Local print and broadcast news sources often provide a wealth of information about small, information that would never make the national news or show up at the top of Google. Likewise, local trade or industry organization meetups are often a better place to look for their involvement than the larger venues.
Another important means of addressing the need for a localized understanding of a competitor is to research their physical presence and area of operations. For example, starting with the physical address of their main location, it’s worthwhile to consult Google Maps, including satellite imagery and street-level views. This can give you a better idea of what the facility is like, including its relative size, and even its character. Is it a small building at the end of an isolated road, or a modern office complex that they wholly own?
Take your local inquiry one step further with tools such as Geofeedia, which allows you to monitor social media within a particular area. For example, you can draw a polygon around a company’s headquarters or retail locations and see what tweets are being posted from inside it.
See our other tips on Gathering Competitive Intelligence on Private Companies:
Tip #1 on Gathering Competitive Intelligence on Private Companies: Focus on Individuals over Organizations
Tip #3 on Gathering Competitive Intelligence on Private Companies: Use Specialized Tools to Dig Deeper
By Sean Campbell
By Scott Swigart