The time has come to wrap up next year’s plan. What do you do?

Option A – Open the drawer and pull out a crystal ball

Option B – Pull up a spreadsheet with figures from previous years, assuming the future will hold the same patterns

Option C – Review the market, competitor, and consumer data, insights, and recommendations provided by your intelligence team

Before planning for 2027, think about what information you need to make decisions that deliver strong results.

Want to stop guessing but aren’t sure how market and competitive intelligence can help with your planning? Even if you don’t have an intelligence team, we have some tips.

Gather the data available on your market, as well as your company’s data, such as sales and costs

Analyze possible scenarios for the coming year, looking at trends, threats, and opportunities

Identify what information could help you to plan for such scenarios and how to obtain it

Gather the data you have on your brand’s customers and your competitors’ customers

Consider potential new competitors and products that could affect your sales, even if they aren’t direct competitors today

Pense em possíveis novos concorrentes e produtos que podem interferir em suas vendas, mesmo que hoje não sejam concorrentes diretos.

By bringing this information together, you’re laying the groundwork for a basic intelligence study. Of course, everything depends on the quality of the information available. But by following these steps, you can identify opportunities for expansion and prepare to address potential threats in the competitive environment. From there, you can build your plan for the coming year.

Still have questions? We’ve helped many business leaders get clarity through a one-on-one with a senior analyst. Our Insight Express is free, and in a one-hour session, you can get answers to your questions and identify the information you can use for your planning.