Strategic Planning
SWOT Analysis

Template

What is a SWOT Analysis?
It is the summary of your businesses strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats as identified in the Macro Environment, Industry Environment and Internal Environment analysis.

Often it will be completed in a single brainstorming session involving the key strategic thinker in the business, the facilitator of these sessions in normally prepared with a series of thought provoking questions to ensure a degree of rigor in the brainstorming process.

Management Tip: If you are going to run a your own session then refer to this sites macro environment, industry environment and internal environment pages or down load the free strategic planning templates.

When completing your analysis ensure your opportunities and threats are outside of your business, (i.e. in the macro and industry environments) and the strengths and weaknesses are inside your organization (i.e. in the internal environment).

Definitions:
Strength: Is an internal factor that could be used to improve your businesses competitive position, for example: you have an overall cost advantage due to proprietary technology.

Weakness: Is an internal factor that leaves your business potentially exposed to competitor activity, for example you don’t have a professional marketing person or a strong brand.

Opportunity: is an external factor that could be used to improve your businesses competitive position relative to your competitors

Threat: is an external factor that could undermine your businesses competitive situation.

Possible Strengths

Strategic Planning SWOT Analysis Template Possible Strengths
Tangible Strengths	Intangible Strengths	Processes & Systems
Assets including plant and equipment Your business location Do you have long-term contracts? Are your product unique or market leading? Have you got sufficient financial resources to fund any changes you would like to make? Do you have any cost advantages over your competitors? Do you use superior technology in your business? Is your business high volume? Can your scale up if you need to ?	Do you have a strong recognisable brand or do you stock strong brands Your reputation - are you considered a market leader? or an expert in your filed? Do you have good relationship with your customers? (Goodwill) Do you have strong relationships with your suppliers Do you have a positive relationship with your employees Do you have any unique alliances with other businesses? Do you own any patents or proprietary technology? Do you have a proven advertising process that works well? Do you have more experience in your field? Are you managers highly experienced?	Do you have superior industry knowledge? Are you involved with industry associations? Is your business Innovative?
Strengths – internal to your business; characteristics or qualities of your business that make you better than your competitors. Add any additional strengths that are unique to your business. To find out more about strategic planning SWOT analysis strengths review our internal analysis page.

Possible Weaknesses

Strategic Planning SWOT Analysis Possible Weaknesses
Tangible Weaknesses	Intangible Weaknesses	Processes & Systems
Is your plant and equipment old or outdated? Is your product line too narrow? Have you got insufficient financial resources to fund any changes you would like to make? Do you have a high overall unit cost relative to your competitors? Do you use inferior technology in your business? Do you have low volume and are restricted in your ability to scale up?	Do you have a weak or unrecognisable brand? Do you have a weak or unrecognisable image? Do you have a poor or impersonal relationship with your customers? Do you have a poor relationship with your suppliers? Do you have a poor relationship with your employees? Is your marketing failing to meet objectives? Are your managers inexperienced? Do you have low R&D?	Do you lack industry knowledge? Do you lack innovative skills?
Weaknesses – internal to your business; characteristics or qualities of your business that make you less competitive than your competitors. Add any additional weaknesses that are unique to your business. To find out more about strategic planning SWOT analysis weaknesses review our internal analysis page.

Possible Opportunities

Strategic Planning SWOT Analysis Possible Opportunities
Industry Opportunites	External Opportunities
Expand your product line Diversify your business interests Expand into your customer's field Expand into your supplier's field Expand your customer base (Geographically or through new products) Do you have placid competitors? Are there any export opportunities? Will your market grow?	Changes to legislation Changes to import/export constraints Good economic outlook Favourable cultural shifts – such as to greener products Changes in use of technology opening up opportunities for your business to utilise these technologies such as Ecommerce or Internet sales
Opportunities are external to your business. They exist either within your industry or outside of your industry. Add any additional opportunities that are unique to your business. To find out more about strategic planning SWOT analysis opportunities review our industry analysis and macro analysis pages.

Possible Threats

Strategic Planning SWOT Analysis Possible Opportunities
Industry Opportunites	External Opportunities
Will low cost imports impact your business? Do consumers have a choice to use a substitute product? Are substitute product sales increasing? Is your market in slow growth or in decline? Growing power of customers or suppliers to set price Changing needs of buyers	Foreign exchange rate changes affecting imports/exports Changes in demographics Increasing regulation
Threats are external to your business. They exist either within your industry or outside of your industry. Add any additional threats that are unique to your business. To find out more about strategic planning SWOT analysis opportunities review our industry analysis and macro analysis pages.