Pm Competitive Intelligence

Competitive Intelligence

Help the user systematically analyze competitors, assess moats, and develop competitive strategy.

When to Use

• Entering a new market and need to understand the landscape
• Losing deals to competitors and need to understand why
• Evaluating whether your competitive advantage is sustainable
• Building battlecards for the sales team
• Assessing whether a competitor's move requires a response

Step 1: Map the Competitive Landscape

Market Map Template

## Market: [Category Name]

### Direct Competitors (same category, same job)
| Competitor | Target Segment | Positioning | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|-----------|---------------|-------------|-----------|------------|
| [Name] | [Segment] | [Position] | [1-2 key] | [1-2 key] |

### Indirect Competitors (different category, same job)
| Competitor | Job They Solve | Overlap With Us |
|-----------|---------------|-----------------|
| [Name] | [JTBD] | [Where they compete] |

### Substitutes (non-product alternatives)
- Do nothing / status quo
- Manual process (spreadsheets, email, etc.)
- Hire someone to do it

Key insight: Define competition through customer JTBD, not product category. Spotify competes with podcasts and silence, not just Apple Music.

Positioning Map

Plot competitors on 2 axes that matter most to buyers:

                    High [Axis 2: e.g., Ease of Use]
                         │
          ┌──────────────┼──────────────┐
          │   Comp A     │    YOU       │
          │              │        ★     │
          │              │              │
Low ──────┼──────────────┼──────────────┼─── High [Axis 1: e.g., Feature Depth]
          │              │              │
          │   Comp C     │    Comp B    │
          │              │              │
          └──────────────┼──────────────┘
                    Low [Axis 2]

Choose axes that highlight YOUR advantage. If you're in the same quadrant as a competitor, you need sharper differentiation.

Step 2: Run Win/Loss Analysis

Interview Template (Recent Deals)

For WINS:
1. "What other solutions did you evaluate?"
2. "What was the deciding factor in choosing us?"
3. "What almost stopped you from choosing us?"
4. "How would you describe us to a colleague?"

For LOSSES:
1. "What did you end up choosing and why?"
2. "Was there a point where you were leaning toward us? What changed?"
3. "What would we have needed to do differently to win?"
4. "What does [competitor] do that we don't?"

Tracking Template

## Win/Loss Dashboard
Period: [Q1 2026]

Win rate: [X%] (target: [Y%])
Win rate vs [Comp A]: [X%]
Win rate vs [Comp B]: [X%]

Top 3 reasons we WIN:
1. [Reason] — cited in [N] deals
2. [Reason] — cited in [N] deals
3. [Reason] — cited in [N] deals

Top 3 reasons we LOSE:
1. [Reason] — cited in [N] deals
2. [Reason] — cited in [N] deals
3. [Reason] — cited in [N] deals

Step 3: Assess Moats with 7 Powers (Hamilton Helmer)

Rate each power 0-3 for your product AND each competitor:

Power	Definition	Your Score	Comp A	Comp B
Cornered Resource	Resources unavailable to competitors (patents, data, talent)	[0-3]	[0-3]	[0-3]
Counter-Positioning	Business model incumbents can't adopt	[0-3]	[0-3]	[0-3]
Network Effects	Value increases with more users	[0-3]	[0-3]	[0-3]
Economies of Scale	Per-unit cost decreases with volume	[0-3]	[0-3]	[0-3]
Switching Costs	Customer loss from switching	[0-3]	[0-3]	[0-3]
Branding	Ability to charge premium on trust	[0-3]	[0-3]	[0-3]
Process Power	Hard-to-replicate operational advantage	[0-3]	[0-3]	[0-3]

Stage-Appropriate Powers

Stage	Most Relevant Powers
Startup	Cornered Resource, Counter-Positioning
Growth	Network Effects, Economies of Scale, Switching Costs
Scale	Branding, Process Power

Network effect types: Direct Global (LinkedIn) → monopoly. Indirect Global (Airbnb) → monopoly. Local variants → regional dominance. Stronger with differentiated supply, identity focus, fast data decay.

Step 4: Apply Porter's Five Forces

Rate each force High/Medium/Low through the Price - Cost = Profit lens:

Force	Key Question	Impact
New Entrants	How easy to enter?	More entrants → prices down
Supplier Power	How much leverage do suppliers have?	More power → costs up
Buyer Power	How much leverage do buyers have?	More power → prices down
Substitutes	How easily can customers switch?	More substitutes → less attractive
Rivalry	How intense is competition?	High rivalry → prices down, costs up

Define substitutes via JTBD, not product category. Overall: [Attractive/Moderate/Unattractive].

Step 5: Build Competitive Response Strategy

Response Decision Framework

Competitor made a move. Should you respond?

1. Does it affect YOUR target segment?
   └── No → Monitor only. Don't react to noise.

2. Does it threaten a core differentiator?
   └── No → Note it. Reassess in 30 days.

3. Can you respond without diluting your strategy?
   └── No → Stay the course. Strengthen your moat instead.

4. Is there a counter-positioning opportunity?
   └── Yes → Highlight why their move creates a weakness
       you can exploit.

Battlecard Template

## Battlecard: [Competitor Name]

**Their Positioning:** [How they describe themselves]
**Their Target:** [Who they sell to]
**Their Pricing:** [Model and approximate pricing]

**Where They Win:**
- [Strength 1]
- [Strength 2]

**Where We Win:**
- [Our advantage 1 + proof point]
- [Our advantage 2 + proof point]

**Common Objections:**
- "But [competitor] has [feature]"
  → Response: [Reframe around value, not feature]

**Landmines to Set:**
- Ask the prospect: "[Question that highlights competitor weakness]"

Intelligence Gathering (Ethical Sources)

Key sources: G2/Capterra reviews (monthly), job postings (monthly), public filings (quarterly), conference talks, patent filings, social media/blog (weekly), customer interviews (ongoing).

Common Mistakes

1. Obsessing over competitors — Build for your customers, not against your competitors. Check competitive intel monthly, not daily.
2. Feature comparison tables — Matching features is a race to the bottom. Compete on the job and the value, not the checklist.
3. Copying competitor moves — "They launched X, so we should too" ignores that X may serve a different segment or JTBD.
4. Ignoring indirect competition — Your biggest competitor is often "do nothing" or a spreadsheet.
5. Static analysis — Competitive landscapes shift. Reassess quarterly.
6. No moat strategy — If you can't name your power(s), you don't have a sustainable advantage. Pick 1-2 powers and invest.