Swotting for Success

Not so long ago, I impressed the daylights out of a friend, by showing him his face on my PC's screen. As I tapped away at the minus key, the picture slowly zoomed-out, revealing that it was a picture of the two of us, and it soon became clear where the picture was taken. As I continued to zoom out, more details came into view; the picture was actually a small part of a scanned photograph of the two of us sitting by my desk, watching the monitor. The photo was merely lying on the desk when the high-resolution picture was taken.

Aside from the fact that even just viewing this high-resolution picture took up obscene amounts of disk space and memory, and slowed down my PC to the speed of a Sinclair ZX-81, the story also serves as a fairly long-winded analogy to an important business concept. We constantly lose track of the big-picture; we forget what we're trying to achieve, and get sidelined dealing with email enquiries, financial issues, bug-fixes, submitting our site to the search engines and other day to day tasks. All part of running a small web-based business. The bigger companies have staff to deal with the correspondence, answer the phone, market their products and spend day or weeks on getting their new logo just right. We do not.

But there's a serious risk to this; not only is it incredibly easy to lose track of where you are and what you're doing, chances are you won't even see the threats and opportunities that may be passing you by without you even realising.

Which is why I love the SWOT analysis - one of the few genuinely useful tools that I picked up during my years at the Leeds Business School. SWOT stands for Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Threats - and offers a fast, simple and powerful tool for internal and external appraisal.

The idea that you as a company should play to your strengths and improve on your weaknesses is a simple and obvious one, but first of all you need to identify them. Ten minutes is all you need to give this a go? and you might well be surprised at just how useful it really is.

Your strengths

What are your strengths? What are you good at? Perhaps it's an established name and reputation, or that of your software. Maybe you have something unique that people need and use, or maybe your current price is what really sets you apart from the competition. Don't go for being modest here - what makes you good? And what makes your software so desirable? Distribution methods could be a strength - if you rely solely on internet distribution, then this is as hands free as its gets. Or maybe your manual that registered users receive is seen as the bees-knees of the PC world.

Weaknesses

Chances are that drawing up the list of your strengths brought a few weaknesses to mind. Every potential strength has an equal chance of being a weakness; perhaps you're relatively new to the shareware industry, and don't yet have an established name. Maybe your software isn't really that good, or maybe there's no real demand for it - be honest here, or you're wasting your time. Is there really anything that sets your software apart from the competition? Or are you just one of the many, who will get a certain percentage of the market sales by the simple statistics of random choice? If your sole distribution method is through the internet via downloading, is the file small enough to be a realistic download?

Opportunities

Now we're getting onto the good stuff. Based on your listed strengths and weaknesses, a few possible opportunities must have presented themselves. Perhaps you should be adding your software to more download sites? Not just the big ones, but as many as possible. Think about it - how long does it take you to add your details to Boomer's Shareware Shake-Down? Okay so the chances of someone finding your software there are low, but how many sales do you need to make those two or three minutes worthwhile? Better still, have someone do it for you. What about getting a write-up in a magazine? You don't think the editors already have enough content do you? Take advantage of Al Harberg's service, and get your name out there.

How about producing a CD version of your software, or putting together a printed manual? At the time of writing this article, we're doing a review of an application named Windows Commander, and registered users get a single A4 page folded into a booklet. Know what? We love it! Simple instructions and shortcut key reference; it looks like it's been printed on a decent laser printer and photocopied. And it's as good-looking and professional as some of the printed manuals we receive.

How about different language versions? Perhaps not as difficult to implement as you might think. Don't be constrained here - don't think ideas through to the bitter end before rejecting them, just get them written down.

Threats

The nastier part of the process - chances are there are more dark clouds hanging over you than you realise. If one of the basic principles of warfare is to know your enemy, one of the pillars of good business should be to see your threats. Threats can come in many different forms; one of the most likely is competition. Have you had a look at what's out there lately? Do you know who your competition is, what they sell, and how popular they are? Are they more popular than you? If so then why? Maybe new technology is going to pull out the carpet from under your feet, or for that matter new developments. If your software is an animated GIF maker, then you should be watching industry developments in this are very closely right now. Especially if you depend on it to make a living.

Example. At the time of writing this article, Enfish Tracker Pro was one of the most impressive applications that I had ever come across. It allowed me to track data throughout my PC, and does so crossing all boundaries - data type, application source, network, internet and so on. One of the main things that I initially used it for was searching through the many thousands of emails that I had collected over the past few years. At the time I used Eudora Pro, and no matter how carefully I structured sub-directories and groups, hunting for a particular letter can still be fairly time consuming. Enfish was my saviour in this particular arena, and would be still today, had it not been for the release of version 4.2 of Eudora. Among other things, the search features have been vastly improved, and allow me to search using any combination of subject, author, date and so much more. This feature of the Enfish software is now largely redundant.

Keep an eye on new technology - it can sneak up on you quicker than you think. And if your software enhances or improves other products, the next release might leave you stranded. The same principle applies if your software largely depends on the features of a particular operating system. Off the top of my head, I could name more than ten applications that will be totally redundant when Windows 2000 is finally released. You do already know about the new features of this "operating system of the future" don't you?

The SWOT analysis won't produce or create anything for you, it's merely a tool. For many of us, it's main purpose will be to prop open our eyes and force us to lift our heads and see the bigger picture. Focusing on what we're good at and what needs improving is vital, and the importance of seeing the opportunities and threats that are out there can't be overstated. Look at your software and business in general as a trophy. Wipe off the dust, polish the shiny bits, and maybe swing over the spotlight to show it off. Looks good, doesn't it? You might also want to move the vase before it falls on it, oh and for god's sake get that stand fixed before it collapses? Be seen, be sold.

Copyright 2004 Dave Collins

About The Author

Dave Collins is the CEO of SharewarePromotions Ltd., a well established UK-based company working with software and shareware marketing activities, utilising all aspects of the internet. http://www.sharewarepromotions.com and http://www.sharewarepromotions.com.

eco-friendly cleaning service Buffalo Grove ..
In The News:

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.
AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.
A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.
New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.
Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.
Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.
Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.
Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.
Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.
Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.
iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.
Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.
FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.
Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.
Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.
Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.
Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.
New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.
FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.
New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

Discover Your Path to Success - Part 1

Success can easily be compared to the "genie trapped in... Read More

Neutralize The Negatives!

We are repeatedly told that we should forget about unpleasant... Read More

Success In An Ever Changing World?

Well, it's that time of the year again. No, I... Read More

Conquering Bad Habits

Most of your behavior is determined by your habits. Everything... Read More

Potholes On The Road To Success

Howdy folks, today I would like to speak to you... Read More

Reach Your Goals - A Higher Purpose

Find a higher reason to reach your goal than just... Read More

Discipline

I've been thinking a lot about what I believe to... Read More

Success: By The Numbers

What is "success"? Why does it seem everyone wants "success"?... Read More

Dare to Dream...and Dream Big

Dare to Dream~It is said that every person has at... Read More

Success: The Slight-Edge Formula

Self-improvement; A great deal has been written on the subject,... Read More

The Importance of Integrity

The single most important quality you can ever develop that... Read More

The REAL Secret to Success

I used to see a chiropractor who handed out a... Read More

Seven Empowering Success Beliefs

I call the following seven belief lies of success, taking... Read More

Does Your School Teach You How to Achieve Financial Freedom?

Study hard, get good grades and you will have a... Read More

Key Things Ive Learned From Studying The Lives of Great Achievers

I've long been a student of those who have achieved... Read More

The BIG Secret to Success in Anything You Do

There is one big "secret" to success that can help... Read More

Are You Afraid of Success?

You may not realise it yet but you may have... Read More

People Are Who They Want To Be

Choice isn't always a matter of being able to choose... Read More

Success Without Whining About Doing Your Best

In the film 'The Rock', Sean Connery takes a dim... Read More

Fallen Ladders Dont Matter

We own a home on the island of Puerto Rico... Read More

It is a Challenge to Succeed

(excerpted from The Challenge to Succeed audio series)It is a... Read More

3 Keys to Fulfill Your Wildest Dreams

If you'd like to fulfill your long-held dreams, try a... Read More

Today I Choose

Here is a great way to create affirmations that may... Read More

In Success Language, Failure Means You Are Almost There!

We all know as we are progressing towards our personal... Read More

Keys To Prosperity

Is it possible to get rich quick using the power... Read More

express cleaning service Arlington Heights ..