One core aspect of the product and marketing role is to get insight on the competitive landscape. Apart from what you can find from their websites, you will want to dig deeper, and gain understanding of their business.
Fortunately, there are several sources to go to. Some of these are free, and some are not, but if you can get access to these, I highly recommend taking full advantage.
Dunn and Bradstreet – This is the gold standard. It is not cheap, but if you have an investor relations group, odds are good that you have access to D&B. It is worth the effort to get to this source. Far more information on even small and early stage companies, as well as the best information on privately held firms. I doubt I could justify the cost if I worked someplace without a subscription, but it really helps pave the path, and fill in blanks. (more…)