PRODUCT MARKETING
Positioning & Messaging Strategy
Competitive Differentiation
Competitive differentiation defines what sets your product apart from alternatives in the market. It clarifies why your solution is the best choice for your target audience.
Why it's Important
Prevents customers from seeing your product as interchangeable with competitors.
Helps justify pricing and premium positioning.
Strengthens sales and marketing efforts with clear differentiation points.
How to Implement
Identify direct and indirect competitors.
Conduct a feature and benefits comparison.
Pinpoint unique strengths that competitors don’t have.
Position these strengths in a way that resonates with your ICP.
Available Workshops
Competitor SWOT Analysis to identify opportunities.
Differentiation Matrix to map where your product stands out.
Objection Handling Roleplay to practice positioning against competitors.
Customer Review Mining to find gaps competitors aren’t addressing.
Deliverables
A competitive differentiation report.
A battle card for sales teams.
A positioning statement that highlights differentiation.
How to Measure
Win/loss rates in competitive deals.
Changes in customer perception through surveys.
Increase in conversions after refining messaging.
Real-World Examples
Tesla vs. Gas Cars
Differentiated by its autonomous driving and sustainability.
Zoom vs. Microsoft Teams
Initially won on ease of use and simplicity.
Apple vs. Android
Apple differentiates through its ecosystem and premium experience.
Get It Right
Focus on customer-perceived value, not just features.
Leverage real customer feedback to validate differentiation.
Ensure differentiation is sustainable and defensible.
Don't Make These Mistakes
Copying competitors instead of innovating.
Focusing on differentiation that doesn’t matter to customers.
Provided courtesy of Catherine St Clair, Product Marketing Manager, St Clair GTM Consulting