Is your idea something that replaces an existing approach, is it an improvement on an existing system or is it completely new or innovative? Your answer here can dictate much of the remainder of the process.

Competitors can be more than other companies or services, they can be physical impediments like geography, technology, age, experience, simplicity or training. In some situations you can be your own greatest competitor. In this section you will identify obstacles or hurdles that you can expect to encounter. Anything that can hold you back is your competitor. Things like your current employment, your home life, family or other distractions. Your financial position. All potential things need to be identified and addressed.


1. an improvement to an existing process

Here is a number of questions you now need to answer:

- How do people currently do what you propose to offer them?
- Why do they do it this way?
- What would cause them to change the way they have
   always done it?
- Who are the current providers of the service, if any?
- Consider the current providers and list three points uder each of
   the these headings: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats.


2. a new service or inovation

- What benefit does your idea provide?
- What existing problem does your idea solve?


Competitors List / Self Assessment

Compile a list consisting of two columns and in the first column list the items that you consider to be constraints to your success. Include all things that might constrain you including the reluctance of people to move from their current provider or approach to yopur idea.

List your own limitations like available time, available funding, and any other item that you consider relevant. We will quiz you on some of the usual failings that we experience so it will assist with your preparation if you cover all range of items.

In the second column expand on the item and where possible list your solution or some possible solutions to overcome the constraint. It may be a course of action or an area where you need to find assistence.

An item here to consider is your own business experience. Have you managed people? Are you familiar with business administration, accounting, lawyers, legislation, taxation, industrial relations or licencing.

At this point you have confirmed that your idea is liked by the market and also defined the market that is most likely to like it. You have assessed how you need to behave in order to appeal to your market in building a brand that defines who you are. Finally you have identified and considered any items that may constrain or impeed your success.

Brand Insurance

Your brand is your insurance policy. Bestseling Author Harry Beckwith reminds us in his book "The Invisible Touch" that customers that come to you for your low price will leave you for another low price. The depth of your brand should give your customers more reson to stay with you than simply price.

The question here is how are you going to fend off threats from your competitors and retain your customers. Where will these threats come from and how will you respond.

Consider here the work of Abraham Maslow who wrote "The human animal is incapable of being satisfied except for brief moments. Once satisfied, he moves to his next need to be filled."


If your enthusiasm for your idea remains high then you must click here now to move onto the next step however if you feel that your enthusiasm is low then take some time to reconsider your idea from step 1. You can click here to revisit step 1 . Remember that it is important to avoid an inevitable collision with an immovable object well before you get there. The work you have done already has not cost you any money and hopefully it has produced a workable idea.