Industry Analysis Techniques

Learning from Airlines: Can Telcos Better Monetize Their Data? In both the airline and telecom industries, we navigate through a landscape characterized by high capital expenditures, stringent regulations, and a fragmented market. Airlines, however, have excelled in one key area: segmentation. By strategically segmenting passengers- first class, business, premium economy, and economy-they manage to extract varying levels of revenue and profitability from the same limited space on an aircraft. This segmentation isn’t just about seat preference; it’s about monetizing each square meter of an aircraft differently, depending on the passenger type. So, how can this apply to Telcos? Just as airlines maximize revenue per square foot, telecom operators could think about deeper segmentation in how they monetize networks. Currently, we see some level of differentiation—enterprise clients, business-critical services, and regular business users all receive varying levels of service and pricing. However, there might be an opportunity to dive deeper into this segmentation. What if Telcos could apply a more nuanced approach to data value? By considering not just who is using the data but how and why they are using it, Telcos could introduce more sophisticated pricing models. For instance, data used for mission-critical operations in a hospital could be valued and priced differently than data used by a small business for basic operations. This kind of deep segmentation could enable Telcos to not only better serve their clients but also maximize the revenue per gigabyte of data. Airlines have shown that a one-size-fits-all approach leaves money on the table. It’s time for Telcos to ask themselves: Are we truly maximizing the value of our ‘square meters’ of our networks? The answer could lie in a more finely tuned segmentation strategy.

🚨 The government is already talking to your competitors before the RFP ever drops, what is this possible? Here's what's happening behind the scenes, and exactly how to get in the room. Before a federal agency releases a formal solicitation, there is an entire pre-solicitation phase designed to communicate with industry. Most small businesses completely ignore it. That's a $10,000+ mistake. Let me break it down as a former Contracting Officer: 📋 THE 5 PRE-SOLICITATION TOOLS AND WHAT THEY ACTUALLY MEAN ① PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE Think of this as the government's "coming soon" announcement. The agency signals that a procurement is on the horizon. This is your earliest warning, act on it immediately by researching the agency and sharpening your capability statement. ② PRE-SOLICITATION SYNOPSIS This is the formal, public version of that heads-up posted to SAM.gov. It includes the anticipated NAICS code, contract type, and set-aside status. If you don't have SAM.gov alerts set for your codes, stop reading and go set them up right now. ③ SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE This is pure market research. The agency is asking: "Are there qualified small businesses out there who can do this work?" Your response influences whether the contract becomes a small business set-aside or stays unrestricted and open to large primes. Responding IS how you get on their radar before competition opens. ④ REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) This goes deeper. The agency is shaping its actual requirements and wants YOUR technical input and rough pricing data to inform the Statement of Work. When you respond to an RFI strategically, your language can end up in the solicitation itself. That is how you write yourself into the win. ⑤ INDUSTRY DAY A live briefing, in person or virtual, where agencies present upcoming requirements and answer industry questions. Show up. Introduce yourself. Ask one smart, specific question. You want the CO to remember your name before the RFP is released. 💡 THE INSIDER TRUTH After 20+ years as a federal Contracting Officer, I can tell you this: the contractors who consistently win are not always the most experienced. They are the ones who show up early, engage professionally, and build trust long before the competition starts. Responding to a Sources Sought or RFI tells the agency three things: ✅ We exist ✅ We are capable ✅ We are serious That trust carries into the evaluation phase whether the FAR says so or not. Your efficiency tip: Build a repository of past performance write-ups, capability statements, and technical summaries now, so that responding to these notices takes 2 hours instead of 2 days. These early touchpoints are not optional outreach. They are the bridge between government planning and your next contract award. Which of these 5 tools have you actually used? Drop it in the comments, I read every single one. 👇

Every weekday at 7:30 AM, I get a one-paragraph brief for every meeting on my calendar. Last email threads with each participant, open asks, unresolved questions. Claude wrote it while I was asleep. Anthropic shipped three automation tools in four weeks. Two serve you individually. One serves your whole team. The routing decision is simple. Work needs your local files? Cowork Scheduled Tasks. Runs on your machine, reads ~/Documents. Needs to fire while your laptop is closed? Claude Routines. Cloud infrastructure. Competitor checks at 7 AM, sentiment scans on Monday morning, pre-meeting briefs before you wake up. Pro plan gets 5 runs/day. Max gets 15. Needs to serve more than just you? Managed Agents. Every PM queries the same agent, each with their own session and audit trail. Asana, Notion, Rakuten, and Sentry are already running these in production. Rakuten went from quarterly releases to biweekly. The reasoning step is what separates this from Zapier. A Zapier zap chains deterministic actions. A Routine reads a competitor pricing page, decides whether something meaningful changed, and writes a summary in your voice. Different category of work. I set up a competitor pricing monitor in 20 minutes. It visits three competitor pages every morning, compares against yesterday's Notion log, and posts only what changed to Slack. I know about pricing shifts before my sales team hears them on calls. A weekly sentiment scanner does the same thing across Reddit, G2, and Product Hunt. Four weeks of consistent themes tells you what users actually want, not what's loudest internally. I built 7 of these workflows with full prompts, connector setup, failure modes, an engineer handoff brief, and a security doc: https://lnkd.in/gyb4FkHa The PM who walks into Monday planning with automated intelligence will out-prioritize the one going off memory and escalations. That gap compounds every week.

Most people open Grok and ask a question. That is a huge mistake. Because Grok can do work that usually takes hours. Market research. Competitor tracking. Sales preparation. Industry analysis. All from a single prompt. Recently, I was helping a founder research a new market. The team was spending hours every week collecting data from different websites. Reports. News articles. Competitor updates. Customer reviews. Everything was scattered. So we changed one thing: We started using structured Grok Search prompts. And the result? → Faster research → Better insights → Less manual work Here’s what changed 👇 Most people ask AI: "Tell me about this company." Top performers ask AI: "Analyze this company, competitors, market position, recent news, customer pain points, and present findings in a comparison table." The quality of output depends on the quality of the prompt. 10 powerful Grok Search use cases: 1. Competitive Watch   → Track product launches   → Monitor funding rounds   → Follow leadership changes   → Verify claims with sources 2. Market Entry Check   → Analyze market size   → Identify competitors   → Find growth opportunities   → Discover entry barriers 3. Sales Prep Brief   → Research prospects before meetings   → Understand priorities   → Identify pain points   → Generate talking points 4. Prospect Pain Points   → Analyze reviews and complaints   → Discover customer frustrations   → Rank issues by importance 5. Tool Comparison   → Compare features   → Evaluate pricing   → Identify strengths and weaknesses   → Get recommendations 6. Compliance Check   → Research regulations   → Review industry policies   → Understand legal requirements 7. Hiring Salary Benchmark   → Find salary ranges   → Analyze hiring demand   → Understand competition for talent 8. Industry Talent Trends   → Discover emerging skills   → Track hiring trends   → Identify fastest-growing roles 9. Financial Earnings Brief   → Summarize earnings reports   → Analyze profitability   → Review risks and growth signals 10. Industry News Digest   → Get weekly updates   → Track acquisitions   → Follow product launches   → Monitor important announcements The pattern is clear: → Better prompts = Better insights → Better insights = Better decisions → Better decisions = Faster growth Most people think AI saves time. The smartest people use AI to improve decision making. That is where the real advantage comes from. Save this post. Which Grok Search use case would save you the most time right now? Let me know in the comments. LinkedIn LinkedIn for Marketing

Today, I'd like to shed some light on two critical phases in the procurement process: Source Sought and Pre-Solicitation. Understanding the difference between these stages can significantly impact your success in the government contracting arena. -Source Sought: In the early stages of procurement, government agencies often initiate a "Source Sought" phase. This is essentially a market research step where they seek information from potential vendors and contractors. The primary goal here is to identify businesses that can meet the agency's requirements for a particular project or contract. Agencies may issue a Sources Sought notice through platforms like beta.SAM.gov to gather valuable insights from the industry. -Pre-Solicitation: Once agencies have gathered sufficient information during the Source Sought phase, they move on to the "Pre-Solicitation" stage. This phase involves releasing a notice that provides more detailed information about the upcoming contract opportunity. It typically includes key details such as the scope of work, technical specifications, and contracting timelines. Vendors are encouraged to review this information carefully to determine if their capabilities align with the agency's requirements. Key Differences: -Purpose: Source Sought is about gathering information and identifying potential vendors, while Pre-Solicitation provides more detailed project information to interested parties. -Focus: Source Sought focuses on market research and industry feedback, while Pre-Solicitation is about giving vendors the necessary details to prepare for bidding. -Timing: Source Sought comes first, helping agencies refine their procurement strategies. Pre-Solicitation follows, inviting qualified vendors to prepare proposals. Why Does It Matter? Understanding these stages is crucial for businesses interested in government contracts. Engaging early during Source Sought allows you to showcase your capabilities and influence the agency's decision-making. When Pre-Solicitation is announced, you can then use the detailed information provided to evaluate if the opportunity aligns with your expertise and resources. As government contractors/consultants/subcontractors, let's remember that being informed is the first step towards success. Stay informed and stay prepared. If you have any insights or experiences to share about these stages, feel free to join the conversation! #GovernmentContracting #ProcurementInsights #SourceSought #PreSolicitation #MarketResearch #BidOpportunities #ContractingConnectionsSummit2023

Outsmarting Competitors Starts With Understanding Them Knowing what your rivals are doing isn’t enough. To stay ahead, you need to understand why they act, how they think, and what they’ll do next Enter Porter’s Four Corners Analysis—a strategic tool that goes deeper than surface-level competitor tracking. ☑ The Four Corners of Competitive Insight: 1️⃣ Drivers (Motivation) ↳ What are their long-term goals? ↳ What internal or external forces are pushing their strategy? 2️⃣ Current Strategy ↳ How are they competing today? ↳ What’s their positioning, focus, and resource allocation? 3️⃣ Capabilities ↳ What resources, skills, and strengths do they have? ↳ Can they realistically achieve their ambitions—or are there gaps to exploit? 4️⃣ Management Assumptions ↳ What beliefs guide their decisions? ↳ Are they making flawed assumptions about the market or competitors? ☑ Why This Matters: ↳ Predict moves before they happen—and respond proactively. ↳ Spot weaknesses between ambition and ability. ↳ Make smarter strategic bets on pricing, products, and market entry. The real advantage isn’t just tracking competitors—it’s understanding their logic so you can outthink them. P.S. If strategy and competitive intelligence interest you, follow me for more insights.

In the GCC, a car isn’t just transportation - it’s identity on wheels. We often assume car buyers in the region are driven by functionality or status. But the truth runs deeper - car ownership is a cultural and emotional decision, not just a practical one. Here’s what most brands get themselves limiting: They segment by age, income, or geography. But that’s not how people in Dubai or Riyadh choose their cars. ✅ An Emirati buyer might prioritize power and off-road ruggedness - think desert drives and national pride ✅ An expat in Dubai may want agility and efficiency - easy parking, city driving, cost-effective maintenance ✅ A Saudi entrepreneur may opt for luxury and presence - a vehicle that signals success and stature. Here’s where it gets interesting If you build a product that delivers across needs and play the “long game”, you can create an entirely new segment. Just look at the Nissan Patrol - not the most expensive car in the UAE, but unofficially the national car. People drive it with pride not because of the price, but because of what it symbolizes. It stands tall alongside high-end brands because it’s earned its place in the cultural narrative. But here’s what most brands overlook - It took over 15 years of consistent investment, positioning, and presence for Nissan to embed itself into culture. Insights shared by Ahmed Hossam at the Product Marketing Summit, and it couldn’t be more relevant today across domains. This kind of brand equity doesn’t come from quarterly sprints or reactive pivots under short term pressure. You don’t become a symbol of pride when you’re run by panic. What does this mean for marketers? → Surface-level segmentation won’t cut it → You need to dig into behavior, values, and the emotional utility of ownership → Brand positioning must align with identity, not just utility and it must be protected from short-term sales pressure. #brand #marketing #segmentation #strategy

We've worked on 500 positioning projects. 95% of the companies get this wrong 👇🏻 When I ask each company to "describe your ideal target customer," they all do the same thing: Start listing company attributes: “Our ICP is SaaS companies based in Europe in EdTech with 1000 employees" But a list of firmographics doesn't constitute a marketable segment. Simply being a certain size or being located in a geographic region does not guarantee the companies will actually need or want your product. There's a better way to segment, and it guarantees that the people you do outreach to will at least have the NEED for your product. 1) Target customers in a "mature market" centered around existing product category You're going to build a segment starting with the companies that recognize an existing product category and are actively shopping for it OR currently have/use it. So for example, if you have launched a CRM, your target market might begin with all the companies that are actively shopping for CRMs or using CRMs right now. That way, when you pitch them your CRM, you know that it will not be irrelevant — assuming you have a compelling argument. You can use the same differentiated argument to get the shoppers to use you and those already using a CRM to consider switching to you when their contract expires. This is essentially the equivalent of buying shelf space in a busy store and looking to capture the incoming demand of the daily shoppers looking for that specific product category. 2) Target customers in an "immature market" centered around a job-to-be-done If you want a more greenfield market with less vendor-level competition, you can create a segment based on people all trying to accomplish something (something that your product makes easier/cheaper/better, etc.) Your outreach to this market will be relevant in the sense that you'll be speaking directly to something they are trying to accomplish (again, to say nothing of how compelling or uncompelling your solution is). However, this group is "immature" because they've never bought a solution like yours before. They weren't shopping for what you provide. You'll have to explain it to them and convince them you're worth of allocating budget. This is essentially the equivalent of door-to-door sales to pitch something new and novel related to something a homeowner is currently doing or struggling with.

As we navigate the dynamic landscape of government contracting, I wanted to shed light on an essential phase in the process – "Sources Sought." 🔍 What is Sources Sought? In the world of government contracts, a "Sources Sought" notice is a crucial step where agencies seek information from potential vendors to better understand the marketplace. It's an invitation for businesses to showcase their capabilities and express interest in upcoming opportunities. Why Participate? Participating in Sources Sought is a strategic move for businesses looking to engage with the government. It allows you to position your company as a valuable player in the industry, providing agencies with insights into your expertise and offerings. Benefits for Businesses: - Visibility: Get noticed by government agencies seeking specific goods or services. - Networking: Connect with potential teaming partners and collaborators. - Early Insights: Gain a competitive edge by understanding agency needs before formal solicitations are released. 🔗 How to Get Involved: Keep an eye on government portals like SAM.gov for Sources Sought notices relevant to your industry. Craft a compelling response that highlights your strengths and showcases why your business is the perfect fit. Let's leverage Sources Sought as a gateway to exciting opportunities and collaborations! #GovernmentContracting #SourcesSought #BusinessOpportunities #Networking #ContractingStrategy #GovCon #BusinessDevelopment

#CaseStudy ; Richard Branson & Reverse Engineering Human Behaviour. Most businesses fight consumer behavior. Exceptional businesses design systems around it. In the 1990s, Virgin Atlantic noticed a recurring problem: first class passengers were routinely slipping the airline’s distinctive airplane shaped silver salt & pepper shakers into their bags. Conventional executives saw it as a loss-prevention issue. The proposed solutions were predictable, replace them with cheaper plastic versions, issue warnings, or tighten controls. Richard Branson saw something entirely different. Instead of treating the behavior as theft to eliminate, he recognised it as evidence of desire. If customers wanted the shakers badly enough to take them, they had already become powerful brand ambassadors. His solution was brilliantly simple: engrave them with the words, “Stolen from Virgin Atlantic.” What had been a cost became a marketing asset. Every shaker that left the aircraft carried the Virgin brand into homes around the world, sparking conversations & reinforcing the airline’s bold, irreverent identity. The lesson is timeless: don’t waste energy fighting human nature. Understand it,reverse-engineer it,&build systems that turn predictable behavior into a strategic advantage.