3.2 KiB
3.2 KiB
Competitive Analysis Frameworks
This reference provides practical frameworks for evaluating competitors and positioning decisions.
Porter's Five Forces
Assess the competitive intensity of your market:
- Threat of new entrants
- Barriers to entry (capital, regulation, network effects)
- Speed of competitor replication
- Bargaining power of suppliers
- Dependency on core infrastructure vendors
- Concentration of key technical providers
- Bargaining power of buyers
- Customer switching costs
- Procurement complexity and contract leverage
- Threat of substitutes
- Adjacent alternatives solving the same job
- DIY and internal build options
- Rivalry among existing competitors
- Number and similarity of competitors
- Price competition and differentiation pressure
Five Forces Template
| Force | Current Pressure (Low/Med/High) | Evidence | Strategic Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Entrants | |||
| Supplier Power | |||
| Buyer Power | |||
| Substitutes | |||
| Rivalry |
SWOT Analysis
Use SWOT to map internal and external context quickly.
SWOT Template
| Strengths (Internal) | Weaknesses (Internal) |
|---|---|
| What we do better than alternatives | Where competitors outperform us |
| Unique capabilities or assets | Known product or go-to-market gaps |
| Opportunities (External) | Threats (External) |
|---|---|
| Market trends we can exploit | Competitor moves or macro risks |
| Unserved segments and use cases | Regulatory, platform, or pricing pressure |
SWOT Quality Checklist
- Base every point on evidence, not assumptions.
- Separate observations from conclusions.
- Prioritize top 3 items per quadrant.
Feature Comparison Matrix
Compare products on meaningful buying criteria, not vanity features.
Feature Matrix Template
| Dimension | Weight | Your Product | Competitor A | Competitor B | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core workflow coverage | 25% | ||||
| Ease of implementation | 15% | ||||
| Performance / reliability | 15% | ||||
| Integrations / ecosystem | 15% | ||||
| Security / compliance | 15% | ||||
| Pricing / TCO | 15% |
Scoring scale recommendation: 1-5 (weak to strong).
Competitive Positioning Map
Create a 2-axis map showing market whitespace and crowding.
Positioning Map Steps
- Select two high-signal dimensions customers care about.
- Place each competitor based on evidence (pricing pages, reviews, demos).
- Mark clusters where products are undifferentiated.
- Identify white space where demand exists but options are weak.
Example axes:
- X-axis: Ease of use
- Y-axis: Enterprise readiness
Blue Ocean Strategy Canvas
Use a strategy canvas to decide where to raise, reduce, eliminate, or create factors.
ERRC Grid (Eliminate-Reduce-Raise-Create)
| Eliminate | Reduce | Raise | Create |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commodity table-stakes not valued by target users | Costly features with weak adoption | Differentiators tied to target job-to-be-done | New value dimensions competitors ignore |
Strategy Canvas Checklist
- Compare value curves between your product and top competitors.
- Ensure target segment is explicit.
- Tie every strategic choice to measurable outcome.