Those paid sources of business intelligence have their place, but paying for knowledge is not always in the budget. The good news is there are sources of knowledge that are totally free for the taking. Those totally free sources of information are known collectively as open-source intelligence or OSINT, and they can be a gold mine for business owners, marketers, and branding experts. Here are three big advantages of incorporating open-source intelligence gathering into your own marketing, branding, and customer service efforts. 1. There Are No Legal Implications Some sources of business knowledge are quasi-legal or even illegal, and using them could get your business in big trouble. If you get caught breaking into a competitor's network or rooting through their trash in the quest for a competitive edge, you can expect to face some serious legal consequences. You will face no such issues if you turn to open-source intelligence (OSINT) instead. No skulking through Dumpsters, no digging through trash, and no hiring hackers to get an edge on the competition. 2. The Data You Need is Available Anywhere and at Any Time One of the biggest advantages of the open-source intelligence model is its . This type of intelligence is available on social media, blog posts, and websites, that is to say, pretty much anywhere. ubiquity Even if you need to use sophisticated software to sort through it all, you can find products that work online or in the cloud, making the intelligence you need available anywhere you are, from the job site to the office to the corner coffee shop. 3. Access is Cheap, or Even Free The data mining model can be remarkably effective, but it often comes with a steep price tag. Paying for this type of business intelligence can be beyond the budgets of many smaller companies, putting the knowledge they need out of reach. When those small businesses choose to mine publicly accessible sources of information, they can slash those costs or even eliminate them altogether. Compared to the cost of traditional data mining, open-source intelligence is incredibly inexpensive, and in many cases, it comes entirely free of charge. Whether you want to find out what your customers are saying about your business and your brand or determine what your competitors are up to, having the right information can make a world of difference. That is what the worlds of data mining and business intelligence are all about, but there may be an even better option for your business, one that will not cost you a single penny. If you have not yet explored the advantages of business intelligence, now is the perfect time to get started. This article was written by Sam Tilston

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