How I Approach Pricing Assessments: Lessons from the TrenchesPricing assessments have become one of the most frequent requests I get in the competitive intelligence space, and for good reasons. These projects aren’t like the usual qualitative intel-gathering exercises. They’re deep, data-driven, and if done right, can directly influence revenue, profitability, and product strategy. With strategic planning season in full swing, I wanted to…
How I Run a High-Impact Voice of Customer (VOC) Study (and What You Should Know Before You Start)Over the years, I’ve seen Voice of Customer (VOC) perception studies evolve from “nice-to-haves” into must-have tools, especially for competitive intelligence teams. Yes, we all want to know what our competitors are doing. But here’s the truth: what customers think you’re doing and what they think about you can be even more powerful. Our clients…
- Why Every CI Pro Needs a Can of Bear Spray
Over the years, my travels have taken me to some incredible places — I’ve sweated through rooftop meetings in Singapore’s humid heat and stood in awe inside the towering pyramids of Egypt. But despite all my international mileage, there are still some iconic U.S. destinations I haven’t explored. That’s about to change. My wife Jennifer…
Are You Asking the Right Questions? The Art of Crafting Powerful VoC SurveysWhen I first started working with Voice of the Customer (VoC) programs, I was captivated by the promise of uncovering deep customer insights. Like many, I believed sending a well-designed survey was half the battle. The other half? Simply waiting for the data to roll in and tell us what to do. Over time, I…
Next-Gen Immuno-Oncology: Why Competitive Intelligence Is More Critical Than EverI still remember when immuno-oncology first started making waves. The buzz around checkpoint inhibitors was electric—PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA-4—suddenly, we were talking about cancer therapies that could unlock the immune system instead of just targeting the tumor. Fast forward a decade, and the I-O space is no longer the Wild West; it’s a global arena packed…
- Flip the Script: Rebuttals to AI Replacing CI Analysts
In my last article, I shared this: You’re not competing with AI. You’re competing with leadership’s perception of what AI can do. And it hit home. The comments, messages, and sidebar conversations confirmed it—this perception shift is real. But here’s the bigger issue: What are you going to do about it? If you’re in Competitive…
How Competitive Intelligence Fuels a Winning Authorized Generics Strategy in PharmaIn the ever-evolving landscape of pharmaceuticals, one of the more nuanced and strategic decisions a brand company can make is whether to launch an Authorized Generic (AGx) product. I’ve been fortunate to work closely with clients navigating this decision, and one thing has become abundantly clear: competitive intelligence is a critical enabler of success in…
Tuning into the Right Frequency: How Emotional Intelligence Amplifies Your VoC ProgramRunning a Voice of Customer (VoC) program without emotional intelligence is a bit like trying to tune an old radio with a broken dial. You might catch bits of the song; the static might fade momentarily, but you never quite lock onto the station. You hear the noise, but not the message. That’s how I…
Complete Guide to Competitive IntelligenceFrom seamless sales operations to savvy social media usage, innovative marketing campaigns to effective go-to-market structures, some companies just always seem “one step ahead.” How do they do it? What competitive advantages do these organizations maintain — and are they immutable, something others can aspire to but never surpass? At Proactive Worldwide, we certainly don’t…
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