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Competitive Intelligence Best Practices

Good competitive intelligence is actionable, current, and honest. It helps teams make better decisions—not just feel good about their own product.

Source Citations (Required)

Every output must include a Sources section. This is non-negotiable for credibility.

What to Cite

  • Competitor websites and pricing pages (with access date)
  • G2/Capterra reviews (note review date and reviewer role if visible)
  • News articles (publication date, outlet)
  • LinkedIn profiles (for team/headcount data)
  • Job postings (for tech stack and priorities)
  • SEC filings or investor materials

Format

## Sources
- [Notion Pricing](https://notion.so/pricing) - accessed Jan 13, 2026
- [G2 Notion Reviews](https://g2.com/products/notion/reviews) - reviews from Q4 2025
- [TechCrunch: Notion raises $150M](https://techcrunch.com/...) - Nov 2025

Customer Intelligence

The most valuable competitive intel comes from your own customers and prospects. Always ask for:

Win/Loss Data

  • Deals won against this competitor: Why did customers choose you?
  • Deals lost to this competitor: Why did they choose them?
  • What objections came up during the sales process?

Customer Quotes

  • Direct quotes from customers who evaluated both products
  • Case studies mentioning competitive displacement
  • Churned customer feedback (why they left for competitor)

If unavailable, flag it: "Customer quotes needed—update after win/loss interviews"

Competitor Profile Structure

Company Overview

  • Founded, headquarters, funding/revenue
  • Employee count and growth trajectory
  • Target market and ideal customer
  • Key leadership and their backgrounds

Product

  • Core offering and value proposition
  • Key features and capabilities
  • Pricing model and tiers
  • Technology stack (if relevant)
  • Recent releases and roadmap signals

Go-to-Market

  • Sales model (self-serve, sales-led, hybrid)
  • Marketing positioning and messaging
  • Key channels and content strategy
  • Partnership ecosystem

Strengths and Weaknesses

  • What they do better than you (be honest)
  • Where they fall short
  • Customer complaints and common criticisms
  • Technical or strategic limitations

Battle Card Framework

Battle cards are for sales teams. They need to be:

  • Scannable in 30 seconds (one page, under 50 lines)
  • Focused on winning deals
  • Updated regularly

Structure

QUICK FACTS (3 bullets max)
- What they do (1 sentence)
- Target customer
- Pricing range

WHY WE WIN (3-4 bullets)
- Key advantages with proof points
- When to emphasize each

WHY THEY WIN (2-3 bullets)
- Be honest about their strengths
- Where they have an edge

HANDLING OBJECTIONS (top 3 only)
- Table format: Objection | Response

LANDMINES (3-5 questions)
- Questions that expose their weaknesses
- Topics that favor our solution

TRAPS TO AVOID (2-3 items)
- Arguments you'll lose—don't engage

Length Constraint

Battle cards MUST be under 50 lines. If it's longer, it won't be used mid-call. Cut to the most critical points.

Feature Comparison Best Practices

Categories

Organize features into logical groups:

  • Core functionality
  • Advanced/power features
  • Integrations
  • Security/compliance
  • Support/service

Scoring

Use clear, consistent ratings:

  • ✓ Has it / ✗ Doesn't have it
  • Or: Strong / Adequate / Weak / None

Honesty

Don't mark yourself ✓ everywhere and competitors ✗. Readers will distrust the whole document. Be accurate even when it hurts.

Context

Raw feature lists aren't enough. Add:

  • Why this feature matters
  • How implementations differ
  • Customer feedback on quality (from reviews)

Research Sources

Primary Sources

  • Competitor websites and documentation
  • Product demos and trials
  • Customer reviews (G2, Capterra, etc.)
  • Job postings (reveal priorities)
  • SEC filings and investor materials
  • Conference talks and webinars

Secondary Sources

  • Industry analyst reports
  • News coverage
  • LinkedIn for team growth and hires
  • Patent filings
  • GitHub/open source activity

Keeping Intel Current

Competitive intelligence decays fast. Build habits:

  • Set Google Alerts for competitor names
  • Review competitor sites monthly
  • Update battle cards quarterly
  • Conduct win/loss reviews regularly
  • Track pricing and packaging changes

Common Mistakes

Mistake Fix
Only highlighting weaknesses Include their genuine strengths
Outdated information Date everything, update regularly
Too much detail Focus on what's actionable
Missing "so what" Connect facts to sales/strategy implications
One-time exercise Make it an ongoing process
Only product focus Include GTM, pricing, positioning
No source citations Always include Sources section
No customer evidence Ask for win/loss data, flag when missing
Battle card too long Keep under 50 lines—it's for mid-call use