The SWOT helps you to be more aware of your own company and recognize what is happening around your company. In the SWOT you describe your company’s strengths and weaknesses, and you identify opportunities and threats affecting your company. With the use of your company’s strengths you can exploit opportunities, and by understanding your company’s weaknesses you can manage threats.

Time

4 hours

Complexity

Target group

Startup

Download tool Download tool and explanation

Tips for use

You can do the SWOT by yourself, but it is often more effective if done by a group of people, for example with colleagues.

Use the SWOT template to make a large printout and use this to do a SWOT, for example in a brainstorm. Download the example for Coca Cola to learn about the practical application of the SWOT.

How to use

By answering the questions below for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, you will be able to complete the SWOT:

Strengths

Strengths are the things that give you an advantage over others.

What can your business do better than anyone else?
What advantages does your organization have?
What does your customer like about your business?
Which unique or low-cost resources are being used?

Weaknesses

Weaknesses are the things that place you at a disadvantage relative to your competitors.

What could you improve?
What causes you to lose sales?
What should you avoid?
What could customers see as weaknesses?

Opportunities

Opportunities are the elements in the environment that you can exploit to your advantage.

What interesting trends are you aware of?
What good opportunities can you spot?
What would customers like to see different?
Are there changes in technology, market or legislation you can benefit from?

Threats

Threats are the elements in your environment that could harm your business.

What obstacles or challenges do you face?
What are your competitors doing?

Is a change in technology or legislation threatening your position?