competitive-intelligence

name	Competitive Intelligence
description	Structured process for turning scattered competitor information into a clear, actionable picture of the competitive landscape.
emoji	🧩
version	2.0.0
triggers	competitive analysis, competitor research, battle card, win loss, competitive landscape, market map, how do we compare, competitive positioning, benchmark, rival, competitor pricing, competitor features, how does x compare

Competitive Intelligence

Structured process for turning scattered competitor information into a clear, actionable picture of the competitive landscape.

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Step 1: Scope the Analysis

Before researching, clarify:

1. Who is this for? (Sales team, product roadmap, investor deck, go-to-market strategy)
2. Direct competitors vs. indirect competitors vs. substitutes?
3. Depth needed: quick snapshot (1 competitor) or full landscape (3-10 competitors)?
4. Time horizon: current state only, or trajectory/trend analysis?

Competitor tiers:

Tier 1 — Direct: Same customer, same problem, same solution type
Tier 2 — Indirect: Same customer, same problem, different approach
Tier 3 — Substitute: Different solution the customer might choose instead

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Step 2: Intelligence Sources

Always check these before asking the user for info:

Source	What to Find
Competitor website	Positioning, ICP, pricing tier names, features marketed
Pricing page	Price points, packaging logic, what's gated at each tier
G2 / Capterra / Trustpilot	Real customer complaints and praise
LinkedIn	Team size, hiring trends, leadership bios, recent posts
Job postings	Where they're investing (hiring in X = building X)
Press releases / blog	Product announcements, partnerships, funding
App Store / Chrome Web Store reviews	Feature gaps, UX complaints
Wayback Machine	How their positioning has shifted over time
Twitter/X	Community sentiment, founder voice
SEC filings (if public)	Revenue, growth rate, customer count

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Step 3: Core Analysis Frameworks

3A. Feature Comparison Matrix

| Feature               | Us | Competitor A | Competitor B | Competitor C |
|-----------------------|----|-------------|-------------|-------------|
| [Core Feature 1]      | ✅ | ✅          | ✅          | ❌          |
| [Core Feature 2]      | ✅ | ❌          | ✅          | ✅          |
| [Differentiator]      | ✅ | ❌          | ❌          | ❌          |
| [Table Stakes]        | ✅ | ✅          | ✅          | ✅          |
| Pricing model         |    |             |             |             |
| Entry price           |    |             |             |             |
| Enterprise tier       |    |             |             |             |
| Free tier / trial     |    |             |             |             |

3B. Positioning Radar

For each competitor, score 1-5:

Ease of use:        [1-5]
Feature depth:      [1-5]
Integrations:       [1-5]
Price value:        [1-5]
Support quality:    [1-5]
Enterprise-ready:   [1-5]
Speed/performance:  [1-5]
Brand/trust:        [1-5]

3C. Positioning Statement Deconstruction

For each competitor, extract:

WHO they target (stated ICP):
WHAT problem they claim to solve:
HOW they claim to solve it differently:
PROOF they use (stats, logos, testimonials):
TONE (premium, scrappy, enterprise, playful...):
PRIMARY CTA:

3D. Pricing Analysis

## [Competitor] Pricing Breakdown

Entry tier: $X/mo — what's included
Mid tier:   $X/mo — key unlock vs. entry
Top tier:   $X/mo or "Contact us" — enterprise signal

Pricing model: per seat / flat / usage-based / hybrid
Free tier: yes/no — what's included / what's blocked
Annual discount: X%
Key pricing levers: [what they charge more for]
Strategic intent: [land and expand / top-down enterprise / PLG / etc.]

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Step 4: Win/Loss Pattern Analysis

If the user has sales data or customer interviews, extract:

WHY WE WIN:
- [Pattern 1] — e.g., "Our UI was cited in 7/10 recent wins"
- [Pattern 2]

WHY WE LOSE:
- [Pattern 1] — e.g., "Price too high for SMB segment"
- [Pattern 2]

OBJECTION → RESPONSE MAP:
"[Competitor] has feature X" → [counter-narrative]
"[Competitor] is cheaper" → [counter-narrative]
"We already use [Competitor]" → [displacement play or coexistence angle]

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Step 5: Battle Card Output Template

# Battle Card — [Competitor Name]
Last updated: [date]

## Who They Are
[2-sentence description of competitor]

## Their ICP
[Specific customer profile they go after]

## Their Pitch (what they say about themselves)
> "[Their typical positioning statement or tagline]"

## Our Differentiation (what to emphasize vs. them)
1. [Differentiator 1] — proof point
2. [Differentiator 2] — proof point
3. [Differentiator 3] — proof point

## Their Weaknesses (from reviews + customer feedback)
- [Weakness 1]
- [Weakness 2]
- [Weakness 3]

## Common Objections When Competing Against Them
| Objection | Response |
|-----------|----------|
| "[Their claim]" | "[Our counter]" |

## Landmines to Plant
[Questions to ask in discovery that expose their weaknesses]
- "How important is [thing they don't do well] to you?"

## Displacement Play
[How to win an account currently using them]

## When to Walk Away
[Scenarios where they're genuinely the better fit for a customer]

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Step 6: Competitive Landscape Map

Output a 2x2 or narrative map:

Choose 2 axes that define competitive space. Examples:
- Ease of use vs. Feature depth
- Price vs. Target company size
- Self-serve vs. High-touch
- Breadth vs. Depth

Place each competitor in a quadrant and note:
- Where the market is crowded
- Where there's whitespace
- Where you sit and where you want to be

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Rules

• Never trash competitors. Analyze, don't editorialize. Facts and patterns only.
• Date every data point. Competitor intelligence decays fast.
• Separate stated vs. revealed preference. What they say on their website ≠ who they actually win with.
• Job postings are gold. A competitor hiring 10 ML engineers is building AI features in 12 months.
• Reviews > marketing copy. G2 reviews tell you what customers actually experience.
• One-pager for sales, deep doc for product. Know your audience before choosing format.