• University of Leeds

Starting a Business 3: Customers and Competitors

Find out how understanding and targeting your market can help your business stand out from the crowd.

52,611 enrolled on this course

Starting a Business 3: Customers and Competitors

52,611 enrolled on this course

  • 2 weeks

  • 2 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Introductory level

Find out more about how to join this course

To run a successful business you need to understand who your customers are and more importantly, how you are going to reach them. Whether you have an idea for a future venture or you already have a side-line business whilst studying, this course will help you to recognise and understand your target market. It will give you the time to plan and help you to start documenting your thoughts in a structured business plan while allowing you to share your ideas with others.

This course is the third in a series of six about ‘starting a business’.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 9 seconds This is the third course in a series of six, designed to help you on the journey of entrepreneurship. In this course, we focus on the importance of understanding customers and competitors when starting a business. To run a successful business, you need to understand who your customers are, and importantly, how you’re going to reach them. You will learn how to understand the difference between a market and an industry. This will help you to define your market and the product or service you can offer to that market. Through videos, activities, and quizzes, this series of business courses introduce case studies of young entrepreneurs who are already only on the journey.

Skip to 0 minutes and 46 seconds They share their business challenges with you and a panel of business advisers. Through discussion and activities, you have plenty of opportunity to define and work on your business plan, as well as helping others.

Skip to 0 minutes and 59 seconds Sign up now to “Starting a Business: Customers and Competitors.”

What topics will you cover?

  • Define a market: identifying customers and competitors
  • The theory of understanding markets: the differences between a market and an industry
  • Analyse a market: the market size and its potential
  • How to determine a business’ target market
  • Competitor analysis
  • How to target specific customers
  • The business plan: customers and competitors

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Assess the importance of understanding customers and competitors when starting a business.
  • Discuss the difference between a market and an industry to help define the market and the product or service to offer to that market.
  • Evaluate the entrepreneur’s business challenge: Which markets should Ashleigh target for her product?
  • Explore the market for a business plan.
  • Discuss the size, scale and characteristics of your market.
  • Summarise your key competitors or those of another business by performing a competitor analysis.

Who is the course for?

This course is part of the Going to University collection which has been specifically designed for students at schools and colleges. They provide a taster of undergraduate study at the University of Leeds and help students to decide which subject to study at university.

Completion of the courses will also enhance students’ university applications.

The courses can also be used as a teachers’ classroom enrichment resource.

Courses in this collection are also great for people that want an introduction in the specific subjects discussed in each course.

Who will you learn with?

Associate Professor in Enterprise at the University of Leeds. Passionate about entrepreneurship. Part of the Centre for Enterprise and Entrepreneurship Studies team delivering 'Starting a Business'

Associate Professor of Enterprise at University of Leeds.

Passionate about supporting and developing creativity and entrepreneurship.

Who developed the course?

University of Leeds

As one of the UK’s largest research-based universities, the University of Leeds is a member of the prestigious Russell Group and a centre of excellence for teaching.

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$27.99

For the first two months. Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$109/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 2 Apr 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

T&Cs apply.

Learning on FutureLearn

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  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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