{"id":19126,"date":"2019-08-14T19:26:34","date_gmt":"2019-08-14T19:26:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/sales-competitive-analysis-checklist-2\/"},"modified":"2024-02-28T23:44:41","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T23:44:41","slug":"sales-competitive-analysis-checklist-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/sales-competitive-analysis-checklist-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Sales Competitive Analysis Checklist"},"content":{"rendered":"<section id=\"introduction\">\n<h2>Introduction:<\/h2>\n<div class=\"image-content\">\n<figure>\n   <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/gFStiMVmqmhFdSB10L1KKg.png\" alt=\"Introduction:\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/gFStiMVmqmhFdSB10L1KKg.png\"> <\/a><br \/>\n  <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Understanding exactly how your product or service offering <strong>differs from competitors<\/strong> is an <strong>essential component<\/strong> of a good sales strategy.<\/p>\n<p>Without doing your research, you <strong>risk sounding uninformed<\/strong> when speaking with a prospect who is considering another service provider, and this can be an incredibly <strong>frustrating way to lose a deal.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@Trioangle\/why-competitor-analysis-is-important-for-your-business-7a8686322820\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">important<\/a> to know what your competitors <strong>do well and what they do not so well<\/strong>, as this helps you determine how you can best <strong>position yourself<\/strong> when speaking with prospective buyers.<\/p>\n<p>This <strong>competitive analysis checklist<\/strong> will guide you through the process of conducting a thorough analysis of a competitor, covering everything <strong>from keyword performance to evaluating analyst reports<\/strong> and ultimately <strong>integrating your learnings into pitch decks.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"preparation\">\n<h2>Preparation:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"enter-competitor-details\">\n<h2>Enter competitor details<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Competitor name <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Number of employees (approximately) <\/label><br \/>\n   <input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" disabled class=\"form-control\">\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"select-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Level of competition <\/label><br \/>\n   <select disabled class=\"form-control\"><option value=\"An option will be selected here\">An option will be selected here<\/option><\/select>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"select-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Would you like to include a SWOT analysis? <\/label><br \/>\n   <select disabled class=\"form-control\"><option value=\"An option will be selected here\">An option will be selected here<\/option><\/select>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"website-analysis\">\n<h2>Website analysis:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"identify-key-termsmessaging\">\n<h2>Identify key terms\/messaging<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Visit the competitor's website and identify&nbsp;<strong>specific words and phrases<\/strong> that they use to communicate the <strong>value<\/strong> of their product or service.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>By doing so you will gain a better understanding of what <strong>they believe is attractive to potential customers.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>For example, on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Process Street<\/a> website, notice how the word \"simple\" appears a number of times on the homepage. This is designed to quickly communicate to website visitors that simplicity is a key selling point.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"image-content\">\n<figure>\n   <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tjYvZM-aj0pFd2BLX3VJSg.png\" alt=\"Identify key terms\/messaging\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tjYvZM-aj0pFd2BLX3VJSg.png\"> <\/a><br \/>\n  <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Key terms on the competitor's website <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"analyze-promoted-content\">\n<h2>Analyze promoted content<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Next, conduct a <strong>detailed analysis of content<\/strong> that the competitor is promoting on their website.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The most effective way to do this is to&nbsp;<strong>run an analysis with a tool<\/strong> like <a href=\"https:\/\/buzzsumo.com\/solutions\/content-research-and-planning\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">BuzzSumo<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ahrefs<\/a>, <strong>filter it to show the most popular content<\/strong> <strong>in the last 6 months<\/strong> and <strong>export as a file<\/strong>. <strong>Link to a&nbsp;cloud sheet<\/strong> where you\u2019ve imported the file <strong>or upload a copy<\/strong> using the form fields below.<\/p>\n<p>While there will likely be a lot of content to go through, <strong>pick out 5-10 pieces<\/strong> that are most easily accessible, as these are intended to be the primary sources of information for potential customers looking to learn more about the company and the value they provide<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mark which types of content you have evaluated<\/strong> from the sub-checklist&nbsp;below.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"file-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Competitor's content analysis (file) <\/label> <\/p>\n<div class=\"file-container\">\n    <button type=\"button\" disabled class=\"btn btn-default\"> <i class=\"fa fa-upload btn-icon\"><\/i> File will be uploaded here <\/button>\n   <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"multi-select-content form-field-content\">\n<ul class=\"items\">\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       1\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Blog posts\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       2\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Whitepapers\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       3\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      eBooks\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       4\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Videos\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       5\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Webinars\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       6\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Powerpoint slides\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       7\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Feature articles\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       8\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Press releases\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       9\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Case studies\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       10\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Buyer guides\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"video-content\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\">\n   <iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BYSEZRxRAmY?modestbranding=1&amp;showinfo=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"> <\/iframe>\n  <\/div>\n<div class=\"description\">\n    Overview of what constitutes a competitive website analysis\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"analyze-their-seo-performance\">\n<h2>Analyze their SEO performance<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Analyze your competitor's <strong>keyword performance.<\/strong>&nbsp;By understanding the top keywords your competitors are ranking for, you can <strong>compete organically with more and better quality content.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"style-info\">Information on competitor\u2019s keyword performance is publicly available on websites such as <a href=\"https:\/\/buzzsumo.com\/solutions\/competitor-research\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">BuzzSumo<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.semrush.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SEMrush<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Ahrefs<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.spyfu.com\/seo\/competitors\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">SpyFu<\/a>. Enter the competitor's website in the tool you use&nbsp;and <strong>do an export of the top terms from the past 6 months.<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p><strong>Upload the export here or link to it.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"file-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Competitor's keyword analysis (file) <\/label> <\/p>\n<div class=\"file-container\">\n    <button type=\"button\" disabled class=\"btn btn-default\"> <i class=\"fa fa-upload btn-icon\"><\/i> File will be uploaded here <\/button>\n   <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"summarize-their-value-proposition\">\n<h2>Summarize their value proposition<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>After analyzing the competitor's website content and keyword performance, <strong>summarize their value proposition<\/strong> as you have understood it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Competitor's value proposition <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"social-media\">\n<h2>Social media:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"analyze-content-being-posted\">\n<h2>Analyze content being posted<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Analyze your competitor's <strong>social media presence<\/strong> by evaluating the content they promote on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"multi-select-content form-field-content\">\n<ul class=\"items\">\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       1\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Facebook\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       2\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Twitter\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       3\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      LinkedIn\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       4\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Instagram\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       5\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      YouTube\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p class=\"style-info\">You can use online tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/sproutsocial.com\/features\/social-media-analytics\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sprout Social<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/phlanx.com\/engagement-calculator\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Phlanx<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/socialblade.com\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Social Blade<\/a> to analyze your competitor's social media performance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"analyze-how-viewers-are-engaging\">\n<h2>Analyze how viewers are engaging<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Take a closer look at their content on social media by analyzing <strong>how viewers are engaging with their posts.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Answer the following questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Which posts are attracting the most attention? Why?<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>What kind of questions are viewers asking?&nbsp;<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Is the feedback generally positive or negative?&nbsp;<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Is the competitor highly responsive to comments?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"identify-recent-popular-posts\">\n<h2>Identify recent popular posts<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Identify any <strong>recent social media posts that&nbsp;have attracted the most attention.<\/strong> Enter their titles and links in the form fields below.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Competitor's recent popular posts on social media <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"product-features\">\n<h2>Product features:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"list-all-their-product-features\">\n<h2>List all their product features<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>List all of their product features so you can <strong>compare them to yours<\/strong> in the following task.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"style-warning\">This is a <strong>critical step in the competitive analysis process<\/strong> as it will enable you to identify the specific ways in which your product is superior.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> List of competitor's product features <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"compare-list-to-your-product-features\">\n<h2>Compare list to your product features<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p><strong>Compare<\/strong> their list of product features to your own.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"style-info\"><strong>Competitor's product features:<\/strong>&nbsp;{{form.List_of_competitor's_product_features}}<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"identify-35-key-product-advantages\">\n<h2>Identify 3-5 key product advantages<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>After comparing the features offered by your product to your competitor's,<strong> identify 3-5 key advantages<\/strong> and note them down in the form field below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"style-info\">The reason it is recommended to <strong>not exceed 5 advantages<\/strong> is that this encourages you to think about and identify <strong>only the most significant advantages<\/strong> that will resonate with potential customers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> 3-5 key advantages of your product <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"analyst-reports\">\n<h2>Analyst reports:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"evaluate-their-presence-in-credible-analyst-reports\">\n<h2>Evaluate their presence in credible analyst reports<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Analyst reports are a <strong>great source of insight<\/strong>&nbsp;on competition as they consider the entire market from a neutral perspective and provide a detailed analysis of the company's positioning.<\/p>\n<p>Research and evaluate any mention of the competitor in the following analyst reports:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"multi-select-content form-field-content\">\n<ul class=\"items\">\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       1\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Gartner\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       2\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      Forrester\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       3\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      IDC\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"item\">\n<div class=\"step-number-container\">\n<div class=\"step-number\">\n       4\n     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"step-checkbox-container\">\n<div class=\"step-checkbox\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"item-name-static\">\n      McKinsey &amp; Co.\n    <\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p class=\"style-warning\">Of course, <strong>only the few market leaders get mentioned<\/strong> in highly credible analyst reports, so this may not be a relevant source of insight if your competitors are relatively small.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Notes on the competitor's presence in analyst reports <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"financial-information\">\n<h2>Financial information:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"determine-if-they-are-expanding-or-scaling-down\">\n<h2>Determine if they are expanding or scaling down<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Review the competitor's financial position to determine if they are <strong>expanding or scaling down.&nbsp;<\/strong><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"select-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Is the competitor expanding or scaling down? <\/label><br \/>\n   <select disabled class=\"form-control\"><option value=\"An option will be selected here\">An option will be selected here<\/option><\/select>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"evaluate-their-pricing-plan\">\n<h2>Evaluate their pricing plan<\/h2>\n<div class=\"image-content\">\n<figure>\n   <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/syZ2VfAKr_WniIceIB1E2A.png\" alt=\"Evaluate their pricing plan\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/syZ2VfAKr_WniIceIB1E2A.png\"> <\/a><br \/>\n  <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Pricing is a tremendously <strong>important component of competitive analysis. <\/strong>It will&nbsp;often be an area that you can take advantage of when speaking with potential customers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Evaluate the competitor's pricing plan and <strong>record your notes in the form field below.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"style-info\">If their pricing is not publicly available, you can call one of their sales reps to ask for more information, but be sure to put your spy cap on and hide your identity!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Notes on the competitor's pricing plan <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"swot-analysis\">\n<h2>SWOT analysis:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"list-their-strengths\">\n<h2>List their strengths<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>The first step to completing a SWOT analysis is <strong>listing the company's strengths.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Record them in the form field below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Competitor's strengths <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p class=\"style-info\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/swot-analysis\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Learn more about how to run a SWOT analysis<\/a> (template included)<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"video-content\">\n<div class=\"iframe-container\">\n   <iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/NVwQNOIu808?modestbranding=1&amp;showinfo=0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"true\"> <\/iframe>\n  <\/div>\n<div class=\"description\">\n    Overview of how to complete a SWOT analysis\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"list-their-weaknesses\">\n<h2>List their weaknesses<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Next, list their weaknesses.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Competitor's weaknesses <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"identify-your-opportunities\">\n<h2>Identify your opportunities<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Now for the fun part! Identify a few <strong>specific opportunities that your company has to outperform your competitor<\/strong> and record them in the form field below.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Your opportunities <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p class=\"style-warning\">Make sure you are realistic and can back up each opportunity with data gathered from your research.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"identify-threats\">\n<h2>Identify threats<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Finally, identify&nbsp;the <strong>threats that your competitor poses<\/strong> to the success of your company.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Threats posed by the competitor <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"upload-the-completed-swot-analysis\">\n<h2>Upload the completed SWOT analysis<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p><strong>Insert the following information into a template<\/strong> and upload the file using the form field below.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=\"style-info\"><strong>Strengths:<\/strong>&nbsp;{{form.Competitor's_strengths}}<\/p>\n<p><strong>Weaknesses:<\/strong>&nbsp;{{form.Competitor's_weaknesses}}<\/p>\n<p><strong>Opportunities:<\/strong>&nbsp;{{form.Your_opportunities}}<\/p>\n<p><strong>Threats:<\/strong>&nbsp;{{form.Threats_posed_by_the_competitor}}<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"file-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Completed SWOT Analysis <\/label> <\/p>\n<div class=\"file-container\">\n    <button type=\"button\" disabled class=\"btn btn-default\"> <i class=\"fa fa-upload btn-icon\"><\/i> File will be uploaded here <\/button>\n   <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"applying-your-findings\">\n<h2>Applying your findings:<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"summarize-advantages-of-your-product-offering\">\n<h2>Summarize advantages of your product offering<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Using all of the information you have gathered throughout the checklist, summarize the advantages of your product offering over&nbsp;<strong>{{form.Competitor_name}}.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In particular, refer to the key product advantages you stated earlier in the checklist:<\/p>\n<p class=\"style-info\"><strong>Key product advantages:<\/strong>&nbsp;{{form.3-5_key_advantages_of_your_product}}<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Advantages of your product offering - Summary <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"identify-pricing-advantages\">\n<h2>Identify pricing advantages<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Identify pricing advantages that you can communicate to potential customers when you know they are considering working with <strong>{{form.Competitor_name}}<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Refer to the notes you took on their pricing plan:<\/p>\n<p class=\"style-info\"><strong>Notes on their pricing plan:<\/strong>&nbsp;{{form.Notes_on_the_competitor's_pricing_plan}}<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"textarea-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Pricing advantages <\/label><br \/>\n   <textarea placeholder=\"Something will be typed here...\" rows=\"3\" disabled class=\"form-control\"><\/textarea>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"incorporate-advantages-into-pitch-decks\">\n<h2>Incorporate advantages into pitch decks<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Incorporate the advantages you have identified into your pitch deck to <strong>immediately begin presenting them to prospects.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"style-info\"><strong>Product offering advantages:&nbsp;<\/strong>{{form.Advantages_of_your_product_offering_-_Summary}}<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pricing advantages:&nbsp;<\/strong>{{form.Pricing_advantages}}<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p class=\"style-info\">Use our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/sales-presentation-template\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sales Presentation Template<\/a> to ensure you are creating excellent pitch decks!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"consider-requesting-marketing-to-create-collateral\">\n<h2>Consider requesting marketing to create collateral<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>The information you have collected over the course of the competitive analysis <strong>may be worth the creation of marketing collateral.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>For example<\/strong>, a <strong>side-by-side feature comparison datasheet<\/strong> can be an incredibly useful, easily digestible sales asset to send to prospects.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Record in the form field below<\/strong> whether or not you think such an asset would be worth creating.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"select-field-content form-field-content\">\n<div class=\"form-group\">\n   <label> Would you like to send a request to marketing to create collateral? <\/label><br \/>\n   <select disabled class=\"form-control\"><option value=\"An option will be selected here\">An option will be selected here<\/option><\/select>\n  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"send-email-to-marketing\">\n<h2>Send email to marketing<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<p>Using the<strong> template below<\/strong>, send an email to a marketing manager to inform them of the competitive information you have collected and <strong>request that they create a piece of branded collateral<\/strong> so that it can be easily presented to prospective and current customers.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"sources\">\n<h2>Sources:<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.jeffbullas.com\/the-simple-6-step-checklist-for-analyzing-your-competition-on-the-web\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Vibhu Satpaul - The Simple 6 Step Checklist for Analyzing Your Competition on the Web<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.impactbnd.com\/blog\/5-ways-to-perform-a-competitive-analysis-establish-your-presence\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Dan Tighe - How to Do a Competitive Analysis in 5 Easy&nbsp;<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pragmaticmarketing.com\/resources\/articles\/competitive-analysis-for-sales\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Jacques Murphy - Competitive Analysis for Sales<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.hubspot.com\/marketing\/competitive-analysis-kit\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Christine White - How to Start a Competitive Analysis: 57 Questions You Need to Ask<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/brooksgroup.com\/sales-training-blog\/how-coach-your-sales-reps-do-competitor-analysis\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Marcia Neese - How to Coach Your Sales Reps to do a Competitor Analysis<\/a><\/span><span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mmmatters.com\/blog\/how-to-do-a-competitive-analysis\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Bruce McDuffee - How to Do a Competitive Analysis: 8 Simple Steps<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"http:\/\/edwardlowe.org\/how-to-conduct-and-prepare-a-competitive-analysis\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Edward Lowe Foundation - How to Conduct and Prepare a Competitive Analysis<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/kapta.com\/key-account-management\/swot-analysis-killer-tool-key-account-managers\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span>Kapta - Why SWOT Analysis is a Killer Tool for Key Account Managers<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.campaigncreators.com\/blog\/competitive-analysis-what-you-need-to-know-and-where-to-find-it\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Tammy Duggan-Herd - Competitive Analysis: What you need to know and where to find it<\/a><\/span><span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"related-checklists\">\n<h2>Related checklists:<\/h2>\n<div class=\"text-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/company-research-checklist\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Company Research Checklist<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/monthly-sales-report\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Monthly Sales Report&nbsp;<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/sales-presentation-template\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sales Presentation Template<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/sales-to-service-handoff-process\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sales to Service Handoff Process<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/sales-forecasting-checklist\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sales Forecasting Checklist<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/upselling-process-for-saas-companies\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Upselling Process for SaaS Companies<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/churn-prevention-checklist\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Churn Prevention Checklist<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/sales-training-process\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sales Training Process Checklist<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/weekly-sales-prospecting-checklist\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Weekly Sales Prospecting Checklist<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/cold-calling-checklist\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Cold Calling Checklist<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/bant-sales-qualification-call-process\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">BANT Sales Qualification Call Process<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/sales-pitch-planning-checklist\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Sales Pitch Planning Checklist<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/closing-the-sale-checklist\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Closing The Sale Checklist<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.process.st\/templates\/order-processing-checklist\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Order Processing Checklist<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction: Understanding exactly how your product or service offering differs from competitors is an essential component of a good sales strategy. Without doing your research, you risk sounding uninformed when speaking with a prospect who is considering another service provider, and this can be an incredibly frustrating way to lose a deal.&nbsp; It\u2019s important to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":14983,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"cover_icon_emoji":"","cover_icon_url":"","tasks_count":"35","template_description":"Run this checklist to identify your advantages over a specific competitor","template_id":"u0sM6dGab_zA4OMi3dNPmg","task_0":"Introduction:","task_slug_0":"introduction","task_1":"Preparation:","task_slug_1":"preparation","task_2":"Enter competitor details","task_slug_2":"enter-competitor-details","task_3":"Website analysis:","task_slug_3":"website-analysis","task_4":"Identify key terms\/messaging","task_slug_4":"identify-key-termsmessaging","task_5":"Analyze 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