Who This Helps
This is for growth marketers tired of chasing shadows when a key metric dips. The Strategy Basics: Competitive Map course gives you a one-page artifact to see exactly where you're losing ground.
Mini Case
Aisha saw her conversion rate drop 12% last quarter. She was overwhelmed by data—was it a new competitor, a market shift, or her own messaging? She built a competitive map in one afternoon. It showed a rival had launched a feature targeting her core customer segment wedge. She had her answer, and her next move, in 90 minutes.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- Block 90 minutes. This is a focused session, not a week-long project.
- Grab your top 3 competitors. Not every logo, just the ones your customers actually compare you to.
- List their 5 key features or messages next to yours on a simple grid.
- Mark where you win (check!), where you tie (dash), and where you lose (x).
- Circle the one 'lose' box that aligns with your dropping KPI. That's your most likely root cause.
Avoid These Traps
- Don't analyze 10 competitors. You'll get lost. Pick 3.
- Don't use vague differentiators like 'better quality.' Use evidence: '24/7 chat support vs. their email-only.'
- Don't try to fix everything. The map will show you the one strategic tradeoff you need to address first.
- Don't skip defining your customer segment wedge. If you try to be for everyone, your map will be a blur.
- Don't make it pretty. Use a whiteboard or a simple doc. Ugly and useful beats beautiful and confusing.
Your Win by Friday
By Friday, you'll have a single page—your competitive map—that shows the one market shift impacting your numbers. No more guessing. You'll know if it's a competitor's new move, a change in what customers value, or a hole in your own positioning. Then you can build a real plan, not just run another generic test. You got this.