Nobody knows better than you the particular set of facts and circumstances which characterise the
area in which you operate, and so you very much hold the key to establishing a local advantage.

To build a profile of your catchment area, you might need to consider some of the following...

My Competition
- Who are my competitors?
- What makes them better or worse than me?
- How do they promote themselves?
- Are they getting bigger?
- Are any new competitors on the horizon?

Knowing as much as possible about your competitors is a ‘must-do’.

Keep a track on what they are charging by checking out their windows and displays, watch out for special offers, where they are advertising, any new gimmicks they’re using to attract business, whether they are recruiting new staff (or losing them), whether their premises are growing or shrinking.

My Customers
- Who are they? (i.e. retail/trade)
- Where do they come from?
- Are they loyal?
- What do they usually buy?
- What is important to them when buying?
- Am I delivering on their expectations?
- Are there customers I am missing?

You’ll get a good feel for the habits and attitudes of existing customers by simply talking with them.

Think about a simple questionnaire to give to all customers that will tell you a bit about what they
think of you, what they are looking for, whether they would consider coming back (and if not, why not?).

My Territory
- Is it as big as it could be?
- Are there any road/rail changes coming that might increase/decrease customer volume?
- Are there any housing/retail developments due that might affect potential customers?
- Do I know all the local papers, magazines, radio stations etc and other advertising opportunities?
- Are there local events I could get involved in?
- Are they any local organisations I could join to promote my business?

It’s important to always be on the look-out for new ways of promoting yourself within your local territory.

Communities are never static, and new people in the area mean potential new customers.