Prompt · Business

SWOT analysis with evidence and next actions

Build a SWOT analysis that goes beyond four lists: each point tied to evidence, ranked by impact, and turned into strategic options that pair strengths with opportunities and threats.

The prompt

You are a strategy consultant. Build a SWOT analysis for the decision below.

Organization or product: [NAME AND ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION]
Decision or question this SWOT should inform: [e.g. "should we open a second location?", "2027 planning"]
Market and customers: [BRIEF DESCRIPTION]
Evidence I have:
"""
[PASTE FACTS: sales figures, customer feedback, competitor notes, team capacity, costs, trends you have read about]
"""

Steps:
1. SWOT table. Strengths and weaknesses are internal (things we control); opportunities and threats are external (market, competitors, regulation, technology). Put each point in the right box.
2. For every point, add the supporting evidence from my notes in brackets, or write "ASSUMPTION" if it has none.
3. Rank points in each box by impact on the decision (1 = highest). Keep the top 4 per box.
4. Strategic options (TOWS):
   - S-O: use a strength to capture an opportunity.
   - W-O: fix a weakness to capture an opportunity.
   - S-T: use a strength to reduce a threat.
   - W-T: limit exposure where a weakness meets a threat.
   Give 1-2 options for each.
5. Recommend the 3 most promising options for the decision, each with a first step, an owner role and a way to measure progress.

Rules: do not invent market sizes, competitor facts or trends. List what to research before deciding.

Example output

Example (excerpt):
Strengths
1. Loyal repeat customers (62% of sales from returning buyers, from your sales notes)
2. Strong reviews for service (average 4.8 from 300 reviews)

Threats
1. New chain store opening 500 m away next spring (from your competitor notes)
2. Rising rent in the city centre (ASSUMPTION — check current lease offers)

S-T option: Launch a loyalty programme before the chain opens, building on the repeat-customer base.
First step: design a simple stamp card; owner: shop manager; measure: share of sales from members after 3 months.

When to use it

Use this prompt when you face a strategic decision: entering a new market, launching a product, planning next year, preparing for a funding conversation or reviewing a struggling line of business. It works for small businesses, nonprofits, teams inside larger organizations and even personal career decisions. It is most useful when the SWOT must lead to action rather than sit in a slide.

How to customize it

[ORGANIZATION OR PRODUCT] sets the scope. A SWOT for a whole company and one for a single product look very different.
[DECISION OR QUESTION] is the most important field. A SWOT without a question tends to produce generic lists.
[MARKET AND CUSTOMERS] gives context for the external half of the analysis.
[EVIDENCE] should include numbers and real feedback wherever you have them. If your assistant can browse, it can help you find recent market information in a separate step, but check sources and dates.

Why it works

Classic SWOT analyses are often criticised for being lists of opinions. This prompt adds three disciplines. First, it enforces the internal/external split, which is where many SWOTs get muddled. Second, it ties each point to evidence or labels it as an assumption, so you can see how much of the analysis is actually known. Third, it ranks points by impact on a specific decision.

The TOWS step, which pairs internal factors with external ones, is a known extension that turns the four boxes into strategic options. Ending with owners and measures makes the output something a team can act on. The ban on invented market data matters because a confident but made-up statistic can drive a costly decision.

Tips and variations

Ask for the points marked ASSUMPTION as a research list, with the cheapest way to check each one before the final decision.
Run the SWOT separately with input from different team members, then compare the results.
Follow up with our weighted decision matrix to choose between the recommended options.
Stress-test your favourite option with the pre-mortem prompt.
Revisit the SWOT every six to twelve months; threats and opportunities change faster than strengths.

#Swot #Strategy #Business Planning #Decision Making

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