components of the business plan (swot analysis)

– 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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What is SWOT Analysis?

How to conduct a swot analysis, what is a swot analysis used for, additional resources, swot analysis.

A framework to understand and analyze a company’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats

SWOT stands for S trengths, W eaknesses, O pportunities, and T hreats. A SWOT analysis is a framework to help assess and understand the internal and external forces that may create opportunities or risks for an organization.

Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors. They are characteristics of a business that give it a relative advantage (or disadvantage, respectively) over its competition.

Opportunities and threats, on the other hand, are external factors. Opportunities are elements of the external environment that management can seize upon to improve business performance (like revenue growth or improved margins).

Threats are elements of the external environment that may endanger a firm’s competitive advantage (s), or even its ability to operate as a going concern (think regulatory issues or technological disruption).

Key Highlights

• SWOT is used to help assess the internal and external factors that contribute to a company’s relative advantages and disadvantages.
• A SWOT analysis is generally used in conjunction with other assessment frameworks, like PESTEL and Porter’s 5-Forces.
• Findings from a SWOT analysis will help inform model assumptions for the analyst community.

Strengths may be any number of areas or characteristics where a company excels and has a competitive advantage over its peers. Advantages may be more qualitative in nature and therefore difficult to measure (like a great corporate culture, strong brand recognition, proprietary technology, etc.), or they may be more quantitative (like best-in-class margins, above-average inventory turnover, category-leading return on equity, etc.).

Weaknesses are areas or characteristics where a business is at a competitive disadvantage relative to its peers. Like strengths, these can also be more qualitative or quantitative. Examples include inexperienced management, high employee turnover, low (or declining) margins, and high (or excessive) use of debt as a funding source.

Opportunities

The “Opportunities” section should highlight external factors that represent potential growth or improvement areas for a business. Consider opportunities like a growing total addressable market (TAM) , technological advancements that might help improve efficiency, or changes in social norms that are creating new markets or new sub-segments of existing markets.

Threats are external forces that represent risks to a business and its ability to operate. The categories tend to be similar to the “Opportunities” section, but directionally opposite. Consider examples like an industry in decline (which is the same as a decreasing TAM), technological innovation that could disrupt the existing business and its operations, or evolving social norms that make existing product offerings less attractive to a growing number of consumers.

A SWOT analysis is rarely completed in isolation; it generally makes up one part of a broader business analysis. And while it is itself an assessment framework, a SWOT analysis is also an effective tool to help summarize other findings.

For example, an analyst can’t really assess a company’s strengths and weaknesses without first understanding the business and its industry. They may wish to leverage other tools and frameworks in order to accomplish this, including:

• Hax’s Delta Model – This will help to understand competitive positioning.
• Ansoff’s Matrix – This will help visualize the relative risk of a management team’s growth strategies.
• Financial ratio analysis – This will help identify trends (year-over-year), as well as a firm’s relative performance (using benchmarking data).

The same is true for external factors – opportunities and threats. It’s nearly impossible to understand these without first considering:

• The industry life cycle – Does the business operate in a growing, mature, or declining industry? This itself informs both opportunities and threats.
• An analysis of the broader business environment or the industry itself – Think frameworks like PESTEL or Porter’s 5 Forces.

A SWOT analysis is used differently by different stakeholders.

For example, a management team will use the framework to support strategic planning and risk management. SWOT helps them visualize the firm’s relative advantages and disadvantages in order to better understand where and how the organization should allocate resources, either towards growth or risk reduction initiatives.

The analyst community, on the other hand, may seek to understand (and quantify) strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in order to assess the business more completely.

Consider that findings from a SWOT analysis may help inform model assumptions among analysts. It could be an equity researcher trying to estimate the fair market value of a company’s shares , or a credit analyst looking to better understand a borrower’s creditworthiness.

In general, the SWOT framework is considered by many to be one of the most useful tools available for strategic planning and business analysis.

Thank you for reading CFI’s guide to SWOT Analysis. To keep learning and advancing your career, the following CFI resources will be helpful:

• FREE Analyzing Growth Drivers & Business Risks Course
• Ansoff Matrix
• Business Risk
• PESTEL Analysis
• Industry Analysis
• See all management & strategy resources
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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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The Four Parts of a SWOT Analysis [With Template & Examples]

A SWOT analysis is part of a strategic planning process that companies use to assess their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. A SWOT analysis can be a helpful technique for businesses to utilize when evaluating their business strategy or plan of action.

In this blog article, we cover essential aspects of a SWOT analysis, including how to use a SWOT analysis (including a free template for you to use), the importance of a SWOT analysis, the limitations of a SWOT analysis, real-world examples, and a deeper dive into the four parts of a SWOT analysis.

The four parts of a SWOT analysis are:

Strengths: These are the internal factors that give a company an advantage over its competitors—a talented team, strong brand, financial resources, valuable reputation, etc.

Weaknesses: These are the internal factors that put a company at a disadvantage relative to its competitors—lack of competitive advantage, under-resourced departments, a lack of brand recognition, limited budget, etc.

Opportunities: These are the external factors that present a company with the opportunity to grow and improve its performance—new markets, technology, emerging trends, regulations, etc.

Threats: These are the external factors that present a company with the risk of decline or failure— Competition, economic uncertainty, changing customer preferences and needs, etc.

What is a SWOT Analysis?

A SWOT analysis provides an organization with a clear understanding of its current business situation using the information gathered from each of the four parts of a SWOT analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. Based on the SWOT analysis, companies can use the collected data to influence business decisions and develop an achievable plan for growth and success.

You can apply a SWOT analysis to any situation or subject where an individual or organization is looking to maximize business opportunities while also being aware of factors that may hinder its success.

A SWOT analysis is beneficial in a variety of situations, including:

• Evaluating a new business opportunity or project
• Assessing the viability of a new product or service
• Analyzing a company's market position and competitiveness
• Determining the strengths and weaknesses of a company's operations, marketing, and organizational structure
• Identifying key factors that can impact a company's success in the short and long term

How to Create a SWOT Analysis For Your Company

When conducting a SWOT analysis for a company, you will need to evaluate the internal and external factors contributing to your overall results.

1). Download Our Interactive SWOT Analysis Template

We have created an editable version of our template that you can use for yourself or as inspiration when conducting your own analysis. You can organize your research, upload your company logo, and customize the elements and design to make it your own.

hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(208753, 'e88a27e1-ab3b-4053-8278-0ca368edb682', {"useNewLoader":"true","region":"na1"});

2). Identify your objectives

Before you compile data from all of the ins and outs of your research, narrow in on your objectives. A SWOT analysis should be specific enough so that you can create an impactful strategy that will help you reach your desired goal.

For example, your analysis may evaluate specific content promotion ideas or social media channels if you are creating a social media program. Another example is If you are looking to introduce a new product to the market, you may want to focus on the competitive landscape you are introducing the new product into.

3). Identify Each of the Four Parts of Your SWOT Analysis

Strengths: Strengths refer to the positive internal factors that contribute to the success of a business or project. To identify a company's strengths, consider your business's resources, skills, and capabilities and how to leverage them to succeed.

Weaknesses: Weaknesses refer to the negative internal factors that hinder the success of a business or project. When identifying your weaknesses, consider areas where your business is lacking or where there are limitations that could impact success.

Opportunities: Opportunities refer to external factors that companies can leverage to achieve success. To identify opportunities, look at the market environment and consider areas where there is untapped demand or new technologies or trends that could offer a competitive advantage.

Threats: Threats refer to external factors that pose a challenge or risk to the success of a business or project. It's helpful to consider the competitive environment and look for changes in regulations, economic conditions, or customer preferences that could impact your business when identifying a business's threats.

The Benefits/Importance of Using a SWOT Analysis

A SWOT analysis can provide numerous benefits for a business. Each of the four parts of a SWOT analysis can provide valuable insights that can help companies achieve their goals and succeed in a competitive market. A SWOT analysis helps companies stay informed, make informed decisions, and continuously improve their marketing efforts.

Better Understanding of the Business Environment: A SWOT analysis helps companies understand their internal and external environments.

Improved Strategic Planning: By identifying its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, a company can prioritize its efforts and allocate resources more effectively.

Enhanced Competitiveness: A SWOT analysis helps companies identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to stay ahead of the competition.

Increased Collaboration and Communication: A SWOT analysis can be a valuable tool to help team members understand business goals better and work together more effectively.

Facilitation of Change Management: A SWOT analysis can help companies identify areas for improvement and prioritize changes.

The Limitations of Using a SWOT Analysis

Although a SWOT analysis can be a helpful tool for businesses, it does have limitations. If you are looking to do a SWOT analysis, keep these limitations in mind.

Subjectivity: A SWOT analysis is often subjective, as it relies on the interpretation and opinions of the individual or team conducting the analysis. If the person conducting the analysis is not objective, the results may not be accurate.

Limited Information : A SWOT analysis only considers internal and external factors directly related to the subject of the analysis. Important information may be overlooked, leading to an incomplete or inaccurate understanding of the situation.

Lack of Action Plan: A SWOT analysis provides a snapshot of a company's situation, but it lacks a comprehensive action plan for how to address identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Organizations must evaluate the SWOT analysis and create a strategic plan accordingly.

Lack of Integration with Other Planning Tools: Companies should integrate a SWOT analysis with other strategic planning tools, such as a competitive or market analysis, to better understand the business environment.

SWOT Analysis Examples

There are numerous examples of successful companies that have used SWOT analysis when developing their business strategies. The examples that we will explore today are from top technology companies you likely know very well.

Apple SWOT Analysis 2023

The company has many strengths that position the company where it is today, including;

Being a globally iconic brand

Supplying top technology across products and services

Continuing to expand its service offerings

Apple is one of the world's most well-known and successful companies and is recognized for its innovation and design. The Apple brand's unique logo and aesthetic design are widely recognized, leaving no doubt that Apple is a globally iconic brand, serving consumers the top technology year after year. The company continues using cutting-edge technology to expand its product/service offerings for devices, streaming services, financial services, and more.

Even the top companies have weaknesses; here are some of Apple's weaknesses.

  High-priced "luxury" products

  Incompatibility with other software programs

Expanding its offerings into areas of non-competency

Apple products are often considered luxury products because of the high price tags that come with purchasing an Apple product. Low-income consumers are usually eliminated from Apple's consumer pool. A significant weakness consumers see in Apple is that Apple products are incompatible with other software, requiring customers to continue to purchase Apple apps, products, and accessories exclusively.

Additionally, as great as it is that Apple is expanding its product/services, the company is also entering into new areas that they have less competency in, such as video streaming services, payment services, etc., and is competing with top brands such as Netflix, Hulu, and PayPal.

Opportunities

Next, let's look at some of Apple's opportunities.

Consistent Customer Growth

Utilize Artificial Intelligence

  Expand Smart Technology

As a fast-growing company, Apple has significant opportunities for customer growth. There is a substantial opportunity for Apple to continue growing its customer base in terms of new and retaining existing customers.

As a top tech company, Apple will likely continue to keep up with technology trends and advances. Artificial intelligence and Smart technology are two advancing technologies companies are capitalizing on today. With smart wearable technology, music streaming services, and even smart home technology, Apple has ample market opportunities to offer customers a better user experience.

Lastly, let's look at the threats that the company faces.

Increasing Competition

Counterfeit Products

Lawsuits Against Apple

Apple is a top-performing brand, but the company still faces the threat of competitors. Other major brands, such as Samsung and Google, are gaining more significant footholds in the industry.

Counterfeit products have also impacted Apple . Individuals or companies are illegally producing counterfeit products using Apple's brand image and name. These counterfeit products can mislead customers and dilute the value of Apple's brand for having dysfunctional and unreliable products.

Lawsuits threaten any company, and Apple is no stranger to them. As a service provider with access to personal information and financial data, the company operates in a highly regulated industry where these accusations are not taken lightly.

Mircosoft SWOT Analysis 2023

Now that we have walked through an example of what a SWOT analysis should look like and the breakdown of each of the four parts of a SWOT analysis let's look at another example.

Netflix SWOT Analysis 2023

Even Netflix, one of the most popular Saas companies, can benefit from a SWOT analysis. Let's look at what a SWOT analysis for Netflix may look like.

Here is a SWOT analysis for Netflix. 

Ready to Create Your Own SWOT Analysis?

The four parts of a SWOT analysis are strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and it is a helpful tool for businesses of all industries. Using a SWOT analysis to identify internal and external factors, companies can re-think their marketing strategy and begin capitalizing on optimal opportunities while being aware of potential threats. 

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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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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?

SWOT analysis stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This exercise helps teams develop strategic plans for innovation and investment.

A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis is a visual framework used for strategic planning across all types of businesses and organizations. SWOT analyses are made up of four components that will help you determine the output of your team’s analysis.

What Does SWOT Analysis Stand For?

Opportunities, how do i do a swot analysis.

A SWOT analysis is a qualitative assessment of a company’s SWOT components. Individuals responsible for the assessment fill out a visual template similar to the figure above, which is usually laid out in a two-by-two matrix. This template helps visualize all the SWOT elements together in their entirety.

To understand in more detail the elements of this template, let’s dive into each component individually.

More From Built In Experts How Competitive Analysis Helps You Shine Over Your Rivals

What Are the 4 Components of a SWOT Analysis?

Your strengths are organizational features that provide a competitive and strategic advantage relative to the market and competition.

Weaknesses  

Your weaknesses include organizational features that are lacking relative to market competition, or that hinder the organization’s overall effectiveness to compete, grow, and strive for optimal business performance.

These are favorable market conditions or external developments that represent an opportunity for unlocking or improving the organization’s competitive positioning and business performance. Opportunities can be related to present market conditions, but can also be forward-looking.

These are unfavorable market conditions or external developments that pose a risk to the organization’s performance or the entire viability of the current market. Threats can be related to present market conditions, but can also be forward-looking. (e.g. near-term competitive threats or geopolitical risks would be good examples to feature in this bucket)

• Strengths and weaknesses are factors that are owned (and thus controlled) by the organization. As a result, the organization and its team can directly influence strengths and weaknesses.  
• Opportunities and threats are factors that cannot be controlled by the organization. For example, a near-term innovation trend or advantageous legal ruling that may come into play are considered opportunities, whereas near-term competitive innovation or geopolitical risks fall within the threats bucket. In either instance, your organization may prepare for these events, but it cannot control them. 

During the process of filling in this template, you’ll consider all four elements individually. Once you complete the template, through brainstorming sessions and workshops, you can start putting together an actionable plan to capitalize on your strengths and opportunities while countering your weaknesses and threats. 

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SWOT Analysis Example 

Let’s take, for example, a smartphone-producing company in the technology industry. Your example SWOT table may include the following.

Strengths :

• Strong brand positioning
• Loyal customer base
• High barriers to entry for the competition due to recent patent filings

Weaknesses:

• Recently departed CEO who led the company for the previous 15 years
• Production bottlenecks in key geographical regions
• Leaked PR documents

Opportunities:

• Customer trends indicating a shift towards higher-end smartphones in emerging markets
• Weakened competition due to a key competitor recently filing for bankruptcy
• Increased regulatory scrutiny
• Global chip shortage

As a result and potential plan of action, the company in question may decide to focus on mitigating the risks caused by its weaknesses (for example by increasing production in key regions close to the ones suffering bottlenecks in addition to selecting an experienced interim CEO as soon as possible) while seizing market opportunities that may not come about again (i.e. gaining market share in the short term by exploiting the competitor’s bankruptcy).

Overall, resource allocation should flow to:

• Seizing market opportunities
• Developing mitigation plans for market threats and investing in limiting potential damage or performance slowdowns caused by internal weaknesses

Why Use a SWOT Analysis?

The results of a SWOT analysis inform your company’s strategic plan and help you make decisions about how to allocate future resources.  As a result of a SWOT analysis your team might decide on the following:

• investment/divestments related to a given product line
• international market entry or market expansions
• changes to the company’s position relative to its competition (based on factors such as price, target customers and barriers to entry among others)
• adjustments to external macroeconomic trends (raise in interest rates) or market-related dynamics (global supply chain constraints)

SWOT Analysis Advantages and Disadvantages

The SWOT analysis as a framework for strategic planning has received its fair share of critique and scrutiny. Let’s review some of the pros and cons.

SWOT Analysis Advantages

• 10,000-Foot View : A SWOT allows you to consider multiple factors that you might not normally associate together all at once (departing CEO and macro-trends, for example). This process can invite management to identify creative solutions to company issues that may have previously been hard to identify; having this combination of different sources of data, from internal balance-sheet metrics to market data points to press releases may enable your organization to find more comprehensive and representative patterns.
• Cross-Team Collaboration : SWOT analyses create space for the representation of multiple viewpoints within the organization. The exercise invites people from different departments of the organization to contribute and collaborate across departments, thereby enriching the overall quality of the SWOT analysis and enabling better communication across company silos.
• Simplicity: A SWOT is a simple framework that allows you to consider and break down complex problems that are usually considered and tackled separately but without a link to the bigger picture offered by a SWOT exercise.
• Simultaneous Consideration of Internal and External Factors : A SWOT allows us to relate internal factors with external factors, which is important since these two sides are usually considered separately from one another and only more broadly considered at the executive level. For this reason, conducting a SWOT exercise at the department level allows internal teams to understand how external forces influence and relate to their day-to-day operations.

More on Group and Organizational Analyses 7 Ways to Use Mind Mapping in Your Work

SWOT Analysis Disadvantages

• Groupthink and Bias: The generation of a SWOT chart is heavily influenced by the individuals tasked with the exercise. If the group isn’t diverse or made up of representatives from around the organization, the analysis will result in biased outcomes and lopsided strategies.
• Short Shelf Life : A SWOT analysis is a spot exercise, which means we typically perform them as a one-off planning effort. In fast-changing markets, its results (and, thus, its overall relevance) can go out of date quickly.
• Research shows a weak link between the SWOT exercise and actual strategic decision-making and organization follow-through. As a result, we’ve seen alternative frameworks emerge, most notably Porter's five forces analysis .

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What Is A SWOT Analysis? A Thorough Explanation With Examples

Ted Jackson

Ted is a Founder and Managing Partner of ClearPoint Strategy and leads the sales and marketing teams.

Know the strengths and weaknesses of your organization, internally and externally.

Table of Contents

Historically, corporate planning has always been difficult. Many organizations have failed at trying to get everyone on the same page and agree to the details of a plan—more often than not, their efforts proved to be both ineffective and time consuming. Something had to be done.

What is a SWOT analysis?

Albert Humphrey of the Stanford Research Institute determined in the 1960s to identify why corporate planning consistently failed. Thus the origination of the SWOT analysis. Today, the SWOT analysis is one of the most important concepts in the business world and is widely used by all types of organizations to help build a strategic plan.

So, what is a SWOT analysis, how do you create one, and what do you do with it? In this article, we’ll explain it all (and share some SWOT analysis examples to boot) from start to finish.

A SWOT analysis is a high-level strategic planning model that helps organizations identify where they’re doing well and where they can improve, both from an internal and an external perspective. SWOT is an acronym for “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.

SWOT works because it helps you evaluate your business by considering multiple factors:

• Strengths and weaknesses are internal factors (things you can control), like team members, software, and geographic location.
• Opportunities and threats represent external factors (things you can’t control), such as competitors, regulations, and economic trends.

Organizations use SWOT to plot out a future course that plays on their strengths and minimizes risks. Taking the time to look at your organization from different perspectives and honestly assess your future prospects is a worthwhile activity; the insights you glean as a result you should then use constructively as part of the strategic planning process.

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How to do a swot analysis.

To help you get started, we’ve created this step-by-step SWOT analysis template. The examples below are specific to the airline industry (since that’s the example we use in our grid), but the SWOT analysis exercise is applicable to all businesses.

You’ll notice we divided our hypothetical examples for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats based on the four Balanced Scorecard perspectives. You don’t have to use the Balanced Scorecard to be successful with your SWOT analysis, but this method does provide a strong framework for your discussion.

Not using the Balanced Scorecard? Look to the guiding principles of whatever strategic management framework you are using for ways to think about your business. For example, the VRIO framework emphasizes value, rarity, imitability, and organization; you can conduct a SWOT analysis through the lens of these criteria instead.

1. Create a SWOT matrix

This is the grid-like matrix that will house the information you gather. As you can see in the SWOT analysis template below, each quadrant features one of the four elements you’ll be focusing on—strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Using a matrix helps present your findings in a clear, easy-to-understand way.

2. Gather the right participants

Pull people from all departments to participate in the analysis. Your entire leadership team should be involved because they can provide a broad view of the organization and offer insight into the competitive landscape.

But having lots of different perspectives is beneficial, and that means including leaders from every department—and anyone else you think might have valuable input. The more diverse the group, the better insights you’ll generate.

Not all ideas will make it to the final list, but it’s important to consider them all.

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3. list your strengths.

Ask the group: What are we good at? How are we better than our competitors? These are broad questions, but in the beginning stages of your discussion, you should accept all answers.

Examine these questions in relation to the Balanced Scorecard perspectives. For the fictional company Upward Airlines, the discussion might look like this:

• Financial strengths: What is our most reliable source of financial growth? Is it our service destinations? A large fleet size? Our customer loyalty program?
• Customer strengths: Where is our customer growth coming from? Is it due to excellent service ratings or low prices? Why are customers choosing us over our competitors?
• Internal strengths: What do we do very well as an organization? Are our operations easily scalable? Do we have an exceptionally high employee retention rate? How complex is our maintenance program?
• Learning & growth strengths: Where do we excel as far as our employees are concerned? Is it our compensation model? Could it be our workforce development program? Are people coming or leaving because of our culture?

Having considered these questions for your own organization, you might come up with multiple responses in some categories. Below is a sample of the strengths portion of the SWOT analysis for Upward Airlines:

TIP: As mentioned above, you can use ClearPoint to simplify this and the remaining information-gathering steps. Rather than asking everyone to brainstorm simultaneously in a conference room, give people time to review relevant data (also housed in ClearPoint) that would help identify strengths and weaknesses, as well as potential opportunities. Participants can then input their thoughts into ClearPoint, link to key supporting metrics, and even add contextual information surrounding their thought process.

Doing your analysis within a single tool not only makes it easier to collect the information but also gives you the visibility to see how the various components that make up your SWOT might be linked. Further, ClearPoint has a discussion feature that allows users to @ mention other users, and thus facilitates conversations about your strengths and weaknesses.

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4. list your weaknesses.

Ask the group: What are we not good at? Where can we grow? What are we lacking? The Upward Airlines discussion might look like this:

• Financial weaknesses: What is our biggest financial weakness? Our destinations are all in the U.S., which may be limiting our growth. Or, we know that a large number of new competitors entering the market are decreasing our market share. Do we have challenges with debt or credit?
• Customer weaknesses: Where do our customers think we need to improve? This could be related to frequently canceled flights, lost baggage, complexity of the reservation process, or cleanliness, for instance.
• Internal weaknesses: What do we do poorly? Are we slow at handling customer complaints? Are our maintenance costs above industry average? What about plane utilization?
• Learning & growth weaknesses: What are our biggest challenges with employees? Is our staff security training proving ineffective, or is there a negative perception of the organizational culture? Do our employee surveys reveal low engagement?

5. Identify your opportunities

Ask the group: Where do we see big (and small) possibilities for our organization? What do we see happening in the future?

The Upward Airlines group might discuss the following:

• Financial opportunities: What is our biggest opportunity to improve our finances? This might mean taking advantage of federal loans in a time of crisis (like COVID-19) or adopting specific technology to lower costs. Maybe there is an opportunity to purchase a weaker competitor.
• Customer opportunities: Where could we dramatically improve with our customers? Could we enhance our online interface? Can we create and promote new standards of cleanliness? What about finding new ways to engage with customers when travel opportunities are low?
• Internal opportunities: What processes will drive us well into the future if we could improve upon them? Adopting certain climate initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint, for instance, will make us more eco-friendly (and, by extension, more appealing to customers). Maybe now is the time to upgrade a reservation or pricing system.
• Learning & growth opportunities: What opportunities do we have to leverage staff? For example, do we have cross-training opportunities? Could we make a few tweaks to improve our culture and thus our retention?

Upward Airlines’ opportunities for the foreseeable future might be:

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6. identify your potential threats.

Ask the group: What do we see as a threat? What obstacles do we anticipate? What is changing that could hurt us? As a travel-related company in a tough economy, Upward Airlines might uncover a number of potential threats:

• Financial threats: What threats could seriously impact our financial health? This could be low-cost competitors, ongoing global health issues that prevent travel, or rising oil costs.
• Customer threats: What is our biggest concern about our customers? Has a competitor created a more attractive loyalty program? Is our number of business clients trending downward?
• Internal threats: What current areas of our business might harm us later? Is a contract dispute imminent that could disrupt business? Is a potential merger or acquisition on the horizon?
• Learning & growth threats: What threatens the people within your organization? This could be anything from instability in our customer support department to staff member departures to a department-specific pushback against new technology.

The external threats deemed most imminent for Upward Airlines might be:

7. Examine your matrix for connections

In looking at your SWOT matrix, do some of your strengths naturally support the identified opportunities? If you eliminate weaknesses, would that present additional opportunities?

At this point, we recommend running a “brown paper exercise”—print your SWOT matrix in large size, and ask employees to add post-it notes in any or all of the matrix’s four boxes if they feel the leadership team missed something. (You can also ask employees to add their names next to their suggestions so leadership can follow up with them.) Not only is this exercise great for inter-office discussion, but it also gives leaders the chance to consider opinions from staff in the field.

Done correctly, the SWOT analysis is another valuable tool in your toolbox for improving business performance and minimizing threats and weaknesses going forward. It can also prompt organizations to be more innovative with their strategy—new ideas may emerge that leadership would not normally have considered without such a thorough examination of the business from all angles.

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Complement your swot with a pest analysis.

A SWOT analysis is a way of understanding and evaluating all facets of your company so you’re in a better position to make decisions about the future. But there are also external factors that will impact your company’s future; these things are beyond your control but still require consideration as you map out your strategy.

That’s why many organizations choose to complement a SWOT analysis with a PEST analysis—together, they provide a complete picture of your business environment for effective strategic planning.

PEST stands for political, economic, social, and technological—the four key areas outside your business that are likely to impact it. These factors tend to play out over long time frames. An economic slowdown, for instance, could take years to resolve, but you can take action to address staff training issues fairly quickly.

Thus, a PEST analysis is more valuable than SWOT when it comes to formulating longer-term plans and business strategies. Our recommendation is to do a SWOT analysis first, followed by a PEST analysis, to get a complete picture of the business landscape.

What Should You Do with Your SWOT Analysis?

Congratulations! Hopefully, you understand your business a little better after completing your SWOT analysis; now it’s time to put those insights to good use. Your ideas on how to use your strengths and overcome your weaknesses should inform your strategy.

Developing a strategy is in and of itself a big step. It involves defining objectives for your company to move toward, creating priority initiatives (projects) to help make them a reality, and identifying measures to make sure the strategy is unfolding the way it should.

Our Upward Airlines SWOT analysis example, for instance, lists four weaknesses:

• High maintenance costs
• Fewer direct travel routes than our competitors
• No uniform project management system in place
• Below-average employee satisfaction

Some of these weaknesses are easier to address than others, such as improving employee satisfaction and your project management practices. Others, like the lack of direct travel routes, may be difficult to address in a time when airlines are still recovering from the COVID-19 fallout and profits are low. Similarly, you want to continue supporting your current strengths.

While you shouldn’t let your excellent training program lapse, it needn’t be a focus if you expect the number of new hires over the next year to be low. However, improving your virtual communication practices will most likely prove to be beneficial moving forward.

Therefore, the Upward Airlines SWOT analysis above might drive strategy in the following ways:

• An objective might be to “improve employee satisfaction”; to accomplish that goal, the company might initiate new projects that include reevaluating the benefits plan or starting a surveying program for employee feedback.
• An objective might be to “make flying as safe as possible for customers”; to reach that goal, they might implement a new cleaning regimen and increase communication with customers about new procedures.
• An objective might be to increase revenue by 10%; to help achieve that goal they might create a problem-solving team whose purpose is to reevaluate the current capacity strategy and recommend changes to offset the rising cost of fuel.

Make sure there is a clear and strong link between your SWOT analysis and your strategy map. For example, if you’re a for-profit organization, your financial perspective will be the top priority—build your analysis into your map in a manner that drives those finances in the right direction.

Maybe your SWOT analysis foretold an opportunity to hit a new line of business or forecast that a line of business would dry up. Your strategy needs to reflect that information.

If you’re using ClearPoint for strategy execution, you can make sure the projects you initiate as a result of your SWOT will actually have an impact by a) creating links within the software to show clear connections between projects and objectives, and b) tracking progress on your goals and initiatives over time.

That way, you’ll be able to see if, for example, your revised capacity plan positively impacted revenue in any substantial way—or if it had a negative effect on the bottom line. If you’re continuously monitoring progress, you’ll be able to adjust your course of action in a timely manner if needed.

Those insights will also be useful for your next SWOT analysis.

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Real-world swot analysis examples.

Still uncertain as to how your team can use the information produced by a SWOT analysis? We reached out to the business community to ask about their experiences with SWOT.

Their answers, listed below, show that SWOT can be applied to any number of business activities, from developing a long-term overall strategy to launching campaigns, new products, and more.

Seize New Opportunities

"We focus on the opportunity aspect of SWOT. We are always looking to find new ways of growing our company, and we use this analysis to show us areas where our business might thrive. A SWOT analysis showed us how important it would be for us to partner with over 15 different insurance companies, so that we can freely match each client with whichever one is best for them. Most companies like ours only work with one or two companies, but we have seized the opportunity, and we are growing because of it."

—Anthony Martin of Choice Mutual

"We took action to understand that it's not enough to simply have a great product; we need to make sure our customers know how it can help them. By servicing the market, we found ways to add value for our customers and build relationships with them by providing helpful resources on our website and offering free trials. This has helped us to focus on creating and providing value to our customers, rather than just trying to get them to buy our product. As a result, we've created a much more sustainable and successful business."

—Diana Stepanova of Monitask

"One of the most important things that came out of our SWOT analysis was identifying untapped opportunities. After changing the game with our magnetic lashes, we saw a gap in the acrylic nail market. Through a SWOT analysis, we have realized our strength in reimagining highly used beauty products and making them better for the consumer. That has opened up even more opportunities to revolutionize the billion-dollar beauty industry."

—Ann McFerran of Glamnetic

"Our SWOT analysis revealed that we could create additional revenue streams by white-labeling our writing service and marketing it to other agencies. We offered interested parties discounts on our already-competitive rates, which made working with us very attractive and profitable for both sides. This allowed us to effectively double the size of our market. Most of the work we do now is for our agency partners, which means we can spend less time chasing sales and instead focus on ensuring quality in our service."

—Milo Cruz of Freelance Writing Jobs

“The best insight I gained from performing a SWOT analysis of my organization is that we are very good at what we do and have a lot of growth potential. One action that we took because of this insight was to expand our product line. We now offer various [photo] backdrops, including some specifically designed for events. We have also started marketing to new customers, which has helped us grow our business.At first, we didn't think that expanding our product line would help us much, but it has been one of the best things we've done for our business. It's enabled us to attract new customers and grow our sales. Marketing to new customers has also been helpful in terms of growing our business. These actions have made us a more prosperous and well-rounded company. "

—Kate Zhang of Kate Backdrop

Evaluate Your Competitive Advantage

"The SWOT analysis helped us identify potential opportunities that were unique to us in terms of reach. This allowed us to focus on key areas and strategies that would allow us to be the go-to choice of a specific market."Knowing where your company stands in relation to its competitors is crucial for developing strategies that will give you a competitive advantage. It also gives you insight into your unique opportunities that your competitors may not have. This is the kind of information that can help you make decisions that will take your company to the next level."

—Linda Shaffer of Checkr

"There are many roofing contractors competing for business, and it can be difficult for customers to understand what sets us apart from the rest. In order to address this issue, we have revamped our marketing materials to better communicate our unique selling points.As a result, potential customers can now see that our company is the best choice for quality roofing services, and we have experienced a significant increase in sales."

—Marty Ford of BulletpRoof Roof Systems Ltd.

“Owners of startups and small businesses need, but cannot find, a system to start, market, operate, or finance a business. Through our SWOT analysis, we noticed that our competitors left important questions and needs unanswered. For example, a competitor might help you set up a corporation, but have nothing for you after that.You started the business, but now need marketing, operational, or finance help. We strive to be the entrepreneur's best friend by giving you the needed tools."

—James Chittenden of One Click Advisor

Learn Business Strengths

"SWOT analysis was incredibly helpful when it came to understanding the strengths of my business. I was then able to play to those strengths and build on them.One strength was integrity—my business is always honest—and I’ve built that honesty into our brand."

—Keith Terrell of Backpacks Global

"Overcoming our weaknesses doesn't mean we are not keeping an eye on our existing strengths. If there's one thing SWOT analysis has taught us, it’s that we should treasure the things that keep our company strong by being innovative. Our positive attributes can become a weakness if we refuse to adapt to changes. Consistently monitoring our strengths has allowed us to hit all our targets and go beyond our goals. As a result, we have outperformed our competitors by always bringing something new to the table."

—Adam Garcia of The Stock Dork

Address Future Business Challenges

"Two of the issues we identified were the great resignation and the recession. Knowing them in advance gave us plenty of time to make the necessary changes (like retaining your best employees by offering new benefits—remote work, PTO, and unlimited growth opportunities). We also changed our inventory strategy and made sure we had enough to counter the price increases, shortages, and demand.These strategy changes helped us limit the adverse effects of the recession, optimize our stocks, and make sure all our orders were fulfilled on time. The changes were also able to help us retain our best employees; thus, we never even had any problems throughout the great resignation."

—Michael Perry of Fitness Fixed Gear

Shore up Weaknesses

"In our SWOT analysis, we were able to pinpoint areas where our employees may be lacking the skills they needed to succeed in our company. We decided to offer free online learning to our workers to help them add to their skill set.This has helped us not only improve the skill sets of our employees, but it has also increased employee retention. Employees want to stay loyal to a company that helps them grow."

—Mark Daoust of Quiet Light

"Prior to the SWOT analysis, I had always approached marketing from a product-centric perspective; however, the SWOT analysis made me realize that we needed to focus more on customer-centric marketing. We needed to connect with our target audience and build relationships with them.As a result, we've made some changes to our marketing approach, and I believe that these changes will help us to be more successful in the long run."

—Jacob Villa of Authority

"We have always prided ourselves on having good client relationships, but this exercise showed us that we needed to have strong client relationships. We have studied our weakness (why we have monthly policy cancellations or non-renewals) and the results showed that we need to focus on building and maintaining client relationships. After doing that, we have seen a significant increase in the average tenure of our clients and customer satisfaction scores."

—Loran Marmes of Medicare Solutions Team

"One threat we encountered in our business was the sudden and huge dip in our customer satisfaction score, which has never happened in the past five years. To resolve this issue and ensure we eliminate the threat that's harming our relationship with customers, we allocated time to engage with our employees and immediately gave them intensive customer service training.Our urgent action to eradicate this threat has helped our business bounce back and we’ve regained the trust of our customers. It has also taught us to listen to customer feedback seriously and do our best to live up to their expectations."

—Jake Smith of Absolute Reg LTD

See Different Perspectives

"A successful SWOT analysis encourages discussion from employees of different levels, from operational, to managerial, to administrative level. By doing this, everyone contributes their thoughts on the status and standing of the company—it’s not just about how one person sees it. This way, all aspects of the business are considered and addressed from all levels."

—Corey Morgan of Kind Home Painting

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Swot analysis best practices.

To create the most accurate and effective SWOT analysis, we recommend the following best practices:

• Encourage open and honest conversation. Create an environment that encourages candidness. That might mean using sticky notes to gather anonymous feedback, rather than having people raise their hand to state a company weakness out loud.
• Promote collaboration. Have everyone write all their ideas on sticky notes, put them on a board, and then walk through them as a group. Combining similar ideas might help people to think of more. You might also consider breaking up a large group into smaller groups of three or four employees to encourage the sharing of ideas.
• Vote to narrow down ideas. The group will generate lots of ideas. You want to take them all into consideration, but you don’t need to keep every idea; this should be a fairly high-level exercise. Rank the top 10 and list those to focus on. And remember—the SWOT isn’t intended to project 10 years down the road; it should look at where you are now and in the very near future.
• To identify external factors, look at the competition. In addition to a PEST analysis, another way to identify external threats and opportunities is to look at your competitors. What opportunities are they currently after, and can you use that to your advantage? What threats are they currently facing, and how does that apply to you?
• Be specific when describing internal factors. For example, “brand image” can be both a strength and a weakness, depending on how you word it. Be specific in your descriptions; ultimately, that specificity will also help you define the right measures and benchmark your performance over time.
• Keep emotion out of the room. This exercise should be objective, not subjective. If a statement can’t be backed up with facts, it doesn’t count.
• Try to make your resulting strategy “weatherproof.” Current threats may include the possibility of more political and economic turmoil, but these kinds of obstacles tend to be much more complicated than those you’d see in most SWOT analyses. While it may be difficult to address them fully, try to develop a strategy that will bolster your organization during hard times. For example, a retail store might consider creating an objective to ensure its online and in-person stores perform equally well should either avenue be cut off due to external circumstances.

If you need some guidance with this process, download our free strategic planning booklet. It includes eight of the most popular templates to build strategic plans, including a SWOT analysis template.

The strategic plan you develop from your SWOT analysis is powerful, so once you’ve created it, don’t let it sit! Use strategy execution software like ClearPoint to track your progress over time.

Optimize Your Strategic Planning with ClearPoint

Undertaking a SWOT analysis requires planning and organization; it can also be a lengthy process. For those reasons, we recommend treating it like a project. If you already have project management (PM) software, by all means use it.

If you don’t have software (or if you’re considering making a change), we encourage you to take a look at ClearPoint. It’s ideal for keeping individual projects on track, but it also does much more than that— it shows you how important projects impact your organization’s overall strategy. Are your projects moving the needle when it comes to your larger goals? That’s an important aspect of project management you can’t get with any other PM tool.

Viewing your SWOT analysis as a project within ClearPoint has multiple benefits:

• You can maintain forward momentum by creating deadlines for each component, assigning responsible “owners” to tasks, and tracking milestones and overall progress.
• You can simplify the information-gathering portion of SWOT by sending automated messages to relevant team members on when and how to input information.
• You can facilitate collaboration among all parts of the organization by providing everyone access to a single tool that handles data collection.
• You can encourage participation and increase engagement by making the SWOT analysis visible to as many or as few people as you like.
• You can see how your SWOT connects to various parts of your strategy by linking elements to high-level objectives, other projects, measures, etc.—anything that adds context to the analysis.

Another benefit of treating your SWOT analysis as a project in ClearPoint: You won’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you repeat the process. You can just duplicate the framework, make any necessary adjustments, and then repeat the process as before, even comparing your newest SWOT to the previous analysis if necessary.

Below is a screenshot of what it might look like to set up a SWOT analysis as a project within ClearPoint, with some sample milestones shown.

Ready to streamline your SWOT analysis and take your strategic planning to the next level? ClearPoint Strategy is here to guide you. Our comprehensive software solution simplifies the SWOT analysis process, ensuring you gain valuable insights and effectively integrate them into your strategic plan.

Book a personalized demo with our experts and see how our software can help you efficiently conduct SWOT analyses, track progress, and achieve your strategic goals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 dimensions of swot analysis.

The four dimensions areL strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

When and where should you develop a SWOT analysis?

You need a few uninterrupted hours to conduct a strong SWOT analysis. You should conduct a SWOT analysis around the same time of your strategy refresh. Include key leaders within the company to get comprehensive insights on the current state of your business.

How do you use your SWOT analysis?

Use your SWOT analysis to influence your strategic plan! Don't let the insights from your SWOT analysis just sit in a shelf. Learn how to utilize your strengths to achieve your long-term goals, and make plans to strengthen your weaknesses.

Why should I conduct a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis offers many benefits for your organization. It allows you to better understand your business. By taking the time to identify where your company succeeds, and where they struggle, you can create plans to leverage your strengths and mitigate risks in your weaknesses.

What's the difference between a SWOT and PESTEL analysis?

A SWOT analysis is conducted to assess internal factors that affect your business. A PESTEL analysis focuses solely on external factors .

What are the benefits of using SWOT analysis?

The benefits of using SWOT analysis include:

• Identifying Strengths: Helps identify and leverage the organization's internal strengths.
• Recognizing Weaknesses: Highlights areas for improvement within the organization.
• Spotting Opportunities: Uncovers external opportunities that the organization can exploit for growth.
• Understanding Threats: Identifies external threats that could impact the organization’s success.
• Strategic Planning: Provides a foundation for developing strategic plans and making informed decisions.

How can SWOT analysis help your business?

SWOT analysis can help your business by:

• Strategic Decision Making: Informs strategic decisions by providing a comprehensive view of the internal and external factors affecting the business.
• Resource Allocation: Helps prioritize resource allocation based on identified strengths and opportunities.
• Risk Management: Enables proactive management of potential threats and weaknesses.
• Competitive Advantage: Identifies unique strengths that can be leveraged to gain a competitive edge.
• Goal Setting: Aids in setting realistic goals and objectives based on a clear understanding of the business environment.

What are some common mistakes to avoid when conducting a SWOT analysis?

Common mistakes to avoid when conducting a SWOT analysis include:

• Lack of Specificity: Being too vague or general in identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.
• Ignoring External Factors: Focusing too much on internal factors and neglecting external influences.
• Overlooking Data: Not using data and evidence to support the analysis, leading to biased or incomplete results.
• Failure to Act: Conducting the analysis but not using the insights to inform strategic decisions and actions.
• Infrequent Reviews: Not updating the SWOT analysis regularly to reflect changes in the internal and external environment.

How often should you conduct a SWOT analysis?

You should conduct a SWOT analysis:

• Annually: At least once a year as part of the strategic planning process.
• During Major Changes: Whenever there are significant changes in the market, industry, or within the organization.
• Before Strategic Initiatives: Prior to launching new products, entering new markets, or making major business decisions.
• Periodically: Regularly reviewing and updating the SWOT analysis ensures it remains relevant and accurate.

What are some tips for getting the most out of a SWOT analysis?

Tips for getting the most out of a SWOT analysis include:

• Involve Key Stakeholders: Engage a diverse group of stakeholders to gain comprehensive insights and perspectives.
• Use Data: Base the analysis on accurate and up-to-date data to ensure reliability.
• Be Specific: Clearly define each strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat to avoid ambiguity.
• Prioritize Factors: Focus on the most critical factors that will have the greatest impact on the business.
• Develop Action Plans: Translate insights from the SWOT analysis into actionable strategies and plans.
• Review Regularly: Regularly revisit and update the SWOT analysis to keep it relevant and useful.

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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.

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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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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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Swot analysis guide: powerful examples and a free template.

Table of Contents

What is a SWOT Analysis

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.

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.

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?

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.

Pros of SWOT Analysis

Cons of swot analysis, 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.

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

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.

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

Internal factors.

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

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

External Factors

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.

Home Depot Example

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.

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.

Step 1: Gather Data

Financial statements, 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

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.

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.

Unique Features

Step 4: analyze weaknesses.

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

Decision-making, 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

Step 7: construct an action plan + implement solutions, 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.

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

Marketing swot analysis, 3. company swot analysis example, 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

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.

Don’t be Afraid

Ask for feedback, 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

Learn business abbreviations and acronyms, the takeaways.

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

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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SWOT analysis: A how-to guide and template (that won't bore you to tears)

Listen, I get it. The moment you hear "SWOT analysis," you start to tune out, think about what's for lunch today, and hope this discussion will be over soon. It makes sense, seeing as the only time most of us encounter SWOT is in some boring business textbook or on a vanilla LinkedIn post from a well-meaning manager named Craig.

While SWOT has a bland reputation, there's a reason businesses have used it for decades. It's time to reclaim the strategy as something less snooze-worthy.

Table of contents:

What is a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT ( S trengths, W eaknesses, O pportunities, and T hreats) analysis is a strategic planning technique that helps businesses evaluate internal and external forces to gauge their current business and plan for the future.

A SWOT analysis is all about context, considering the positive and negative forces that a company contends with internally and externally. SWOT stands for:

Strengths: Internal attributes and resources that provide an advantage

Weaknesses: Internal factors that put your business at a disadvantage

Opportunities: External elements you can capitalize on

Threats: External factors that could cause trouble for your business

Think of a SWOT analysis as a way to read the room so you can make informed decisions. If you've ever prepped for a family gathering by tallying which cousins will be in attendance and what world events your uncle might rattle on, you've done a SWOT analysis.

SWOT analysis template

How to do a SWOT analysis

Conducting a SWOT analysis isn't rocket science, but there are some best practices to keep in mind. Let's walk through the process step by step, using the fictional company Midsize Inc., a team collaboration app, as an example.

Step 1. Create a SWOT matrix (or copy the template)

The first step in conducting a SWOT analysis is to create your SWOT matrix. This visual layout will help you organize your thoughts and see connections between different elements.

Step 2. Define your objective

Think about why you're doing this SWOT analysis in the first place. Are you:

Launching a new product?

Trying to boost sales?

Assessing your company's market position?

Exploring potential expansion opportunities?

For Midsize, Inc., the objective of the SWOT analysis is to evaluate the company's current position in the team collaboration app market and identify strategies for growth and improvement.

Step 3. Identify your strengths

Now it's time to start filling in your SWOT matrix, beginning with your organization's strengths. Strengths give your company an advantage over competitors.

Example questions to gauge strengths include:

What is our strongest asset?

What drives our engagement, adoption, and retention?

What are our plans for improvement?

What makes customers choose us? Can we lean further into that?

What are our strongest KPIs?

What skills does our team bring to the table?

Remember, strengths are internal factors—things you have control over. So while having a booming industry is great, it's not a strength. Focus on what your organization brings to the table.

Midsize, Inc. makes data-informed product and marketing decisions that give them a few competitive advantages, including:

A new CEO who wants to focus on user satisfaction and retention

A growing product management team

Step 4. Recognize your weaknesses

Next, identify your organization's weaknesses. These are internal factors that cause your company to fall short of customer expectations or operational efficiency. Think of them as a list of excuses for why things aren't going as well as they should.

Example questions to gauge weaknesses include:

What are our main bottlenecks?

What are the top customer complaints?

What causes churn?

What prevents customers from choosing us?

Do we have the team and resources needed to complete work and hit goals?

Like all companies, Midsize, Inc. has constraints that teams contend with. Their weaknesses include:

A recent reshuffling of the marketing team that put the department behind on a project

User frustrations with limitations within pricing tiers

Outdated help docs

Step 5. Discover opportunities for growth

Opportunities are potential areas for growth, expansion, or improvement that exist in your market or industry. You don't need to take advantage of all of them, but seeing your options laid out can help you prioritize big initiatives. 

Here are some example questions to gauge opportunities:

How is the size of the addressable market changing?

Are user preferences evolving?

What macro trends could impact our industry?

How do our offerings and pricing compare to competitors?

How can we leverage our strengths to explore new markets?

In a fast-moving industry, Midsize, Inc. can capitalize on opportunities like the following to enhance its position in the team collaboration app market: 

Collaborating with other tech companies or forming partnerships with industry leaders to open up new avenues for growth

Expanding features within existing pricing tiers that competitors charge more for

Step 6. Anticipate threats

Now it's time to channel your inner pessimist and imagine all the ways your brilliant plans could go spectacularly wrong. Think of it as a fun exercise in controlled paranoia.

Example questions to gauge threats include:

Who are our direct competitors? How are they evolving?

What companies are indirect competitors? How could they become direct?

How is our data security?

Are there market conditions or natural disasters that could impact operations?

Are there supply chain issues?

The tech industry is constantly evolving. Some ways this could put Midsize, Inc. behind include:

New entrants into the team collaboration space may introduce innovative solutions.

Changing user preferences and demands requires continuous adaptation to stay relevant.

Growing concerns around data breaches call for additional data security measures.

After completing these steps, Midsize, Inc. would have a comprehensive SWOT analysis that provides a clear picture of its current position in the market and potential areas for strategic focus.

SWOT analysis examples

To further illustrate how SWOT analysis works in practice, let's look at some hypothetical examples for well-known companies and organizations.

Discord SWOT analysis

Discord is a popular communication platform for online communities, particularly in the gaming space.

Spotify SWOT analysis

Spotify is a digital music streaming service that gives users access to millions of songs, podcasts, audiobooks, and the occasional Sabrina Carpenter track, whether you asked for it or not.

Costco SWOT analysis

Costco is a membership-based wholesale retailer where you can buy in bulk, fill up on free samples, and, if you're lucky, witness a fight over the last $5 rotisserie chicken.

Crocs SWOT analysis

Crocs, the footwear company known for its distinctive foam clogs, is beloved by many for its comfort and despised by others for its aesthetic.

When you should (and shouldn't) use SWOT

A SWOT analysis helps you understand your business and how it exists in context. That's powerful stuff, but it doesn't mean you should lean on this method in every scenario. 

When to use SWOT analysis

You need a high-level view. You can apply SWOT to your entire company or focus on a niche, market, or department. Whichever level you choose, the analysis gives you a broad picture of conditions.

You have research to include. Your analysis will stand on firmer ground with quantitative or qualitative insights. 

When to skip the SWOT

You're the only one working on it. The point is to identify positives and negatives you aren't already aware of. You won't get the full effect if you create in a vacuum. Instead, get input from a diverse set of stakeholders across departments.

You don't have a clear reason to do it. There needs to be something to prompt the SWOT, or else you may get lost in too many details. If there's a new competitor, your business is going in a new direction, or you're trying to understand why growth is stagnant, a SWOT makes sense. Otherwise, considering every contributing element could get overwhelming. You could use SWOT as part of an annual checkup, but it would still be helpful to have a few specific questions, goals, or concerns in mind. 

Making decisions based on your SWOT

Simply filling out a SWOT analysis template might give you clarity on a problem you've been trying to solve. But applying a SWOT analysis might not look the same for every team.

For example:

The marketing team could combine opportunities and strengths to find new messaging.

The product management team could combine threats and weaknesses to prioritize additions or improvements. 

The finance team or leadership might weigh strengths versus threats to gauge the company's health. 

SWOT analysis: FAQ

Still think a SWOT analysis is nothing more than an annoying business school requirement? Here are answers to some common SWOT questions and dilemmas.

What are the benefits of a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis:

Breaks down large problems into a manageable report

Uses internal and external factors to make well-informed decisions

Incorporates multiple data sources

Helps you set realistic goals

Identifies competitive advantages and market opportunities

Can be applied to multiple business facets

What are the 4 components of SWOT Analysis?

The four components of a SWOT analysis are strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. 

Strengths cover internal attributes, capabilities, and resources that provide a competitive advantage. 

Weaknesses represent internal limitations or areas in need of improvement.

Opportunities involve external factors and emerging trends that could create favorable conditions for growth and success. 

Threats are external factors that could prevent progress or pose risks.

What are the biggest SWOT analysis mistakes?

Here are some of the biggest SWOT analysis mistakes, in the event you miraculously got by in college without having to do one:

Lack of objectivity: Ignoring research and data in favor of your assumptions or "gut feeling" negates the whole point of the exercise. Be honest about weaknesses, and let the data lead you.

Relying only on SWOT: A SWOT analysis is a great tool, but it can't be the only thing you use to make decisions. Incorporate it into a broader strategic planning process with additions like a PEST analysis or buyer personas.

Not taking action: If you type up this report and then never open the file again, you're doing it wrong. Identify the most critical findings from your report, prioritize them, and make an action plan.

Related reading:

This article was originally published in April 2022 by Steph Knapp. The most recent update was in August 2024 by Allisa Boulette.

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Cecilia Gillen

Cecilia is a content marketer with a degree in Media and Journalism from the University of South Dakota. After graduating, Cecilia moved to Omaha, Nebraska where she enjoys reading (almost as much as book buying), decor hunting at garage sales, and spending time with her two cats.

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Components of SWOT Analysis

by Georgann Yara

Published on 25 Jul 2019

A series of sound decisions is the basis of any successful business. The term SWOT is an anagram for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. A SWOT analysis is a useful instrument for identifying key factors that directly influence how your company is performing. It details any current challenges the company faces and any new leads worth pursuing to enable your company to fulfill its potential.

SWOT: What It Is

A SWOT analysis evaluates internal and external elements that influence your business. Strengths and weaknesses fall in the internal category, and most of these are within your control. Opportunities and threats are external factors that are, for the most part, out of your control. Corporations and large businesses may visually present this as a square grid comprised of four sections, one for each category. But small businesses owners doing this for their own information can complete this in basic list form.

SWOT: What It Does

A SWOT analysis is a flexible tool that you can use to analyze your business overall or to analyze a specific segment of it, such as production, marketing or sales. When used properly, a SWOT analysis can generate new ideas that you can use to improve upon what is already working, spark effective strategies to overcome obstacles, and create synergy among staff members who feel as if their contributions are making a difference.

Another four-letter acronym sometimes mentioned is: USED . Think of it as how your strengths can be used, weaknesses stopped , opportunities exploited and threats defended against.

S Is for Strengths

Determine the strengths — what your business has going for it — and then continue to use these strengths. This could be your coffee shop's location at a major intersection or its location in a power center. If your carpet-cleaning company uses the latest equipment; if the building that houses your salon is brand new; or if employee morale is high at your burger joint — these are also strengths. Of course, the quality of services and products themselves are also powerful tools.

W Is for Weaknesses 

Take an honest, hard look at what is not working, and figure out what you can control. This could be your location on a little-traveled stretch of highway, or having outdated equipment that often breaks, or being located in an old facility that has zero curb appeal. Or if you have unreliable, unmotivated staff who exude negativity that carries over into your customers' experience, this is a huge weakness. Whatever makes this list, find a way to stop the negatives, whether it means investing in new machinery, doing a remodel or creating a strategy to boost morale.

O Is for Opportunities

Apply your strengths to positively exploit any untapped possibilities. If your nonprofit is respected within the community, ask school teachers, families or healthcare patients who have benefited from its efforts to contribute video or written testimonials that can be used in marketing materials. The same can be done with virtually any industry, ranging from service to retail. Harness an enthusiastic employee attitude by encouraging your employees to remember regulars' names and orders, or to engage in brief conversations with their regulars while they wait for their coffee or as they pay for their facial.

T Is for Threats

Some variables are beyond your control. You can not do a thing when a big-box grocer opens a block away from your family-run market, or when coffee trends suddenly shift toward bottled, ready-to-drink varieties, which renders your espresso machine less useful.

You can, however, examine how your marketing and social media options could increase your visibility or you could ask your beverage distributor as to which products are starting to pick up steam elsewhere so that you can stay abreast of the current popular rage. Developing strategies in advance which minimize the impact of industry changes will help you defend against competing forces, if or when that need arises.

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SWOT analysis: how to plan for success

Learn how to use SWOT analysis for growth in today’s business environment. Free downloadable SWOT template included.

Tim Stumbles

Apr 11, 2023

24 min read

In today’s rapidly changing business landscape, it is more important than ever for businesses to step up their strategic planning. One of the most widely used tools in the planning toolkit is the SWOT analysis . This technique relies on analyzing the internal and external environments of a business, aiming to gain actionable insights. Based on these findings, businesses develop strategies to capitalize on strengths, address weaknesses, take advantage of opportunities, and minimize threats .

In this article, we will take a closer look at the role of SWOT analysis in strategic planning, we’ll find some key steps for conducting a SWOT analysis and we’ll look at how to use the results to inform strategic decision-making. We will also provide some practical tips and free templates for a head start with your SWOT analysis.

1. What is SWOT? A definition of the SWOT analysis

SWOT stands for Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats . The SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool used by businesses to assess the internal and external factors that affect them. This includes identifying and evaluating internal strengths and weaknesses , as well as external opportunities and threats .

Let’s see what each of these categories represents:

• Strengths – the areas where the organization excels or has a competitive advantage over others.
• Weaknesses – the areas that put the company at a disadvantage. These are the areas where the organization needs to improve or faces challenges that may affect its performance.
• Opportunities – external factors that the organization can take advantage of to grow.
• Threats – external factors that may constitute a risk or challenge.

A SWOT analysis provides a structured way to identify the key factors that can impact a business or project’s success. Its role is to help organizations develop strategies that use their strengths and opportunities to their advantage while reducing their weaknesses and threats .

SWOT analysis can be applied to various scenarios, such as new product development, marketing, and business expansion. Despite the emergence of newer and more complex strategic analysis tools, SWOT analysis remains popular due to its simplicity, flexibility, and ability to provide a clear overview of a business or project’s current state.

However, it’s important to note that SWOT analysis is just one tool in a broader strategic planning toolkit. To ensure a comprehensive approach, it should be used in combination with other strategic analysis tools and frameworks.

1.1 A brief history of SWOT

While long used in business strategic planning, SWOT analysis still has unclear origins. It is said to have come into existence at about the same time as the concepts of business strategy and corporate planning (1960s) . Still, some sources say that SWOT was developed in the early 1950s at Harvard Business School to analyze organizational strategies in relation to their environment.

Scholars later attributed the origins of SWOT in the 1960s to Albert Humphrey at Stanford Research Institute, who analyzed Fortune 500 companies, with the aim of creating a new system of change management and control. Albert Humphrey and his research team developed the Team Action Model (TAM) in the 1960s and 1970s.

They used a tool called SOFT (Satisfactory, Opportunity, Fault, Threat) analysis to explore key areas. As Albert Humphrey described it: “What is good in the present is Satisfactory, good in the future is an Opportunity; bad in the present is a Fault, and bad in the future is a Threat”.

The four components of SWOT appeared in other publications on strategic planning by various authors by the end of the 1960s . The acronym SWOT appeared in the title of a journal article in 1972, and a 2×2 SWOT matrix is found in a 1980 article by Professor Igor Ansoff. However, he used the acronym TOSW instead of SWOT.

2. How to identify and analyze each of the four SWOT elements

The first step in understanding and assessing the current state of a business or project is identifying the four SWOT elements (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) related to that business. This process involves gathering data from relevant data sources, such as financial reports and customer feedback, and analyzing the internal and external factors.

To guide this process, a good practice is to start by asking the right questions . To answer them, you can employ techniques such as conducting market research, SWOT analysis workshops, or stakeholder interviews.

Here are some suggestions and examples for each of the SWOT elements that might help you define your own SWOT analysis framework (that can also be applied to analyze competition).

2.1 Strengths in SWOT analysis

Definition:

Strengths are internal factors that give an entity an advantage over others.

• Strong brand reputation and a loyal customer base of a company.
• An individual has excellent communication skills and a strong work ethic.

Questions to ask:

• What do we do well?
• What are our unique selling points?
• What are our core competencies?
• What resources do we have at our disposal (e.g., financial, technological, human)?
• What advantages do we have over competitors?
• Where are we making the most money?
• What positive feedback do we receive from customers, clients, or stakeholders?

2.2 Weaknesses in SWOT analysis

Weaknesses are internal factors that limit a company’s ability to achieve its objectives. It puts the company at a disadvantage and can hinder its capacity to compete effectively in the marketplace.

• Lack of brand recognition or reputation
• Limited financial resources or access to funding
• Lack of skills or expertise
• Poor product quality or design
• Inefficient production processes
• High employee turnover or low employee morale
• Inadequate technology or outdated systems
• What are we doing poorly?
• What areas of our business are we struggling to improve or grow?
• Where are we losing money?
• What resources do we lack compared to our competitors?
• What internal processes are inefficient or hindering our productivity?
• Are we lacking in any key skills or expertise needed to compete in our industry?
• What negative feedback have we received from customers or employees?
• Are we operating with outdated technology or systems that need upgrading?

2.3 Opportunities in SWOT analysis

Opportunities are external factors that a company can leverage to its advantage and achieve its objectives or gain a competitive advantage. They can include trends in the market, changes in customer behavior, emerging technologies, or any other factor that presents a chance for growth or improvement.

• Increasing demand for products or services
• Emerging technologies that can improve product design or production processes
• Expanding global markets
• Increased international trade opportunities
• Changes in government regulations that benefit the industry
• What market trends are emerging that could benefit our business?
• What are some niches that our competitors are missing?
• What new technologies are being developed that could improve our products or services?
• Are there new needs or any changes in customer behavior or preferences that we can capitalize on?
• Are there any regulatory or legal changes that could benefit our industry?
• Are there any untapped or underserved markets that we could target?
• Are there any strategic partnerships or collaborations that could benefit our business?

2.4 Threats in SWOT analysis

Threats are external factors that may pose a risk, may represent an obstacle or a challenge to a company’s success or competitiveness.

• Increasing competition in the market
• Economic downturns or recessions
• Changes in consumer preferences or trends
• New technologies that can disrupt the industry
• Political instability or changes in government policies
• Natural disasters or other unexpected events
• What are the obstacles we need to overcome?
• What are our vulnerabilities?
• What new competitors are entering the market, and how do they compare to us?
• Are our competitors successful?
• Do we have any aggressive competitors?
• Are there any economic trends or market changes that could negatively impact our business?
• Are there any emerging technologies that could disrupt our industry or make our products or services obsolete?
• Are there any political or regulatory changes that could negatively impact our business?
• Are there any natural disasters or other unexpected events that could disrupt our operations?
• What negative feedback have we received from customers or employees, and how could it impact our business?

3. How to conduct a SWOT analysis

To perform a SWOT analysis, you should first take into consideration the following key ideas:

• A SWOT analysis starts by identifying the internal strengths and weaknesses of an organization . Included here are its unique value proposition, core competencies, but also operational inefficiencies.
• It continues by identifying the external opportunities and threats that can impact the business , such as emerging trends, changing market conditions, or possible competitive pressures.
• Then, an objective analysis and evaluation is needed. An important step of a SWOT analysis is considering the impact of each factor on the business or project and prioritizing the most critical areas for improvement.
• And finally, all the insights should be used to develop a plan of action to address areas of weakness and capitalize on opportunities.

Among the potential limitations of the analysis are the limited availability of data, possibly biased interpretations, or setting an extremely narrow or broad scope of the analysis, which would lead to an incomplete or overwhelming assessment.

3.1 How do you do a SWOT analysis step-by-step?

A SWOT analysis can quickly identify opportunities and areas that require attention for your company. Using a step-by-step approach may be easier to follow and can ensure a thorough and accurate analysis.

Now that we’ve seen how to approach and analyze each SWOT element, we can put together a step-by-step process for how to do the analysis:

1. Perform an internal analysis.

The organization reviews its internal resources, capabilities, and performance. This can be done by analyzing financial statements, conducting employee surveys, reviewing procedures. The goal of the internal analysis is to identify the organization’s strengths and weaknesses.

2. Carry out an external analysis.

The organization reviews the external environment, including industry trends, competitor analysis, and market changes. This can be done by gathering data from market research, conducting surveys, and analyzing industry reports. The goal of the external analysis is to identify opportunities and threats in the external environment.

3. Build a SWOT matrix.

A visual SWOT matrix can easily show users the relationships between the internal and external factors affecting a business. The SWOT matrix consists of four individual squares that form one larger square, representing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. See below more on the SWOT matrix and its variations.

4. Develop a strategy.

Based on the prioritized issues, develop a strategy that leverages the organization’s strengths to capitalize on opportunities and reduce the potential threats, and address the weaknesses that hinder its success. Set some goals.

5. Create an action plan.

As part of the strategy and based on the insights gained from the analysis, create an action plan to address issues or threats and leverage opportunities and strengths. For this, identify specific action points and prioritize them based on their potential impact and feasibility. Finally, the action points should be put on a timeline with milestones and deadlines to ensure timely execution and help monitoring progress towards achieving the goals.

6. Present results.

An effective way to present the steps and results of your SWOT analysis is to include all on a single slide. This can be easily done with the help of the Office Timeline add-in for PowerPoint and the free downloadable templates included on this page. You can summarize the entire SWOT analysis process, using graphs and charts to make the information visually appealing and easy to understand. And you can make tweaks and customizations to match the presentation to the organization’s branding and style, using custom colors and themes and adding logos.

3.2 What is a SWOT matrix?

The results of the SWOT analysis are often presented in the form of a matrix. A SWOT matrix, also known as a SWOT analysis grid, is a tool used to visually organize the results of a SWOT analysis.

A common way to display a SWOT analysis is a f our-quadrant table with each quadrant representing one of the four elements of a SWOT analysis: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats . Within each category, information is listed to provide an inventory of relevant factors.

The SWOT matrix allows users to visualize the relationships between the internal and external factors that have an impact on a business. It can make it easier to identify potential strategic actions based on these factors.

3.3 Variations of the SWOT matrix

There are several variations of the SWOT matrix. Each variation has its own unique approach to organizing and analyzing information, allowing organizations to gain a more nuanced understanding of their situation.

The TOWS matrix

The TOWS (Threats, Opportunities, Weaknesses, Strengths) matrix builds on the SWOT matrix by suggesting specific strategies based on the interactions between the four elements. It is a tool for situational analysis that was developed by Heinz Weihrich . The TOWS matrix takes the SWOT analysis further by identifying how to use the SWOT factors to develop specific strategies.

It involves identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and then creating specific actions based on these factors. For example, a strength can be used to capitalize on an opportunity, or a weakness can be addressed to minimize a threat.

Here are the four categories of factors combinations:

• Strengths and Opportunities (SO) – The SO strategies focus on how the organization can use its strengths to take advantage of the opportunities in the external environment.
• Strengths and Threats (ST) – ST strategies focus on how the organization can use its strengths to overcome the threats in the external environment.
• Weaknesses and Opportunities (WO) – WO strategies focus on how the organization can overcome its weaknesses to take advantage of the opportunities in the external environment.
• Weaknesses and Threats (WT) – WT strategies focus on how the organization can overcome its weaknesses and reduce the threats in the external environment.

The SOAR framework

The SOAR framework is a newer variation that focuses more on strengths and opportunities and aims to identify “strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results” to guide strategic planning.

“SOAR is a strategic planning framework with an approach that focuses on strengths and seeks to understand the whole system by including the voices of the relevant stakeholders. SOAR conversations center on what an organization is doing right, what skills should be enhanced, and what is compelling to those who have a ‘stake’ in the organization’s success.” (Stavros, J. & Hinrichs, G. 2009.  The thin book of SOAR:  Building strengths-based strategy – as cited by the Libraries of University of Missouri ).

The SVOR framework

SVOR is the SWOT of project management. It looks at Strengths, Vulnerabilities, Opportunities, and Risks from the point of view of the mathematical links between them. Also, SVOR compares project elements along two axes: internal and external, and positive and negative.

3.4 Limitations of the SWOT analysis

To avoid biased or incomplete analyses, take into account that any SWOT analysis can have its limitations. For example, you should prevent:

• Lack of context. SWOT analysis does not consider the organization’s history, culture, values, or stakeholder relationships, which can provide valuable context for the analysis.
• Lack of objectivity. SWOT analysis can be biased if the people conducting it have vested interests or preconceived notions about the organization, its industry, or the market. This can lead to overlooking key factors or overemphasizing certain aspects, which can result in flawed analysis.
• Narrow focus. Focusing on a narrow set of factors, SWOT analysis may exclude important considerations that could affect the organization’s performance. For example, it may not capture broader societal, economic, or environmental factors.
• Overreliance on templates or using inadequate templates. While templates can provide a useful starting point, they may not fully capture the unique characteristics and nuances of a business. Relying too heavily on a template can lead to oversimplification and a lack of depth in the analysis. Also, specific templates or frameworks that do not feature a flexible design may not be suitable for all organizations or situations and may not allow the needed adjustments.
• Lack of actionability. SWOT analysis can remain an academic exercise unless the insights gained are translated into actionable strategies.

4. Tips for conducting an effective SWOT analysis

Since a SWOT analysis is a complex process, one can easily overlook critical aspects. We’ve thought of some tips that might help minimize this risk and ensure a more structured and objective analysis:

Focus on the big picture.

Define the scope of the analysis to ensure that it covers all relevant factors and focus on key issues. Identify the most critical internal and external factors that impact the organization and prioritize them based on significance and relevance.

Gather diverse perspectives.

To get a well-rounded view of the organization’s situation, seek input from a variety of stakeholders (including customers, employees) and industry experts. Validate your assumptions by checking them against the available data and seeking input from other stakeholders. This can help you avoid making unfounded assumptions or overemphasizing certain factors.

Be honest and objective.

After gathering a significant amount of information, analyze it objectively, avoiding personal biases. Consider both positive and negative factors in your analysis. It is easy to focus on strengths and opportunities, but it is equally important to identify weaknesses and threats that may be affecting performance.

Use a structured approach.

Guide the analysis with the help of a 4-quadrant SWOT matrix to cover all the factors. Here are some further possible uses of the matrix to deepen your analysis and gain other perspectives:

• Simple SWOT matrix. A basic matrix with four quadrants labeled Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats. List relevant factors in each quadrant. Use it as a basis for further analysis.
• Weighted SWOT matrix. Assigning a weight to each factor based on its importance or impact on the organization allows you to prioritize factors.
• Visual SWOT matrix. A visual tool, such as a mind map or flowchart allows you to map out the relationships between the different factors in the SWOT analysis. This can help you identify patterns and connections between factors that may not be obvious in a traditional matrix.
• Comparative SWOT matrix. The idea is to compare the organization’s SWOT analysis with that of its competitors or industry benchmarks. Thus, you can identify areas where the organization is lagging behind its competitors, as well as areas where it has a competitive advantage. This could be tedious, as you’ll have to get or create SWOT matrices to assess your competition, but it might pay off when you have an instant comparative image.
• Scenario-based SWOT matrix. This approach involves creating multiple SWOT matrices based on different scenarios or hypothetical situations. It can help identify potential risks and opportunities under different conditions and develop contingency plans accordingly. The downside is that there might be a huge number of cases and scenarios, but you can put a strict limit by clearly defining the criteria on which you’ll base your choices.

Regularly conducting an objective SWOT analysis is a good idea if you want to achieve a strong alignment between a company’s resources and its external environment. This helps identify current strengths that might become future weaknesses (or vice versa). Plans can thus be tailored to fit changing circumstances.

Though SWOT analysis is a tiring job, planners must take their time to make a thorough evaluation and review in order to accurately reveal opportunities and threats that may impact their business positively or negatively . Additionally, being aware of common limitations, such as bias and oversimplification, can help avoid pitfalls and ensure the analysis provides a clear framework for making informed decisions.

5. Using the SWOT or TOWS analysis to create business strategies

Once you have completed your SWOT analysis, it is time to develop strategies for your business based on your findings. A basic SWOT matrix presents each factor equally, without weighing their overall importance in your business plan.

To get the most out of your analysis, use a TOWS matrix to add an additional layer of prioritization in your strategy building, based on the interactions between the four SWOT elements.

Look at how the different sections of your diagram overlap:

5.1 Strengths and Opportunities strategies

How can you use your strengths to take advantage of opportunities? To take advantage of opportunities by using your strengths, you need to correctly identify the opportunities that align with your strengths .

Think of this example: if you are an IT company with expertise in cloud computing, you can use that strength to develop new cloud-based services to capitalize on the growing demand for cloud-based solutions.

5.2 Strengths and Threats strategies

How can you apply your strengths to mitigate potential threats? What you can do is develop new capabilities, innovate and improve based on your strengths .

Example: If one of the potential threats is increasing competition, you can use your expertise to develop new products or services that give your company a competitive edge. Or if there is a potential threat from changing customer preferences, you can use your strengths to develop products or services that better align with those preferences.

5.3 Weaknesses and Opportunities strategies

How can you use available opportunities to overcome your weaknesses? To overcome your weaknesses and gain a competitive advantage in the market, first you need to identify the available opportunities that could be useful for your goals .

Such opportunities can be strategic partnerships with companies that have the resources to help you overcome your weakness, entry on a new market (you can look for opportunities to enter new markets where your weaknesses may not be as relevant), investing in training and development (if there is a weakness in a particular skillset), technology adoption, and the list goes on.

5.4 Weaknesses and Threats strategies

How can you address your weaknesses to lessen possible threats? First, you need to objectively analyze your weaknesses and the potential threats they may pose, so that you can identify the strategies to address them . Some of the solutions in this area could be improving your processes and building partnerships.

Processes optimization will mitigate potential threats that may arise from inefficiencies or errors. Collaboration with organizations (or individuals) who have strengths in the areas of your weaknesses can minimize potential threats that may arise from your weaknesses.

In short, after a business conducts a thorough analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, the strategic planning process is only beginning . Also, being agile and adaptable is a must in today’s rapidly changing market conditions. As new opportunities and threats can emerge, businesses can stay ahead of the competition only by constantly reviewing and updating their strategies.

6. Downloadable SWOT analysis PowerPoint templates

Our downloadable PowerPoint templates can help project managers to create professional-looking project plans that include objectives, scope, timelines, and resources and that can be easily visualized and communicated to stakeholders, team members, and other interested parties.

In addition to the SWOT matrix, our templates also includes an action plan , created with Office Timeline , to help project managers move forward to implementation. Thus, project managers can easily identify and prioritize the steps needed to bring their projects to completion .

The templates come in three different design versions, allowing users to choose the format that best suits their needs. You can download the template file for free and further customize and improve it. This flexibility allows project managers to create visually appealing and engaging project plans that capture the attention of their audience .

And best of all, no design skills are required. Simply fill in the template with your data, and you’re ready to go.

7. Takeaways

At first glance, conducting a SWOT analysis might seem daunting, especially for small businesses or those without a dedicated strategy team. However, with the right approach and tools, it can be a relatively straightforward process.

Our downloadable PowerPoint template is one such tool that can help businesses to get started with their SWOT analysis . It makes the process so much easier, guiding users through each step of the process and providing a clear framework for evaluating internal and external factors.

Involving a thorough and objective evaluation and focusing on specific objectives, a well-conducted SWOT analysis still remains an important tool for businesses seeking to gain a competitive edge in today’s dynamic marketplace. Businesses gain key insights and a deeper understanding of their situation and are able to develop effective strategies for growth.

8. Frequently asked questions about the SWOT analysis

Let’s find out answers and solutions to some of the frequently asked questions about the SWOT analysis.

What is a SWOT analysis?

A SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool that helps organizations identify their Strengths , Weaknesses , Opportunities , and Threats . It involves evaluating the internal and external factors that affect the organization’s performance and decision-making. The analysis can be used to plan, develop and implement effective strategies in order to achieve the organization’s goals.

What are the benefits of conducting a SWOT analysis?

Conducting a SWOT analysis provides several benefits to businesses/organizations:

• It helps organizations identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This can inform their strategic planning and decision-making.
• It helps evaluate competitors and industry trends. Thus, businesses can stay ahead of the competition.
• It provides a framework for assessing internal processes and systems, and this improves efficiency. 
• It helps organizations communicate their strengths and competitive advantages to stakeholders, such as investors, customers, and employees.

How do you conduct a SWOT analysis?

To conduct a SWOT analysis, you need to identify the internal and external factors that affect your organization’s performance. This involves evaluating the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and developing strategies to leverage them. Here are some suggested steps that you can follow when conducting a SWOT analysis:

• Define the objective . Clearly define the objective of the SWOT analysis (e.g.: assessing a new product or evaluating the business strategy).
• Identify strengths. Identify the internal factors that give the organization a competitive advantage (e.g.: unique skills, resources, brand reputation).
• Identify weaknesses . Identify the internal factors that hinder the organization’s performance (e.g.: gaps in skills, resources, poor decision-making processes).
• Identify opportunities. Identify the external factors that the organization can capitalize on (e.g.: emerging market trends, changes in customer preferences).
• Identify threats. Identify the external factors that may hinder the organization’s performance(e.g.: economic downturns, increased competition).
• Evaluate and prioritize. Evaluate the factors identified so far and prioritize them based on their significance and impact.
• Develop strategies. Develop strategies to leverage strengths, address weaknesses, capitalize on opportunities, and reduce the threats identified in the analysis.
• Implement and monitor. Implement the strategies developed and regularly monitor and update the SWOT analysis.

What are the four elements of a SWOT analysis?

The four elements of a SWOT analysis are Strengths , Weaknesses , Opportunities , and Threats . Strengths and weaknesses refer to the internal factors of an organization, while opportunities and threats refer to the external factors. Identifying and analyzing these four elements helps businesses develop effective strategies.

What is the difference between strengths and opportunities in a SWOT analysis?

Strengths refer to the internal factors that give an organization a competitive advantage, for example, unique skill or brand reputation. Opportunities, on the other hand, refer to external factors that the organization can capitalize on, such as emerging market trends or changing customer preferences. In other words, strengths are the organization’s existing advantages, while opportunities are external factors that can provide additional advantages if used correctly.

What are some common weaknesses that businesses may identify in a SWOT analysis?

Here are some examples of common weaknesses that businesses may identify in a SWOT analysis:

• Inefficient systems and processes
• Outdated technology
• Poor financial management
• Insufficient funding
• Limited market share
• Narrow product range
• Lack of skilled workforce or inadequate training programs
• Dependence on a few key customers or suppliers
• Inadequate branding or marketing efforts
• Inability to adapt to changing market conditions
• Inability to adapt to changing competition
• Weaknesses in the supply chain or logistics
• Legal or regulatory compliance issues
• Poor customer service
• Low customer retention rates

How do you use the results of a SWOT analysis to make strategic decisions?

By analyzing the internal and external factors that affect the organization’s performance, SWOT provides insights that can be used when developing effective strategies. We suggest these steps that you can follow in the process of materializing the results of the SWOT analysis into strategic decisions:

• Identifying priorities. Prioritize the SWOT elements based on their significance and impact on the business.
• Matching strengths with opportunities. Identify how the business can use its strengths to capitalize on the opportunities identified in the analysis.
• Addressing weaknesses. Develop strategies to address the weaknesses identified in the analysis, such as investing in new technologies or improving employee training programs.
• Mitigating threats. Develop strategies to minimize the threats identified in the analysis, for example, diversify the product line or invest in research and development.
• Evaluating alternatives. Evaluate strategic alternatives and assess their potential impact on the business.

How often should a business conduct a SWOT analysis?

The frequency of conducting a SWOT analysis varies depending on the business’s industry, size, and the changes in the market. As a general guideline, businesses should conduct a SWOT analysis at least once a year to evaluate current situation, stay up to date with changes in the industry and adjust strategies accordingly.

However, there are some specific moments when a SWOT analysis is necessary, for example, at the launch of a new product, when entering a new market, or when there is a significant shift in the business environment (changes in regulations or market conditions).

The frequency of conducting a SWOT analysis should be determined based on the business’s unique circumstances and the need to make informed strategic decisions or update them.

Can SWOT analysis be used for personal development?

Yes, SWOT analysis can be used for personal development. It can be used as a self-assessment tool, helping with identifying and analyzing individual strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Personal SWOT analysis can help someone gain a better understanding of him/herself and their personal and professional goals. SWOT analysis can be a valuable tool for both career planning and personal growth.

Are there any tools available to help with conducting a SWOT analysis?

Yes, there are multiple tools and templates available to help with conducting a SWOT analysis. The choice depends entirely on your needs and preferences.

First, there are specialized software programs that can automate the SWOT analysis process, allowing teams to collaborate on the analysis and generate visualizations and reports. These may be available as autonomous SWOT analysis creators/generators or included in more complex software business analysis tools.

While there are many benefits to using them, there are also some potential disadvantages to consider that may overpass the advantages. Think of high costs, steep learning curve, difficulty to use, lack of customization, or security and privacy concerns.

Are there free templates for SWOT analysis?

Yes, there are free SWOT templates that are customizable and provide a basic but consistent framework. Templates help save time and resources and can make it easier to compare and prioritize the resulting insights, particularly for those who need to conduct SWOT analyses on a regular basis.

The downside here being that the use of templates can lead to oversimplification of complex issues and that some may not be applicable to all organizations and industries.

Examples of free, easy-to-get templates:

• There is a template available in Microsoft Word that provides a basic framework for conducting a SWOT analysis. The template is quite simplistic, being designed for home-based businesses, as specified in its title Home-based Business. Market Analysis and SWOT . Find it in File > New and type “swot” in the template search box.
• Microsoft Excel has several built-in templates that can be used for SWOT analysis. The templates are built as simple tables and include suggested questions or directions to help you start your analysis. Find them in File > New, typing “swot” in the template search box.
• With the free PowerPoint add-in from Office Timeline you can create stunning SWOT analysis diagrams in Microsoft PowerPoint with just a few clicks of the mouse, making your presentations stand out from the crowd. Office Timeline add-in features an extensive library of design elements, including graphics and color palettes that allow you to fully customize your SWOT analysis to match your brand identity. Our templates are not only visually stunning, but they are also designed to be easy to use, helping you to create a professional-looking SWOT analysis in minutes.

Tim is Co-Founder & CEO of Office Timeline, a Seattle-based start-up that aims to rid the world of boring, uninspiring meetings.

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What is SWOT Analysis – Definition, Components, and Working

Have you ever wondered how businesses and individuals evaluate their strengths and weaknesses to stay ahead in a competitive environment? Enter SWOT Analysis, a crucial tool that simplifies strategic planning by examining internal and external factors. If you’re crafting a business strategy or planning personal development, understanding the SWOT analysis definition is essential. This method helps you identify strengths , weaknesses , opportunities, and threats, providing a comprehensive overview of your current situation.

In this article, we’ll explore the SWOT of analysis, explore the SWOT analysis format, and provide a practical SWOT analysis template. By the end, you’ll have a clear understanding of SWOT analysis described in simple terms, ready to apply it to both professional and personal SWOT analysis scenarios . Let’s unlock the potential of the Swot process and enhance your strategic decision-making process!

Table of Content

What is SWOT Analysis

Components of swot analysis, benefits of swot analysis, common mistakes when preparing swot analysis, future trends in swot analysis.

SWOT Analysis is a strategic planning tool used to identify and evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats associated with a business or project. A SWOT analysis chart visually organizes these elements, making it easier to analyze the current situation and plan for the future. For impactful presentations, a SWOT analysis PowerPoint template can be utilized to clearly communicate findings. Companies like Apple and Amazon frequently use SWOT analysis to stay competitive; for instance, a SWOT analysis for Apple might highlight its strong brand and innovation capabilities, while a SWOT analysis for Amazon could focus on its vast distribution network and customer-centric approach.

Identifying SWOT analysis opportunities examples is crucial for growth, as these opportunities can range from market expansion to technological advancements. Understanding and leveraging SWOT analysis opportunities helps businesses like Apple and Amazon capitalize on their strengths and address their weaknesses effectively.

To learn more, refer to this article: How to Do a Personal SWOT Analysis [With Examples]

1. Strengths (S)

Strengths can be thought of as your business’s superpowers, the areas where it truly excels. These strengths emanate from the internal workings of your company. They could be attributed to various factors such as having a robust brand presence, an exceptional team of employees, cutting-edge technology, or highly efficient operational processes. Identifying these strengths is similar to recognizing the extraordinary abilities that set your business apart from the competition.

2. Weaknesses (W)

In contrast, weaknesses are the areas where your business experiences limitations or faces challenges internally. These could be similar to the Achilles’ heel of your organization. Weaknesses may encompass outdated equipment, a scarcity of skilled personnel, inefficient procedures, or any internal aspect where improvement is essential. Identifying weaknesses serves as the initial step towards addressing these shortcomings, much like diagnosing an ailment to find a remedy.

3. Opportunities (O)

Opportunities open up like wide doors for your business. They represent external chances for growth and enhancement. These opportunities often arise from developments in the external environment, such as emerging markets, innovative technologies, evolving customer preferences, or shifts in industry trends. Recognizing and seizing these opportunities is similar to having a treasure map that guides your business in planning strategic moves to attain those valuable rewards.

4. Threats (T)

Threats present themselves as looming dark clouds on the horizon. They are external factors that have the potential to disrupt or harm your business. These threats might manifest as increased competition, economic downturns, changing regulations, or shifts in consumer behaviour that could negatively impact your operations. Being vigilant and prepared for these threats is similar to keeping an umbrella on hand, ensuring your business remains protected and resilient when adversity strikes.

How to Perform a SWOT Analysis

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: Define Your Goal

Imagine your business is setting out on a journey, and you need a clear destination in mind. This is what Step 1 is all about – setting your Guiding Star. It’s like when you decide to go on a road trip – you pick a destination. In SWOT analysis , your goal is your destination. For instance, your goal might be deciding whether it’s the right time to launch a new product. This goal, like a target, gives your analysis direction.

Step 2: Gather Resources

Now, let’s get to the second step – gathering the resources you need. Imagine this as preparing your toolbox. In the field of SWOT analysis, your resources act like the reliable tools in your kit. In this, these tools tell about the data and information you’ll use to deeply examine and analyze your business.

Your first objective is to identify the data you have access to and evaluate how dependable it is. This phase closely resembles ensuring your physical tools are in excellent working order, assuring that you possess all the necessary elements to move forward with precision.

Step 3: Brainstorm Ideas

This is where you let your creativity loose. It’s an ideal time! For each of the four parts of SWOT, you’re gathering ideas. Think of it as brainstorming. Inside your business, what are you really good at? What needs work? Outside, what’s happening that could help or hurt? Here are some questions to get you started:

Strengths: What are your standout qualities? What are your assets? Weaknesses: Where do you stumble? What isn’t working well? Opportunities: What trends can you ride? Can you expand anywhere? Threats: Are there outside factors that might harm you?

It’s like a big idea party, and everyone’s invited!

This brainstorming session allows you to gather diverse perspectives and ideas.

Step 4: Refine the List

All right, now that you’ve gathered a bunch of ideas, it’s time to get organized. Think of this step as tidying up your room. You’re sifting through those ideas to pinpoint the ones with the potential to make a real impact – the ones that could genuinely shake things up. This step often involves some debates and discussions. It’s like when you’re deciding what movie to watch with friends – everyone has an opinion, and you need to find a consensus.

Step 5: Build a Strategy

Now, we’ve arrived at the most crucial and practical part – Step 5. Imagine you’re a coach analyzing your team’s strengths and weaknesses. What comes next? Creating a game plan, of course!

So, if you’ve been contemplating launching a new product and you’ve found that you excel in many areas but face challenges like high costs and uncertain demand, your strategy might be to wait for six months and then reassess. It’s like plotting a course for your business based on the discoveries made during the SWOT analysis.

SWOT Analysis offers several key benefits that make it an essential tool for strategic planning and decision-making:

Comprehensive Overview

By examining Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, SWOT analysis provides a holistic view of both internal and external factors affecting a business or project.

Strategic Planning

Analyzing swot analysis helps in formulating effective strategies by identifying areas where the organization excels and where it needs improvement, aligning efforts with potential opportunities, and mitigating threats.

Informed Decision-Making

The structured format of a SWOT analysis chart allows for better-informed decisions based on a clear understanding of the current situation and future possibilities.

Resource Allocation

By highlighting strengths and opportunities, SWOT analysis assists in prioritizing and allocating resources more efficiently to areas with the highest potential for growth and success.

Enhanced Problem-Solving

Every things has strength weaknesses opportunities and threats. Identifying swot weakness and threats early on enables proactive problem-solving and risk management , reducing the likelihood of negative impacts.

• Skipping the Research: This is a big mistake – not doing your homework. To conduct a solid analysis, you need reliable information to support your decisions. Without it, you’re essentially taking shots in the dark, and you know how often that works out – not too well!
• Being Biased: In the SWOT world, your job is to stay fair and unbiased. Keep those personal opinions in check and strive for impartiality.
• Neglecting the Competition: It is a common slip-up: neglecting to watch the competition. It’s a bit like running a race without occasionally looking over your shoulder to see if someone’s catching up. Monitoring what your rivals are up to is crucial; otherwise, you might miss spotting some pretty significant threats.
• Sticking to the Surface: Doing a quick, surface-level analysis is a common mistake. To get a clear picture of your stand, you’ve got to explore all the nooks and corners of your business thoroughly. A superficial analysis just won’t reveal the whole story.
• Leaving Out the Team: This one’s all about teamwork. Not getting your team involved or dismissing their feedback is a bit like attempting to win a team sport all on your own. Different perspectives can spot things you might overlook entirely.

SWOT Analysis as a tool is evolving too! Think about it like this: just as smartphones keep getting smarter, so does SWOT analysis . One of the big things happening in the SWOT field is the use of AI, or Artificial Intelligence, and big data analytics. It’s like giving SWOT analysis a turbo boost . Here’s the catch: AI helps analyze data faster and smarter . It’s like having a super detective on your team, sorting through massive amounts of information to find hidden pieces of information. So, when businesses use AI in SWOT, they get quicker and more accurate insights.

Then there’s big data analytics . It’s like having a magnifying glass for your data. It helps you zoom in on details you might have missed before. So, when these two come together, AI and big data , it’s like a dynamic duo. They help businesses uncover deeper insights. Like a treasure hunter with the best gear, businesses can spot opportunities and threats they might have overlooked.

In conclusion, SWOT Analysis is an invaluable tool for understanding and improving both organizational and personal strategies. By identifying SWOT weaknesses, businesses and individuals can address critical areas needing improvement. The analysis of SWOT analysis provides a structured approach to dissecting internal and external factors , making the SWOT process straightforward and effective. Analyzing SWOT analysis results enables a comprehensive understanding of strengths , weaknesses , opportunities , and threats , facilitating informed decision-making and strategic planning. Overall, analysis SWOT equips you with the insights needed to capitalize on opportunities and mitigate risks , driving growth and success.

Also Read: What is SEO SWOT Analysis How to conduct a SWOT analysis for a Product SWOT Analysis for Product Managers How to Do a Personal SWOT Analysis [With Examples]

SWOT Analysis – FAQs

What are the 4 pillars of swot analysis.

Here are the four pillars of SWOT analysis: Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats

What are the 4 areas of SWOT analysis?

These are 4 areas of SWOT analysis: Internal Strengths Internal Weaknesses External Opportunities External Threats

What is SWOT analysis and examples?

SWOT Analysis is a strategic tool used to identify and evaluate the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats of a business or project. Examples: Strength Weakness

What are the 5 points of SWOT analysis?

Identify Strengths Identify Weaknesses Identify Opportunities Identify Threats Develop strategic actions based on the analysis

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