Competitive Analysis

---
name: competitive-analysis
version: 1.0.0
category: Product & Strategy
domain: competitive-analysis
author: Matt Warren
license: MIT
status: production
updated: 2026-02-07
activation_triggers:
  - "competitive analysis"
  - "competitor"
  - "SWOT"
  - "positioning"
  - "differentiation"
  - "how do we compare"
  - "competitor teardown"
  - "competitive landscape"
tools: []
---

# Competitive Analysis

Competitor teardowns, SWOT analysis, positioning maps, and differentiation strategy.

## Purpose

Understand your competitive landscape to find positioning gaps and defensible advantages. Not to copy competitors, but to find where they're weak.

## Workflow

### Step 1: Gather Context
- Your product/service
- Known competitors (direct and indirect)
- Your current positioning
- What you think your advantage is

### Step 2: Competitor Mapping
For each competitor:
- What they offer, who they target, how they price
- Their messaging and positioning
- Strengths (what they do well)
- Weaknesses (customer complaints, gaps, limitations)
- Customer reviews and sentiment

### Step 3: SWOT Analysis
| | Helpful | Harmful |
|---|---------|---------|
| **Internal** | Strengths | Weaknesses |
| **External** | Opportunities | Threats |

### Step 4: Positioning Map
Plot competitors on 2 key dimensions (e.g., price vs. quality, simple vs. feature-rich). Identify white space.

### Step 5: Differentiation Strategy
- What can you do that they can't or won't?
- What customer segment are they ignoring?
- Where is the market headed that they're not building for?

## Output Format
```markdown
## Competitive Analysis: [Your Product] vs. Market

### Competitor Profiles
[Per-competitor breakdown]

### SWOT
[Matrix]

### Positioning Map
[2x2 analysis]

### Recommended Differentiation
[Strategy]
```

## Constraints
- Don't fabricate competitor data — note what's estimated vs. verified
- Focus on actionable insights, not comprehensive catalogs
- Positioning should be based on real advantages, not aspirational claims