Who This Helps
This is for you if your team’s analysis feels stuck in a loop. You have data, but turning it into a clear, approved plan is the hard part. The Strategy Basics: Competitive Map course gives you a one-page framework to break that cycle.
Mini Case
Aisha’s team spent 3 weeks analyzing 15 competitors. They had a 50-slide deck but no clear next move. By building a simple competitive map, she focused on the 3 rivals that actually mattered in their target segment. This led to one approved strategic shift, approved by leadership in 2 days, not 2 months.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- Grab your team for a 90-minute working session this week.
- List every competitor you think you have. Then, ruthlessly cut the list. Choose the right competitor set, not every logo in the market.
- Pick one key customer segment to focus on. Avoid diluted positioning by choosing one segment wedge.
- Build a clean differentiation grid. Use real evidence for where you win and lose against your top 3 rivals.
- Identify the single biggest strategic trade-off to propose. Is it price, features, or service? Your map will show you.
Avoid These Traps
- Don’t try to analyze the entire market at once. It’s a recipe for paralysis.
- Don’t present a list of 10 options. Leaders need one clear recommendation to say yes to.
- Don’t use fuzzy language. Your grid needs concrete evidence, not opinions.
- Don’t skip the customer segment step. A map of ‘everyone’ is a map to nowhere.
- Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. A rough map that sparks debate is better than a perfect one that’s late.
Your Win by Friday
By Friday, you can have a one-page strategy artifact—your competitive map—that answers where you win, where you lose, and what move to make next. It’s the difference between another analysis meeting and a decision meeting. Time to make the map.