SWOT Analysis

SWOT Analysis

• Business analysis which

includes the evaluation of a
company’s:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

Good marketing begins with strong planning. A company’s initial plan should begin
with a critical look at its own strengths and weaknesses as well as an analysis of the

business environment in which it operates.

Strengths & Weaknesses

• Internal factors controlled by the

business

• Center around ability to function

efficiently, understand and meet
needs and outperform competition

• Often opposites and mirror each

other

• If a weakness is improved upon,

it can become a strength

• If a strength diminishes, it can

become a weakness

Open Ended

What weaknesses do you foresee a company possibly having? Think of 2-3 possible weaknesses for your answer.

Strengths &
Weaknesses

• Financial Limitations

• Available funds to expand/update (or not)

• Employees

• Skills, experience (or lack thereof)

• Products

• Quality, consistent, desirable (or not)

• Pricing

• Competitive pricing (or not)

• Marketing Efforts

• Relationships

Categorize

Options (15)

Lower prices than competition

High customer satisfaction

Strong brand reputation

Innovative product features

Excellent customer service

Wide distribution network

Experienced management team

Effective marketing strategies

Limited product range

High production costs

Inconsistent product quality

Weak online presence

Poorly designed products

Knowledgeable employees

Poor customer service

Drag the strengths and weaknesses into the proper category:

Strengths

Weaknesses

Strengths & Weaknesses

Examples of Strengths:

Examples of Weaknesses:

• High level of expertise and

experience of employees and
managers

• Lower prices than competitors
• Quality networking with

customers

• Well designed products

• Lack of expertise and

experience of employees
and managers

• Higher prices than

competitors

• Poor networking with

customers

• Poorly designed products

Open Ended

What kind of things could threaten a company that a business has no control over? Name 2-3.

Opportunities & Threats

• External factors of which the

business has nocontrol

• Used to evaluate a company’s

potential competitive
advantage

• Tend to be opposites and

mirror each other

Opportunities & Threats

• Political and legal changes

• Compensation laws (minimum wage

increases, etc.)

• Tax code changes
• Legal code changes (ie environmental laws

that change emissions standards for cars)

• Economic influences

• Recessions, inflation → Lower consumer

spending/less discretionary income

For instance, businesses must be aware of the legal and economic trends
established each year. They must also be familiar with changing technology

and processes.

Opportunities & Threats

• Social and cultural factors

• Shift in trends
• Social dissonance with company or

product

• Religious practices

• Changes in technology

• Technology replacing businesses

like travel agents, tax accountants

• Newspapers: adapting to online
• Streaming: CDs, DVDs stores, rental

services, etc become obsolete

Multiple Choice

Define a threat to a business in a SWOT analysis

• Areas where a company is strong

• Areas where a company is lacking

• Anything that benefits a company's growth or success

• Anything that poses a risk to a company's growth or success

Categorize

Options (15)

Hurricane damage to a resort

Investment in sustainable energy solutions

Growth in remote work leading to longer stays

Increased interest in adventure tourism

Government incentives for tourism development

Partnerships with local businesses for unique experiences

Development of wellness tourism programs

Negative travel advisories from foreign governments

Rising costs of raw materials

Increased competition

New neighborhoods being built

Christmas approaching

Winter weather at a ski resort

Economic downturn

Road Construction at business entrance

Drag what would be a threat or opportunity to a business into the proper category.

Threats

Opportunities

Opportunities & Threats

Examples of Opportunities:

Examples of Threats:

• Few/weak competitors
• Rising income of target market
• Favorable weather conditions
• Easy access to new

technology

• Low prices of raw materials

• Many/strong competitors
• Dropping income of target

market

• Unfavorable weather

conditions

• No access to new technology
• High prices of raw materials