Competitive analysis
In short
Competitive analysis is the process of identifying your competitors and comparing them with you on product, pricing, target customers, messaging, and go-to-market approach. The result is a clear view of where you are strong, where you are exposed, and where there is room to differentiate.
It is usually a project with a start and an end. Competitive intelligence is the ongoing version, a continuous flow of updates. Analysis gives you a snapshot; intelligence keeps it current.
How to run a competitive analysis
1. Identify competitors
List direct competitors that sell a similar product to the same buyers, indirect ones that solve the same problem differently, and the status quo such as spreadsheets or doing nothing. Check your lost deals to see who actually shows up.
2. Choose comparison criteria
Pick dimensions that buyers care about, such as features, pricing model, integrations, target segment, support, and brand positioning. Avoid a long list that adds noise.
3. Gather evidence
Use public sources: websites, pricing pages, documentation, job postings, customer reviews, and webinars. Add what your reps and customers report from real deals.
4. Compare and find gaps
Lay it out in a matrix. Mark where you lead, where you trail, and where nobody serves the buyer well.
5. Turn it into action
Update messaging, build battlecards, adjust pricing or roadmap input, and change targeting. Analysis with no decision attached is a document, not a strategy.
What to look at
- Product: Core capabilities, gaps, and recent launches.
- Pricing and packaging: Plans, usage limits, and how they charge.
- Positioning: The claims they lead with and the customers they feature.
- Go-to-market: Channels, content, hiring patterns, and sales motion.
An example finding
Say a team reviews ten lost deals and finds that in most of them a rival was chosen for a specific integration. That finding can drive a roadmap request, a sales objection response, and a revised targeting rule, each from one analysis.
Common mistakes
- Feature-only focus: Buyers also weigh price, trust, ease of switching, and service.
- Ignoring the status quo: Many deals are lost to no decision, not to a named rival.
- One and done: Markets move. Revisit the analysis on a schedule.
Competitive analysis FAQs
What is competitive analysis?
Competitive analysis is a structured comparison of your company against rivals across product, pricing, target customers, messaging, and go-to-market approach. Its purpose is to reveal strengths, weaknesses, and gaps so you can sharpen strategy, sales positioning, and marketing.
How do you do a competitive analysis for B2B sales?
Identify direct, indirect, and status quo competitors, choose criteria buyers care about, gather evidence from public sources and real deals, compare in a matrix, then convert findings into battlecards, messaging changes, and targeting decisions.
What is the difference between competitive analysis and competitive intelligence?
Competitive analysis is a point-in-time study that compares you with rivals. Competitive intelligence is the ongoing collection and sharing of competitor information so teams stay current. Analysis is usually a project; intelligence is a continuing program.
What sources are used for competitive analysis?
Common sources include competitor websites, pricing pages, product documentation, job postings, customer reviews, webinars, and press coverage. Feedback from your own reps, lost deals, and customers adds context that public sources miss.
