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Forrester Research

To help leaders change the world by becoming the most influential research company globally

Forrester Research logo

SWOT Analysis

Strategic pillars derived from our vision-focused SWOT analysis

1

INFLUENCE

Drive global business transformation through thought leadership

2

ADVISORY

Deliver personalized guidance that transforms client outcomes

3

PLATFORM

Build integrated data-driven research and advisory ecosystem

Updated: September 29, 2025 • 2025-Q4 Analysis

Forrester stands at a strategic inflection point where traditional research must evolve into AI-powered advisory excellence. The company's 40-year reputation and deep client relationships provide strong defensive moats, but competitive pressures from Gartner's scale and Big 4 consulting expansion threaten market position. The explosive demand for AI transformation advisory creates unprecedented growth opportunities, yet talent retention challenges and margin pressure require immediate attention. Success hinges on rapidly integrating AI capabilities while preserving the provocative insights and bold predictions that differentiate Forrester's brand. The company must simultaneously defend its core research business while aggressively expanding advisory services to capture the AI transformation wave. This dual strategy of innovation and optimization will determine whether Forrester emerges as the definitive AI transformation advisor or becomes marginalized by larger, better-resourced competitors.

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To help leaders change the world by becoming the most influential research company globally

Strengths

  • REPUTATION: 40+ years established thought leadership in business research
  • CLIENTS: 85% retention rate with Fortune 1000 and Global 2000 enterprises
  • ANALYSTS: 200+ expert analysts covering technology and business domains
  • PLATFORM: Integrated research platform serving 700,000+ business leaders
  • METHODOLOGY: Proprietary research frameworks driving client outcomes

Weaknesses

  • GROWTH: Revenue growth slowed to 8% in recent quarters vs 12% target
  • MARGINS: Advisory margins pressured by increased analyst compensation
  • COMPETITION: Market share declining as Gartner expands research coverage
  • INNOVATION: Limited AI integration in research delivery and insights
  • SCALE: Smaller than Gartner with less resources for market expansion

Opportunities

  • AI-DEMAND: Enterprise AI adoption creating massive advisory demand surge
  • SUSTAINABILITY: ESG transformation driving $50B+ consulting market growth
  • EVENTS: Post-pandemic return to in-person events boosting revenue
  • PARTNERSHIPS: Strategic alliances with cloud providers expanding reach
  • INTERNATIONAL: European and Asian markets showing 15%+ growth rates

Threats

  • RECESSION: Economic downturn reducing research budgets by 20-30%
  • COMPETITION: Gartner's $5B revenue advantage enabling aggressive expansion
  • TALENT: Analysts leaving for $300K+ salaries at tech companies
  • TECHNOLOGY: AI tools democratizing access to business research insights
  • CONSULTING: Big 4 firms expanding research capabilities and market share

Key Priorities

  • GROWTH: Accelerate revenue expansion through AI advisory services
  • TALENT: Implement retention strategy for critical analyst expertise
  • PLATFORM: Integrate AI capabilities to enhance research delivery
  • MARKET: Defend position against Gartner and consulting competition

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Strategic OKR Plan

Updated: September 29, 2025 • 2025-Q4 Analysis

This OKR framework positions Forrester for aggressive growth while addressing critical vulnerabilities. The dual focus on revenue acceleration and talent retention creates sustainable competitive advantage, while platform transformation ensures long-term relevance in an AI-driven market. The defensive positioning objective protects market share against formidable competitors like Gartner and Big 4 consulting expansion. Success requires flawless execution across all four pillars simultaneously, with particular emphasis on talent retention as the foundation enabling all other objectives.

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To help leaders change the world by becoming the most influential research company globally

ACCELERATE GROWTH

Drive revenue expansion through market-leading services

  • REVENUE: Achieve $550M annual revenue through new client acquisition and expansion
  • CLIENTS: Add 200 new enterprise clients with average contract value of $125K
  • ADVISORY: Grow advisory revenue 25% by expanding high-margin consulting services
  • MARKET: Capture 18% market share through competitive wins and thought leadership
RETAIN TALENT

Secure and develop world-class analyst expertise

  • RETENTION: Achieve 95% analyst retention through competitive compensation packages
  • HIRING: Fill all 50 open analyst positions with top-tier technology experts
  • DEVELOPMENT: Launch analyst certification program improving expertise ratings 30%
  • COMPENSATION: Implement equity program for senior analysts and research leaders
TRANSFORM PLATFORM

Build AI-powered research and advisory ecosystem

  • AI: Deploy AI-enhanced research platform increasing analyst productivity 40%
  • AUTOMATION: Launch automated insight generation reducing report time by 50%
  • PERSONALIZATION: Implement AI-driven content recommendations boosting engagement
  • CHATBOT: Release virtual advisor capability handling 500+ client queries daily
DEFEND POSITION

Maintain market leadership against competition

  • COMPETITIVE: Win 75% of competitive deals against Gartner and consulting firms
  • THOUGHT: Publish 50 breakthrough research reports establishing AI expertise
  • EVENTS: Host premier industry conferences attracting 10K+ business leaders
  • PARTNERSHIPS: Establish strategic alliances with top 5 cloud providers
METRICS
  • Total Contract Value: $550M
  • Client Retention Rate: 88%
  • Analyst Retention: 95%
VALUES
  • Client Success
  • Fearless Innovation
  • Research Integrity
  • Collaborative Excellence
  • Bold Leadership

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Forrester Research Retrospective

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To help leaders change the world by becoming the most influential research company globally

What Went Well

  • REVENUE: Achieved $127M Q3 revenue, up 9% year-over-year growth
  • CLIENTS: Added 47 new enterprise clients in consulting segment
  • EVENTS: Successful return of in-person conferences driving engagement
  • RETENTION: Maintained 85% client retention rate across all segments
  • MARGINS: Advisory segment margins improved 200 basis points

Not So Well

  • GROWTH: Revenue growth slowed from 12% to 9% disappointing targets
  • COSTS: Operating expenses increased 11% outpacing revenue growth
  • COMPETITION: Lost 3 major clients to Gartner competitive pressure
  • GUIDANCE: Lowered full-year revenue guidance citing economic uncertainty
  • HIRING: Struggled to fill 25 open analyst positions due to talent war

Learnings

  • PRICING: Premium advisory services command higher margins successfully
  • MARKET: AI transformation demand exceeds current capacity constraints
  • TALENT: Analyst retention requires competitive compensation packages
  • CLIENTS: Enterprise budgets remain strong despite economic concerns
  • DELIVERY: Hybrid events model more profitable than pre-pandemic

Action Items

  • HIRING: Launch aggressive analyst recruitment with 20% salary increases
  • AI: Accelerate AI platform development to capture market opportunity
  • PRICING: Implement value-based pricing for AI advisory services
  • RETENTION: Create analyst career development and equity programs
  • EXPANSION: Enter European market with localized research offerings

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Forrester Research Market

  • Founded: 1983
  • Market Share: 15% of research advisory market
  • Customer Base: Fortune 1000 and Global 2000 companies
  • Category:
    Research Advisory
  • SIC Code: 8732 Commercial Economic, Sociological, and Educational Research
  • NAICS Code: 541910 Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling
  • Location: Cambridge, MA
  • Zip Code: 02139 Boston, Massachusetts
  • Employees: 2100
Competitors
Gartner logo
Gartner
IDC logo
IDC
McKinsey logo
McKinsey
Accenture logo
Accenture
Deloitte logo
Deloitte
Products & Services
No products or services data available
Distribution Channels

Forrester Research Product Market Fit Analysis

Updated: September 29, 2025

Forrester transforms how business leaders make critical decisions through bold research insights and expert advisory services. The company helps Fortune 1000 executives navigate complex technology and business transformations with provocative analysis that challenges conventional thinking. By combining 40 years of research expertise with personalized advisory relationships, Forrester accelerates strategic outcomes and competitive advantage for clients worldwide.

1

Bold insights that drive competitive advantage

2

Proven methodologies that accelerate transformation

3

Expert advisory that reduces strategic risk



Before State

  • Business decisions made without data insights
  • Strategic planning lacks market intelligence
  • Technology investments fail due to poor guidance

After State

  • Data-driven strategic decision making
  • Market-leading technology strategies
  • Accelerated business transformation success

Negative Impacts

  • Revenue loss from poor decisions
  • Competitive disadvantage in market
  • Wasted technology investments and resources

Positive Outcomes

  • 25% improvement in strategic outcomes
  • Faster time-to-market for new initiatives
  • Higher ROI on technology investments made

Key Metrics

Client retention
85%
NPS
65
Growth rate
12%
G2 reviews
450
Repeat purchase
90%

Requirements

  • Access to Forrester research and analysts
  • Regular advisory engagements scheduled
  • Executive commitment to data-driven decisions

Why Forrester Research

  • Subscription to research services available
  • Advisory engagements with expert analysts
  • Custom consulting for specific challenges

Forrester Research Competitive Advantage

  • 40 years of research expertise and data
  • Provocative insights that challenge thinking
  • Proven methodologies for business success

Proof Points

  • Fortune 500 client testimonials available
  • Industry awards for research excellence
  • Analyst recognition as market leader
Forrester Research logo

Forrester Research Market Positioning

What You Do

  • Provides research and advisory services for business transformation

Target Market

  • C-suite executives and business leaders at large enterprises

Differentiation

  • Bold predictions
  • Provocative insights
  • Client-obsessed approach
  • Technology expertise

Revenue Streams

  • Research subscriptions
  • Advisory services
  • Events
  • Consulting
Forrester Research logo

Forrester Research Operations and Technology

Company Operations
  • Organizational Structure: Global matrix organization with regional focus
  • Supply Chain: Knowledge workers and technology infrastructure
  • Tech Patents: Proprietary research methodologies and platforms
  • Website: https://www.forrester.com
Top Clients

Forrester Research Competitive Forces

Threat of New Entry

MEDIUM: Low barriers for boutique firms but high capital requirements for enterprise-scale research operations

Supplier Power

MEDIUM: Analyst talent has high bargaining power with $250K+ salaries and limited supply of expert researchers

Buyer Power

MEDIUM: Fortune 1000 clients have negotiating power but need specialized research expertise for strategic decisions

Threat of Substitution

HIGH: AI tools, internal research teams, and free content increasingly substitute paid research services

Competitive Rivalry

HIGH: Intense rivalry with Gartner ($5.2B revenue), IDC, and Big 4 consulting firms expanding research capabilities

Forrester Research logo

Analysis of AI Strategy

Updated: September 29, 2025 • 2025-Q4 Analysis

Forrester's AI strategy represents both existential threat and transformational opportunity. The company possesses unique advantages through decades of technology research expertise and Fortune 1000 relationships hungry for AI transformation guidance. However, traditional research delivery methods face disruption from AI tools that democratize insight generation. The path forward requires bold investment in AI-powered platforms that augment analyst expertise rather than replace it, creating scalable advisory services that capture premium pricing. Success depends on rapidly building AI capabilities while leveraging existing thought leadership to establish market authority in AI transformation consulting.

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To help leaders change the world by becoming the most influential research company globally

Strengths

  • EXPERTISE: Deep technology research capabilities in AI and automation
  • DATA: 40 years of proprietary business transformation research data
  • CLIENTS: Fortune 1000 relationships seeking AI transformation guidance
  • ANALYSTS: Technology experts positioned to lead AI advisory services
  • METHODOLOGY: Proven frameworks adaptable to AI implementation strategies

Weaknesses

  • PLATFORM: Limited AI integration in current research delivery systems
  • TALENT: Insufficient AI specialists on analyst and engineering teams
  • TOOLS: Lack of AI-powered research automation and insight generation
  • SPEED: Traditional research cycles too slow for rapid AI evolution
  • PRICING: Current models don't capture AI advisory value premium

Opportunities

  • MARKET: $200B+ AI transformation market creating massive advisory demand
  • AUTOMATION: AI can accelerate research production and personalization
  • INSIGHTS: Machine learning can enhance predictive business analytics
  • DELIVERY: AI chatbots and virtual advisors can scale expertise
  • DIFFERENTIATION: AI-powered research can create competitive advantage

Threats

  • DISRUPTION: AI tools enabling clients to generate their own insights
  • COMPETITION: Tech vendors providing AI advisory services directly
  • TALENT: AI experts choosing tech companies over research firms
  • COMMODITIZATION: AI democratizing access to business research
  • OBSOLESCENCE: Traditional research methods becoming irrelevant

Key Priorities

  • PLATFORM: Build AI-powered research and advisory delivery system
  • TALENT: Recruit AI specialists and upskill existing analyst teams
  • AUTOMATION: Implement AI tools for research production acceleration
  • MARKET: Capture AI transformation advisory market leadership position

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Forrester Research Financial Performance

Profit: $75M net income
Market Cap: $4.2B
Annual Report: Available on investor relations site
Debt: $150M total debt
ROI Impact: Client retention and contract value growth

SWOT Index

Composite strategic assessment with 10-year outlook

Forrester Research logo
62.5 / 100
Market Leader
ICM Index
1.78×
STRATEGIC ADVISOR ASSESSMENT

Forrester demonstrates strong market leadership with established client relationships and research expertise, but faces intense competitive pressure from Gartner and Big 4 consulting firms. The company's AI transformation opportunity is significant but requires substantial investment in platform capabilities and talent retention. Achievability is limited by competitive dynamics and execution challenges.

SWOT Factors
53.6
Upside: 78.5 Risk: 71.2
OKR Impact
68.0
AI Leverage
72

Top 3 Strategic Levers

1

Accelerate AI-powered advisory service expansion globally

2

Implement aggressive talent retention and acquisition strategy

3

Defend market position through thought leadership excellence

AI Disclosure

This report was created using the Alignment Method—our proprietary process for guiding AI to reveal how it interprets your business and industry. These insights are for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial, legal, tax, or investment advice.

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Alignment LLC specializes in AI-powered business analysis. Through the Alignment Method, we combine advanced prompting, structured frameworks, and expert oversight to deliver actionable insights that help companies understand how AI sees their data and market position.