Competitor

What Is a Competitor?

A competitor is a company offering similar products or solutions to the same target market. In B2B SaaS sales, competitors often share overlapping value propositions, pricing models, or customer segments. They may target the same personas, solve similar pain points, or compete for the same budget.

‍

Competitor analysis helps sales leaders anticipate objections, refine messaging, and guide strategic positioning. It’s foundational to improving win rates, defending pipeline, and executing against evolving market dynamics.

Why Competitors Matter in B2B Sales

Understanding competitors is critical to Hitting Your Number and Building a Sales Machine. By studying competitors’ strengths, weaknesses, and market moves, sales organizations can sharpen differentiation and improve deal execution.

‍

In live deals, competitor awareness supports better objection handling and pricing strategy. At the strategic level, it shapes enablement, messaging frameworks, and product development priorities based on where the market is headed, not just where it’s been.

How to Use Competitors in Your Sales Motion

1. Identify Key Competitors

Start with competitive data from CRM win/loss reports, Gong call insights, and field feedback. Segment by tier—primary (head-to-head), secondary (alternate markets), and emerging (startups gaining traction).

2. Map Competitive Strengths and Weaknesses

For each competitor, document positioning, ICP overlap, key differentiators, and common objections. Use this to enable reps with targeted talk tracks and proof points.

3. Embed Competitive Insights Into Enablement

Turn analysis into actionable sales plays. For instance, create “Battlecards” focused on how to win against top competitors. Update them quarterly to stay aligned with product and market shifts.

4. Track Competitor Mentions in Pipeline and Calls

Use CRM tagging or enablement tools to measure deal exposure to specific competitors. This data informs win-rate trends and forecast quality.

5. Review Competitive Wins and Losses in Forecast Calls

Include competitor context during weekly or monthly forecast sessions. Identify whether losses are due to pricing, product, or positioning and address the pattern across teams.

Key Metrics and Benchmarks

• Competitive win rate: Percentage of opportunities won when a competitor is present. Top-performing B2B SaaS teams often maintain 50–60%.
• Competitor-exposed pipeline: Portion of pipeline where specific competitors are active. Establish a baseline through CRM tagging.
• Time-to-update battlecards: Average time between new intelligence and enablement refresh. Strive for under 30 days in fast-moving markets.
• Loss reason frequency: How often competitors appear in "closed lost" reasons. Use this to guide enablement and pricing strategy.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I identify my main competitors?

Review win/loss reports, search intent data, and deal notes. Focus on companies appearing frequently in discovery or late-stage conversations.

How often should competitor data be updated?

Quarterly minimum. Ideally, enablement leaders refresh competitive materials every 30–45 days based on field feedback or product launches.

What tools can help track competitors?

Platforms like Klue, Crayon, or Gong capture real-time mentions and competitive patterns. CRM tagging also helps quantify pipeline exposure.

How do I coach reps to use competitive data effectively?

During call reviews, have reps articulate how they differentiated your solution against named competitors. Reinforce value storytelling over feature battles.

What’s the difference between direct and indirect competitors?

Direct competitors target the same problem and audience. Indirect competitors may solve adjacent problems or compete for the same budget, even with different products.