Competitive Intelligence Glossary
Your comprehensive guide to competitive intelligence terminology. Learn the language of CI and level up your market research skills.
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ci fundamentals
Core concepts and principles of competitive intelligence
Competitive Intelligence (CI)
The systematic process of gathering, analyzing, and using information about competitors to make better business decisions.
Market Intelligence
Information about a company's external market, including customers, competitors, and industry trends.
Business Intelligence (BI)
Technologies and practices for collecting, analyzing, and presenting internal business data for decision-making.
Competitor Analysis
The process of identifying competitors and evaluating their strategies, strengths, and weaknesses relative to your own.
Competitive Landscape
The overall competitive environment in a market, including all players, their positions, and dynamics.
Competitive Monitoring
The ongoing process of tracking and observing competitor activities and market changes.
Market Dynamics
The forces and factors that influence market behavior, pricing, and competition.
Early Warning System
A CI capability that detects and alerts on competitive threats before they impact the business.
analysis methods
Frameworks and methodologies for analyzing competitors
SWOT Analysis
A strategic planning framework analyzing Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats.
Win/Loss Analysis
A research method that analyzes won and lost deals to understand competitive dynamics and improve win rates.
Competitive Benchmarking
Comparing your company's performance and practices against competitors to identify gaps and best practices.
Porter's Five Forces
A framework analyzing five competitive forces that shape industry competition and profitability.
Gap Analysis
A method for comparing current state to desired state to identify gaps that need to be addressed.
data sources
Where to find competitive intelligence data
Primary Research
Original research collected directly from sources through interviews, surveys, or direct observation.
Secondary Research
Research using existing data and sources like public filings, news, websites, and industry reports.
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
Intelligence collected from publicly available sources and legally accessible information.
deliverables
Reports, dashboards, and outputs of CI work
Battlecard
A sales enablement document providing competitive insights and talking points for specific competitors.
Competitor Profile
A comprehensive document capturing all relevant information about a specific competitor.
Competitive Intelligence Newsletter
A regular publication sharing competitive updates and insights with stakeholders.
metrics
KPIs and measurements for competitive analysis
strategy
Strategic concepts and competitive positioning
Competitive Positioning
How a company differentiates itself from competitors in the minds of customers.
Competitive Advantage
A condition or circumstance that puts a company in a favorable position over competitors.
Differentiation
The process of distinguishing a product or service from competitors to make it more attractive.
Competitive Response
Strategic actions taken in reaction to competitor moves or market changes.
tools tech
Tools and technologies for CI
Competitive Intelligence Software
Technology platforms that help automate and manage competitive intelligence activities.
Website Monitoring
Automated tracking of competitor website changes including pricing, features, and messaging.
Sales Enablement
The process of providing sales teams with the content, tools, and information they need to sell effectively.
All Terms A-Z
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