externe avec les environnements micro et macro de l’entreprise. La matrice SWOT permet ainsi d’obtenir une vision globale sur l’environnement de votre entreprise en ne se limitant pas seulement à la concurrence ou à la demande. À partir de votre analyse SWOT vous pourrez ainsi justifier et/ou adapter votre stratégie d’entreprise et démontrer à vos partenaires votre capacité à comprendre et anticiper votre environnement. Cet outil analyse stratégique du business plan pour être compléter avec une analyse PESTEL .

Les 2 axes de l’analyse SWOT

L’axe interne.

Il permet d’avoir une vue des caractérisitiques interne de l’entreprise ou de l’organisation. On oppose les forces et les faiblesses du secteur d’activités exploitées. Les principales composantes de cette étude sont : les RH, la production, les capacités financières, le savoir-faire de l’entreprise, etc.

Ce sont les points positifs internes à l’entreprise qui lui procurent un avantage durable. Exemple : Création de produits à forte valeur ajoutée.

LES FAIBLESSES

Par opposition aux forces, ce sont les points négatifs internes à l’entreprise avec une marge d’amélioration substantielle. Exemple : Absence de notoriété hors de France.

L’AXE EXTERNE

Il offre une vision exhaustive des éléments qui peuvent avoir un impact (positif ou négatif) sur l’entreprise ou l’organisation.

LES OPPORTUNITÉS

Ce sont les facteurs extérieurs ou les situations dont l’entreprise peut tirer parti. Exemple : Ouverture d’un nouveau marché à l’étranger.

LES MENACES

Elles regroupent les problèmes, obstacles ou freins extérieurs qui peuvent nuire au développement du projet. Exemple : Augmentation du cours de l’euro par rapport au dollar.

La matrice SWOT dans le cadre d’un projet de création d’entreprise doit avant tout être opérationnelle. Elle doit en effet permettre au créateur d’entreprise d’avoir une vision réelle de son environnement. Alors pour ne pas procrastiner et allez rapidement à l’essentiel, suivez nos 5 étapes, elles sont la garantie d’une analyse pertinente.

1ère étape : la constitution d’une équipe

Regroupez un panel d’acteurs de l’entreprise et de votre futur marché (clients et partenaires). L’objectif est de ne pas s’enfermer dans une seule vision de votre environnement mais au contraire de se donner l’opportunité d’avoir une vision globale.

2ème étape : la préparation

Remetez à chaque personne un premier modèle d’analyse SWOT pré-complété avec les informations déjà validées sur votre environnement. Pour réalisez ce document une simple recherche de premier niveau sur internet permet de les obtenir. Chaque participant doit alors les commenter et proposer des forces, faiblesses, menaces et opportunités.

3ème étape : le brainstorming

Maintenance que chaque participant a pu réfléchir aux 4 axes de la matrice SWOT, vous allez pouvoir animer un « brainstorming ». Son objectif est double : confronter les idées des participants et permettre l’émergence de nouvelles propositions. Si vous n’avez jamais animé ce type d’atelier, voici les 3 grandes règles à suivre :

• Tous les participants doivent s’exprimer.
• Aucune idée n’est mauvaise.
• Encourager les participants à rebondir entre eux/

4ème étape : la création de la matrice SWOT

Pour rapprocher et organiser les différents éléments apporter par le brainstorming, vous pouvez utiliser un diagramme d’affinité . l permet de regrouper les propositions par similarité. Chacun peut argumenter pour défendre sa suggestion si nécessaire. Vous devez ensuite classer les résultats par priorités (importance, urgence, niveau de risque). L’objectif est de faire ressortir un podium pour chaque axe de l’analyse SWOT.

5ème étape : la synthèse

Après avoir remercier les participants, vous devez prendre du recul sur le travail réalisé. Une fois quelques jours passés, vous pourrez reprendre le travail réalisé avec votre panel afin d’affiner votre audit stratégique SWOT.

Une fois la matrice SWOT complétée, il est nécessaire de mettre en place une stratégie : d’une part insister sur les points forts et profiter des opportunités du projet ; d’autre part surmonter les faiblesses pour prévenir les menaces. Il existe quatre grandes stratégies à appliquer après une analyse SWOT :

• L’offensive de l’expansion , qui consiste à utiliser les forces en interne pour profiter des opportunités de l’environnement. Exemple : profiter de la forte valeur ajoutée de ses produits pour se positionner sur un nouveau marché.
• La défensive de l’expansion , qui s’axe sur l’amélioration et le développement en interne des points faibles de l’entreprise pour saisir les opportunités de l’environnement. Exemple : développer sa notoriété à l’international pour se positionner sur un nouveau marché.
• La défense , qui a pour objectif d’utiliser au mieux les forces et les atouts de l’entreprise pour se protéger des différentes menaces de l’environnement. Exemple : renforcer son positionnement haut de gamme pour diminuer l’influence des variations du cours de la monnaie sur les exportations.
• Le repositionnement ou la diversification , qui consiste à diminuer les faiblesses pour réduire la vulnérabilité de l’entreprise face aux menaces extérieures. Exemple : améliorer l’image de l’entreprise à l’étranger pour garder un niveau d’exportation stable malgré le désavantage causé par les fluctuations monétaires.

L’ analyse SWOT débouche donc sur 4 stratégies. Pour que ces dernières soient efficaces vous devez garder à l’esprit plusieurs éléments quand vous travaillez sur votre matrice. Vous devez être réaliste , objectif et pragmatique pour faire une analyse SWOT cohérente. Vous pouvez vous inspirer de l’analyse SWOT de la marque coca-cola pour avoir une représentation réelle d’une matrice pour une entreprise.

La matrice SWOT est l’outil indispensable lorsque votre entreprise est face à une opportunité potentielle ou pendant la rédaction de votre business plan. L’analyse SWOT permet d’analyser les enjeux du projet, que ce soit pour le lancement d’un nouveau produit, l’implantation sur un nouveau secteur géographique ou la mise en place d’un nouveau plan marketing . Facile d’utilisation et applicable plus rapidement que les analyses Porter ou Pestel , elle permet de définir la stratégie la plus adaptée pour chaque projet de votre entreprise.Vous pouvez utilisez cet outil pour créer en ligne votre matrice swot . Pour compléter l’analyse de votre business plan :

• La matrice BCG
• Le Besoin en fonds de roulement BFR
• L’analyse concurrentielle
• La matrice des 9 blocs
• L’analyse Pestel
• Les 5 forces de Porter
• Fixer les prix
• Les ratios financiers

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Réussir sa matrice SWOT : Méthode en 5 étapes + Exemple

Qu’est-ce qu’une analyse SWOT ?

Que contient une matrice swot (exemple), comment réaliser une analyse swot en 5 étapes , exemple de matrice swot, comment analyser une matrice swot .

Créez votre étude de marché

L’analyse SWOT (ou « matrice SWOT ») permet de définir les forces et faiblesses ainsi que les opportunités et menaces d’une entreprise.

C’est un bon exercice à faire au moment de la réalisation du business plan mais aussi dès que l’entreprise est confrontée à une problématique.

Chaque élément peut être comparé à d’autres pour faire émerger des solutions.

Pour réaliser cette analyse SWOT, vous devez rassembler des données pertinentes, échanger avec les membres de votre équipe puis construire votre matrice.

Définition de SWOT

L’acronyme SWOT signifie en anglais « strengths, weaknesses, opportunities et threats » . Il s’agit d’une analyse stratégique détaillée permettant de se pencher sur 4 éléments clés d’une entreprise pour faire un diagnostic sur une problématique donnée.

Elle tient compte d’une part des facteurs internes à l’entreprise :

S, pour ses forces (strengths) ;

W, pour ses faiblesses (weaknesses).

Et d’autre part, des facteurs externes à l'entreprise :

O, pour ses opportunités (opportunities) ;

T, pour ses menaces (threats).

Pourquoi faire une analyse SWOT ?

L’analyse SWOT est simple à réaliser mais elle peut vous aider à solutionner des problèmes si vous créez votre entreprise ou si vous envisagez de lancer une nouvelle offre. Elle peut ainsi être utilisée au stade du business plan (pour l' évaluation du chiffre d’affaires , des besoins en trésorerie , etc.).

Elle permet un brainstorming complémentaire avec les outils marketing habituels comme le business model canvas , le mix marketing , etc. Grâce à elle, vous pourrez également prendre du recul et vérifier que vos objectifs sont alignés avec les actions mises en place.

En plus, elle tient compte des facteurs internes et externes à l’entreprise. En clair, c’est un outil de prise de décision très utile pour le chef d’entreprise !

⏰ Vous pouvez utiliser la matrice SWOT à tout moment dans l’entreprise, dès qu’elle doit faire face à une problématique précise .

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S pour strengths : l es forces

Vous devez vous pencher sur vos points forts et la valeur ajoutée de l’entreprise.

Les questions à vous poser pour identifier les forces internes de l’entreprise :

Quelles sont les choses qui fonctionnent bien actuellement ?

Quels sont les éléments appréciés par votre cible ?

Qu’est-ce qui vous différencie de vos concurrents ?

Que faites-vous mieux qu’eux ?

Possédez-vous des ressources uniques ou un avantage concurrentiel que vos concurrents n’ont pas ?

Un service client agréable et disponible, un produit novateur, une marque forte, une équipe soudée…

W pour weaknesses : les faiblesses

Faites marcher votre esprit critique pour évaluer les limites actuelles de votre entreprise.

Les questions à vous poser pour identifier les faiblesses internes de l’entreprise :

Qu’est-ce qui fonctionne moins bien ?

Quels sont les éléments qu’il serait possible d’améliorer ?

Quels sont les freins actuels, les ressources manquantes ?

Qu’est-ce que vos clients vous reprochent ?

Quels sont les obstacles dans votre tunnel de conversion ?

Un service client défaillant, des coûts non maîtrisés, une stratégie commerciale qui ne porte pas ses fruits…

O pour opportunities : les opportunités

Il s’agit des évolutions potentielles de l’entreprise qui pourraient être mises en œuvre pour développer l’entreprise.

Les questions importantes pour évaluer les opportunités :

Comment l’entreprise pourrait-elle se développer ?

Quels sont les moyens que l’entreprise n’a pas exploités ?

Quelle stratégie marketing l’entreprise pourrait-elle initier ?

Vos ressources sont-elles affectées efficacement ?

Votre clientèle exprime-t-elle de nouveaux besoins ?

Quelles sont les lacunes de la concurrence ?

Le développement de nouveaux canaux d’acquisition, la révision de vos dépenses et l’ajustement de vos investissements dans le plan de financement , une meilleure organisation du temps, la conquête d’un nouveau marché…

T pour threats : les menaces

Les menaces sont les facteurs externes susceptibles d’entraîner des problèmes et présentant un risque pour le développement de l’entreprise.

Pour mettre en exergue les menaces existantes dans votre domaine d’activité, posez-vous les questions suivantes :

Quelles sont les tendances du marché ?

Les évolutions actuelles pourraient-elles avoir un impact négatif sur votre business ?

Quelles informations pouvez-vous tirer de l' analyse concurrentielle ?

L’arrivée d’une nouvelle concurrence, une réglementation instable, un manque de ressources budgétaires…

Étape 1 : Définir des objectifs : dans quel but réalisez-vous cette matrice ?

Étape 2 : Recueillez des données pour alimenter chaque cadran de la matrice grâce à un diagnostic interne et un diagnostic externe. Vous pouvez vous appuyer sur les chiffres de l’entreprise, des études de marché , des données marketing et commerciales, des enquêtes réalisées auprès des clients…

Étape 3 : Organisez un brainstorming en groupe sur chaque élément pour trouver davantage d’idées. N’hésitez pas à regrouper des personnes d’horizon différent pour un maximum de créativité.

Étape 4 : Faites le tri et sélectionnez les idées les plus importantes pour construire votre matrice. Gardez au maximum 5 points par cadran.

Étape 5 : Analysez les données et mettez-les en lien pour découvrir des solutions pour chaque problème soulevé.

☝️ Nos conseils pour réussir son analyse SWOT : appuyez-vous sur des faits concrets , restez synthétique et définissez un problème précis à solutionner pour être plus pertinent.

Découvrez notre modèle de SWOT vierge à télécharger.

Voici un exemple pour mieux comprendre comment fonctionne une analyse SWOT.

Alban vient de lancer sa pizzeria à Marseille. Après 1 an d’activité, il décide de faire le point sur son business en réalisant une analyse SWOT.

Les forces de la pizzeria : Alban a grandi en Italie. Il tient la recette de sa pizza de sa grand-mère et il sait que ses clients l’adorent. Par ailleurs, il possède une expérience en cuisine acquise après plusieurs années dans divers restaurants qui lui permet de gérer sa pizzeria d’une main de maestro.

Les faiblesses de l’activité : il ne connaît pas grand-chose en marketing. Il ne maîtrise pas les réseaux sociaux et se repose actuellement uniquement sur le bouche-à-oreille pour faire connaître sa pizzeria.

Les opportunités stratégiques : il pense qu’il a encore une certaine marge de manœuvre et pourrait faire plus de pizzas. Mais pour cela, il lui faut plus de clients. Il envisage de créer un compte Instagram pour augmenter sa visibilité, mettre en valeur son travail et donner envie aux clients de venir. Un partenariat avec le bar juste à côté de la pizzeria pourrait également être intéressant pour vendre plus de pizzas.

Les menaces externes : Alban a entendu parler d’un nouveau business model : l’installation de machines qui délivrent des pizzas sur demande à toutes les heures du jour et de la nuit. Manque de chance, l’une d’elles s’est installée par loin de son établissement.

Bon à savoir

Une bonne idée pour faire une analyse SWOT consiste aussi à hiérarchiser les informations dans chaque case par ordre d’importance.

Les différentes situations possibles

Une fois votre matrice réalisée, il ne faut pas s’arrêter là ! Vous devez trouver des solutions en mettant en rapport les différents carrés de la matrice.

Forces/opportunités : c’est la meilleure des situations. Il y a des opportunités et vous avez des atouts à faire valoir pour en profiter !

Faiblesses/opportunités : vous avez identifié des opportunités mais vous n’avez pas les ressources nécessaires pour les exploiter.

Forces/menaces : vous avez des avantages pertinents à mettre en avant pour désamorcer la menace.

Faiblesses/menaces : vous pourriez être fragilisé face à une menace en raison de vos faiblesses potentielles. La situation peut être dangereuse.

Exemple d'analyse de matrice SWOT

On va reprendre l’exemple de Alban avec sa pizzeria pour analyser sa matrice SWOT et trouver des solutions :

Alban présente des faiblesses, notamment les réseaux sociaux. Pourtant, il sait aussi qu’Instagram représente une opportunité ! Il devra donc soit embaucher quelqu’un pour combler ce besoin de personnel , soit se former .

Pour les machines à pizzas, Alban peut utiliser ses forces, à savoir sa cuisine italienne typique et savoureuse pour atténuer la menace. Il doit mettre cet atout en valeur, par exemple, en mettant en avant son expertise sur le menu avec une mention comme « pizzas artisanales cuites au feu de bois par un chef italien ».

✅ Soyez créatif pour trouver des solutions qui vous permettront de compenser vos points négatifs et d’exploiter au maximum les opportunités qui pourraient se présenter !

💡Vous pouvez complétez votre analyse SWOT avec la méthode des 5 forces de Porter pour identifier l'intensité concurrentielle de votre marché.

Questions fréquentes

Quelle est la différence entre swot et pestel , quels sont les 4 cadrans d’une matrice swot , est-il possible de faire son analyse swot seul(e) .

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Swot analysis: how to strengthen your business plan.

Introduction

Every business, big or small needs a solid plan to succeed. A well-constructed business plan takes into account the strengths and weaknesses of a company and the opportunities and threats present in the marketplace. One of the most useful tools for assessing these factors is the SWOT analysis as it provides a comprehensive overview of a company's current situation and potential for growth. In this article, we will discuss what a SWOT analysis is, why it is important for businesses, who should conduct it, and how to conduct it effectively.

What is a SWOT analysis?

Have you ever wondered how businesses manage to evaluate all the internal and external factors that could affect their success? Welcome to the SWOT analysis. It's a strategic planning tool that helps businesses identify their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Strengths refer to internal factors that give a company an edge over its competitors. Think of a strong brand, loyal customer base, experienced employees, or efficient operations. Weaknesses, on the other hand, are internal factors that put a company at a disadvantage. These could be a weak brand, lack of funding, inexperienced employees, or outdated technology .

But what about external factors that could impact a business's success? That's where Opportunities and Threats come in. Opportunities are external factors that could help a company grow and succeed. This could include a growing market, new trends, technological advancements, or changes in regulations. Threats, on the other hand, are external factors that could harm a company's growth and success. Examples of threats could be economic downturns, increased competition, changes in consumer behavior, or natural disasters.

By conducting a SWOT analysis, businesses can make informed decisions about their strategic initiatives. By focusing their resources on areas with the greatest potential for growth and competitive advantage, businesses can increase their profitability, market share, and long-term success. So, whether you're a business strategist, executive, manager, or consultant, SWOT analysis can provide a fresh perspective on your company's current situation and potential for growth .

Why is a SWOT analysis important for businesses?

A SWOT analysis is essential for developing a business plan that maximizes a company's strengths, minimizes its weaknesses, and takes advantage of opportunities while mitigating threats.

Here are some of the reasons why a SWOT analysis is important for businesses:

• Identifies key areas for improvement By conducting the SWOT analysis, businesses can gain a better understanding of their internal weaknesses and external threats, which enables them to prioritize areas for improvement. They can then focus their resources and efforts on those areas, which can help them become more competitive and improve their overall performance.
• Maximizes the strength of businesses In addition to identifying areas for improvement, SWOT analysis also helps businesses identify their strengths. By leveraging these strengths, businesses can differentiate themselves from their competitors and take advantage of their competitive advantages. This can lead to increased market share, improved profitability, and overall success.
• Mitigates threats SWOT analysis can help businesses identify potential threats to their operations and take proactive measures to mitigate them. This could include diversifying their product or service offerings, investing in risk management strategies, or developing contingency plans to minimize the impact of unforeseen events.
• Takes advantage of potential opportunities In addition to mitigating threats, SWOT analysis can also help businesses identify potential opportunities for growth and success. By capitalizing on these opportunities, businesses can increase their market share, expand their customer base, and improve their overall performance.
• Provides a comprehensive overview Finally, SWOT analysis provides a comprehensive overview of a company's internal and external factors. This can help businesses develop a well-informed business plan that takes into account their current situation and potential for growth. By developing a strategic plan based on the SWOT analysis, businesses can increase their chances of success and achieve their long-term goals.

How to conduct a SWOT analysis?

Now that we know what a SWOT analysis is and why it is important for businesses, let's discuss how to conduct a SWOT analysis effectively. Here are the steps involved:

• Define the objective: The first step in conducting a SWOT analysis is to define the objective. What is the purpose of the analysis? What are the specific goals that the analysis aims to achieve? Defining the objective will help focus the analysis and ensure that it is relevant to the specific needs of the business.
• Gather information: Once you have defined the objective, the next step is to gather information about the business, its industry, and its competitors. This can include things like financial reports, customer feedback, market research, and competitor analysis.
• Identify strengths: What are the things that the business does well? What advantages does it have over its competitors? This can include things like a strong brand, loyal customer base, experienced employees, and efficient operations.
• Identify weaknesses: The next step is to identify the weaknesses of the business. What are the areas that need improvement? What disadvantages does it have compared to its competitors? This can include things like a weak brand, lack of funding, inexperienced employees, and outdated technology.
• Identify opportunities: To identify the opportunities available to the business , you need to address questions such as, What are the trends in the industry? What changes in regulations could benefit the business? What new technologies are emerging? This can include things like a growing market, new trends, technological advancements, and changes in regulations.
• Identify threats: The final step is to identify the threats to the business. What are the economic, social, and environmental factors that could impact the business negatively? What are the risks associated with the current situation and potential growth opportunities? This can include things like economic downturns, increased competition, changes in consumer behavior, and natural disasters.

Once the SWOT analysis is complete, the next step is to use the information to develop a strategic plan that maximizes the strengths of the business, minimizes its weaknesses, takes advantage of opportunities, and mitigates threats.

Who should conduct a SWOT analysis and what are the benefits?

A SWOT analysis can be conducted by anyone involved in the strategic planning process of a business. This can include business strategists , executives, managers, and consultants. Here are some of the benefits of conducting a SWOT analysis:

• Provides a fresh perspective on a company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, allowing for a more objective view of the situation.
• Facilitates strategic decision-making that enables businesses to make informed strategic decisions based on their current situation and potential for growth.
• Helps prioritize action items based on their importance and potential impact to the business.
• Encourages collaboration among team members, allowing for a more comprehensive analysis of the situation.
• Enables risk assessment associated with their current situation and potential growth opportunities.
• Improves communication among team members, ensuring that everyone is on the same page regarding the current situation and potential for growth.

This information helps businesses to prioritize their key strategic initiatives, focus their resources on areas with the greatest potential for growth and competitive advantage, and develop a strategic plan that aligns with their goals and objectives. Ultimately, a SWOT analysis helps businesses to make more effective strategic decisions that can lead to increased profitability, market share, and long-term success.

Example of a SWOT analysis

To help illustrate the SWOT analysis process, let's take a look at an example of a SWOT analysis for a company in the fashion industry:

• Strong brand recognition
• Innovative designs
• Loyal customer base
• Experienced and skilled designers and staff
• Efficient production processes
• Limited distribution channels
• Dependence on a few key suppliers
• High production costs
• Lack of international presence
• Limited online presence

Opportunities

• Growing demand for sustainable fashion
• Emerging markets in Asia and South America
• Expansion into e-commerce
• Partnership with influencers and celebrities
• Diversification of product offerings
• Economic downturns and recessions
• Increased competition from established and emerging brands
• Shifting consumer preferences and trends
• Changes in regulations and trade policies
• Disruptive technologies and innovations

Using this SWOT analysis, the company could focus on expanding its distribution channels and international presence, reducing production costs, and investing in sustainable and diverse product offerings.

Q: Is a SWOT analysis only for large businesses? A: No, a SWOT analysis is beneficial for businesses of all sizes, including small businesses.

Q: Can a SWOT analysis be conducted for a specific project or product? A: Yes, a SWOT analysis can be conducted for a specific project or product to evaluate its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Q: How often should a SWOT analysis be conducted? A: It is recommended to conduct a SWOT analysis at least once a year or whenever there are significant changes in the industry, competition, or business environment.

Q: What should I do with the information gathered from a SWOT analysis? A: The information gathered from a SWOT analysis should be used to develop a strategic plan that maximizes strengths, minimizes weaknesses, takes advantage of opportunities, and mitigates threats.

In conclusion, a SWOT analysis is an important tool that can help businesses of all sizes and industries to identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. By conducting a SWOT analysis, businesses can gain a better understanding of their current situation and potential growth opportunities, enabling them to make informed business decisions and develop effective business strategies. As a strategic leader or business strategist, it is important to conduct a SWOT analysis regularly to stay up-to-date with changes in the industry and competition, and ensure that your business plan is relevant and effective in achieving your business goals.

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How to do a SWOT Analysis in 7 Steps (with Examples & Template)

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool that an organization can use to thoroughly evaluate a business or product. SWOT is an acronym that stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. 

It allows businesses to evaluate their company’s competitive advantage and the flaws of its current business model and create strategies to capitalize on or reduce these observations.

In this article, we’ll discuss the key steps on how to do a SWOT analysis and give several brief examples highlighting the strategy being utilized in different situations.

How To do a SWOT Analysis?

One of the best things about performing a SWOT analysis is that it can be learned quite quickly and mastered with just a few attempts. Even though each framework is individualized, here are the basic steps involved in building a standard SWOT analysis .

Step 1: Determine Your Objective

Before embarking on a SWOT, it is vital to define your objectives. This could include things such as developing a comprehensive schematic of the business model and organization as well as the interactions between the various components, determining the competitive advantage and weaknesses of a new product before its rollout, or determining the feasibility of a new policy.

Step 2: Gather the Necessary Resources

During this stage, it is crucial to determine the resources that would be necessary for you to carry out the exercise, note which of these are accessible, gather these materials, verify the authenticity and reliability of this data, and what limitations you face in terms of data gathering and accuracy. It is also important to ensure that this data is gathered from different sources, perspectives, and levels of the organization to enable you to create a holistic SWOT analysis.

Step 3: Craft a List of Inferences Using the Data

After obtaining data from a wide range of sources, analyze these facts into helpful information and use them to form evidence-based observ–ations. For example, a business that has maintained a strong growth trajectory and a healthy balance sheet over the years can be said to have positive fiscal indicators.

This stage should be akin to a brainstorming session, with members from different divisions within the organization as well as external parties, being allowed to contribute significantly. At this stage, the focus is more on getting as many points as possible, rather than the relevancy or credibility of these inferences.

Step 4: Compile This Information Into the Relevant Sections

After making several key points such as the one above, each of these inferences should be arranged in the relevant sections (namely strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) using the general principles outlined in the article.

Step 5: Refine These Ideas

Here, the ideas which have been obtained are further refined and can be prioritized according to relevance and importance. Points that are less credible or only minimally important can as well be discarded, allowing you to craft a more concise schematic.

Step 6: Draw the SWOT Analysis Table

The final step is crafting a swot analysis table. This involves creating a matrix and dividing it into four sections. The internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) are listed above, with the strengths on the left and the weaknesses on the right. On the other hand, the external factors (opportunities and threats) are listed below, with opportunities on the left and threats on the right. Simply list your key points under the appropriate sections to complete the SWOT analysis.

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Step 7: Craft Your Strategy

This is not technically a part of the SWOT analysis technique; however, it is important to remember that the entire point of creating this analytic framework was to carry out a strategic management plan. This means that the business will set out a series of plans to meet the objectives which it has previously outlined, as well as create some reliable metrics or milestones which enable it to measure its progress toward achieving these goals.

SWOT Analysis Examples

To better understand how a SWOT analysis is created, let’s take a look at some examples of SWOT analysis. We’ll analyze three examples, the multinational activewear brand Nike , a hypothetical mom-and-pop diner called Joe’s Brooklyn Burgers, and another hypothetical scenario involving a new product rollout.

Large Company SWOT Analysis — Nike SWOT Analysis

From their iconic “swoosh” logo to their equally iconic range of footwear, Nike, Inc. is one of the most easily recognizable activewear brands in the world. While probably best known for its range of iconic footwear, most notably the Air Jordan brand of sneakers, Nike, Inc. is also a leading brand in other sports gear, such as activewear, sports equipment, and wearable fitness tech.

The Nike business model is famous for finding the perfect balance between fashion and functionality when it comes to their products, making them quite popular among both athletes and non-athletes alike. Let’s take a look through this Nike SWOT analysis , which was designed by our platform to figure out how the brand came to dominate the sportswear market.

• Solid brand equity: The brand has one of the most recognizable identities in the business world. Also, it commands solid brand equity (the commercial value of the public’s perception of its products or services). This is because the brand has cultivated a reputation associated with innovation, quality, and social justice;
• Low-cost manufacturing is a key part of its business model: Nike has invested heavily in low-cost manufacturing by outsourcing its manufacturing process to countries that have a favorable wage structure and investing in innovative technologies. This keeps costs low and profit margins high;
• Innovative marketing strategies: Through the smart use of celebrity endorsements, iconic marketing campaigns, effective use of social media, and iconic imagery like the Nike “swoosh” logo, the brand has aligned itself with positive associations such as innovation, stylishness, maximum performance, winning, and self-empowerment;
• Increasing direct-to-consumer sales: Nike has increased direct-to-consumer sales by cutting ties with its major retailers and investing in e-commerce. This increases its profit margin, brand visibility, and control over its image;
• Impressive R&D department: The company is well known for outspending its closest competitors in this area. It has introduced some of the most iconic developments in competitive sportswear, making it a favorite for many top athletes.
• Controversial labor practices: Several reports published in the late 1990s indicated that the low-cost manufacturing strategy used by Nike may have involved unethical labor practices such as poor working conditions, long working hours, and abysmal pay;
• The brand is too dependent on its U.S. market: Nike is seen as a global brand, but careful analysis shows a significant portion of its revenue comes from the U.S. market. This leaves the company vulnerable to market shocks or economic downturns within the U.S. market;
• Worrying about financial indicators: While Nike is still by far the most valuable sports apparel company in the world, recent worrying financial trends have been brought to the spotlight. One of them is the steadily increasing long-term debt profile of the company. It is also worrisome that the company’s profit margins have steadily declined over the past few years;
• Unfavorable relationship with retailers: Using third-party retailers exposes the company to some of the disadvantages associated with this strategy, such as lower profit margins, as well as less control over their branding, and the risk of counterfeit merchandise;
• Reduced quality control: One of the disadvantages of outsourcing your manufacturing process is that you have reduced control over the quality of your products. Outsourcing can also increase the risk of the market being flooded with counterfeit Nike products.

Opportunities

• Investing in new markets: Nike still has room to expand its role as a global market by making inroads into new markets, such as increasing their presence in Europe, Africa, and Asian markets outside of China;
• Diversify their product range: Another area the brand could look into is investing in sports technology, such as wearable sports gear like smartwatches and other forms of digital sports technology. They could also invest in promoting their other sports products besides footwear;
• Invest in new technologies: This includes examples such as anti-counterfeiting technology, green energy, and more efficient sportswear technology.
• Counterfeit Nike products: Counterfeit products reduce the trust customers have in brand quality and create a negative brand image. This is especially important for Nike because the brand is one of the most counterfeited in the world, with footwear being one of the most commonly faked products;
• Competition from other brands: Nike is significantly ahead of other sporting wear companies such as Adidas, Reebok, Under Armour, and Puma. However, some of these companies, such as Adidas, command a significant market share and pull in revenue that is indeed threatening Nike’s continued dominance of the industry;
• High-profile patent disputes: As one of the market leaders in terms of research and development, Nike fiercely protects its intellectual property, such as patents. Therefore, it was certainly newsworthy when the company got into a series of legal battles with its nearest competitor Adidas over accusations of patent infringement related to the Nike Flyknit technology;
• International trade tensions: As an international brand, Nike is exposed to the nuances of trade agreements, embargoes, protectionism, as well as trade tensions;
• Its competitors are investing more heavily in advertising: Nike spends more than its closest competitor Adidas on advertising, having spent approximately $3.8 billion on advertising in 2018 (less than 10% of its total revenue), while Adidas spent $3.5 billion (representing roughly 14% of its total revenue) in that same year.

The objective of this SWOT analysis was to identify the competitive advantage of the brand and educate readers on how the corporation came to dominate the world of activewear. This was identified to be its strong brand equity, low-cost manufacturing, heavy investment in innovative technologies, as well as improving direct-to-consumer sales.

Small Business SWOT Analysis — Bob’s Brooklyn Burgers

Next, let’s take a look at a SWOT analysis for a small, independent restaurant called Bob’s Brooklyn Burgers. This will allow us to examine how the SWOT analysis of a small business differs from that of a large multinational corporation.

Our hypothetical business is a small, family-owned diner based in Brooklyn that caters to a number of local customers and offers a unique Brooklyn-themed menu. The business has been operating successfully over several decades but has run into some lean times in recent years. Let’s examine the SWOT analysis of this business to better understand the issues it faces and as well craft a brief outline of how it can reclaim its former glory.

Proximity to customers. One of the advantages of being a locally popular restaurant is that they are closer to their customers, which gives them local dominance as well as an advantage over franchised restaurants that may be located further away.

• They offer a great customer experience: The restaurant offers amazing customer service due to the personalized nature of its services, its familiarity with regular customers as well as its unique branding style, which resonates with locals;
• The restaurant is known for its top-notch cuisine: One advantage the diner enjoys as a small independent restaurant is greater control over its supply chains and, by extension, greater control over the quality of its ingredients and food. This means that the restaurant can offer higher cuisine than fast-food restaurants;
• The establishment has a great reputation: Bob’s Brooklyn Burgers has been a trusted part of the community for over two decades and has built a reputation for itself as a great local destination for top-notch cuisine as well as an enjoyable dining experience. Not only does this help it retain its pool of loyal clientele, but it has also transformed the location into a local hotspot for tourists and NY-themed food enthusiasts;
• Their small size offers them a greater degree of flexibility: Another key advantage enjoyed by the restaurant is the advantage that being a small, independent business offers in terms of flexibility. This allows for quicker decision-making and rapid changes in internal policies to deal with new challenges. It also allows the business to take more risks in the form of pivots and brand adjustments due to a more streamlined decision-making process;
• A strong workplace culture: As we mentioned earlier, Bob’s Brooklyn Burgers is a family-owned establishment. A significant number of employees are either directly related to the owner or close associates, and have worked at the establishment for years. This creates a positive work environment due to their familiarity with each other and experiences working together, which in turn increases efficiency and enhances customer satisfaction.
• Low-profit margin: Despite its popularity and great reputation, due to several factors, including mounting debt, poor financial management, and rising labor costs, the restaurant has been operating on an increasingly thin profit margin. This poses a significant challenge to the growth and continued existence of the business if not properly addressed either through increasing revenue or cutting down costs;
• Lack of professional services: Similar to most small businesses, the diner suffers from a lack of professional expertise in certain areas such as marketing, accounting as well as legal services. Therefore, these services are often carried out by untrained staff, thereby reducing efficiency and driving up costs in terms of both man-hours lost and monetary losses;
• Poor management: Despite the best efforts of its management staff, the diner has been suffering from poor oversight and a range of conflicting internal policies, which have reduced the overall efficiency of the business;
• Lack of professional hiring practices: Bob’s Brooklyn Burgers is a family-owned establishment and thus maintains a rather informal hiring process. While this may create a familiar, friendly, and cozy working environment, it does so at the cost of hiring the best possible staff. This leads to employing personnel who may not be optimally suited for certain roles, as well as makes the process of letting go of staff difficult;
• Higher per unit costs: The business also runs higher per unit costs than larger restaurant franchises that enjoy the advantages of economies of scale as well as bulk purchases. This further drives up operating costs and reduces the profit margins of the business.
• Outsourcing some of its key operations: Bob’s Brooklyn Burgers would do well to outsource several specialized functions within its business operation, such as advertising and marketing, accounting, and legal services. Not only will they enjoy increased efficiency by allowing professionals to handle these tasks, but it also allows both staff and management to focus on tasks for which they are better suited;
• Further expansion and scaling: Even though the business is quite successful locally, there is still much potential for expansion. It can capitalize on its popularity and positive reputation to build similarly themed restaurants and other iconic locations both within and outside the state;
• Diversification: Currently, the restaurant operates using a limited menu. While this is adequate for most local clientele, expanding the menu may attract more customers as well, this allows the restaurant to diversify and keep up with changing customer preferences;
• Expanding into online food delivery: Bob’s Brooklyn Burgers does not currently operate an online food delivery service. Creating such a service will increase its reach, further expanding its customer base and, by extension, revenue;
• Investing in a strong social media presence: Bob’s Brooklyn Burgers has not yet invested in the power of social media as a marketing tool as well as a customer channel which will allow them to reach out to a much broader and more diverse customer base.
• Changing government health regulations: Certain local legislation introduced by the state government has made it harder and more expensive for the business to source certain ingredients. This has driven up costs, further restricted their menu, and reduced their profit margin;
• Increasing competition from other dining establishments: The business has been facing increasing competition from both fast-food franchises and independent restaurants. This is a significant challenge to their local dominance and has eaten into their market share and, by extension, revenue;
• Lack of adequate access to capital: Small businesses such as Bob’s Brooklyn Burgers have a harder time accessing capital than larger franchises and businesses. This makes it harder for them to expand and also puts them in a more difficult situation during times of significant reductions in revenue, such as a global pandemic.

The objective of this SWOT analysis was to determine the issues plaguing the diner and help it design a strategy to improve its current business model. To achieve this, a matching and converting strategy will be used. This means that we will attempt to combine the strengths and opportunities of the business while converting the weaknesses and threats into positive indicators, or at least reducing their negative effects.

First of all, the company can outsource the various professional services listed above in order to enable it to focus on the parts of the business operation where it has a significant advantage over its competitors. This includes providing a top-notch customer experience as well as cooking top-quality meals.

Another option they could look into is utilizing the reach of social media as an avenue to build a strong online food delivery service. The fact that many of their customers are local and live relatively close to the establishment also makes this feasible. This also has the added advantage of diversifying their revenue stream .

Lastly, the company can focus on using its reputation for providing great meals as a focal point for expanding into new territories and new markets.

Product Rollout SWOT Analysis — The Turbo 2000 Product Rollout

Now that we have discussed how to perform a SWOT analysis on both large and small companies, let’s focus on the last example in this article: How to perform a SWOT analysis on a hypothetical product launch.

For this example, we will perform a SWOT analysis on the rollout of a hypothetical high-end gas stove known as the Turbo Burner 2000. This example will highlight the competitive advantage of the product as well as the challenges it may face during its launch.

• The product is coming from a well-trusted brand: One of the advantages enjoyed by the Turbo Burner 2000 is that the product comes from a well-respected company with strong brand equity and a reputation for making top-notch cooking appliances. This will boost consumer confidence and encourage more people to purchase the product;
• It makes use of revolutionary cooking ware technology: The product incorporates revolutionary gas stove technology and has been found to increase thermal efficiency and reduce fuel consumption. This helps cut down costs in the long run, shorten cooking time, reduce emissions, and enhance customer satisfaction with the entire process;
• Targeted branding and marketing: The company has created a niche for itself and is the go-to brand for high-end cooking appliances and equipment. They cater to a range of customers who may require such products, including professional chefs, restaurants, and middle- to upper-class cooking enthusiasts. 

Catering to a narrow niche allows them to better target their branding efforts and increase their profit margin by focusing resources on their key market, which reduces their customer acquisition cost. It also creates an impression of exclusivity, which only serves to further drive up the image of the company as a luxury brand;

• Improved product design and ergonomics: The new product has a more ergonomic design than its predecessor and is very user-friendly. It is made from lighter materials, making it more portable as well as compact. There are also more useful functions, such as a sleeker self-lighting feature, color-coded indicator lights, and a more sensitive temperature control;
• Backed by a company in a strong financial position: The parent company of the product is currently enjoying a strong financial position, which helps them to financially support the launch of the new product in terms of marketing and advertising;
• Very successful first model: The first model (the Turbo Burner 1000) was a massive success within the cooking industry and likely encouraged many buyers to upgrade to the newer model.
• The product is quite expensive: The Turbo Burner 2000 is quite costly for a gas stove, and this is likely going to scare off most buyers except professionals and cooking enthusiasts;
• It is seen as a luxury good: Even though gas stoves are used by people of all economic backgrounds, the price of the product, its marketing strategy, as well as the reputation of its parent brand has given it the image of a luxury product. This may alienate some buyers from utilizing the product, as well as runs the risk of creating a negative association with the brand;
• It is marketed to a narrow niche: While there are several advantages that come with targeting your product at a narrow portion of the market, there are also some drawbacks as well. First of all, it reduces your reach and may alienate a range of potential customers, leading to less actualized revenue. It also increases your vulnerability to rapid changes in market conditions and consumer sentiment, as your income is significantly less diversified;
• Costly R&D and marketing: The Turbo Burner 2000 is a top-notch product and required significant investment in R&D to design. Also, although the company caters to a much narrower niche than most competitors, its Customer Acquisition Costs are much higher.
• Expand its market share by offering cheaper versions: The brand could seek to diversify its business model by offering a range of cheaper alternatives to the standard model. This opens up the business to new customers and by extension increases its potential revenue. It also reduces their vulnerability to sudden shifts in market sentiment;
• Focusing on further innovation: The parent brand has a strong reputation for being an innovative powerhouse in the industry and can capitalize on the strong R&D department it has built to create more innovative technologies and improve on existing designs. This will help keep it a step ahead of its competitors and also increase the reputation of the brand as an innovator within the industry;
• Investing in sustainability: The fossil fuel industry has been under pressure in recent years and, by extension, materials and equipment are driven by fossil fuels. Investing in technologies and technologies that increase the eco-friendliness of the product is a great way to boost positive consumer associations with the brand;
• Increased supply chain efficiencies: By investing in improving the efficiency of its supply chain, the company can further drive down the cost of individual units of the product, increasing sales and also improving its profit margin as well.
• Supply chain disruptions: Significant disruptions to the supply chain of the product may lead to a wide variety of issues such as increased cost per unit as well as reduced production capacity. Overall, this may negatively affect the price or availability of the product and by extension its introduction into the market;
• Changing consumer sentiment: With more consumer interest in climate change and sustainable technologies, the fossil fuel industry and other industries which are dependent on it have attracted much criticism. For example, there has been increasing concern among consumers concerning the long-term health effects of cooking gas and its links to a range of chronic illnesses;
• Changing macroeconomics: Rapid changes in macroeconomics such as recessions and rapid rises in inflation weaken the purchasing power of buyers. This may affect the ability of a lot of individuals to purchase consumer goods such as high-end gas stoves;
• The success of the initial rollout. The widespread success of the first model may discourage buyers from upgrading to the newer product, even with the improved specifications.

Performing a SWOT analysis may be one of the most important activities that any business can carry out within its lifetime. Whether this is done regularly or just as a one-time evaluation, understanding how to get the best out of the technique is key to fully utilizing the benefits and understanding the limitations of the technique.

Who is Daniel Pereira ?

I love understanding strategy and innovation using the business model canvas tool so much that I decided to share my analysis by creating a website focused on this topic.

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SWOT analysis: Examples and templates

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 a baseline for 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.

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 to do a SWOT analysis, with examples 

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 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.

SWOT analysis template

A SWOT analysis template is often presented in a grid format, divided into four quadrants. Each quadrant represents one of the four elements. 

Use this free SWOT analysis template to jump-start your team’s strategic planning.

Identify the strengths that contribute to achieving your objectives. These are internal characteristics that give you an advantage. Some examples could be a strong brand reputation, an innovative culture, or an experienced management team.

Next, focus on weaknesses. These are internal factors that could serve as obstacles to achieving your objectives. Common examples might include a lack of financial resources, high operational costs, or outdated technology. 

Move on to the opportunities. These are external conditions that could be helpful in achieving your goals. For example, you might be looking at emerging markets, increased demand, or favorable shifts in regulations.

Lastly, let's address threats. These are external conditions that could negatively impact your objectives. Examples include increased competition or potential economic downturns.

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 .

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: Pros and cons

Although SWOT is a useful strategic planning tool for businesses and individuals alike, it does have limitations. Here’s what you can expect.

The simplicity of SWOT analysis makes it a go-to tool for many. Because it is simple, it takes the mystery out of strategic planning and lets people think critically about their situations without feeling overwhelmed. 

For instance, a small bakery looking to expand its operations can use SWOT analysis to easily understand its current standing. Identifying strengths like a loyal customer base, weaknesses such as limited seating space, opportunities like a rising trend in artisanal baked goods, and threats from larger chain bakeries nearby can all be accomplished without any specialized knowledge or technical expertise.

Versatility

Its versatile nature allows SWOT analysis to be used across various domains. Whether it’s a business strategizing for the future or an individual planning their career path, SWOT analysis lends itself well. 

For example, a tech start-up in the competitive Silicon Valley landscape could employ SWOT to navigate its pathway to profitability. Strengths might include a highly skilled development team; weaknesses could be a lack of brand recognition; opportunities might lie in emerging markets; and threats could include established tech giants. 

Meaningful analysis

SWOT excels in identifying external factors that could impact performance. It nudges organizations to look beyond the present and anticipate potential future scenarios. 

A retail company, for example, could use SWOT analysis to identify opportunities in e-commerce and threats from changing consumer behavior or new competitors entering the market. By doing so, the company can strategize on how to leverage online platforms to boost sales and counteract threats by enhancing the customer experience or adopting new technologies.

Subjectivity and bias

The subjective nature of SWOT analysis may lead to biases. It relies heavily on individual perceptions, which can sometimes overlook crucial data or misinterpret information, leading to skewed conclusions. 

For example, a manufacturing company might undervalue the threat of new entrants in the market due to an overconfidence bias among the management. This subjectivity might lead to a lack of preparation for competitive pricing strategies, ultimately affecting the company's market share.

Lack of prioritization

SWOT analysis lays out issues but falls short on prioritizing them. Organizations might struggle to identify which elements deserve immediate attention and resources. 

For instance, a healthcare provider identifying numerous opportunities for expansion into new services may become overwhelmed with the choices. Without a clear way to rank these opportunities, resources could be spread too thinly or given to projects that do not have as much of an impact, leading to less-than-ideal outcomes.

Static analysis

Since SWOT analysis captures a snapshot at a particular moment, it may miss the evolving nature of challenges and opportunities, possibly leading to outdated strategies. An example could be a traditional retail business that performs a SWOT analysis and decides to focus on expanding physical stores, overlooking the growing trend of e-commerce. As online shopping continues to evolve and gain popularity, the static analysis might lead to investment in areas with diminishing returns while missing out on the booming e-commerce market trend.

SWOT analysis FAQ

What are the five elements of swot analysis.

Traditionally, SWOT stands for its four main elements: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. However, a fifth essential element often overlooked is "actionable strategies." Originally developed by Albert Humphrey, SWOT is more than just a list—it's a planning tool designed to generate actionable strategies for making informed business decisions. This fifth element serves to tie the other four together, enabling departments like human resources and marketing to turn analysis into actionable plans.

What should a SWOT analysis include?

A comprehensive SWOT analysis should focus on the internal and external factors that affect your organization. Internally, consider your strong brand and product line as your strengths, and maybe your supply chain weaknesses. Externally, you'll want to look at market share, partnerships, and new technologies that could either pose opportunities or threats. You should also account for demographics, as it helps in market targeting and segmentation.

How do you write a good SWOT analysis?

Writing an effective SWOT analysis begins with research. Start by identifying your strengths, like a strong brand, and your weaknesses, like a small human resources department. Following that, look outward to find opportunities, possibly in technological advancement, and threats, like fluctuations in market share. Many businesses find it helpful to use a free SWOT analysis template to structure this information. A good SWOT analysis doesn't just list these elements; it integrates them to provide a clear roadmap for making business decisions.

What are four examples of threats in SWOT analysis?

New technologies: Rapid technological advancement can make your product or service obsolete.

Supply chain disruptions: Whether due to natural disasters or geopolitical tensions, an unstable supply chain can seriously jeopardize your operations.

Emerging competitors: New players entering the market can erode your market share and offer alternative solutions to your customer base.

Regulatory changes: New laws or regulations can add costs and complexity to your business, affecting your competitiveness.

How do you use a SWOT analysis?

Once you've completed a SWOT analysis, use the results as a decision-making aid. It can help prioritize actions, develop strategic plans that play to your strengths, improve weaknesses, seize opportunities, and counteract threats. It’s a useful tool for setting objectives and creating a roadmap for achieving them.

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 .

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Small Business Trends

Swot analysis guide: powerful examples and a free template.

Are you looking for an easy way to gain a better understanding of your business, understand what is driving your success, and plan for the future? A SWOT analysis is a great tool for doing all of this. This SWOT Analysis Guide provides examples, a free template, and helpful information to help you create a comprehensive report on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats facing your organization. Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

What is a SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis, standing for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, is a strategic tool that assists businesses in comprehending their current position and future planning. This robust framework plays an essential role in strategic planning and analysis for any organization.

For example, a dip in profit margins for a business can be scrutinized using a SWOT analysis. This tool helps identify internal factors, such as inefficient practices or inflated costs, that might be causing this dip. Using the SWOT pillars – strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats – one can derive strategies to rectify the problem and enhance profit margins.

Through a SWOT analysis, businesses can:

• Identify and assess their strengths and weaknesses : This might include distinct capabilities, resources, or operational inefficiencies within the business.
• Spot external opportunities : Such as emerging markets or untapped customer segments that can offer growth prospects.
• Pinpoint potential threats : For example, regulatory changes or competitive pressures that might pose a challenge in the future.

In essence, this analysis delivers a holistic view of the business’s internal and external landscape, paving the way for informed decision-making and strategy creation.

Particularly for startups, employing a SWOT analysis is a crucial aspect of business planning. It aids in strategizing effectively, ensuring a smooth launch, and setting a clear trajectory for the journey ahead. Employing this strategic tool early on can foster a robust foundation for the business, empowering it to navigate the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.

A SWOT analysis serves as a cornerstone for strategic planning, enabling businesses to align their goals with internal capabilities and market realities. Strengths and Weaknesses are introspective elements, helping businesses to capitalize on their unique competencies and address internal shortcomings.

Opportunities and Threats, on the other hand, require an outward focus, assessing market trends, competitive landscapes, and external risks.

Understanding these four elements in unison allows businesses to construct a comprehensive strategy that plays to their strengths, mitigates risks, leverages market opportunities, and avoids potential pitfalls.

Be sure to watch SmartDraw’s insightful video, ‘What is SWOT? Definition, Examples and How to Do a SWOT Analysis.’ It’s a great addition to our comprehensive SWOT Analysis Guide, reinforcing key concepts and showcasing practical examples. This video enhances your understanding and makes the whole process of performing a SWOT analysis more digestible and engaging.

What is the Goal of a SWOT Analysis?

The primary goal of a SWOT analysis is to leverage strengths and opportunities while addressing weaknesses and mitigating threats.

By understanding the internal and external factors that impact the business, organizations can make informed decisions about allocating resources, pursuing growth opportunities, and minimizing risks.

It provides a structured approach to strategic planning and helps businesses align their actions with their goals and aspirations, ultimately increasing their chances of success in the marketplace.

Pros of SWOT Analysis

A SWOT Analysis offers invaluable insight for those making decisions at all levels of the organization, from upper management to individual teams. Here are five key pros of using this powerful tool:

• Identify Strengths and Weaknesses. A SWOT Analysis can help identify an organization’s internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats. This information can help businesses make smarter decisions about how they utilize their resources and plan for the future.
• Information is Quickly Obtained: A SWOT matrix is designed to be easily skimmed. This facet allows stakeholders and decision-makers to quickly grasp the internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as the external opportunities and threats faced by the business. This visual representation aids in identifying strategic priorities, facilitating discussions, and guiding the formulation of effective strategies based on the insights derived from the analysis.
• Focus on Goals. By analyzing factors that could have an impact on achieving a specific goal, businesses are better able to focus their efforts more strategically. This helps ensure that actions are taken in a way that could maximize positive outcomes while minimizing potential risks or drawbacks.
• See the Big Picture. Having an overall view of what is happening within a business allows those making decisions to take into account more than just immediate consequences but also the long-term effects of certain choices further down the line.
• Improve Communication and Collaboration. Conducting a SWOT Analysis encourages collaboration between different teams, departments, or individuals within an organization. Doing so helps ensure everyone involved is aligned for collective success by creating a shared understanding of all factors impacting decision-making processes.
• Gain Insight and Make Informed Decisions. When all relevant pieces of information are taken into consideration, organizations gain valuable insight which can help guide conversations around strategy development, budgeting priorities, and more leading to better-informed business decisions.

Cons of SWOT Analysis

Although a SWOT Analysis is a useful tool, there can be certain drawbacks that should be considered when utilizing this framework. Here are three potential cons of the SWOT Analysis:

• Time Consumption. Conducting a thorough and accurate SWOT Analysis requires significant time. It can be a lengthy process to collect, analyze, and synthesize all relevant data into actionable insights.
• Potential for Bias. As with any analysis or assessment, there can be potential bias as to what is included in the process. This could lead to incomplete results or faulty conclusions if too much emphasis is placed on one particular aspect of the analysis over others.
• Limited Usefulness Over Time. The facts and data used for most SWOT Analyses will change over time, thus making them less effective in predicting future outcomes with certainty. To be successful with SWOT Analyses, they must be regularly updated as new developments unfold in order to remain applicable and accurate.

Breaking Down a SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats)

Writing a good SWOT analysis is crucial for small businesses looking to expand quickly and maintain a competitive edge over emerging competitors. It serves as a strategic planning tool that enables businesses to assess their internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats.

Conducting a SWOT analysis is about analyzing every aspect of a company and developing potential strategies accordingly.

First, we’ll go through each of the components of a SWOT analysis and what to put down for each section to help you conduct a SWOT analysis. Make sure to research how to do a competitive analysis to get an idea of what your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses are.

Your first step is to identify and list these business strengths. Your strengths are internal factors that are positive and within your control.

To help build your list of business strengths, ask yourself the following:

• What internal processes of your company are successful? These could be good supplier relations, an advantage in the market over others, marketing, and online presence, additional services offered/value-adds, etc.
• What assets does your marketing team possess? Examples can be education, skills, knowledge, reputation, networking, and technical expertise.
• What assets does your company have: Assets can be in the form of location, equipment, software tools, unique selling points, robust processes, intellectual property, patents and other factors contributing to your business’s success.
• What competitive advantages does your company have? This refers to unique strengths or capabilities that set your business apart from the competition and give you an edge in the market. It could include factors such as proprietary technology, exclusive partnerships, strong brand reputation, superior customer service, efficient supply chain management, or a highly skilled and experienced team.

This is the tough part of the four quadrants since it’s difficult to confront the strengths and weaknesses of a business objectively. But your main priority here is to identify the company’s weaknesses both internally and externally.

Think of this as the building blocks to help you convert weaknesses into strengths.

This could include external environment factors such as pricing, competition, lowered demand, and more. It can also include internal weaknesses that negatively affect the business, such as a lack of budget, small teams, etc.

Opportunities

Now that you’ve done a deep dive into your business’s strengths and your business’s weaknesses, it’s time to identify potential opportunities. Based on the strengths and weaknesses you’ve laid out, where does your company have the advantage?

Are there markets where you’re performing well that can be further expanded? Do you have a strong marketing strategy that you could ramp up to drive demand? Think of the external factors you’ve identified and where your business might have an opportunity to grow.

Research how to create a one-page marketing plan and other business marketing plan tips to help you further develop your strategies.

The threats part of SWOT analyses can also scare off many. Essentially, the goal here is to look at potential threats that could negatively impact your business. Again, this can include internal issues and external threats that you identify.

Internal threats can include lack of staff, budgetary constraints, and other threats. External threats, as an example, can include markets you are not taking advantage of, negative reviews, strong competitors, and supplier issues.

When breaking down the SWOT analysis, businesses should consider questions like: For strengths, what unique resources do we possess? For weaknesses, what areas need improvement to compete effectively?

Opportunities can be identified by analyzing market trends: What new customer needs can we meet? Lastly, for threats, consider external changes like technological shifts: How can these disrupt our business model?

By methodically examining these elements, a business can develop strategies that leverage their strong points, improve weaknesses, reinforce opportunities, and guard against external threats.

External and Internal Factors

When looking at internal versus external factors, it’s important to differentiate between the two and understand how they could impact your business. Let’s take a look at both below…

Internal Factors

Internal factors are crucial components of your business’s internal environment, encompassing various aspects such as team size, resources, budget, processes, equipment, and other internal elements.

These factors are under the direct control of your business and hold the potential to exert a significant impact on your outcomes. By effectively managing and optimizing these internal factors, you can enhance efficiency, productivity, and overall performance.

It is essential to understand your strengths and weaknesses in these areas to make strategic decisions and strengthen your competitive position.

Human resources play a vital role in internal factors. A skilled and motivated team can contribute to higher productivity levels and increased customer satisfaction. Properly allocating resources and implementing well-defined processes ensures smooth operations and streamlined workflows.

Conversely, challenges such as limited budgets can pose constraints on hiring and training, while outdated equipment may impede efficiency and hinder progress. By assessing and addressing the specific needs of your human resources, you can optimize their potential and drive positive outcomes.

Financials are another critical aspect of internal factors. Managing your budget effectively allows for the proper allocation of resources and investment in growth opportunities.

It enables you to make informed financial decisions, such as allocating funds for research and development, marketing campaigns, or infrastructure improvements.

Monitoring and analyzing your financial data provides insights into cash flow, profitability, and overall financial health, allowing you to identify areas of improvement and make strategic adjustments.

External Factors

External factors, in contrast, refer to elements that are outside of your control and exist in the external environment of your business. These factors can include market size, economic conditions, technological advancements, legal and regulatory changes, and consumer trends.

While you may not have direct control over these factors, it is essential to be aware of their potential impact on your business.

External factors can present opportunities or threats to your business. For example, a growing market or favorable economic conditions can create opportunities for expansion and increased demand for your products or services.

On the other hand, factors such as economic downturns or disruptive technological advancements can pose challenges and require adaptation in order to remain competitive.

By closely monitoring and understanding external factors, you can anticipate changes, adjust your strategies, and take advantage of opportunities while mitigating potential risks.

Home Depot Example

One successful instance of SWOT analysis can be observed in the case of Home Depot. The company conducted a comprehensive evaluation of its internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external factors that posed potential threats to its market position and growth strategy.

Home Depot identified several noteworthy strengths, including high-quality customer service, strong brand recognition, and positive supplier relationships. Conversely, its weaknesses were identified as a constrained supply chain, reliance on the U.S. market, and a business model that could be easily replicated.

Aligned with its weaknesses, Home Depot recognized various threats, such as the presence of close competitors, the availability of substitute products, and the condition of the U.S. market.

Through the SWOT analysis and other assessments, the company concluded that expanding its supply chain and global footprint would be essential for its growth and success.

By addressing its weaknesses and mitigating potential threats, Home Depot aimed to capitalize on its strengths and enhance its competitive position in the market.

How do You do a SWOT Analysis?

The following table breaks down the SWOT analysis that follows into simple steps, making it easy to understand and follow. It serves as a concise, clear guide, making the process less overwhelming and more manageable.

A SWOT analysis provides businesses with an outline of the current state and tangible areas to focus on for improved performance or development. Research how to perform a personal swot analysis if you are conducting a SWOT analysis for yourself. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do a successful business SWOT analysis:

Step 1: Gather Data

The first step in conducting a SWOT Analysis is to gather internal and external data about you or your company. Internal data includes financial statements, customer feedback surveys, and employee reviews, while external data may include industry trends and news reports from around the world.

This data will help identify your strengths and weaknesses as well as potential opportunities and threats in the environment.

Financial Statements

Financial statements are key for any company wanting to conduct a SWOT Analysis. These documents provide insight into your company’s revenue, expenses, assets, and liabilities. Knowing these numbers can help you identify where your company stands financially.

Employee Feedback

Employee feedback is an essential resource for any company looking to conduct an effective SWOT Analysis. This data can provide insight into the issues facing your business, as well as potential solutions that could be beneficial for the company.

Step 2: Brainstorm

Once you have gathered the necessary data, it’s time to start brainstorming around it. Break down the information into categories such as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Start by listing out any ideas that come up during the brainstorming process without any judgments or filters.

Don’t worry if some of these seem far-fetched or irrelevant. This list is simply meant as a starting point for further examination into each category.

Some of the strongest areas for your business could include a strong brand, motivated employees, an excellent track record with customers, a presence in multiple markets, and more.

As an illustration, let’s consider a hedge fund that has devised an exclusive trading strategy generating exceptional returns that outperform the market. The fund now faces the task of determining the most effective approach to utilize these outcomes in order to appeal to prospective investors and expand its investor base.

Similarly, for your business, notable strengths may encompass a well-established brand, a highly motivated workforce, a stellar history of customer satisfaction, a strong market presence across multiple sectors, and various other aspects that can help attract new investors.

Areas where you could stand to improve include communication, customer service, lack of employees with specific skill sets, limited resources, etc.

Potential areas of growth could include international expansion, increased market share in a certain region, new products, or a better customer experience.

External factors to keep an eye on could include new competition, changes in the economy, or shifting customer preferences.

Step 3: Analyze Strengths

The next step is analyzing the strength category by asking questions such as what are your main advantages, what resources do you have access to, or what makes your company stand out in the market. Looking at these inquiries objectively will allow you to gain insight into what makes you or your company successful.

Some of the main advantages could include a great reputation in the industry, a team of experienced employees, access to capital resources, and more.

What resources do you have access to that others in the market may not? This could include things such as experienced advisors, research and development teams, or reliable suppliers.

Unique Features

What makes your company stand out in the market? This could include a strong brand, state-of-the-art technology, or a diversified product line.

Step 4: Analyze Weaknesses

Continuing on from analyzing strengths comes looking at weaknesses within yourself or your organization. What processes could be improved?

Where can decisions be better informed? Allowing yourself and your team time to think about areas that need attention ensures that possible solutions can be discussed further down the line.

Improvements

Are there any processes that could be improved upon or streamlined? This can include anything from the way customer complaints are handled to the approval process for new projects.

Decision-Making

Are decisions being made with enough information? Having access to the right data is key for making informed decisions that will benefit the company.

Do you have access to the right experts that can help make better decisions or provide assistance in certain areas of the business? If not, what steps can be taken to obtain the necessary expertise?

Step 5: Identify Opportunities

In order to find potential opportunities for change and growth look toward external factors such as what new technologies are emerging, what regulations are changing, and whether there are gaps in current products or services providing space for improvement. Keeping up with current events opens your mind up to alternative options.

Step 6: Analyze Threats

External factors can also bring along with them possible threats. What competition exists in your market? Does anything pose a risk of disruption within existing services or products being provided? Monitoring all aspects of outside forces should be continuously done in order to optimize decision-making abilities when needed quickly.

Step 7: Construct an Action Plan + Implement Solutions

Applying possible solutions found through each of these steps comes down to constructing an action plan on how they can be implemented within your organization.

Writing out desired goals in regards to members responsible for obtaining them by certain dates set out beforehand coupled with methods of their achievement should lead towards meeting targets quickly and efficiently.

SWOT Analysis Template

Now that we’ve gone through some examples in different industries, how do you get started on creating a SWOT analysis of your own? Luckily, this kind of analysis is pretty easy to structure. You can create one using your computer or even just divide a piece of paper into four quadrants and start writing.

These videos by Starbucks and Tesla show how they performed SWOT analyses on their companies. These examples can give you real-life applications to get you started on your own SWOT analysis.

Watching how established companies like Starbucks and Tesla conduct their SWOT analyses provides valuable insights and practical examples. It can help you understand the intricacies of the process and effectively implement it in your own business scenario.

As a helpful tool, we’ve created a free SWOT Analysis template for different types of businesses. You can use them to get started with your analysis:

SWOT Analysis Examples

When trying to come up with a SWOT analysis for your own business, it’s sometimes easier to see what others in your industry are doing. Before conducting a SWOT analysis for your company, you can look at some examples below to get some inspiration.

SWOT Analysis Example: Small Business

Regardless of industry, it can be difficult for a small business to identify weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Here’s a great example to help you understand how to structure your SWOT analysis:

Marketing SWOT Analysis

For businesses focusing on improving one specific aspect of the business, such as sales or marketing, here is a marketing SWOT analysis example that you can use as a starting point for your own SWOT analysis.

3. Company SWOT Analysis Example

For larger companies, it’s sometimes difficult to hone down and focus on strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats because there are so many competing aspects. That’s why it can be helpful to look at a SWOT Analysis of a company example to help you structure your own.

SWOT Analysis Example for a Restaurant

Food service businesses tend to have their own unique challenges, so identifying potential strategies is often difficult. However, using a Restaurant SWOT analysis example, you can build off it and create a SWOT analysis for your business that’s reflective of the market.

Acting on Your Results

A SWOT analysis is a powerful tool for understanding the internal and external factors that are impacting your business and is useful for startups, along with a proper business plan. It’s important to use the results of the analysis to create actionable steps and set realistic timelines for reaching your goals.

By staying focused and organized, you can use a SWOT analysis to make analysis a part of your long-term business strategy to ensure the future success of your business. And if you don’t have a business plan, be sure to research how to write a business plan to help set your business up for success.

While on the subject of planning, make sure to also learn how to create a one-page marketing plan . With all the data you have from your SWOT analysis, you will be able to establish a more effective marketing strategy.

SWOT Analysis Tips

A strong SWOT analysis is about diving deep into your business and collating all the information in an organized way. The more you’re able to tap into what makes your business unique and what needs to improve, the more actionable your SWOT analysis will be.

Here are some tips to ensure you’re getting the most out of a SWOT analysis:

Don’t be Afraid

A good SWOT analysis is about confronting each part of the business: the good, the bad, and everything in between. Of course, it can be difficult to put down everything and objectively confront aspects of the business.

However, it’s important to move past that feeling and be truly objective about your business – that will ultimately help it improve.

Ask for Feedback

To make sure your SWOT analysis truly covers everything, ask for feedback and suggestions. Involving a mix of team members, including more senior and junior stakeholders, can help you spot problems you might not have known about.

Be Systematic

Sometimes, the easiest way to fill out a SWOT analysis is to have a system. That can mean going through internal issues across each quadrant first and then moving to external factors. Or you can choose to do two quadrants at a time, such as strengths and opportunities if that is easier.

Create Timelines

In order for your SWOT analysis to be actionable, you need to create timelines alongside to meet your goals. For all the opportunities you identify, what is a reasonable timeframe to make them happen? For threats, think about how close or far threats are so you can prioritize action items more realistically.

Learn Business Abbreviations and Acronyms

In order to make sure you’re accounting for everything in the business, it’s important to learn any business abbreviations or acronyms that are used in the industry, especially for external factors.

The Takeaways

As you can see, a SWOT analysis is an essential tool for businesses and organizations to evaluate their internal strengths and weaknesses, as well as external opportunities and threats.

By conducting a thorough SWOT analysis, businesses can gain valuable insights into their current position and make informed decisions to drive success and growth.

Whether it’s identifying areas for improvement, capitalizing on strengths, or mitigating risks, the SWOT analysis provides a structured framework for strategic planning and decision-making.

Utilizing the examples and free template provided in this article, businesses can effectively apply the SWOT analysis to enhance their competitiveness and achieve their goals.

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

Updated: August 02, 2024

Published: August 01, 2024

“ Our business is absolutely flawless and we have nothing to improve upon ” — said no business owner ever. Instead, we business owners often think of all the ways we could potentially grow our businesses and guard against threats.

I often hear things like:

“Why are my customers not increasing?”

“If only there was a way to find out how to establish my business.”

“My competitors are doing so well, what am I doing wrong?”

The solution lies in one word: SWOT analysis. Well that’s two words, but you get my drift.

I recently conducted a SWOT analysis for my law firm marketing business and it changed everything. In this post, I’ll share my findings.

In this article:

What is a SWOT analysis?

Importance of a swot analysis, parts of a swot analysis, external and internal factors of a swot analysis, how do you write a good swot analysis.

• Swot Analysis Chart

SWOT Analysis Examples

How to act on a swot analysis, 6 swot analysis tips from real professionals, when to use a swot analysis.

Free SWOT Analysis Template

5 Research and Planning Templates + a Free Guide on How to Use Them in Your Market Research

• SWOT Analysis Template
• Survey Template
• Focus Group Template

Download Free

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You're all set!

Click this link to access this resource at any time.

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.

You may have 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.

As a small business owner, I was tempted to forgo using it, thinking I knew everything about my business anyway. I was wrong. Doing a SWOT analysis is important. Here’s why.

1. 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, making a SWOT analysis for my business allowed me to consider the weaknesses and threats that my business might face in the future, which in turn led me to address any concerns or challenges and strategize on how to mitigate those risks.

At the same time, I was able to identify strengths and opportunities which helped inspire innovative ideas and helped me dream big. Both are equally important.

2. SWOT forces you to define your variables.

Instead of diving head first into planning and execution, I had to first take inventory of all my assets and roadblocks. This process helped me develop strategies that leverage my strengths and opportunities while addressing and mitigating the impact of weaknesses and threats.

As a result, I gained a comprehensive understanding of my current situation and created a more specific and effective roadmap. Plus, a SWOT analysis is inherently proactive. This means I was better equipped to make informed decisions, allocate resources effectively, and set realistic goals.

3. SWOT allows you to account for mitigating factors.

As I continued to identify weaknesses and threats, I was better able to account for them in my roadmap, thereby improving my chances of success.

Also, accounting for mitigating factors allows me to allocate my resources wisely and make informed decisions that lead to sustainable growth. Using the SWOT analysis as a guide, I can confidently face challenges and seize opportunities.

4. SWOT helps you keep a written record.

As my organization grows and changes, I’ll be able to strike things off my old SWOTs and make additions. With this I can look back at where I 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.

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.

SWOT 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.

I have discovered that by identifying and capitalizing on your strengths, you can build a solid foundation for growth. You can also use those strengths in other areas that might need additional support, for instance, increasing customer satisfaction .

When asked how conducting a SWOT analysis on his business helped him, Rahul Vij , managing director of WebSpero Solutions replied that the analysis identified “a key strength in our customer service, which we then promoted more heavily in our marketing campaigns, resulting in a 20% increase in customer satisfaction scores.”

When I was looking into the strengths of my own business, here are some questions that I asked myself:

• How satisfied are our current clients with our services?
• What is our reputation within the industry?
• What unique skills or expertise does the team possess?
• Do we have any advantages over our competitors?

2. Address your weaknesses.

Back to the boutique example, one of its weaknesses is having a poor social media presence. If I were the boutique owner, I would mitigate this by hiring a social media consultant to improve its strategy.

I might even tap into the expertise of a social-savvy employee. An example of a business owner that uses social media so well is Dr. Miami . If you check out his TikTok account, you might let out a chuckle or two.

3. 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.

4. Do a SWOT analysis regularly.

In most industries, the market and industry trends change rapidly. For instance, in the SEO industry, there have been some confusing changes lately. One way to get ahead of these changes is by conducting a regular SWOT analysis.

Alari Aho , CEO and founder of Toggl , says that, “ A mistake we learned from was not revisiting and updating our SWOT analysis regularly. The market and internal conditions change rapidly, and failing to update our analysis meant that we were sometimes working with outdated information. Now, we conduct SWOT analyses annually, and more frequently if significant market or internal changes occur.”

To help you conduct strategic and comprehensive SWOT analysis, I asked six industry professionals for insights on conducting a SWOT analysis.

Here's what they had to say:

“Make sure your SWOT analysis is based on data and evidence, not just subjective opinions or assumptions. Wherever possible, we tried to back up our assessments with hard numbers and examples, such as revenue figures, client feedback, and competitive research.”

– Sam Kadel , founder of KBA Web

“SWOT analysis shouldn’t be done theoretically. It should be crafted on real-time variables. Sometimes, one may not recognize what’s the S or W in a process and that is a sign that the objectives and design of the process need more thought."

– Zeeshan Akhtar , head of marketing at Mailmodo

“It's easy to fall into a groupthink because usually, SWOT analysis is conducted by management. What we did differently in this case, given the issue we wanted to tackle, was involve an external consultant as well as internal employees to get more diverse perspectives and creative solutions.”

– Zach Dannett , cofounder at Tumble

“ During a SWOT analysis, delving deep into competitors' operations to uncover their vulnerabilities can be invaluable. For instance, discovering a key competitor struggling with customer service inefficiencies through reviews and market feedback can highlight an opportunity for differentiation.”

– Harrison Tang , CEO of Spokeo

“Set priorities and focus on the most impactful areas first. Allocate resources strategically, prioritizing initiatives that promise the greatest returns.”

Arham Khan , CEO of Pixated

“ In terms of leveraging the results, businesses need to be proactive. Don't just see it as a one-time report - use it as a roadmap. Whether reinforcing strengths, addressing weaknesses or pursuing opportunities, SWOT should influence strategic planning and product roadmaps. Revisit it annually too, as situations evolve. ”

– Kelly Indah , editor-in-chief at Increditools

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.

When conducting your own SWOT analysis, you may face problems like data overload, differing opinions, and actionability. I certainly did. However in my experience, these problems can be solved by:

• Focusing on the most relevant information and filtering out the noise.
• Facilitating discussions to reach an agreement or using a neutral moderator.
• Ensuring each point is specific and actionable, providing clear direction for your strategies.

I will conclude this piece by saying don‘t underestimate the power of taking a step back from time to time to assess where you’ve been, where you‘re at, and where you’re going.

I firmly believe that regularly conducting a SWOT analysis is critical for any entrepreneur looking to grow.

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

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Nos fiches techniques Etude de marché Les clés pour rendre une analyse SWOT pertinente

Les clés pour rendre une analyse SWOT pertinente

La SWOT est un document de synthèse incontournable dans tout business plan. Il présente les forces, les faiblesses, les opportunités et les menaces de votre projet. Voici nos conseils pour mettre toutes les chances de votre côté.

Bien comprendre le document

Choisissez bien les informations présentées, après la swot, qu’est-ce qu’une analyse swot et comment la rendre utile dans un business plan .

La SWOT est un document de synthèse incontournable dans tout business plan. Il présente l es forces, les faiblesses, les opportunités et les menaces de votre projet, d’où cet acronyme en anglais (Strengths, Weaknesses, opportunities, threats). Peu de ceux qui s’intéresseront à votre idée liront en détail chacun des documents que vous leur présenterez pour la défendre. La SWOT a le mérite d’attirer l’attention et de présenter clairement l’intérêt qu’a un banquier ou un fonds par exemple à la financer, tout en démontrant le sérieux et la rigueur de votre démarche. Il convient donc de bien en connaître la méthode pour en rédiger une qui vous fera avancer. Voici nos conseils pour mettre toutes les chances de votre côté.

Si l’on peut parfois être critique envers tout ce qui nous amène à mettre (littéralement) dans des cases, la SWOT a le mérite de vous pousser à a dopter une méthode pertinente et rigoureuse pour analyser votre marché . En effet, elle vous amène à distinguer les f acteurs internes et externes de votre projet qui peuvent lui bénéficier ou, au contraire, le desservir. Cette distinction s’opère à travers la séparation opportunités/menaces d’un côté pour les facteurs qui concernent le marché, et forces/faiblesses de l’autre pour les facteurs qui sont intrinsèques à votre projet et qui vont dicter votre place dans ce marché. Veillez donc à bien comprendre cette distinction et à bien l’intégrer à votre SWOT , même si l’on peut convenir que l’un des inconvénients de la SWOT soit une frontière parfois mince entre facteur interne et facteur externe , ce qui en fait un document intrinsèquement subjectif.

Ensuite, gardez à l’esprit qu’il vous faut ici être très concret . Pas de belles formules ni de grandes visions pour l’avenir, il faut que vous remplaciez vos intuitions par un diagnostic sérieux de votre projet et de votre marché. Vous aurez déduit ce diagnostic de votre étude de march é notamment, qui doit vous permettre de tester votre concept auprès de clients potentiels, et d’étudier la concurrence et l’état du marché. Vous pourrez, et devez, donner des chiffres précis, récents dont vous préciserez les sources . Toute information non justifiée sera contreproductive et vous décrédibilisera. N’oubliez pas que, si le business plan et a fortiori la SWOT sont des documents qui doivent vous permettre de convaincre vos interlocuteurs, ce sont aussi des outils pour vous aider à mener à bien votre projet. Mentir ne va donc, de ce fait, pas beaucoup vous servir.

Comme nous l’avons vu en introduction, la SWOT doit être un document qui, en un coup d’œil, doit résumer toutes les conclusions importantes que votre interlocuteur ne va pas prendre le temps de tirer. Autant dire qu’il vaut mieux pour vous b ien choisir les informations que vous souhaitez y faire figurer. Privilégiez le spécifique, car rien ne sert en effet de présenter en détail un diagnostic général de l’environnement macroéconomique, car le champ d’investigation doit rester restreint pour ne pas déboucher sur des conclusions floues et inutiles.

L’exhaustivité semble souvent être le meilleur moyen de prouver sa motivation : on montre que l’on a travaillé dur, et que l’on a obtenu des résultats. Mais rien ne sert de beaucoup travailler si le résultat n’est pas pertinent ! Utilisez votre esprit d’analyse pour choisir ce qu’il vaut mieux présenter – et surtout ne pas présenter. Parmi ce qui doit motiver votre choix, accordez une importance particulière à ce qui est bien justifié , comme indiqué plus haut. Synthétiser les informations est d’autant plus important que l’esthétique du document est essentielle . Dans un business plan, la forme compte autant que le fond, et dans une partie comme le SWOT encore plus. Mais rendre un document esthétique ne suppose pas forcément d’avoir une présentation symétrique : n’hésitez pas à rendre des parties déséquilibrées, car une prédominance des menaces sur les opportunités est le signe que vous avez su identifier un vrai problème – sans être excessivement optimiste non plus…

Après avoir rédigé la SWOT et en avoir fait une présentation esthétique, pensez aux annexes qui peuvent être vous permettre d’y justifier ce que vous y aurez dit. Parfois, tout sera déjà dans l’étude de marché, mais pour la clarté de votre propos, il vaut parfois mieux gardez l’exhaustivité pour les annexes . Concernant la SWOT, c’est d’autant plus vrai que c’est un outil volontairement réducteur et simplificateur, en ce que c’est une matrice.

Tout l’intérêt de la SWOT, au-delà de sa simplicité, est de justifier les parties qui vont suivre. C’est en cela qu’elle représente une pierre angulaire de votre business plan : elle synthétise les grandes conclusions de la partie dans laquelle vous explicitez en quoi votre solution répond à un problème, et de votre étude de marché, et elle permet de définir les grands axes stratégiques qui seront abordés dans les parties suivantes : business model, stratégie de communication… Il est important que chacun des points évoqués dans la SWOT soient abordés par la suite, d’où l’importance de les limiter pour ne pas se perdre. En effet, il faut bien montrer en quoi vous allez exploiter les opportunités, utiliser vos forces, remédier à vos faiblesses et vous protéger des menaces. Ce doit être ce qui légitime votre plan d’action , donc veillez à être cohérent de bout en bout de votre business plan.

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La SWOT est un document de synthèse incontournable dans tout business plan. Voici nos conseils pour mettre toutes les chances de votre côté.

L’analyse des risques dans le business plan

L’objectif d’un business plan est de vendre votre projet, de prouver sa solidité ainsi que sa profitabilité. Toutefois, il faut également faire preuve de lucidité quant aux obstacles qui peuvent être rencontrés. L’analyse des risques dans votre business plan va démontrer votre capacité à anticiper les risques en prévoyant une voie de secours.

Ce qu’une banque analyse dans votre Business Plan

Avant de réaliser son business plan, il est important de savoir quel type de financement vous voulez avoir. En effet, une banque ne regardera pas votre business plan de la même manière qu’un fonds d’investissement. Il est donc nécessaire d’adapter votre business plan et de mettre en évidence certains points pour remplir les attentes des banques si vous souhaitez obtenir un prêt. Il est alors important de savoir ce qu’une banque analyse en priorité dans votre business plan pour maximiser ses chances de réussite. 

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How To Write a SWOT Analysis For a Business Plan

An acronym standing for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, a SWOT Analysis is designed to help you analyze your company’s capabilities against the realities of your business environment. Doing so allows you to direct your business toward areas where your abilities are the strongest and your opportunities are abundant. It also allows you to develop short and long-term strategies for your business. A well-developed SWOT analysis will:

• capture business opportunities by capitalizing on business strengths
• overcome weaknesses to take advantage of business opportunities
• monitor potentially threatening outside forces while maintaining or developing internal strength response capabilities
• eliminate weaknesses to protect your business from threats

Writing a SWOT Analysis  

When writing your SWOT Analysis, we recommend involving employees with different perspectives and stakes in your company, for example, management, sales, customer service, and customers.

To write a SWOT Analysis for a business plan, we recommend following these four steps. You can use a four-square SWOT Analysis template, or if more manageable, you can make lists for each category.

Example of a four-square template:

After you’ve gathered the right group of employees together, brainstorm your company’s strengths and weaknesses and its opportunities and threats, first individually and then collectively.

Strengths and weaknesses are internal to your company and can change over time with work. Examples of internal factors include:

• Company culture
• Company image
• Operational efficiency
• Operational capacity
• Brand awareness
• Market share
• Financial resources
• Organizational structure

Opportunities and threats are external, happening whether you want them to or not, and can’t be changed. Examples of external factors include:

• Societal changes
• Competitors
• Economic environment
• Government regulations
• Market trends

Strengths refer to the positive, tangible and intangible attributes internal to your company that are within your control.

To help you determine what your company’s strengths are, ask yourself:

• What does the company do well?
• The positive attributes of your employees (knowledge, background, education, credentials, network, reputation, or skills)
• The tangible assets of the company (capital, credit, existing customers or distribution channels, patents, or technology)
• What advantages does the company have over our competitors?
• Do we have strong research and development capabilities? What about manufacturing facilities?
• What other positive aspects, internal to the business, add value or offer us a competitive advantage?

Any aspect of your business that detracts from the value you offer or places you at a competitive disadvantage is a weakness. To determine your company’s weaknesses, ask yourself these questions:

• What factors detract from a competitive edge?
• To accomplish my objectives or compete with my strongest competitor, what areas need to improve?
• What does the business lack? Is it expertise? Maybe it’s access to skills or technology?
• Does the company have limited resources?
• Is my business in a poor location?

Opportunities

Opportunities are attractive external factors that denote reasons your business is likely to thrive. To identify your business opportunities, ask yourself:

• What opportunities are there in my market or my environment that I can benefit from?
• Does my business have a positive perception?
• Has my market recently grown, or have there been other changes that have created an opportunity?
• Is this opportunity ongoing or time-limited? How critical is my timing?

Any external factor beyond your control that could place your strategy, or the business itself, at risk is a threat. Although you have no control over threats, you can benefit by having a contingency plan to address them if and when they occur. To identify threats, ask yourself:

• Who are my existing or potential competitors?
• What factors beyond my control could place my business at risk?
• Are there challenges created by an unfavourable trend or development that could lead to declining revenues or profits?
• What situations could threaten my marketing efforts?
• Have supplier prices or the availability of raw materials significantly changed?
• Are there any shifts in consumer behaviour, the economy, or government regulations that could reduce my sales?
• Are any of my products, equipment, or services obsolete due to the introduction of a new product or technology in the market?

Once you’ve brainstormed your lists of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, we recommend ranking them through a voting process. At the end of this process, you should have a prioritized list of ideas, with one person, usually the CEO, having the final call on priority.

Divide your strengths into two groups:

• Group 1: Strengths that can help you take advantage of opportunities facing your business.
• Group 2: Strengths that can help you head off potential threats.

Divide your weaknesses into two groups:

• Group 1: Weaknesses that require improvement before you can take advantage of opportunities.
• Group 2: Weaknesses that you need to completely and quickly overhaul and convert into strengths to avert potential threats to your business.

Continually refer to your lists as you make decisions that contribute to your business, including developing strategies and actions for capitalizing on opportunities. Questions that can guide your decision making include:

• Do strengths open any opportunities?
• How can we convert weaknesses to strengths?
• What do we have to do to take advantage of opportunities?
• How can we best neutralize threats?

SWOT Analysis For a Business Plan Conclusion

Once you have finalized your SWOT Analysis and added it to your business plan, don’t just leave it and forget it. A SWOT Analysis is a crucial element in any business plan and should be revisited regularly, at least annually.

Suppose your business is facing significant changes in the marketplace or competitive conditions, experiencing growth problems, or failing to meet goals. In that case, you may want to revisit your SWOT Analysis more frequently.

It should reflect the world around you as it is, not the way it was. It’s an invaluable tool for leveraging your company’s strengths, minimizing threats, taking advantage of available opportunities, strategic planning, and determining company objectives.

At Bsbcon, we are available to provide support and guidance with your company’s SWOT Analysis, ensuring that it reflects the current state of your business and considers all factors needed to ensure your business’s short and long-term goals and successes. Once your SWOT Analysis is complete, we will work with you to incorporate it seamlessly into your business plan.

Each of our business plans are tailor-made (no templates or plugins!) and designed to be easily implementable in practice. We have business plans for bank loans, investors, strategic purposes, immigration, and more.

Contact us today to get started on accomplishing everything you’ve dreamed with consumer-tested, expert panel-approved business plans that outline your steps to success.

How can we help you?

Get in touch with us or visit our office

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Le SWOT : Définition et étapes à suivre (Template et Vidéo)

L'analyse SWOT (Strengths - Weaknesses - Opportunities - Threats) est l’un des outils privilégiés pour bien démarrer un projet.

C'est une analyse qui vous permet de réfléchir sur les forces et faiblesses de votre projet, ainsi que les opportunités et menaces qui peuvent l’affecter.

Vous allez découvrir dans cet article comment appliquer cette matrice à la phase amont de la gestion de projet et comment la décliner en actions.

SWOT : Définition

L'analyse SWOT ou FFOM en Français, est un outil d'analyse stratégique polyvalent, crucial pour la réussite des entreprises et des projets individuels. 

Il se structure autour de quatre éléments clés : les Forces (Strenghts), les Faiblesses (Weaknesses), les Opportunités (Opportunities) et les Menaces (Threats).

Ces éléments sont représentés dans 4 cadrans, comme montré dans l'exemple ci-après :

1) Les forces

Les forces internes sont les capacités dont vous disposez, et les attributs de l’organisation, qui favorisent la réussite de votre projet.

Comme exemples, on peut citer :

Les ressources

• Des coûts fixes faibles
• Un produit novateur
• Ou encore, l e mode de fonctionnement interne

Par exemple, une entreprise peut constater lors de son analyse SWOT qu'elle a une force particulière dans l'innovation technologique, ce qui peut être identifié comme un facteur clé de succès .

2) Les faiblesses

De même, le SWOT peut révéler des faiblesses qui doivent être corrigées pour améliorer la performance de l'entreprise .

Il s'agit  des facteurs internes qui vous freinent et vous limitent,  sur lesquels vous pourriez travailler pour les améliorer, e t les transformer en forces potentielles.

Comme exemples, on peut citer:

• Le manque de compétences
• La dépendance de prestataires
• Ou encore,  des coûts non maitrisés

3) Les opportunités

Ce  sont des changements externes à votre projet,  ou à votre entreprise,  dont vous pourriez tirer profit.

Voici quelques exemples de types d'opportunités :

• Expansion de marché : L'accès à de nouveaux marchés géographiques offre une opportunité de croissance
• Nouveaux segments de clientèle : L'émergence de nouveaux groupes de consommateurs peut ouvrir de nouvelles avenues commerciales
• Développements technologiques : L'adoption de technologies avancées peut améliorer l'efficacité et la productivité
• Modifications réglementaires : Les changements de législation peuvent ouvrir des opportunités de marché inexplorées
• Partenariats ou alliances stratégiques : La collaboration avec d'autres entreprises peut stimuler l'innovation et le partage de ressources
• Tendances économiques : L'évolution favorable de l'économie peut stimuler la demande de nos produits ou services
• Changements sociaux ou culturels : L'adaptation aux nouvelles tendances socioculturelles peut aider à rester pertinent et compétitif.

4) Les menaces

Il s'agit de tous les facteurs externes qui pourraient avoir un impact négatif sur votre projet.

Comme exemples, o n peut citer :

• Les fluctuations du taux de change
• Les innovations technologiques
• Et les contraintes de réglementations gouvernementales

Vidéo tutorielle - Analyse SWOT et plan d'action

Voici une vidéo tutorielle qui récapitule la démarche de l'analyse SWOT d'un projet :

Quand l'utiliser ?

Le SWOT est utilisé tant dans la création d'entreprise  que dans  la gestion de projet , il permet d'identifier les forces, faiblesses, opportunités et menaces liées à un projet. 

Il aide à prendre des décisions éclairées et à élaborer des stratégies efficaces, notamment en termes de positionnement stratégique, de communication et de marketing. 

Il est également utile sur le plan personnel , aidant à la progression professionnelle et à l'amélioration de la santé financière.

Pourquoi faire une analyse SWOT ?

Voici quelques raisons pour lesquelles vous devriez envisager de réaliser cette analyse pour votre projet :

• Compréhension globale du projet : Elle vous aide à comprendre les différentes dimensions de votre projet, y compris ses atouts (forces), ses défis potentiels (faiblesses), les opportunités qu'il peut exploiter et les menaces externes qu'il peut rencontrer.
• Aide à la prise de décision : En soulignant les forces, les faiblesses, les opportunités et les menaces d'un projet, elle vous aide à prendre des décisions informées. Elle vous permet d'évaluer si les bénéfices du projet surpassent les risques et les défis associés.
• Développement de stratégies : En identifiant clairement les forces, les faiblesses, les opportunités et les menaces, elle peut vous aider à développer des stratégies pour maximiser les forces et les opportunités du projet, tout en minimisant ses faiblesses et les menaces.
• Préparation face à l'incertitude : elle peut aider à anticiper et à planifier face à des événements incertains . En identifiant les menaces potentielles, vous pouvez développer des plans de contingence pour minimiser leur impact sur votre projet.
• Évaluation de la viabilité du projet : Enfin, elle peut vous aider à évaluer la viabilité globale de votre projet. Si l'analyse révèle que les faiblesses et les menaces l'emportent sur les forces et les opportunités, cela peut indiquer que le projet n'est pas viable dans sa forme actuelle.

Le SWOT en 4 étapes 

Pour faire une analyse SWOT,  je vous suggère de suivre les étapes suivantes :  

• Réfléchir sur les objectifs et les attentes du projet
• Faire un diagnostic interne et externe
• Construire la matrice 
• Définir un plan d’action

Etape 1. Réfléchir sur les objectifs et attentes du projet

Commencez par vous interroger sur le ou les objectifs à atteindre :  Quel est le but de cette analyse ?

Gardez en tête que vous cherchez à analyser les facteurs internes et externes l iés à votre projet, q ui peuvent impacter l’atteinte des objectifs attendus de ce projet.

Ensuite, posez-vous  la question sur les clients ou les utilisateurs finaux du produit ou service , e t à quels besoins ce dernier va-t-il répondre.

Etape 2. Faire un diagnostic stratégique

Pour faire le diagnostic interne et externe, nous commençons par l'étude d es points forts et points faibles de votre projet :

2.1) Diagnostic interne

Votre analyse portera sur les aspects suivants :

Les compétences

• Avez-vous les compétences  ou la possibilité de vous entourer des compétences  pour mener à terme ce projet ?
• Le challenge est-il à votre portée ?

Les ressources matérielles et ressources immatérielles   sont-elles disponibles pour ce projet ?

Auriez-vous assez de budget pour gérer le projet ,  ou la possibilité de l’obtenir ?

L'organisation

L’organisation interne,galement la question, sur les parti favorise-t-elle la communication ?

Les services internes de l’organisation sont ils favorables au projet ?

Posez-vous également la question,  sur les parties prenantes favorables et défavorables à votre projet.

Pensez également à toutes les parties prenantes,  potentiellement hostiles à votre projet,  et présentez leur  les bienfaits pour elles de ce projet à terme.

Si la menace qui pèse sur votre projet est le manque de budget ,  cela pourrait handicaper le lancement de votre projet .

Les processus 

Existe-t-il des processus en place pour fluidifier le travail ?

Mentionnez chaque cas de figure de manière explicite.

Listez les forces du projet, et  prévoyez des actions pour remédier à ses faiblesses.

Pour établir ce diagnostic interne,  vous allez principalement élaborer une étude d’opportunité , q ui vous aidera à  vérifier la viabilité de l’investissement de votre projet.

2.2) Diagnostic externe

Nous passons maintenant  à l’analyse externe du SWOT : celle des opportunités et des menaces,  qui vont influer sur votre projet.

Portez votre analyse sur v otre micro environnement :

• Qui vos clients et vos concurrents…
• Quel type d’influence peuvent-ils avoir sur votre projet ?
• Pensez  à toute instance susceptible d’influencer votre projet

Ensuite, analysez votre macro environnement.  Cette analyse peut être faite en suivant la méthode PESTEL .

Il s’agit d’étudier les facteurs technologiques,

• économiques
• culturelles
• et environnementaux

Exemple  :

Votre projet s’inscrit peut-être dans une démarche spécifique,  telle que l’innovation , o u la protection de l’environnement  et qui vous donne droit à des subventions.

Renseignez-vous !

D’autre part, a nalysez les risques qui peuvent devenir des menaces pour votre projet, p uis définissez des mesures préventives et correctives.

Pour ce faire, vous pouvez utiliser la matrice des risques .

Etape 3 - Construire la matrice SWOT 

Maintenant que vous avez préparé les inputs de l’analyse SWOT, à  savoir :

• L’analyse PESTEL
• La matrice des risques
• Et l’analyse du potentiel du projet

Ces inputs sont représentés  sur les 4 cadrans de la matrice, comme montré dans l'image ci-après:

Etape 4 - Définir un plan d'action à l'aide du SWOT-TOWS

La dernière étape  consiste à définir des actions prioritaires  à partir de la synthèse ci-dessus.

Vous pouvez ressortir des actions prioritaires e n faisant des combinaisons entre les axes de l'analyse SWOT  les uns avec les autres.

Pour faire ces combinaisons, n ous invertissons les axes SWOT p our obtenir le TOWS.

Ainsi, n ous obtenons 4 combinaisons différentes :

• S-O (Opportunités et Forces)
• S-T (Menaces et Forces)
• W-O (Opportunités et Faiblesses)
• W-T (Menaces et Faiblesses)

Voyons maintenant les actions à prévoir p our chacune de ces stratégies.

4.1) S-O (opportunités et forces)

Le cadran S-O  représente votre avantage concurrentiel.

Cette combinaison vous indique qu’il est pertinent  de vous appuyer sur les forces de votre projet, d ans le but de mieux saisir les nouvelles opportunités.

A titre d’exemple ,

Si vous maitrisez une nouvelle technologie, v ous êtes probablement éligible  à un fond d’innovation gouvernemental, d estiné à soutenir des projets novateur.

4.2) S-T (forces et menaces)

Le deuxième cadran : S-T s uggère que vous devez trouver moyen  d’utiliser vos forces,  pour contrer ou minimiser les menaces.

Votre entreprise a des coûts fixes réduits. C e qui peut lui permettre de baisser les prix f ace à un environnement concurrentiel.

4.3) W-O (faiblesses et opportunités)

Le troisième cadran W-O s ignifie que des opportunités se présentent à vous  mais vos capacités sont limitées.

Ici, la question est de savoir si vous pouvez  améliorer  ou développer vos capacités pour saisir ces opportunités.

4.4) W-T (faiblesses et opportunités)

Le dernier cadran W-T (faiblesses et menaces)  est le plus contraignant.

Dans cette situation,  une analyse détaillée des risques est nécessaire pour minimiser les menaces

Vous pourrez :

• Anticiper les risques grâce à une analyse des risques détaillée  en utilisant une matrice des risques
• Prévoir des stratégies pour les maitriser
• Et les surveiller

Si une résistance au changement se fait sentir chez certaines parties prenantes.

Pensez à mettre en place une stratégie des alliés .

Celle-ci  va définir la meilleure manière de se comporter  vis-à-vis des différents acteurs résistants.

Concernant vos faiblesses , i l faut d’abord déterminer,  si celles-ci vous exposent à des menaces. 

Ensuite vous pourrez les transformer en forces futures, o u encore,  vous pourrez  fixer des objectifs  pour les atténuer .

Si vous vous rendez compte que certains membres de vos équipes manquent d’expertise, p ensez à solliciter un expert au sein de l’entreprise, e t faire en sorte de partager son expertise e n venant en support aux équipes.

Vous pouvez obtenir finalement une matrice qui ressemble à ceci :

SWOT : Template 

Voici un modèle SWOT à télécharger gratuitement :

Télécharger ce modèle d'analyse SWOT

SWOT : Exemple

Pour faire l'analyse SWOT d'un projet nous allons définir les 4 éléments suivants :

1) Analyse des forces

Une analyse des forces a ressorti les éléments suivants :

L’étude d’opportunité a démontré  que le projet a un retour sur investissement de 114%.

L’entreprise bénéficie de coûts fixes réduits.

L’équipe assignée est motivée pour le projet.

Et enfin, l e projet est cadré par un mode de gouvernance   qui régit l’organisation interne,  et qui favorise les interactions entre les équipes.

2) Analyse des faiblesses

Les faiblesses identifiées sont les suivantes :

• Un manque de visibilité sur le budget q ui a été autorisé, s ans savoir comment il sera alloué
• L’indisponibilité de certaines ressources compétentes p our collaborer sur le projet
• Le manque d’intérêt d’une partie prenante

3) Analyse des opportunités

D’un autre côté,  les opportunités ont décelé :

• Des partenariats favorables au projet
• Une nouvelle réglementation en faveur du projet
• Et une croissance soutenue du marché dans lequel on opère

4) Analyse des menaces

Enfin, l es menaces identifiés ont été ressortis  par l’analyse PESTEL, e t complété par la matrice des risques.

Nous avons donc noté :

• La désapprobation du projet par les syndicats 
• Une concurrence rude sur le marché au niveau des prix 

Voici donc la synthèse SWOT :

A présent, vous avez tous les éléments pour réussir l’analyse SWOT d'un projet.

Souvenez-vous que cet outil doit être utilisé avant de démarrer votre projet, dans le but d’atteindre les résultats escomptés du projet.

Elle doit vous permettre de mettre en place des actions, dans le but d’exploiter les capacités et le potentiel du projet et pouvoir atténuer ou maitriser les risques et faiblesses.

Laissez vos commentaires, faites-nous part de votre retour d’expérience.

A propos de l'auteur

Lead Product Manager, avec plus de 7 ans d’expérience entre le développement d'affaires et la stratégie de contenu digitale. Elle cumule des certifications en Content Marketing, SEO, Paid media, et Trafic Management. Diplômée en entrepreneuriat et gestion de projet, et en Marketing digital, elle contribue à la stratégie de contenu et au développement des produits digitaux, et assure la gestion opérationnelle du Blog.

Les autres articles du dossier

Initialisation

Expression des besoins : Etapes, exemple et conseils clés (+Template)

Appétence aux risques : définition, aspects et stratégies (+exemples), kick off meeting (réunion de lancement) : 4 conseils et erreurs à éviter, avec modèle, rédiger une charte de projet : 10 astuces (template + vidéo), business case (étude d’opportunité) en 9 étapes (+modèle et exemple), comment faire une cartographie des parties prenantes (+ modèle).

Merci pour ce contenu très détaillé et simple. Je suis intéressée par ce domaine et souhaite m’en approfondir là-dessus

Merci pour ce retour Nsenga 🙂 Le SWOT est utilisé largement en analyse stratégique mais aussi en gestion de projet . Voici un article sur d’autres outils d’analyse stratégiques .

Ces articles sont très intéressants. Pensez à les partager sous forme de fichiers PDF pour les télécharger plus facilement. Merci pour votre confiance

Merci Christian pour ce feedback. J’entend votre suggestion. La raison pour laquelle nous préférons Excel et de rendre le template exploitable 🙂

Article très riche en information sur l’analyse SWOT avec des exemples simplifiés qui facilitent la compréhension. cela nous aidera a bien scruté l’environnement dans lequel se déroule nos projets. Sincères félicitations

Merci beaucoup pour ce retour !

Merci pour ce retour !

Merci pour cet outil très pertinent

Avec plaisir Guy 🙂

Très intéressant et très valorisant, Merci pour tout. Bien à vous

Avec plaisir !

Je suis tellement fière d’être l’un des apprenants de Mohammed en ce qui concerne la gestion de projet. Voilà après la charte de projet, au jourd’hui nous venons apprendre Encore d’avantage sur l’analyse SWOT qui est un point fondamental pour réfléchir sur les forces et faiblesse avant le démarrage d’un projet. Merci également à Sara pour ses interventions si riches.

Avec plaisir Patrick !

Très Très cool. Merci

et article est très intéressant et instructif

Merci pour ce retour Yawovi 🙂

Très intéressant, cet article. Merci beaucoup avec l’espoir d’apprendre davantage !

Avec plaisir Elite 🙂

Merci beaucoup pour toutes ces informations. L’exemple à la fin apporte une réelle plus-value.

Avec plaisir, merci pour ce retour Robert 🙂

Merci beaucoup

Avec plaisir Doymbouya 🙂

Merci à vous, vos documents sont très riches et pratique

Avec plaisir 🙂

Merci beaucoup Cher Mohammed.

Mohamed, Merci pour toutes ces fiches, vos conseils parfois oubliés au fil des années. C est un très beau travail simple en efficacité Patrick

Avec plaisir Patrick 🙂

Merci pour ce très bénéfique article et pour tout ce que faites pour nous.

Merci à vous 🙂

Merci Mohamed pour cet enseignement clair et réaliste.

Avec plaisir Jean Jacques 🙂

Merci pour cet article, vraiment intéressant.

Essalem Mohamed,

Je tiens à vous remercier pour cet article très bénéfique …Encore une fois merci

Merci pour le partage ! Très intéressant

Merci au fondateur du site pour ce travail formidable. je m’améliore en gestion de projet grâce à vous. Bonne continuité

Avec plaisir Edwin

Merci infiniment Mohammed pour l’article sur le SWOT. Il est très clair. J’avoue que j’apprend mieux à travers vos articles.

Bonjour, Très ravis d’apporter un surplus à cet article dont je remercie l’auteur. Il présente la démarche SWOT, effectivement, comme il se doit, néanmoins à mon avis il faudrait souligner une chose importante à ce sujet : c’est qu’une SWOT doit se faire en équipe, pas individuellement, afin qu’elle puisse réussir. Merci

Merci Mohammed! cette phase d’analyse est très important pour connaître la capacité stratégique du projet, toutes les décisions y dépendent en complément des résultats de l’analyse PESTEL et 5 forces

Bonjour Mohamed

Merci pour ta description facile à lire et captivante, c’est clair et pertinent. Tu y abordes très justement la notion de moyens ,de faisabilité de contexte et de risques.

Les données d’entrées tels que l’expression du besoin, l’enjeu et les objectifs du projet doivent ils apparaître dans cette matrice?

Cordialement

Bonjour Youcef.

Avec plaisir.

Pas forcément apparaître dans la matrice, mais elles doivent être utilisées comme base pour l’analyse.

Bonjour mOhammed, je vous remercie d’avoir l’outil swot à ma disposition.J’en ferai bon usage.

Merci et à très prochainement!

Bonjour Youssouf.

Bonjour Mohamed, bonjour Claire. Merci infiniment de vos différents apports à notre formation continue. J’avoue que j’apprends à mieux m’organiser à travers vos conseils. A bientôt! Lotadet

TRÈS ravi d avoir lu vos conseils et visions de gestion de PROJETS SINCÈRES SALUTATIONS

merci j ai appris pas mal de chose pour un bon DÉMARRAGE de projet je vous serai gré de me fournir davantage de conseils UTILES.

Mon cher mohamed je te remercie pour ce formidable outil. au contraire, je me suis plaint de n’avoir pas recu ton signal

Best regards

Richard eugene

Bonjour, MERCI infiniment pour ces informations capitales.

merci ce cours m’a beaucoup ÉDIFIÉ

Merci Jules 🙂

Peut on utiliser le swot pour connaître les facteurs explicatif du non respect du délai contractuel d’un projet d’organisation?

Bonjour Dalli, Pour connaître les causes d’un problème donné je vous conseille d’utiliser le diagramme Ishikawa qui est plus adapté à ce cas.

Bonjour! Est-ce que vous pensez que ce sera pertinent insérer un SWOT dans un business plan pour la Banque?

Oui, tout à fait pertinent.

Bon article , ce modèle est très important pour faire une analyse réussite et pour faire une étude réaliste des faiblesses et les opportunités.

Bonjour, Cet article est bien une opportunité pour mon projet professionnel. Je suis jeune diplômé pluridisciplinaire: ° Ingénieur télécommunications ° Maîtrise en Économie de Gestion ° Maîtrise en géographie Mon objectif professionnel est d’être un  » gestionnaire de projets » avec pour éthique le  »développement ». Présentement je suis en amont d’un projet portant sur la création d’une entreprise avec pour objectifs le financement, la promotion et le négoce dans le domaine agro-industrie. Mon intérêt grand de suivre le blog. Merci cordialement!

Bonjour Colibaly,

Bienvenu sur le blog de gestion de projet.

Tu peux alors commencer par découvrir ce que c’est la gestion de projet, comment gérer le budget, les délais, le contenu ….

Une fonction de recherche en haut à droite te permet de retrouver les articles dont tu as besoin.

Bon courage

Merci bien pour cet outil important

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Written by Mary Kate Miller | June 29, 2021

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A SWOT analysis can help a small business owner or business assess a company’s position to determine the most optimal strategy going forward. This business practice can help you identify what you’re doing well, what you want to do better, and what kinds of obstacles you might encounter along the way.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about a SWOT analysis: what it is, how it works, and how to do it. We’ll also include an example and a template to help guide you as you perform your own SWOT analysis.

What Is a SWOT Analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning technique that outlines an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Assessing business competition in this way can help an organization plan strategically and execute more effectively.

The 4 Parts of a SWOT Analysis

Your business’s strengths SWOT section should include anything that your business does differently or better than competitors. Think about your unique value proposition, trends you’ve noticed in positive customer feedback, operational strengths, and company culture. This section is the perfect place to name and celebrate anything you’re already doing well.

Don’t be afraid to toot your own horn (while also remaining objective). Clearly identifying your business’s strengths not only helps you keep your spirits balanced as you address your weaknesses, it will also give you a sense of where to concentrate your resources. It’s easier to build a successful business when you’re working towards something, rather than acting in opposition.

Questions to help you determine your strengths:

• What is your business’s unique value proposition?
• What common compliments do you receive from your customers?
• What does your business do particularly well?
• How do you operate differently from your competitors?
• What gives you an edge on the competition ? (This can include something product-related like “better access to raw materials” or “lower cost of goods,” or it can be an internal strength like “strong company culture” or “employee motivation.”)
• What might your competitors name as your strengths?

Your weaknesses are the areas in which the business has room for improvement. You should include structural weaknesses in this section—those that relate to your systems, procedures, resources, and personnel. This is a great place to look at common feedback from employees (either from exit interviews, anonymous surveys, or other sources) and recurring customer complaints.

Questions to help you determine your weaknesses:

• What areas of your business could stand to improve?
• What are common hiccups in your customer experience ?
• How do you use your resources? Is there room for improvement?
• What improvements are needed in your employee experience?
• What weaknesses might your customers see that you tend to overlook?
• What weaknesses might your competitors think you have?

Opportunities

Your opportunities are the positive, external factors that your business might benefit from… but cannot directly control. That might include market opportunities, consumer purchasing trends, legal or regulatory changes, population changes, the cost of raw materials, and more. For example, businesses that provide accessibility for aging seniors might recognize the forthcoming “silver tsunami” of Baby Boomers entering the target demographic. This would be a clear opportunity to expand their customer base.

Questions to help you determine your opportunities:

• What trends might affect your industry?
• How might the right talent create new opportunities?
• your customers ask for anything you don’t offer (but could)?
• How might population changes affect your business opportunities? (think: generational shifts)
• Is there a need in the industry that you’re not creating, but could?
• Do your competitors have any weaknesses that could be opportunities for you?
• Is there a way to repackage current products to demand a higher price?
• Are there any new, or potential, regulatory or tax changes that might provide a new opportunity?

Your threats are the external factors that have the potential to negatively affect your business. A threat can be specific and competitor-based or more structural. buy clomid online buy clomid online no prescription Examples of structural threats could be supply chain challenges, shifts in market requirements, talent shortages, or changes to social media algorithms (especially if your business heavily relies on social media marketing). You might also face a threat (or threats) from your competitors. This can include the way they operate, how they’re marketing, or the products they offer.

Identifying every external threat your business faces is essential for your business to identify how it must adapt in order to meet and overcome these challenges.

Questions to help you determine threats:

• What happens if a supplier or manufacturer runs out of materials you use?
• What if a natural disaster (like a pandemic) strikes? buy amitriptyline online buy amitriptyline online no prescription
• Is your market shrinking?
• What are your competitors offering? Are they expanding or offering different products?
• How are your competitors marketing?
• What technological threats are you vulnerable to (website security, social media algorithm changes)?
• Are there any businesses that aren’t competitors now but could become competitors in the future?

The Benefits of a SWOT Analysis

SWOT analyses offer a variety of benefits for businesses and personal brands. Here are some of the most common benefits of a SWOT analysis:

• You can use it to determine a strategic plan.
• You can use it to drive an innovative, informed marketing plan.
• It can help you identify external opportunities.
• It can help you identify external threats.
• It can reveal environmental factors that might affect your business, either positively or negatively.
• You can develop a plan for how to tackle internal weaknesses.

How to Do a SWOT Analysis

You can approach SWOT analyses in multiple ways. You can conduct a personal SWOT analysis for yourself as an individual, you can perform a marketing SWOT analysis to determine a competitive advantage in your marketing , or you can use a SWOT analysis as a part of broader strategic planning.

Whatever your end goal for a SWOT analysis, follow these steps.

1. Create a SWOT Matrix

Use a SWOT template or create your own. You can create your SWOT framework on the computer or on a whiteboard—if you choose to do the latter, be sure that someone is in charge of recording the responses so that you don’t lose key insights (you can also take a picture at the end of the SWOT session).

2. Assemble Key Stakeholders

A SWOT analysis is most effective when it collects a variety of perspectives. Gathering key stakeholders with various perspectives will help you see more than you would have seen alone. Marketing leaders might be able to give you a more specific sense of the opportunities and threats related to your content marketing efforts. Your people team is closest to all personnel changes and feedback, so they’ll have the clearest sense of an organization’s strengths and what is driving employee retention (or challenging it). Sales leaders can help translate opportunities into a cohesive business strategy.

It’s simple: when it comes to a SWOT analysis, more heads are better than one.

3. Brainstorm Around Your Companies’ Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

Go through each field of the SWOT diagram, spending some time with each one. Ask the group the guiding questions to ensure you’re developing a comprehensive picture of the internal and external environment. There are no bad ideas in brainstorming. You’re just trying to get thoughts flowing. Something that feels like a “bad idea” might lead to discovering a potential threat you’d never thought of before or nuanced analysis of how you stack up to your nearest competitor. The key here is to keep the brainstorm going.

4. Record Relevant Thoughts in Their Respective Sections

As you brainstorm, record points and ideas when they are relevant. At the end of the session, your SWOT analysis should leave you with a clear sense of the organization’s strengths and company’s weaknesses that you can use to guide your strategy formulation.

5. Edit Your List

Revisit the SWOT diagram at a later time and edit it, culling out anything you don’t really need. You can also polish up some of the key insights gleaned in the brainstorming session. This is especially important if you plan to use your SWOT analysis as a more formal document that might be disseminated broadly.

6. Create a More Formal Version (Optional)

The final step, if you choose to do it, is to take your SWOT takeaways and put them together in a polished document that you can share.

A SWOT Analysis Example

It can be easier to understand how to approach a SWOT analysis if you’ve seen a SWOT analysis example. For the sake of this example, we will imagine a hypothetical company and what its SWOT analysis might look like.

The Business

An Instagram-friendly fitness business offering virtual workouts.

• The business is not limited to a specific geographic area.
• The company offers great benefits so employees tend to stay.
• Workouts look really good, so they market well on social media (particularly Instagram).
• The app experience can be glitchy.
• High customer churn rate.
• Competitors let you filter classes by the instructor. Ours doesn’t offer that.
• There is growing interest in our type of workout.
• As a result of the pandemic, consumers are more interested in at-home workouts.
• We could start offering retail products and branded workout equipment like our competitors do.
• Our app is vulnerable to hacking.
• If Instagram changes its algorithm, we may become wholly dependent on paid ads instead of organic posts.

A SWOT Analysis Template

Use this template to create your own SWOT analysis.

Strengths Section: What Your Company Does Well

Weaknesses section: what your company could improve, opportunities section: external factors you could use to your advantage, threats section: external factors that could harm your business, owning the hard truths of a swot analysis.

A SWOT analysis can bring up a lot of hard truths. It’s difficult to confront your company’s weaknesses and sometimes looking at threats can make them feel like the existential kind. Overcome these obstacles and give yourself the fortitude to confront business challenges head on with the Mental Toughness mini-course. The best part? It’s free.

About Mary Kate Miller

Mary Kate Miller writes about small business, real estate, and finance. In addition to writing for Foundr, her work has been published by The Washington Post, Teen Vogue, Bustle, and more. She lives in Chicago.

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What Is a SWOT Analysis and How to Do It Right (With Examples)

Posted february 2, 2021 by noah parsons.

A SWOT analysis is an incredibly simple, yet powerful tool to help you develop your business strategy, whether you’re building a startup or guiding an existing company.

What is a SWOT Analysis?

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Strengths and weaknesses are internal to your company—things that you have some control over and can change. Examples include who is on your team, your patents and intellectual property, and your location.

Opportunities and threats are external—things that are going on outside your company, in the larger market. You can take advantage of opportunities and protect against threats, but you can’t change them. Examples include competitors, prices of raw materials, and customer shopping trends.

A SWOT analysis organizes your top strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats into an organized list and is usually presented in a simple two-by-two grid. Go ahead and download our free SWOT analysis template  if you just want to dive right in and get started.

Why do a SWOT Analysis?

When you take the time to do a SWOT analysis, you’ll be armed with a solid strategy for prioritizing the work that you need to do to grow your business.

You may think that you already know everything that you need to do to succeed, but a SWOT analysis will force you to look at your business in new ways and from new directions. You’ll look at your strengths and weaknesses, and how you can leverage those to take advantage of the opportunities and threats that exist in your market.

Who should do a SWOT Analysis?

For a SWOT analysis to be effective, company founders and leaders need to be deeply involved. This isn’t a task that can be delegated to others.

But, company leadership shouldn’t do the work on their own , either. For best results, you’ll want to gather a group of people who have different perspectives on the company. Select people who can represent different aspects of your company, from sales and customer service to marketing and product development. Everyone should have a seat at the table.

Innovative companies even look outside their own internal ranks when they perform a SWOT analysis and get input from customers to add their unique voice to the mix.

If you’re starting or running a business on your own, you can still do a SWOT analysis. Recruit additional points of view from friends who know a little about your business, your accountant, or even vendors and suppliers. The key is to have different points of view.

Existing businesses can use a SWOT analysis to assess their current situation and determine a strategy to move forward . But, remember that things are constantly changing and you’ll want to reassess your strategy, starting with a new SWOT analysis every six to 12 months.

For startups, a SWOT analysis is part of the business planning process. It’ll help codify a strategy so that you start off on the right foot and know the direction that you plan to go.

How to do a SWOT analysis the right way

As I mentioned above, you want to gather a team of people together to work on a SWOT analysis. You don’t need an all-day retreat to get it done, though. One or two hours should be more than plenty.

1. Gather the right people

Gather people from different parts of your company and make sure that you have representatives from every department and team. You’ll find that different groups within your company will have entirely different perspectives that will be critical to making your SWOT analysis successful.

2. Throw your ideas at the wall

Doing a SWOT analysis is similar to brainstorming meetings, and there are right and wrong ways to run them. I suggest giving everyone a pad of sticky-notes and have everyone quietly generate ideas on their own to start things off. This prevents groupthink and ensures that all voices are heard.

After five to 10 minutes of private brainstorming, put all the sticky-notes up on the wall and group similar ideas together. Allow anyone to add additional notes at this point if someone else’s idea sparks a new thought.

3. Rank the ideas

Once all of the ideas are organized, it’s time to rank the ideas. I like using a voting system where everyone gets five or ten “votes” that they can distribute in any way they like. Sticky dots in different colors are useful for this portion of the exercise.

Based on the voting exercise, you should have a prioritized list of ideas. Of course, the list is now up for discussion and debate, and someone in the room should be able to make the final call on the priority. This is usually the CEO, but it could be delegated to someone else in charge of business strategy.

You’ll want to follow this process of generating ideas for each of the four quadrants of your SWOT analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

Questions that can help inspire your analysis

Here are a few questions that you can ask your team when you’re building your SWOT analysis. These questions can help explain each section and spark creative thinking.

Strengths are internal, positive attributes of your company. These are things that are within your control.

• What business processes are successful?
• What assets do you have in your teams? (ie. knowledge, education, network, skills, and reputation)
• What physical assets do you have, such as customers, equipment, technology, cash, and patents?
• What competitive advantages do you have over your competition?

Weaknesses are negative factors that detract from your strengths. These are things that you might need to improve on to be competitive.

• Are there things that your business needs to be competitive?
• What business processes need improvement?
• Are there tangible assets that your company needs, such as money or equipment?
• Are there gaps on your team?
• Is your location ideal for your success?

Opportunities

Opportunities are external factors in your business environment that are likely to contribute to your success.

• Is your market growing and are there trends that will encourage people to buy more of what you are selling?
• Are there upcoming events that your company may be able to take advantage of to grow the business?
• Are there upcoming changes to regulations that might impact your company positively?
• If your business is up and running, do customers think highly of you?

Threats are external factors that you have no control over. You may want to consider putting in place contingency plans for dealing with them if they occur.

• Do you have potential competitors who may enter your market?
• Will suppliers always be able to supply the raw materials you need at the prices you need?
• Could future developments in technology change how you do business?
• Is consumer behavior changing in a way that could negatively impact your business?
• Are there market trends  that could become a threat?

SWOT Analysis example

To help you get a better sense of what at SWOT example actually looks like, we’re going to look at UPer Crust Pies, a specialty meat and fruit pie cafe in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. They sell hot, ready-to-go pies and frozen take-home options, as well as an assortment of fresh salads and beverages.

The company is planning to open its first location in downtown Yubetchatown and is very focused on developing a business model that will make it easy to expand quickly and that opens up the possibility of franchising. Here’s what their SWOT analysis might look like:

SWOT analysis for UPer Crust Pies

How to use your SWOT Analysis

With your SWOT analysis complete, you’re ready to convert it into a real strategy. After all, the exercise is about producing a strategy that you can work on during the next few months.

The first step is to look at your strengths and figure out how you can use those strengths to take advantage of your opportunities. Then, look at how your strengths can combat the threats that are in the market. Use this analysis to produce a list of actions that you can take.

With your action list in hand, look at your company calendar and start placing goals (or milestones) on it. What do you want to accomplish in each calendar quarter (or month) moving forward?

You’ll also want to do this by analyzing how external opportunities might help you combat your own, internal weaknesses. Can you also minimize those weaknesses so you can avoid the threats that you identified?

Again, you’ll have an action list that you’ll want to prioritize and schedule.

UPer Crust Pies — Potential strategies for growth

Back to the UPer Crust Pies example: Based on their SWOT analysis, here are a few potential strategies for growth to help you think through how to translate your SWOT into actionable goals.

• Investigate investors. UPer Crust Pies might investigate its options for obtaining capital.
• Create a marketing plan. Because UPer Crust Pies wants to execute a specific marketing strategy —targeting working families by emphasizing that their dinner option is both healthy and convenient—the company should develop a marketing plan.
• Plan a grand opening. A key piece of that marketing plan will be the store’s grand opening, and the promotional strategies necessary to get UPer Crust Pies’ target market in the door.

Next steps with your SWOT Analysis

With your goals and actions in hand, you’ll be a long way toward completing a strategic plan for your business. I like to use the Lean Planning methodology for strategic plans as well as regular business planning. The actions that you generate from your SWOT analysis will fit right into the milestones portion of your Lean Plan and will give you a concrete foundation that you can grow your business from. You can download our free Lean Plan template to help you get started.

If you have additional ideas for how a SWOT analysis can help your business and how it fits into your regular business planning, I’d love to hear from you. You can find me on Twitter @noahparsons .

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Les 4 étapes pour faire votre SWOT

Que faut-il penser du SWOT ? Est-ce un concept théorique sorti des livres de marketing qui est en réalité inapplicable. Ou est-ce un outil qui nourrit la réflexion stratégique et permet de clarifier la situation d’un projet ?

Loin d’être une démarche théorique, le SWOT ou FFOM en français ( Strenghts / Forces, Weaknesses / Faiblesses, Opportunities / Opportunités, Threats / Menaces) est une méthode qui permet de structurer la réflexion stratégique des dirigeants et/ou créateurs ainsi que de toute personne qui porte un projet de quelque nature que ce soit. Cet outil d’analyse stratégique vise à établir une vision globale de la situation d’une entreprise ou d’un projet à un moment donné.

A l’image d’un général qui, avant une bataille, a besoin d’une vision globale de la situation pour établir sa stratégie :

• qualités et les faiblesses de ses troupes ainsi que celles de ses ennemis (psychologies, armement, nombre …),
• étude de l’environnement où va se situer l’affrontement (topographie météorologie, obstacles …).

Un entrepreneur a besoin, avant de se lancer, de faire le point pour poser les bases de la stratégie qui lui permettra d’atteindre ses objectifs le plus efficacement possible. L’analyse SWOT y contribue de deux manières  :

• Elle décrit la situation dans lequel se place le projet (forces et faiblesses) ;
• Elle révèle des approches potentielles (opportunités et menaces).

Dans cet article, nous expliquons comment faire une analyse SWOT en 4 étapes successives afin d’établir la stratégie de mise en œuvre de votre projet.

• Quand faut-il faire un SWOT ?

Dès lors qu’une personne, un entrepreneur ou une entreprise a un projet, il recherche un moyen pour atteindre son objectif. La qualité de sa stratégie (les moyens mis en œuvre pour atteindre son but) influencera positivement ou négativement la facilité avec laquelle il réalisera (totalement, partiellement voire pas du tout) son projet.

Faire une analyse stratégique lors de l’élaboration et la planification d’un projet nécessite de s’interroger sur les enjeux ainsi que sur la nature des réponses que les porteurs du projet souhaitent apporter.

L’analyse stratégique, et donc l’analyse SWOT, doit par conséquent être faire en amont du projet. Elle trouve sont utilité dès que la décision de lancer un projet est prise (créer une entreprise, développer un nouveau concept, rechercher un nouvel emploi …). Il sera donc utilisé pour préparer un business plan, s’interroger sur la pertinence d’un business-model, élaborer une stratégie marketing, définir une démarche de recherche de financement …

• Comment faire une analyse SWOT ?

La démarche que nous vous proposons tient en 4 étapes fondamentales.

Première étape : la recherche des thèmes à prendre en considération

Chaque projet dispose d’une situation et d’un environnement qui lui est propre. Pour adapter le Swot à votre projet, il est important de commencer par définir quels sont les secteurs, les activités, les thèmes ou les sujets qui auront un impact sur sa réalisation et sa réussite.

Le tableau ci-dessous reprend un certain nombre de thématiques couramment abordées dans le cadre d’une analyse Swot.

Pour approfondir la démarche, il peut être utile de réaliser une analyse Canvas. L’étude de chacune des 9 rubriques qui composent le business model Canvas permet d’identifier l’ensemble des thèmes qui impacteront le bon fonctionnement du projet. Reste à approfondir les thèmes en fonction du projet étudié.

Les thèmes identifiés serviront aussi à structurer la démarche des étapes 2 et 3.

Deuxième étape : identification et classement des données impactant l’organisation

Comme nous l’expliquons dans notre article sur le SWOT celle-ci se construit sur la base de 2 éléments :

• Les Forces sont des éléments qui apportent un avantage par rapport aux projets rivaux ;
• Les Faiblesses sont, à l’inverse, des éléments qui procurent un désavantage ou un manque pour le développement du projet.
• Les opportunités sont des caractéristiques d’ordre environnementales qui peuvent apporter des avantages au projet et pas nécessairement aux projets concurrents ;
• Les menaces reprennent les éléments de l’environnement qui auront un impact négatif sur le projet (limitation de l’activité, baisse de la rentabilité, fragilisation de la proposition de valeur, dépendance stratégique …).

Ainsi, les données collectées dans l’audit interne serviront à identifier les Forces et les Faiblesses. Les données de l’audit externe permettront d’alimenter les Menaces et Opportunités.

Remarque :

Un élément peut être présent dans deux cases différentes. Par exemple, la compétence spécifique d’une équipe, ou d’une personne peut être à la fois une force pour l’entreprise et une faiblesse s’il y a risque d’absence ou de démission des personnes qui détiennent cette compétence.

Troisième étape : Sélection et priorisation des Forces, Faiblesses, Opportunités et Menaces

L’un des pièges du Swot est de noyer ses utilisateurs dans un nombre trop important de données. Pour éviter cette difficulté, il faut sélectionner les éléments qui auront un impact décisif sur le projet. Il s’agit de ceux qui :

• Influenceront le plus fortement les décisions ;
• Intégreront directement la stratégie de développement ;
• Auront un impact le plus important et le plus rapide ;
• Permettront de différencier favorablement et visiblement la proposition de valeur du projet ;
• Auront des conséquences coûteuses et irréversibles ;

Après avoir sélectionné les éléments significatifs, il faut ensuite les classer par ordre d’importance et/ou de priorité. Il s’agit d’identifier :

• Les opportunités qui apporteront le plus de bénéfices au projet tout en étant abordables en fonction des forces et des faiblesses du projet,
• Les menaces qui, compte tenu des forces et des faiblesses du projet, seront les plus difficiles à contrer ou éviter et qui ont le plus de risques de se produire.

Lorsque la sélection a été réalisée, chaque élément pourra être intégré dans la case du Swot qui lui correspond. On pourra les classer par ordre d’importance ou par nature pour faciliter la réflexion. Au final, on obtient une vue générale et organisée des éléments essentiels à la réflexion stratégique.

Quatrième étape : l’élaboration de la stratégie

La dernière étape consiste à identifier les axes stratégiques. Pour y parvenir, on s’interroge sur la manière d’atteindre un objectif ou réaliser une démarche (utiliser ses forces, compenser ses faiblesses, exploiter les opportunités …).

Les stratégies possibles sont décrites dans notre fiche pratique sur le SWOT

• 6 Conseils pour réussir son Swot

Si la réalisation d’un SWOT de qualité n’est pas une démarche compliquée, cela nécessite toutefois un peu d’expérience. Voici 6 conseils qui vous aideront à réussir votre analyse SWOT.

1 – Soyez synthétique

L’intérêt de l’analyse SWOT est de clarifier une situation parfois compliquée. Pour éviter de perdre le lecteur et contribuer à faire sortir une stratégie claire, il est important d’aller à l’essentiel.

Évitez les trop grandes matrices et limitez-vous à une page, grand maximum.

2 – Basez-vous sur des faits

Les impressions sont souvent trompeuses. Efforcez-vous de prendre en considération les faits puis de mesurer les résultats obtenus afin de faire évoluer la stratégie (en faisant de nouveau un Swot si nécessaire).

3 – Mettez à jour votre analyse

Les sociétés et le monde économique qui les entoure sont en constante évolution. Le Swot d’une entreprise ou d’un projet est donc un élément qu’il faut mettre à jour régulièrement.

Pensez à refaire votre matrice en fonction des transformations du projet (forces et faiblesses) et de l’environnement dans lequel il évolue (opportunités et menaces). Pour cela il convient de surveiller les mutations du marché.

4 – Définissez le périmètre de l’analyse

Une analyse SWOT ne doit pas nécessairement concerner l’ensemble d’un projet ou d’une entreprise. Il est souvent préférable de la restreindre à un domaine d’activité spécifique qui dispose de caractéristiques qui lui sont propres (facteurs clés de succès, ressources et compétences, etc.).

Adapter le champ d’analyse permet souvent d’améliorer l’efficacité de l’outil.

5 – Exploitez votre analyse au maximum

La valeur d’une analyse est plus souvent due à la capacité de mettre en œuvre ses conclusions qu’à sa qualité intrinsèque.  Une fois la matrice terminée, ayez l’esprit d’action en agissant au mieux.

6 – Faite votre Swot à plusieurs

Travailler en groupe permet souvent un travail plus approfondi et plus concret. Enfin, l’analyse et la stratégie sont souvent d’une plus grande qualité, car pour être validée, elle doit être discutée et validée par plusieurs personnes. Bien évidemment la qualité des participants est d’une grande importance.

• Exemples de SWOT

Les publications suivantes vous permettront dé consulter des exemples de Swot de sociétés mondialement connues.

Votre avis compte !

J'accepte la politique de traitement des données

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Le tableau SWOT : Quel intérêt pour mon entreprise ? L’analyse SWOT est un outil stratégique d’aide à la décision qui permet aux entrepreneurs de faire un état des lieux de l’entreprise. Il s’agit d’identifier les facteurs internes et externes à l’entreprise qui peuvent avoir une influence sur son activité et son développement. Ces facteurs sont ensuite […]

• 21 Juin 2022

L’entreprise commercialise des milliers de produits fonctionnels au design épuré et vendus à prix bas. L’entreprise dispose de plus de 400 magasins, dont quelques-uns en franchise situés dans une cinquantaine de pays différents et fait travailler plus de 200 000 collaborateurs. Dans cet article nous vous proposons un exemple de Swot basé sur la société […]

• 27 Juin 2023

L’entrepreneur oriente le développement de son entreprise en fixant une politique générale ou une vision à moyen terme qui prend en considération la nécessité d’élaborer la stratégie et les plans d’actions de court terme qui en découlent. Il doit s’attacher à identifier l’ensemble des facteurs pouvant avoir une influence sur le développement de l’activité commerciale […]

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What Is A SWOT Analysis? Download Our Free Template

Updated: May 28, 2024, 9:59pm

A SWOT analysis is a framework used in a business’s strategic planning to evaluate its competitive positioning in the marketplace. The analysis looks at four key characteristics that are typically used to compare how competitive the business can be within its industry. A proper SWOT analysis can give you a fact-based analysis to make decisions from, or it could spark your creativity for new products or directions.

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The Four Points of SWOT

The four points of a proper SWOT analysis are Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. Strengths and Weaknesses focus internally on the business being evaluated, while Opportunities and Threats look at competition and things going on externally. Let’s look at the four points in more detail to determine how you can correctly evaluate each one.

• Strengths. Your Strengths are internal positives about your company that you can control and that often provide you with a competitive advantage. Some examples might be the quality of your product, the effectiveness of your processes, your access to physical or team assets or other competitive advantages.
• Weaknesses. A Weakness is an adverse internal attribute about your company that negatively takes away from your Strengths. Some examples might include knowledge gaps on your team, a low-quality product, a lack of money or other tangible assets, bad locations and more.
• Opportunities. An Opportunity is an external factor that provides promise or is likely to contribute to your potential success. Some examples might include the growth rate in your industry, specific laws or policies that will benefit the need for your product, positive customer feedback or technology advancements.
• Threats. A Threat is an external factor that you have no control over, which could negatively impact your success. These are typically acknowledged so that you can provide a plan to overcome each one. Some examples include potential future competitors, costs of supply, upcoming market trends, negative technology changes and upcoming regulations or laws.

The key to a strong SWOT analysis is accuracy in your research across all four points. Once you have the right information, you need to display it in an efficient and appealing way so that the data can easily be shared across your organization, with potential investors or with whoever might benefit the most from receiving it.

Downloadable SWOT Template

A SWOT analysis is usually presented in a grid form that provides the most important information from the analysis in each of the four points or areas. We have created a downloadable template that you can use to easily make your own SWOT analysis and include it as part of your next presentation or proposal. If preferred, you can also make a copy in Google Docs.

Download Free Template

How To Do an Effective SWOT Analysis

Every SWOT analysis is somewhat unique to each business but, ultimately, there is a straightforward process that can work for everyone. For example, you’ll have to complete all four points for a proper SWOT analysis but the research and method of getting the information could vary. The depth of each point might also vary depending on the age of your business, and the competition or opportunity in your industry.

The three steps to complete a proper SWOT analysis are:

• Gather the right stakeholders together. You need to involve more than yourself when going through a SWOT analysis. Key leaders and decision makers in your organization should be involved in going through the exercise. If you’re starting a business, you should include all who are involved in the business at this point in time.
• Brainstorm and capture SWOT data. The second step is to go through the process of identifying the information related to each of the four points. Everyone should do this independently as well as collectively.
• Analyze the data. Take all of the information collected through the brainstorming and come to an agreement on what factors should be represented in each of the main points. Then you can plug your information into the SWOT analysis template above and use this to strategically plan for future growth.

Questions To Aide Your Research for Each SWOT Point

When conducting the SWOT analysis, the most important part is making sure you’re as inclusive as possible with the analysis of each point. We’ve compiled a list of questions that you can use to start working through each point in your SWOT analysis so that you don’t leave anything off your list.

Use-case Examples

You can use a SWOT analysis for a number of activities, from deciding whether to invest in a business to helping an individual perform better at a non-profit. The use of SWOT is industry agnostic, as long as there are both internal and external factors that relate to the team, business or person being evaluated.

Some use-case examples for SWOT analysis include:

• A new business venture. Whenever a new business is launching it is a good idea to create a SWOT analysis to see where your Strengths and shortcomings lie. If you’re looking to raise money, then it will be expected that you’ve completed this analysis.
• Launching a new product. Whenever you’re launching a new product, you can treat it like a new business and complete the SWOT analysis to ensure success. Not doing your research beforehand could lead to targeting the wrong customers or not preparing for the competitive landscape.
• Improving team processes. From time to time, it could be beneficial to evaluate the performance of your team and see where you’re succeeding and what Opportunities exist to improve.
• Product team adding features. Every time a new feature is added to your product, your team can complete a SWOT analysis to see what impact it could have on the competitive landscape.
• Marketing team launching a campaign. Whenever a new target audience or method for reaching them is considered, the marketing team can complete a SWOT analysis to determine its potential.

As you can see, the sky’s the limit for use cases since you can use a SWOT analysis to determine the potential Strengths or roadblocks for just about anything.

Alternatives To SWOT Analysis

Depending on your situation, or your business, you may want to consider an alternative to a SWOT analysis. There are several options that can give you similar results, but these four alternatives are the most popular amongst businesses and teams looking at SWOT.

• SOAR analysis. SOAR stands for Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and Results. This is the most positive analysis on the list and is one of the most popular with those who dislike the SWOT analysis. This method requires you to evaluate the “six Is” of collaboration (initiate, inquire, imagine, innovate, inspire and implement).
• SCORE analysis. SCORE stands for Strengths, Challenges, Options, Responses and Effectiveness. Many like the “challenges” point of SCORE because it encompasses Threats, Weaknesses and obstacles in a single point while making all of them more of a positive opportunity. The SCORE methodology also focuses on actions you can take to improve instead of just focusing on the information from the analysis.
• NOISE analysis. NOISE stands for Needs, Opportunities, Improvements, Strengths and exceptions. The needs point focuses on the things your business or team needs to succeed instead of focusing on your shortcomings as things that stand in your way. This approach really trains you to see potential growth instead of roadblocks.
• Gap analysis. Gap is the only analysis on this list that doesn’t stand for anything. A gap analysis looks at where you’re at right now, where you want to go and how you close the gap between the two.

Check out our full guide to cost benefit analysis .

When To Use SWOT

When you need a broad analysis of your business, department, organizational or team potential, you should look no further than the SWOT analysis. It can provide a good overview of all of the major points that add up to potential success and help you draft a road map for potential growth. A SWOT analysis is also a good fit if you just need a quick comparison of your business to the competitive landscape that is out there.

When To Use an Alternative

If you need to dive deeper into specific factors or points of your business or team potential, then you may want to consider another alternative to the SWOT analysis. Alternatively, many pundits think that the word choices in SWOT are either vague or that they promote defeat. If you agree with that before you begin the SWOT analysis, then another option might be best for you so that the end goal of growing your business or team is met without obstacles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should complete a swot analysis.

Anyone looking to determine how a business or organization matches up against the competition, if there are both internal and external factors involved, should do a SWOT analysis. While a SWOT analysis is mostly used by new businesses or businesses launching a new product, it can also be used for any other type of organization and even for your local economy .

When should you do a SWOT analysis?

If you want to change your strategic positioning or launch a new product or service, then you should complete a SWOT analysis. Some also complete the exercise if they are just curious about their current positioning in their market or industry.

How do you write a good SWOT analysis?

A good SWOT analysis includes a full analysis of each point (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) as well as a clear and concise way of displaying the end results. The three primary steps to writing a good SWOT analysis are:

• Gather the right stakeholders together.
• Brainstorm and capture SWOT data.
• Analyze the data.

What are examples of threats in a SWOT analysis?

Threats are often external influences outside of your control; things that you risk by doing business. Inclement weather is one good example of something that you can’t combat and will have to deal with as it happens. Having a plan in place for dangerous storms will help you be prepared when they inevitably happen. Waiting for permits, supply chain failures and manufacturing errors can all impact your business negatively.

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L’analyse SWOT : définition et méthode

La matrice SWOT est l’un des principaux outils d’analyse et de prise de décision lorsqu’il s’agit d’investir dans une entreprise. Par conséquent, c’est l’une des grilles d’analyse les plus utilisées par les fonds d’investissements et les équipes de M&A lors de l’évaluation de potentielles cibles d’acquisitions.

Elle permet une étude exhaustive d’une entreprise, de son offre et de son environnement concurrentiel. Nous vous donnons les clés et conseils pour réussir la votre.

Analyse SWOT : Définition

Exemple très simplifié d’une analyse swot, comment bien construire une analyse swot, la matrice swot : la méthode.

La matrice SWOT est un outil permettant l’analyse d’une entreprise et de son environnement afin de l’orienter dans la bonne direction et de prévoir les potentielles difficultés qu’elle pourrait rencontrer.

Mais c’est aussi une technique d’analyse extrêmement répandue et utilisée par tous les cabinets de conseil et fonds d’investissements. Par conséquent, vous n’avez pas le choix : vous DEVEZ savoir l’utiliser. Cependant, gardez en tête qu’elle ne doit pas remplacer à elle seule une étude de marché complète. Aussi, c’est une matrice tellement récurrente que nous pouvons finir par douter de sa pertinence.

Et pourtant, ça serait une grave erreur de penser cela ! Tout d’abord, parce que si le fait de connaitre son existence ne vous démarquera pas forcément d’autres candidats dans un processus de recrutement ou d’autres collaborateurs dans votre entreprise, le fait de ne pas la connaitre, au contraire, vous pénalisera à coup sûr.

Mais aussi parce qu’une matrice SWOT bien construite et intelligement utilisée peut être redoutable d’efficacité pour montrer votre professionnalisme, construire votre stratégie et mettre en avant votre capacité d’analyse aiguë. Voici comment réussir la votre :

Forces (Strengths) : la première partie d’une bonne analyse SWOT

Dans cette première partie de votre analyse SWOT, présentez les points forts de l’entreprise que vous analysez. Il s’agit de facteurs internes uniquement ! Oubliez donc tout ce qui concerne le marché, la concurrence, la clientèle et concentrez vous exclusivement sur les qualités intrinsèques de l’entreprise.

N’hésitez pas à être exhaustif ! Les points forts d’une analyse SWOT peuvent être divers et variés, notamment :

• Un savoir-faire très spécifique ;
• Une technologie, si possible protégée par un brevet ;
• La complémentarité des compétences et expériences au sein de l’entreprise ;
• Les résultats jusqu’à maintenant : parts de marché, taux de croissance, marges, etc… Dans ce cas, n’hésitez pas à indiquer des données chiffrées.
• Les partenariat s’il en existe : avec d’autres entreprises, associations, entités publiques, etc…
• La notoriété et l’image de marque s’il s’agit d’un nom connu.

Faiblesses (Weaknesses)

Listez les faiblesses internes à l’entreprise que vous analysez. Comme pour les forces, nous parlons ici des faiblesses au sein même de la société ou du projet d’investissement, et non de facteurs liés au marché ou à l’environnement.

N’abordez pas la concurrence, ce n’est pas encore le sujet. Si votre SWOT a vocation a être présenté dans un business plan afin de lever des fonds ou de présenter une cible d’acquisition à votre management, profitez de cette partie de la matrice pour montrer à vos interlocuteurs que vous avez déjà réfléchi aux solutions qui pourraient résoudre ces faiblesses. Les faiblesses peuvent notamment inclure :

• Manque de main d’œuvre ou de force commerciale : précisez alors que les fonds levés permettront d’embaucher de nouveaux salariés.
• Image de marque et notoriété trop faible : les fonds levés peuvent permettre de payer de la publicité pour surmonter ce problème.
• Manque de certaines compétences en interne : avec des fonds supplémentaires, il est possible de recruter une personne experte ou sous-traiter plus facilement.

Opportunités (Opportunities)

Dans cette partie de l’analyse SWOT, vous pouvez enfin aborder l’environnement de l’entreprise. Spécifiez ici tous les facteurs externes, c’est à dire ceux sur lesquels l’entreprise n’a pas ou très peu de contrôle mais qui peuvent faciliter sa réussite.

Il peut notamment s’agir de :

• Une demande en forte croissance sur son marché, ce qui peut booster les ventes.
• Un allègement de la réglementation sur son secteur d’activité, diminuant ainsi les contraintes légales au quotidien.
• L’entreprise se situe sur un marché porteur, bénéficiant d’aides diverses.
• Le secteur bénéficie d’une bonne image dans l’opinion publique (écologie, santé, sociale, etc…).
• La concurrence présente un certain retard par rapport à l’entreprise.

Menaces (Threats)

Dans cette dernière partie de l’analyse SWOT, vous devez indiquer tous les éléments pouvant affecter l’environnement de l’entreprise et qui représentent un danger pour elle.

L’idée sous-jacente est de montrer que vous avez conscience des futurs obstacles, et par conséquent, que vous envisagez déjà de les affronter. Vous pouvez aborder les thèmes suivants :

• Arrivée d’un nouveau concurrent ou concurrence actuelle qui prend de l’avance ;
• Nouvelle réglementation plus contraignante ;
• Augmentation de certaines taxes et impôts ;
• Augmentation des coûts : marchandises, salaires, matières premières, etc… ;
• Pénuries diverses : marchandises, matières premières, voire main d’œuvre ;
• Mauvaise image du secteur aux yeux du public : alcool, tabac, armement, pollution, etc… ;
• Manque de partenaires ou de réseaux de distributions.

Par exemple, si demain vous souhaitez créer une start-up de conseils fitness en ligne et de vente d’articles de sport sur internet :

• Forces : vous êtes surement plus expert qu’une grande partie de la population et pouvez donc apporter des conseils avisés à vos lecteurs avant de leur vendre du matériel adapté.
• Faiblesses : vous n’avez pas de contact physique avec vos clients et il peut être plus difficile de nouer une relation de confiance avec vos potentiels clients sur internet.
• Opportunités : le fitness est une activité en pleine croissance et poussée par les autorités publiques pour lutter contre le surpoids.
• Menaces : la concurrence est particulièrement rude sur ce secteur car les barrières à l’entrée sont faibles.

Les conseils pour une bonne matrice SWOT

Pour être utile à la construction d’une stratégie et dans un business plan, une analyse SWOT doit être complète et précise. Cela signifie que vous devez mener un travail de recherche efficace : connaitre vos concurrents, vos potentiels partenaires, le fonctionnement de votre marché, la psychologie de votre clientèle, la réglementation en vigueur, etc…

Faire une matrice SWOT en seulement cinq minutes pour en avoir une dans votre business plan est parfaitement inutile. Penchez vous attentivement sur chaque point que vous abordez. Comme autre conseil plus « pratique », n’hésitez pas à organiser chacune des quatre grandes parties de votre matrice sous forme de liste à puce. C’est simple, efficace et compréhensible.

Les erreurs à éviter dans une analyse SWOT 

Surtout, ne minimisez pas artificiellement les deux parties négatives de votre SWOT (faiblesses et menaces).

La politique de l’autruche est un mauvais pari et vos interlocuteurs vous le feront savoir, parfois de manière très abrupte. Alors soyez francs, honnêtes, et montrez que vous êtes conscients des difficultés à venir et donc prêts à y faire face. C’est là tout l’intérêt d’une matrice SWOT !

Vous avez maintenant toutes les clés pour réussir une analyse SWOT efficace et professionnelle, alors passez-y le temps nécessaire et vous verrez tout l’intérêt de cet outil et pourquoi les grandes entreprises comme les cabinets de conseil, équipes M&A et fonds d’investissement continuent eux aussi de l’utiliser au quotidien.

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Modèle d’analyse SWOT vierge Excel

Modèle d’analyse swot word, modèle d’analyse swot powerpoint, pourquoi faire une analyse swot .

Le modèle SWOT Excel offre la flexibilité d’inclure des données quantitatives complexes. Utilisez notre SWOT tableau vierge Excel pour une visualisation complète et un calcul automatisé.

Ce modèle Excel de matrice SWOT vous offre une présentation claire et une structure 2×2 facile à comprendre, avec une colonne supplémentaire pour évaluer la pertinence de chaque élément des catégories SWOT.

Cette distinction est essentielle pour pondérer les éléments et prioriser les axes d’action.

L’avantage d’Excel permet d’intégrer des feuilles de calcul complémentaires pour une analyse détaillée, alliant la simplicité d’une matrice SWOT à la fonctionnalité d’Excel.

N’hésitez pas à consulter mon autre article pour découvrir des modèles téléchargeables PESTEL dans les format Word, Powerpoint et Excel.

Ce modèle d’analyse SWOT Word en vue paysage offre une présentation stylisée pour étudier toute entreprise. Si celui-ci ne vous plait pas vous pouvez toujours utiliser le template d’analyse SWOT ci-dessous qui est un peu plus classique : 

Le modèle SWOT Word, avec son format facilement modifiable, est idéal pour s’adapter rapidement à n’importe quelle situation.

Téléchargez notre modèle d’analyse SWOT Word et commencez à personnaliser votre document selon les besoins spécifiques de votre évaluation stratégique.

Pour ceux qui préfèrent une démonstration visuelle, notre exemple de SWOT PowerPoint illustre comment communiquer efficacement les résultats d’une analyse SWOT dans un contexte de groupe.

Optez pour ce modèle Word pour une mise en page élégante et une analyse efficace de toute organisation.

Le format paysage et le design soigné favorisent une lecture agréable et une analyse approfondie.

L’analyse SWOT permet de tirer parti de vos forces, de remédier à vos faiblesses, d’identifier vos opportunités et de réduire les risques liés aux menaces.

Une analyse SWOT peut être utilisée dans la planification d’entreprise, l’analyse de marché, la gestion de projet, la conduite du changement, ou encore le développement personnel (Evolution de carrière ou une évaluation), ou encore une situation nécessitant un plan d’action pour atteindre un objectif. 

Elle est parfois utilisée conjointement avec une analyse PESTEL, qui elle examine des facteurs politiques, économiques, sociaux et technologiques plus larges et fournit une perspective macro-environnementale. 

Cette analyse externe plus large peut être pertinente en fonction de la taille de l’entreprise, de son business model ou encore de la portée du projet envisagé. En revanche, une simple analyse SWOT peut être utile pour toute taille d’entreprise. 

Comme l’analyse prend en compte les facteurs internes et externes, elle permet aux entreprises de ne pas se leurrer sur ce qu’elles peuvent gérer et sur les stratégies ou opérations à modifier.

Bien qu’une analyse SWOT puisse être créée sous forme de liste pour documenter les forces, faiblesses, opportunités et menaces, ces catégories sont le plus souvent représentées dans une matrice à double entrée. 

Ce format permet de disposer les catégories côte à côte, ce qui facilite l’identification des liens entre elles.

Les modèles sont disponibles pour Microsoft Word, Excel et PowerPoint. 

Tous les modèles sont téléchargeables gratuitement et peuvent être personnalisés pour répondre aux exigences de votre projet. 

Un modèle SWOT sous Word est simple, tandis qu’un modèle Excel vous permet d’inclure des feuilles de données supplémentaires dans votre analyse, et les modèles PowerPoint fournissent un affichage visuel pour améliorer les présentations. 

Lequel choisir ? Optez pour un SWOT Excel pour une gestion de données numériques, un SWOT Word pour une édition de texte fluide, et SWOT PowerPoint pour des présentations impactantes.

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How to Do a SWOT Analysis for Better Strategic Planning

6 min. read

Updated October 27, 2023

Conducting a SWOT analysis of your business is a lot more fun than it sounds. It won’t take much time, and doing it forces you to think about your business in a whole new way.

The point of a SWOT analysis is to help you develop a strong business strategy by making sure you’ve considered all of your business’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and threats it faces in the marketplace.

• What is a SWOT analysis?

S.W.O.T. is an acronym that stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. A SWOT analysis is an organized list of your business’s greatest strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Strengths and weaknesses are internal to the company (think: reputation, patents, location). You can change them over time but not without some work. Opportunities and threats are external (think: suppliers, competitors, prices)—they are out there in the market, happening whether you like it or not. You can’t change them.

Existing businesses can use a SWOT analysis, at any time, to assess a changing environment and respond proactively. In fact, I recommend conducting a strategy review meeting at least once a year that begins with a SWOT analysis.

New businesses should use a SWOT analysis as a part of their planning process. There is no “one size fits all” plan for your business, and thinking about your new business in terms of its unique “SWOTs” will put you on the right track right away, and save you from a lot of headaches later on.

Looking to get started right away? Download our free SWOT Analysis template.

In this article, I will cover the following:

• How to conduct a SWOT analysis
• Questions to ask during a SWOT analysis
• Example of a SWOT analysis
• TOWS analysis: Developing strategies for your SWOT analysis

To get the most complete, objective results, a SWOT analysis is best conducted by a group of people with different perspectives and stakes in your company. Management, sales, customer service, and even customers can all contribute valid insight. Moreover, the SWOT analysis process is an opportunity to bring your team together and encourage their participation in and adherence to your company’s resulting strategy.

A SWOT analysis is typically conducted using a four-square SWOT analysis template, but you could also just make lists for each category. Use the method that makes it easiest for you to organize and understand the results.

I recommend holding a brainstorming session to identify the factors in each of the four categories. Alternatively, you could ask team members to individually complete our free SWOT analysis template, and then meet to discuss and compile the results. As you work through each category, don’t be too concerned about elaborating at first; bullet points may be the best way to begin. Just capture the factors you believe are relevant in each of the four areas.

Once you are finished brainstorming, create a final, prioritized version of your SWOT analysis, listing the factors in each category in order of highest priority at the top to lowest priority at the bottom.

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I’ve compiled some questions below to help you develop each section of your SWOT analysis. There are certainly other questions you could ask; these are just meant to get you started.

Strengths (internal, positive factors)

Strengths describe the positive attributes, tangible and intangible, internal to your organization. They are within your control.

• What do you do well?
• Positive attributes of people , such as knowledge, background, education, credentials, network, reputation, or skills.
• Tangible assets of the company , such as capital, credit, existing customers or distribution channels, patents, or technology.
• What advantages do you have over your competition?
• Do you have strong research and development capabilities? Manufacturing facilities?
• What other positive aspects, internal to your business, add value or offer you a competitive advantage?

Weaknesses (internal, negative factors)

Weaknesses are aspects of your business that detract from the value you offer or place you at a competitive disadvantage. You need to enhance these areas in order to compete with your best competitor.

• What factors that are within your control detract from your ability to obtain or maintain a competitive edge?
• What areas need improvement to accomplish your objectives or compete with your strongest competitor?
• What does your business lack (for example, expertise or access to skills or technology)?
• Does your business have limited resources?
• Is your business in a poor location?

Opportunities (external, positive factors)

Opportunities are external attractive factors that represent reasons your business is likely to prosper.

• What opportunities exist in your market or the environment that you can benefit from?
• Is the perception of your business positive?
• Has there been recent market growth or have there been other changes in the market the create an opportunity?
• Is the opportunity ongoing, or is there just a window for it? In other words, how critical is your timing?

Threats (external, negative factors)

Threats include external factors beyond your control that could place your strategy, or the business itself, at risk. You have no control over these, but you may benefit by having contingency plans to address them if they should occur.

• Who are your existing or potential competitors?
• What factors beyond your control could place your business at risk?
• Are there challenges created by an unfavorable trend or development that may lead to deteriorating revenues or profits?
• What situations might threaten your marketing efforts?
• Has there been a significant change in supplier prices or the availability of raw materials?
• What about shifts in consumer behavior, the economy, or government regulations that could reduce your sales?
• Has a new product or technology been introduced that makes your products, equipment, or services obsolete?
• Examples of a SWOT analysis

For illustration, here’s a brief SWOT example from a hypothetical, medium-sized computer store in the United States:

See our SWOT analysis examples article for in-depth examples of SWOT analyses for several different industries and business types or download our free SWOT analysis template .

• TOWS analysis: Developing strategies from your SWOT analysis

Once you have identified and prioritized your SWOT results, you can use them to develop short-term and long-term strategies for your business. After all, the true value of this exercise is in using the results to maximize the positive influences on your business and minimize the negative ones.

But how do you turn your SWOT results into strategies? One way to do this is to consider how your company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats overlap with each other. This is sometimes called a TOWS analysis.

For example, look at the strengths you identified, and then come up with ways to use those strengths to maximize the opportunities (these are strength-opportunity strategies). Then, look at how those same strengths can be used to minimize the threats you identified (these are strength-threats strategies).

Continuing this process, use the opportunities you identified to develop strategies that will minimize the weaknesses (weakness-opportunity strategies) or avoid the threats (weakness-threats strategies).

The following table might help you organize the strategies in each area:

Once you’ve developed strategies and included them in your strategic plan, be sure to schedule regular review meetings. Use these meetings to talk about why the results of your strategies are different from what you’d planned (because they always will be) and decide what your team will do going forward.

Tim Berry is the founder and chairman of Palo Alto Software , a co-founder of Borland International, and a recognized expert in business planning. He has an MBA from Stanford and degrees with honors from the University of Oregon and the University of Notre Dame. Today, Tim dedicates most of his time to blogging, teaching and evangelizing for business planning.

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What Is SWOT Analysis?

Understanding swot analysis, how to do a swot analysis.

• Common Mistakes

The Bottom Line

• Fundamental Analysis

How to Perform a SWOT Analysis

These frameworks are essential to fundamentally analyzing companies

Ariel Courage is an experienced editor, researcher, and former fact-checker. She has performed editing and fact-checking work for several leading finance publications, including The Motley Fool and Passport to Wall Street.

SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis is a framework used to evaluate a company's competitive position and to develop strategic planning. SWOT analysis assesses internal and external factors, as well as current and future potential. A SWOT analysis is designed to facilitate a realistic, fact-based, data-driven look at the strengths and weaknesses of an organization, initiatives, or within its industry.

Key Takeaways

• SWOT analysis is a strategic planning technique that provides assessment tools.
• Identifying core strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats leads to fact-based analysis, fresh perspectives, and new ideas.
• A SWOT analysis pulls information from internal sources (strengths or weaknesses of the specific company) and external forces that may have uncontrollable impacts on decisions (opportunities and threats).
• SWOT analysis works best when diverse groups or voices within an organization can provide realistic data points rather than prescribed messaging.
• The findings of a SWOT analysis are often synthesized to support a single objective or decision that a company is facing.

SWOT analysis is a technique for assessing the performance, competition, risk, and potential of a business, as well as part of a business such as a product line or division, an industry, or other entity.

Using internal and external data , the technique can guide businesses toward strategies more likely to be successful, and away from those in which they have been, or are likely to be, less successful. Independent SWOT analysts, investors, or competitors can also guide them on whether a company, product line, or industry might be strong or weak and why.

SWOT analysis was first used to analyze businesses. Now, it's often used by governments, nonprofits, and individuals, including investors and entrepreneurs. There is seemingly limitless applications to the SWOT analysis.

Components of SWOT Analysis

Investopedia / Julie Bang

Every SWOT analysis will include the following four categories. Though the elements and discoveries within these categories will vary from company to company, a SWOT analysis is not complete without each of these elements:

Strengths describe what an organization excels at and what separates it from the competition : a strong brand, loyal customer base, a strong balance sheet, unique technology, and so on. For example, a hedge fund may have developed a proprietary trading strategy that returns market-beating results. It must then decide how to use those results to attract new investors.

Weaknesses stop an organization from performing at its optimum level. They are areas where the business needs to improve to remain competitive: a weak brand, higher-than-average turnover, high levels of debt, an inadequate supply chain, or lack of capital.

Opportunities

Opportunities refer to favorable external factors that could give an organization a competitive advantage. For example, if a country cuts tariffs, a car manufacturer can export its cars into a new market, increasing sales and market share .

Threats refer to factors that have the potential to harm an organization. For example, a drought is a threat to a wheat-producing company, as it may destroy or reduce the crop yield. Other common threats include things like rising costs for materials, increasing competition, tight labor supply, and so on.

Analysts present a SWOT analysis as a square segmented into four quadrants, each dedicated to an element of SWOT. This visual arrangement provides a quick overview of the company’s position. Although all the points under a particular heading may not be of equal importance, they all should represent key insights into the balance of opportunities and threats, advantages and disadvantages, and so forth.

The SWOT table is often laid out with the internal factors on the top row and the external factors on the bottom row. In addition, the items on the left side of the table are more positive/favorable aspects, while the items on the right are more concerning/negative elements.

A SWOT analysis can be broken into several steps with actionable items before and after analyzing the four components. In general, a SWOT analysis will involve the following steps.

Step 1: Determine Your Objective

A SWOT analysis can be broad, though more value will likely be generated if the analysis is pointed directly at an objective. For example, the objective of a SWOT analysis may focused only on whether or not to perform a new product rollout . With an objective in mind, a company will have guidance on what they hope to achieve at the end of the process. In this example, the SWOT analysis should help determine whether or not the product should be introduced.

Step 2: Gather Resources

Every SWOT analysis will vary, and a company may need different data sets to support pulling together different SWOT analysis tables. A company should begin by understanding what information it has access to, what data limitations it faces, and how reliable its external data sources are.

In addition to data, a company should understand the right combination of personnel to have involved in the analysis. Some staff may be more connected with external forces, while various staff within the manufacturing or sales departments may have a better grasp of what is going on internally. Having a broad set of perspectives is also more likely to yield diverse, value-adding contributions.

Step 3: Compile Ideas

For each of the four components of the SWOT analysis, the group of people assigned to performing the analysis should begin listing ideas within each category. Examples of questions to ask or consider for each group are in the table below.

Internal Factors

What occurs within the company serves as a great source of information for the strengths and weaknesses categories of the SWOT analysis. Examples of internal factors include financial and human resources , tangible and intangible (brand name) assets, and operational efficiencies.

Potential questions to list internal factors are:

• (Strength) What are we doing well?
• (Strength) What is our strongest asset?
• (Weakness) What are our detractors?
• (Weakness) What are our lowest-performing product lines?

External Factors

What happens outside of the company is equally as important to the success of a company as internal factors. External influences, such as monetary policies , market changes, and access to suppliers, are categories to pull from to create a list of opportunities and weaknesses.

Potential questions to list external factors are:

• (Opportunity) What trends are evident in the marketplace?
• (Opportunity) What demographics are we not targeting?
• (Threat) How many competitors exist, and what is their market share?
• (Threat) Are there new regulations that potentially could harm our operations or products?

Companies may consider performing this step as a "white-boarding" or "sticky note" session. The idea is there is no right or wrong answer; all participants should be encouraged to share whatever thoughts they have. These ideas can later be discarded; in the meantime, the goal should be to come up with as many items as possible to invoke creativity and inspiration in others.

Step 4: Refine Findings

With the list of ideas within each category, it is now time to clean-up the ideas. By refining the thoughts that everyone had, a company can focus on only the best ideas or largest risks to the company. This stage may require substantial debate among analysis participants, including bringing in upper management to help rank priorities.

Step 5: Develop the Strategy

Armed with the ranked list of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, it is time to convert the SWOT analysis into a strategic plan. Members of the analysis team take the bulleted list of items within each category and create a synthesized plan that provides guidance on the original objective.

For example, the company debating whether to release a new product may have identified that it is the market leader for its existing product and there is the opportunity to expand to new markets. However, increased material costs, strained distribution lines, the need for additional staff, and unpredictable product demand may outweigh the strengths and opportunities. The analysis team develops the strategy to revisit the decision in six months in hopes of costs declining and market demand becoming more transparent.

Use a SWOT analysis to identify challenges affecting your business and opportunities that can enhance it. However, note that it is one of many techniques, not a prescription.

Common Mistakes When Preparing SWOT Analysis

When preparing a SWOT analysis, several common mistakes can undermine its effectiveness. Let's take a look at some ways your SWOT analysis may go awry.

One easy error to make when preparing a SWOT analysis is failing to be objective and honest in the assessment. Companies often tend to overemphasize their strengths while downplaying weaknesses, resulting in an overly optimistic and unrealistic analysis. This bias can lead to missed opportunities for improvement and leave the organization vulnerable to unforeseen threats. As difficult as it may be to be honest in your analysis, the validity of underlying assumptions is the cornerstone of how useful the SWOT analysis will be.

Another significant mistake is conducting the analysis in isolation, without input from diverse key stakeholders . You should try get to input from employees at various levels, customers, suppliers, and industry experts. Each may have a unique view of your company, and each may come up with different items to be listed in each quadrant based on how they specifically interact with the company.

Yet another common pitfall is neglecting to prioritize or weight the factors identified in the SWOT analysis. Not all strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats are equally important or impactful. Failing to distinguish between major and minor factors can lead to misallocation of resources and misguided strategic decisions. It can be easy for the important items to be buried if too many non-material items are identified.

Another frequent error is treating the SWOT analysis as a one-time exercise. You should be prepared to do a SWOT analysis periodically, The business environment is constantly changing, and a SWOT analysis should be regularly updated to remain relevant. In addition, the analysis itself is just the beginning; its true value lies in using the findings to develop and implement strategic actions. You can then check future SWOT analysis to make sure the company is addressing the major points.

Benefits of SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis won't solve every major question a company has. However, there's a number of benefits to a SWOT analysis that make strategic decision-making easier.

• A SWOT analysis makes complex problems more manageable. There may be an overwhelming amount of data to analyze and relevant points to consider when making a complex decision. In general, a SWOT analysis that has been prepared by paring down all ideas and ranking bullets by importance will aggregate a large, potentially overwhelming problem into a more digestible report.
• A SWOT analysis requires external considerations. Too often, a company may be tempted to only consider internal factors when making decisions. However, there are often items out of the company's control that may influence the outcome of a business decision. A SWOT analysis covers both the internal factors a company can manage and the external factors that may be more difficult to control.
• A SWOT analysis can be applied to almost every business question. The analysis can relate to an organization, team, or individual. It can also analyze a full product line , changes to brand, geographical expansion, or an acquisition. The SWOT analysis is a versatile tool that has many applications.
• A SWOT analysis leverages different data sources. A company will likely use internal information for strengths and weaknesses. The company will also need to gather external information relating to broad markets, competitors, or macroeconomic forces for opportunities and threats. Instead of relying on a single, potentially biased source, a good SWOT analysis compiles various angles.
• A SWOT analysis may not be overly costly to prepare. Some SWOT reports do not need to be overly technical; therefore, many different staff members can contribute to its preparation without training or external consulting.

SWOT Analysis Example

Let's perform a SWOT analysis together by analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of Tesla.

• Strengths: Tesla has a strong position in the EV market because of its strong brand recognition as an industry pioneer. The company's advanced battery technology allows for superior range in its vehicles. Tesla's extensive Supercharger network also provides a significant advantage in terms of charging infrastructure.
• Weaknesses: Tesla has struggled with production capacity limitations, often failing to meet demand and delivery targets. Quality control issues have also been a recurring problem from time to time. Tesla's vehicles are generally priced higher than those of competitors, which may limit market penetration in more price-sensitive regions.
• Opportunities: Tesla stands to benefit from the growing global demand for electric vehicles. The company has opportunities to expand beyond automotive into related fields such as energy storage and solar power, leveraging its battery expertise. The development of autonomous driving technology also presents another significant growth avenue, as Tesla has already begun implementing self-driving cars. Additionally, Tesla has the potential to tap into large, emerging markets like China and India where EV adoption could accelerate where it hasn't already.
• Threats: The competitive landscape for Tesla is intensifying as traditional automakers and new entrants invest heavily in electric vehicle technology. This increased competition could erode Tesla's market share and profit margins. Economic factors such as economic downturns could impact sales of Tesla's primarily luxury-oriented vehicles. The company also faces risks related to supply chain disruptions, particularly for critical materials used in battery production where it may already have manufacturing constraints.

What Are the 4 Steps of SWOT Analysis?

The four steps of SWOT analysis comprise the acronym SWOT: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. These four aspects can be broken into two analytical steps. First, a company assesses its internal capabilities and determines its strengths and weaknesses. Then, a company looks outward and evaluates external factors that impact its business. These external factors may create opportunities or threaten existing operations.

How Do You Write a Good SWOT Analysis?

Creating a SWOT analysis involves identifying and analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of a company. It is recommended to first create a list of questions to answer for each element. The questions serve as a guide for completing the SWOT analysis and creating a balanced list. The SWOT framework can be constructed in list format, as free text, or, most commonly, as a 4-cell table, with quadrants dedicated to each element. Strengths and weaknesses are listed first, followed by opportunities and threats.

Why Is SWOT Analysis Used?

A SWOT analysis is used to strategically identify areas of improvement or competitive advantages for a company. In addition to analyzing thing that a company does well, SWOT analysis takes a look at more detrimental, negative elements of a business. Using this information, a company can make smarter decisions to preserve what it does well, capitalize on its strengths, mitigate risk regarding weaknesses, and plan for events that may adversely affect the company in the future.

What Are the Limitations of SWOT Analysis?

While SWOT analysis is a powerful tool, it does have some limitations. It can sometimes oversimplify complex situations and is susceptible to the subjectivity and bias of participants. The analysis also doesn't provide specific guidance on how to address identified issues and can lead to analysis paralysis if not followed by concrete action.

A SWOT analysis is a great way to guide business-strategy meetings. It's powerful to have everyone in the room discuss the company's core strengths and weaknesses, define the opportunities and threats, and brainstorm ideas. Oftentimes, the SWOT analysis you envision before the session changes throughout to reflect factors you were unaware of and would never have captured if not for the group’s input.

A company can use a SWOT for overall business strategy sessions or for a specific segment such as marketing, production, or sales. This way, you can see how the overall strategy developed from the SWOT analysis will filter down to the segments below before committing to it. You can also work in reverse with a segment-specific SWOT analysis that feeds into an overall SWOT analysis.

Although a useful planning tool, SWOT has limitations. It is one of several business planning techniques to consider and should not be used alone. Also, each point listed within the categories is not prioritized the same. SWOT does not account for the differences in weight. Therefore, a deeper analysis is needed, using another planning technique.

Business News Daily. " SWOT Analysis: What It Is and When to Use It ."

Tesla. " Supercharger ."

Reuters. " Tesla Quarterly Deliveries Decline for the First Time in Nearly Four Years ."

Tesla. " Autopilot and Full Self-Driving Capability ."

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