Marketing SWOT analysis and strategy prioritization workbook template

Review the effectiveness of your business and digital marketing strategy with SWOT and TOWS analysis

How will this template help me and my business?

As a marketer it is likely that you will have heard of the SWOT analysis technique. It’s widely used to help review the effectiveness of business and marketing plans. A SWOT contrasts the internal strengths and weaknesses of business activities with external opportunities and threats that are available to anyone in the marketplace. It’s typically used to inform potential strategic initiatives as part of a situation analysis stage during the strategic planning process.

However, you may not have heard of the TOWS matrix, which is a powerful technique to turn a SWOT into a forward-looking analysis tool which can be used to generate strategic initiatives that can then be prioritized.

For us, it’s an essential ‘mindtool’ for reviewing strategic options for marketing or digital strategies which we recommend as a key part of our RACE digital planning framework. These analysis techniques work well in a workshop/team-review setting to help you rapidly review your current efforts and gain focus on future strategic initiatives.

Who is the template for?

This template is designed for anyone involved with creating marketing and digital marketing strategies and plans who want to improve their strategy and planning process. These may include:

• Marketing directors and heads of marketing
• Digital marketing managers and marketing managers
• Small business owners
• Account managers in an agency working with clients to develop their strategy

How is this template structured and used?

This resource features two downloads (in Word and PDF formats) which includes seven alternative templates that you can modify for your business and/or clients.

These include:

• A TOWS analysis
• Key issues summary
• Strategic prioritization matrix alternatives
• A digital governance/transformation plan template

Resource Details

• Author: Dr. Dave Chaffey
• Format: 2 x downloadable templates, in Word and PowerPoint formats

About the authors

Dr Dave Chaffey

Dave is co-founder of Smart Insights. He is editor of the 100 templates, ebooks and courses in the digital marketing resource library created by our team of 25+ Digital Marketing experts. Our resources used by our premium members in more than 80 countries to Map, Plan and Manage their digital marketing.

For his full profile, or to connect on LinkedIn or other social networks, see the About Dave Chaffey profile page on Smart Insights. Dave is author of 5 bestselling books on digital marketing including Digital Marketing Excellence and Digital Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice. In 2004 he was recognised by the Chartered Institute of Marketing as one of 50 marketing ‘gurus’ worldwide who have helped shape the future of marketing.