Who This Helps
This is for Product Managers who have done the research but are stuck in meetings where everyone has a different opinion. The Market Intelligence & Positioning course gives you the framework to cut through the noise. You’ll stop presenting raw data and start presenting clear, evidence-backed choices.
Mini Case
Zaid’s team was debating their market position for 6 weeks. He built a simple positioning grid comparing their offering against three key competitors across five criteria. In one 30-minute review, leadership saw the clear trade-offs and approved the new strategy. They launched the focused messaging 3 weeks later, and saw a 15% increase in qualified leads within a month.
Do This Now (5 Steps)
- List your top 3 competitors. Be specific. Don’t just say ‘the big guys.’
- Pick 5 comparison criteria. Focus on what your ideal customer actually cares about (e.g., ease of setup, depth of reporting, premium support).
- Audit competitor claims. For each criterion, note if their claim is backed by public evidence or is just marketing noise. This is your ‘Competitor Claim Audit’ from the course.
- Plot your grid. Create a simple table. Rate your company and each competitor on each criterion (use Simple, Moderate, Advanced).
- Find your wedge. Identify the one or two boxes where you clearly win. That’s your ICP wedge. Circle it. That’s your story.
Avoid These Traps
- Trap 1: Comparing on too many things. Five focused criteria are better than fifteen vague ones. More isn’t better; clearer is.
- Trap 2: Ignoring the evidence. If a competitor says they’re ‘easiest,’ find a customer review that says otherwise. Your grid needs to be defensible.
- Trap 3: Hiding the trade-offs. Be honest. If you win on depth, you might lose on speed. Showing trade-offs builds credibility; hiding them destroys it.
- Trap 4: Presenting without a recommendation. Don’t just show the grid. Point to the wedge and say, ‘This is where we should compete.’
Your Win by Friday
Your goal isn’t a perfect 50-page report. It’s one page. By Friday, have a single-page positioning grid that shows your chosen battleground. Walk into your next stakeholder sync and lead with, ‘Based on the evidence, here’s the one shift we need to make.’ Watch the debate turn into a decision. You’ve got this—go make the grid your new favorite meeting superpower.