Competition Analysis: How to Talk About Competitors

Address competition honestly while positioning your unique advantages. Show you understand the landscape without weakening your pitch.

Competitive Positioning Strategy

Acknowledge, Don't Dismiss

Show you understand the competitive landscape

Good: "Companies like Salesforce serve large enterprises well, but small businesses need..."

Bad: "We have no real competition" or "Our competitors are outdated"

Focus on Differentiation

Explain what makes you unique, not why others are bad

• Different customer segment or use case • Novel technology or approach • Superior user experience • Better business model

Competitive Analysis Framework

The 3-Layer Analysis

Layer 1 - Direct Competitors: Same solution, same customer

Layer 2 - Indirect Competitors: Different solution, same problem

Layer 3 - Substitutes: Alternative ways to avoid the problem

Competitive Advantages

Sustainable Advantages

  • • Network effects
  • • Proprietary data/technology
  • • High switching costs
  • • Brand/reputation
  • • Regulatory barriers

Temporary Advantages

  • • First mover advantage
  • • Team expertise
  • • Partnership access
  • • Feature advantages
  • • Capital availability