| 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.
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
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 |
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.]
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]
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]
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
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.
