The Right Kind of Competitive Intelligence

In a world of WikiLeaks, Galleon, and increased scrutiny of how businesses access and exchange information, many companies are getting timid about developing intelligence. This is a mistake. As someone who helps companies gather and analyze intelligence about their industries, competitors, and markets, I know that one can obtain and use valuable information legally.

That is not to say, however, that getting these results is easy. Many companies new to the intelligence business (or that don’t really "get" it) mistakenly believe they can find all the information they need on Google (GOOG). Using the Internet is only scratching the surface. Unique insight comes from blending and analyzing street knowledge and market savvy with public domain data. Abide by the following three rules to obtain and harness intelligence.