SWOT Analysis: Template, Example, and Guide

SWOT analysis is one of the most well-known strategy tools. It helps understand your position and make informed decisions. In this guide, you'll learn how to conduct a SWOT analysis – with template and concrete examples.

What is a SWOT Analysis?

SWOT stands for:

• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Opportunities
• Threats

The analysis considers two dimensions:

	Positive	Negative
Internal	Strengths	Weaknesses
External	Opportunities	Threats

Internal: What can we influence? External: What comes at us from outside?

When to Use SWOT Analysis

• Strategic planning: Where are we, where do we want to go?
• Project kickoff: What factors affect the project?
• Product launch: What's our market position?
• Competitive analysis: How do we compare?
• Personal development: What are my strengths as a freelancer?
• Proposal phase: What makes us the best provider?

The SWOT Matrix

┌─────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────┐
│                         │                         │
│       STRENGTHS         │      WEAKNESSES         │
│                         │                         │
│  What do we do well?    │  What can we improve?   │
│  What are our           │  Where do we lack       │
│  advantages?            │  resources?             │
│                         │                         │
├─────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────┤
│                         │                         │
│     OPPORTUNITIES       │        THREATS          │
│                         │                         │
│  What trends help us?   │  What trends threaten   │
│  What possibilities     │  us?                    │
│  are emerging?          │  What is competition    │
│                         │  doing?                 │
│                         │                         │
└─────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────┘
        INTERNAL                  EXTERNAL

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Define the Objective

What are you analyzing?

• Your company as a whole?
• A specific project?
• A product or service?
• Yourself as a freelancer?

Example: "SWOT analysis for our proposal to client XY"

Step 2: Identify Strengths (S)

Ask yourself:

• What do we do particularly well?
• What unique resources do we have?
• What do others see as our strengths?
• What successes have we had in the past?

Examples for IT freelancers:

• 10 years of industry experience
• Specialization in a niche
• Strong reference portfolio
• Technical certifications
• Flexible availability
• Direct client contact (no agency overhead)

Step 3: Identify Weaknesses (W)

Ask yourself:

• What could we improve?
• What should we avoid?
• What do others see as our weaknesses?
• Where do we lack resources or skills?

Examples for IT freelancers:

• One-person operation (no scaling)
• Limited capacity
• Missing expertise in certain areas
• Little marketing experience
• No 24/7 availability
• Dependence on few clients

Step 4: Identify Opportunities (O)

Ask yourself:

• What trends could help us?
• What market changes create new possibilities?
• What technologies are emerging?
• What customer needs are unfulfilled?

Examples:

• Digitalization trend in the industry
• Skills shortage makes freelancers more attractive
• New technology (AI, cloud) opens new projects
• Regulatory changes create consulting demand
• Remote work acceptance expands client base

Step 5: Identify Threats (T)

Ask yourself:

• What obstacles do we see?
• What is competition doing?
• Are requirements or technologies changing?
• What economic developments threaten us?

Examples:

• Price pressure from offshore competition
• Automation reduces need for manual work
• Economic uncertainty reduces IT budgets
• New technologies make existing skills obsolete
• Large competitor enters the market

Step 6: Derive Strategies

SWOT analysis isn't an end in itself. Derive concrete strategies:

SO Strategies (Use strengths to seize opportunities):

"Our cloud expertise + digitalization trend = Position cloud migration as main offering"

WO Strategies (Overcome weaknesses to exploit opportunities):

"Limited capacity + high demand = Build network of subcontractors"

ST Strategies (Use strengths to mitigate threats):

"Specialization + price pressure = Premium positioning instead of price war"

WT Strategies (Minimize weaknesses to avoid threats):

"Skill gaps + technology change = Prioritize continuous learning"

SWOT Analysis Template

SWOT ANALYSIS

Subject: _________________________________
Date: ____________  Created by: _____________

┌─────────────────────────┬─────────────────────────┐
│ STRENGTHS (S)           │ WEAKNESSES (W)          │
│                         │                         │
│ 1. ___________________  │ 1. ___________________  │
│                         │                         │
│ 2. ___________________  │ 2. ___________________  │
│                         │                         │
│ 3. ___________________  │ 3. ___________________  │
│                         │                         │
│ 4. ___________________  │ 4. ___________________  │
│                         │                         │
│ 5. ___________________  │ 5. ___________________  │
│                         │                         │
├─────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────┤
│ OPPORTUNITIES (O)       │ THREATS (T)             │
│                         │                         │
│ 1. ___________________  │ 1. ___________________  │
│                         │                         │
│ 2. ___________________  │ 2. ___________________  │
│                         │                         │
│ 3. ___________________  │ 3. ___________________  │
│                         │                         │
│ 4. ___________________  │ 4. ___________________  │
│                         │                         │
│ 5. ___________________  │ 5. ___________________  │
│                         │                         │
└─────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────┘

DERIVED STRATEGIES:

SO (Strengths + Opportunities): _________________________
_______________________________________________________

WO (Weaknesses + Opportunities): ________________________
_______________________________________________________

ST (Strengths + Threats): _______________________________
_______________________________________________________

WT (Weaknesses + Threats): ______________________________
_______________________________________________________

Example: SWOT for IT Freelancer

Strengths

1. 8 years experience in cloud architectures
2. AWS Solutions Architect certification
3. 15+ successful reference projects
4. Strong client relationships (80% repeat business)
5. Flexible working style (remote capable)

Weaknesses

1. Solo operator – no coverage when sick
2. Limited to 40h/week capacity
3. Marketing skills underdeveloped
4. No frontend expertise
5. Little experience with large corporations

Opportunities

1. Strong cloud migration trend in mid-market
2. GDPR compliance drives security projects
3. Remote work expands geographic radius
4. Skills shortage makes freelancers more attractive
5. AI integration as new growth field

Threats

1. Price pressure from Eastern European freelancers
2. Economic uncertainty → fewer IT projects
3. AWS could expand consulting services
4. New cloud technologies require constant learning
5. Large consultancies buying market share

Derived Strategies

SO: Cloud migration + mid-market trend = Specialize in mid-market cloud projects

WO: Frontend gap + high demand = Partnerships with frontend freelancers

ST: Strong references + price pressure = Quality positioning over price competition

WT: Solo operator + economic uncertainty = Build financial reserves

Using SWOT in Proposals

SWOT analysis can also provide value in proposals:

In proposals for the client:

"Our analysis of your situation shows:

Strengths: Motivated team, existing data infrastructure Weaknesses: Legacy systems, lacking API strategy Opportunities: Automation potential, self-service market Threats: Competition investing heavily in digital

Our proposal specifically addresses weaknesses and leverages opportunities."

Why you're the right provider:

"Why we're the right partner:

• Strength: 15 similar projects successfully completed
• Strength: Certified team for your technology
• Leveraging opportunity: We bring best practices from your industry"

Tips for Better SWOT Analyses

1. Be honest: Ignoring weaknesses doesn't make them go away
2. Be specific: "We're good" is not a strength
3. Multiple perspectives: Ask team, clients, partners
4. Prioritize: Not all points are equally important
5. Update regularly: The world changes

Conclusion

SWOT analysis is a simple but powerful tool. It forces you to look both internally and externally – and relate both to each other.

The key insight: A SWOT analysis without derived strategies is worthless. The matrix is just the beginning – strategies are the goal.

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From Analysis to Proposal

A good SWOT analysis shows where you stand. A good proposal shows the client why you're the right partner.

With SimpleProposals, you create proposals that highlight your strengths and convince clients – structured, professional, compelling.

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