Executives
Quick Start Guide for Executives
Welcome Executive Leaders!
Get strategic insights from Sila TrueTrends through AI-powered analysis of social trends, market dynamics, and consumer behavior to inform high-stakes decisions.
Your Strategic Objectives
- Identify growth opportunities through trend analysis
- Validate strategic decisions with market data
- Understand shifting market dynamics
- Spot disruption signals early
- Track competitive landscape changes
Executive Setup (3 min)
Step 1: Platform Overview (2 min)
- Log into Sila TrueTrends
- Focus on key strategic tools:
- Chat Interface: Your strategic insights engine
- Search: Quick market intelligence
- Trend Browser: Market opportunity scanner
- Visual Trends: Innovation indicators
Step 2: Strategic Focus (1 min)
- Define your strategic priorities
- List key markets and categories
- Identify main competitors
- Frame critical business questions
Your 10-Minute Strategic Brief
Minute 1-2: Market Pulse
Start with high-level market intelligence:
"What are the fastest-growing opportunities in [industry] right now?"
"What disruptions are emerging in [market category]?"
Quick scan for:
- Market opportunities (>50% growth)
- Disruption signals
- Category shifts
- Competitive movements
Minute 3-5: Opportunity Assessment
Drill into specific opportunities:
"What's driving growth in [specific trend/category]?"
"How large is the addressable market for [opportunity]?"
"What are the barriers to entry for [market]?"
Evaluate:
- Market size and growth
- Competitive intensity
- Resource requirements
- Strategic fit
Minute 6-8: Risk Analysis
Assess strategic risks:
"What threats are emerging in [our market]?"
"How are consumer preferences shifting in [category]?"
"What could disrupt [current business model]?"
Check:
- Market headwinds
- Changing consumer behavior
- Technology disruptions
- Regulatory shifts
Minute 9-10: Decision Framework
Synthesize for action:
"Summarize the top 3 strategic opportunities in [market]"
"What's the risk/reward profile for entering [new market]?"
"What capabilities would we need to succeed in [opportunity]?"
Executive Decision Workflows
1. Market Entry Decision
Time: 20 minutes
Process:
-
Market Intelligence (7 min)
Market Analysis Prompts: > "What is the current size and growth rate of [market]?" > "Who are the key players and their market positions?" > "What are the unmet needs in [market]?" -
Competitive Assessment (7 min)
Competition Prompts: > "What competitive advantages would we have in [market]?" > "What are competitors' weaknesses we could exploit?" > "How defensible would our position be?" -
Go/No-Go Decision (6 min)
Decision Prompts: > "What's the expected ROI for entering [market]?" > "What are the key success factors for [market]?" > "What could cause this strategy to fail?"
2. Innovation Investment
Time: 15 minutes
Process:
-
Trend Validation (5 min)
Innovation Prompts: > "Is [innovation/trend] gaining mainstream adoption?" > "What problem does [innovation] solve for customers?" > "How sustainable is the growth trajectory?" -
Market Readiness (5 min)
Readiness Prompts: > "Are customers ready to pay for [innovation]?" > "What's preventing faster adoption of [technology]?" > "When will [innovation] reach critical mass?" -
Investment Decision (5 min)
Investment Prompts: > "What's the competitive advantage of investing now vs later?" > "What's the opportunity cost of not investing?" > "How does this align with our strategic vision?"
3. Strategic Pivot Evaluation
Time: 25 minutes
Process:
-
Current State Analysis (10 min)
Assessment Prompts: > "How is our current market evolving?" > "What signals indicate we need to pivot?" > "Where are we losing competitive ground?" -
Alternative Strategies (10 min)
Alternative Prompts: > "What adjacent markets offer better growth?" > "What capabilities could we leverage differently?" > "What business models are disrupting our industry?" -
Pivot Decision (5 min)
Decision Prompts: > "What's the cost/benefit of pivoting vs staying course?" > "How quickly could we execute this pivot?" > "What early indicators would validate this decision?"
Strategic Intelligence Prompts
Market Dynamics
For Growth Opportunities:
"What markets are experiencing explosive growth (>100% YoY)?"
"What consumer needs are growing faster than solutions?"
"Where are venture capitalists investing heavily?"
For Disruption Signals:
"What technologies could make our business model obsolete?"
"What startups are gaining traction in our space?"
"What customer behaviors are changing fundamentally?"
Competitive Intelligence
For Competitive Analysis:
"How are customers comparing us to [competitor]?"
"What is [competitor]'s biggest vulnerability?"
"What moves might [competitor] make next?"
For Strategic Positioning:
"What position in [market] is uncontested?"
"How can we differentiate in a commoditized market?"
"What moats can we build around our business?"
Innovation Strategy
For Technology Adoption:
"When will [technology] reach mainstream adoption?"
"What's blocking wider adoption of [innovation]?"
"Which industries will [technology] disrupt first?"
For Business Model Innovation:
"What new business models are succeeding in [industry]?"
"How are customer expectations changing for [service]?"
"What pricing models resonate with [target market]?"
Board & Stakeholder Communication
Board Reporting Prompts
For Market Updates:
"Provide an executive summary of [market] dynamics this quarter"
"What are the top 3 risks and opportunities in our market?"
"How has competitive landscape changed since last quarter?"
For Performance Context:
"How does our growth compare to market growth?"
"What external factors are impacting our performance?"
"What leading indicators should the board monitor?"
Investor Relations Prompts
"What market tailwinds support our growth story?"
"How defensible is our market position?"
"What proof points demonstrate our competitive advantage?"
Crisis & Risk Management
Early Warning Prompts
"What negative sentiment is building around [issue/industry]?"
"What regulatory changes could impact [business]?"
"What supply chain risks are emerging in [market]?"
Crisis Response Prompts
"How are stakeholders reacting to [crisis/event]?"
"What are best practices for handling [type of crisis]?"
"What messaging resonates during [crisis situation]?"
Strategic Planning Prompts
Annual Planning
For Vision Setting:
"What will [industry] look like in 3-5 years?"
"What capabilities will be critical for future success?"
"What assumptions about our business might be wrong?"
For Priority Setting:
"Which opportunities have the highest strategic value?"
"What initiatives would create sustainable competitive advantage?"
"Where should we place our biggest bets?"
Quarterly Reviews
For Performance Analysis:
"What market factors explain our performance this quarter?"
"Which strategies are working vs not working?"
"What adjustments would improve our trajectory?"
For Course Correction:
"What early warning signs should trigger strategy changes?"
"When should we double down vs pivot?"
"What experiments would validate our assumptions?"
M&A and Partnership Strategy
Acquisition Targeting Prompts
"What companies would fill our capability gaps?"
"Which startups are disrupting our value chain?"
"What acquisitions would accelerate our strategy?"
Partnership Evaluation Prompts
"What partnerships would expand our market reach?"
"Who are the most innovative players in [adjacent market]?"
"What ecosystems should we participate in?"
Executive Decision Frameworks
Opportunity Evaluation Matrix
Quick Assessment Prompts:
□ "Is the market growing >30% annually?"
□ "Can we achieve top 3 market position?"
□ "Does this leverage our core strengths?"
□ "Is the ROI >3x in 3 years?"
□ "Can we defend against competition?"
Risk Assessment Framework
Risk Analysis Prompts:
□ "What could kill this initiative?"
□ "What assumptions are we making?"
□ "How reversible is this decision?"
□ "What's our downside protection?"
□ "What early indicators would signal problems?"
Weekly Executive Routine
Monday Morning (10 min)
Week Start Prompts:
> "What major market shifts occurred over the weekend?"
> "What competitive moves should I be aware of?"
> "What opportunities need immediate attention?"
Mid-Week Check (10 min)
Wednesday Prompts:
> "What emerging trends are accelerating?"
> "How is market sentiment shifting?"
> "What strategic decisions need input?"
Friday Review (10 min)
Week End Prompts:
> "What strategic insights emerged this week?"
> "What decisions need to be made next week?"
> "What should I highlight to the board?"
Red Flags & Warning Signals
Market Warning Prompts
"What signs indicate market saturation in [category]?"
"What customer complaints are trending up?"
"What substitutes are gaining traction?"
Competitive Threat Prompts
"Who is stealing market share from us?"
"What new entrants should we worry about?"
"What competitive advantages are eroding?"
Success Metrics & KPIs
Strategic Health Prompts
"What metrics indicate product-market fit?"
"How do we measure strategic initiative success?"
"What leading indicators predict future performance?"
Benchmark Analysis Prompts
"How does our growth compare to best-in-class?"
"What performance gaps need attention?"
"Where are we outperforming/underperforming market?"
Building Executive Intelligence
Information Architecture
Create a systematic approach:
- Daily market signals monitoring
- Weekly competitive intelligence
- Monthly strategic review
- Quarterly deep dives
Decision Velocity
Accelerate decisions with:
- Pre-defined evaluation criteria
- Clear escalation triggers
- Rapid experiment frameworks
- Fast feedback loops
Common Executive Pitfalls
Strategic Blind Spots
Instead of: Dismissing weak signals Ask: "What if this trend accelerates?"
Instead of: Fighting last war Ask: "What's different this time?"
Instead of: Analysis paralysis Ask: "What's the cost of waiting?"
Best Practices
- Start broad, then drill down
- Validate assumptions continuously
- Look for contradictory evidence
- Update mental models regularly
- Act on insights quickly
Executive Pro Tip: Use TrueTrends for "Monday Morning Intelligence" - spend 10 minutes getting strategic insights to start your week informed. Build a library of strategic prompts for recurring decisions. Always ask "what would kill this strategy?" to stress-test plans.