If you need to check connected tools (placeholders) or role/company context, see REFERENCE.md.
Competitive Analysis Skill
Frameworks and methodologies for researching competitors, comparing positioning, and identifying market opportunities.
Data sources
Use SEO for competitor traffic, keyword rankings, and content gaps; knowledge base for existing battlecards, positioning docs, and past competitive briefs; product analytics (if connected) for your own traffic and conversion context. See REFERENCE.md. If no tools are connected, use web search and note "Connect SEO or knowledge base for richer competitive data."
Competitive Research Methodology
Research Sources
Gather intelligence from these categories of sources:
Primary Sources (Direct from Competitor)
- Website: homepage, product pages, pricing, about page, careers
- Blog and resource center: content themes, publishing frequency, depth
- Social media profiles: messaging, engagement, content strategy
- Product demos and free trials: UX, features, onboarding experience
- Webinars and events: topics, speakers, audience engagement
- Press releases and newsroom: announcements, partnerships, milestones
- Job postings: hiring signals that reveal strategic priorities (e.g., hiring for a new product line or market)
Secondary Sources (Third-Party)
- Review sites: G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Product Hunt — customer sentiment themes
- Analyst reports: Gartner, Forrester, IDC — market positioning and category placement
- News coverage: TechCrunch, industry publications — funding, partnerships, narrative
- Social listening: mentions, sentiment, share of voice across social platforms
- SEO tools: keyword rankings, organic traffic estimates, content gaps
- Financial filings: revenue, growth rate, investment areas (for public companies)
- Community forums: community forums (e.g. Reddit, Discourse), industry chat groups (e.g. Slack communities) — user sentiment
Research Process
- Set scope: define which competitors and what aspects to analyze
- Gather data: systematically collect information from sources above
- Organize findings: structure by competitor, then by dimension
- Analyze patterns: identify themes, strengths, weaknesses, and trends
- Compare to your position: map findings against your own positioning and capabilities
- Synthesize insights: extract actionable takeaways and opportunities
- Date-stamp everything: competitive intelligence has a short shelf life
Research Cadence
- Deep competitive analysis: quarterly (full research across all sources)
- Competitive monitoring: monthly (scan for new announcements, content, messaging changes)
- Real-time alerts: ongoing (set up alerts for competitor brand mentions, press, job postings)
Messaging Comparison Frameworks
Messaging Matrix
Compare messaging across competitors on key dimensions:
| Dimension | Your Company | Competitor A | Competitor B | Competitor C |
|---|
| Tagline/Headline | | | | |
| Core value proposition | | | | |
| Primary audience | | | | |
| Key differentiator claim | | | | |
| Tone/Voice | | | | |
| Proof points used | | | | |
| Category framing | | | | |
| Primary CTA | | | | |
Value Proposition Comparison
For each competitor, document:
- Promise: what they promise the customer will achieve
- Evidence: how they prove the promise (data, testimonials, demos)
- Mechanism: how their product delivers on the promise (the "how it works")
- Uniqueness: what they claim only they can do
Narrative Analysis
Identify each competitor's story arc:
- Villain: what problem or enemy they position against (status quo, legacy tools, complexity)
- Hero: who is the hero in their story (the customer? the product? the team?)
- Transformation: what before/after do they promise?
- Stakes: what happens if you do not act?
This reveals positioning strategy and emotional appeals.
Messaging Strengths and Vulnerabilities
For each competitor's messaging, assess:
- Clarity: can a first-time visitor understand what they do in 5 seconds?
- Differentiation: is their positioning distinct or generic?
- Proof: do they back up claims with evidence?
- Consistency: is messaging consistent across channels?
- Resonance: does their messaging address real customer pain points?
Content Gap Analysis
Content Audit Comparison
Map content across competitors by:
| Topic/Theme | Your Content | Competitor A | Competitor B | Gap? |
|---|
| [Topic 1] | Blog post, ebook | Blog series, webinar | Nothing | Opportunity for B |
| [Topic 2] | Nothing | Whitepaper | Blog post, video | Gap for you |
| [Topic 3] | Case study | Nothing | Case study | Parity |
Content Type Coverage
| Content Format | You | Comp A | Comp B | Comp C |
|---|
| Blog posts | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Case studies | Y | Y | N | Y |
| Ebooks/Whitepapers | N | Y | Y | N |
| Webinars | Y | Y | Y | N |
| Podcast | N | N | Y | N |
| Video content | N | Y | Y | Y |
| Interactive tools | N | N | N | Y |
| Templates/Resources | Y | N | Y | N |
Identifying Content Opportunities
- Topics they cover that you do not: potential gaps in your content strategy
- Topics you cover that they do not: potential differentiators to amplify
- Formats they use that you do not: format gaps that could reach new audiences
- Audience segments they address that you do not: underserved audiences
- Search terms they rank for that you do not: SEO content gaps
Content Quality Assessment
- Depth: surface-level or comprehensive?
- Freshness: regularly updated or stale?
- Engagement: do posts get comments, shares, links?
- Production value: text-only or multimedia?
- Thought leadership: original insights or rehashed content?
Positioning Strategy
Positioning Statement Framework
For your company and each competitor, define (or reverse-engineer) their positioning statement:
For [target audience], [product/company] is the [category] that [key benefit/differentiator] because [reason to believe].
Example:
For mid-market SaaS marketing teams, Acme is the campaign management platform that unifies planning and execution in one workspace because it is built on a single data model that eliminates tool fragmentation.
Positioning Map
Plot competitors on a 2x2 matrix using the two most important dimensions for your market:
Common axis pairs:
- Price vs. Capability (low cost / basic vs. premium / full-featured)
- Ease of Use vs. Power (simple / limited vs. complex / flexible)
- SMB Focus vs. Enterprise Focus (self-serve / individual vs. sales-led / team)
- Point Solution vs. Platform (does one thing well vs. does many things)
- Innovative vs. Established (new approach vs. proven track record)
Identify which quadrant is underserved or where your differentiation is strongest.
Category Strategy
- Create a new category: if you do something genuinely different, define and own the category (high risk, high reward)
- Reframe the existing category: change how buyers evaluate the category to favor your strengths
- Win the existing category: compete directly on recognized criteria and out-execute
- Niche within the category: own a specific segment, use case, or audience
Positioning Pitfalls to Avoid
- Positioning against a competitor rather than for a customer need
- Claiming too many differentiators (pick 1-2 that matter most)
- Using category jargon the customer does not use
- Positioning on features rather than outcomes
- Changing positioning too frequently (confuses the market)
Battlecard Creation
Battlecard Structure
A competitive battlecard is a one-page reference for sales and marketing teams. Include:
Header
- Competitor name and logo
- Last updated date
- Competitive win rate (if tracked)
Quick Overview
- What they do (one sentence)
- Their target customer
- Pricing model summary
- Key recent developments
Their Pitch
- How they describe themselves
- Their primary tagline
- Their top 3 claimed differentiators
Strengths (Be Honest)
- Where they genuinely compete well
- What customers like about them (from reviews)
- Features or capabilities where they lead
Weaknesses
- Consistent customer complaints (from reviews)
- Technical limitations
- Gaps in their offering
- Areas where customers report dissatisfaction
Our Differentiators
- 3-5 specific ways your product or approach is different
- For each: the differentiator, why it matters to the customer, and proof
Objection Handling
| If the prospect says... | Respond with... |
|---|
| "[Competitor] does X too" | "Here is how our approach differs..." |
| "[Competitor] is cheaper" | "Here is what that price difference gets you..." |
| "I've heard good things about [Competitor]" | "They are strong at X. Where we differ is..." |
Landmines to Set
Questions to ask prospects early that highlight your advantages:
- "How do you currently handle [area where competitor is weak]?"
- "How important is [capability you have that they lack]?"
- "Have you considered [risk that your product mitigates]?"
Landmines to Defuse
Questions competitors might encourage prospects to ask you, with prepared responses.
Win/Loss Themes
- Common reasons deals are won against this competitor
- Common reasons deals are lost to this competitor
- What types of prospects favor them vs. you
Battlecard Maintenance
- Review and update quarterly at minimum
- Update immediately after major competitor announcements
- Incorporate win/loss feedback from sales team
- Track which objection-handling responses are most effective