# How to Create Competitive Battle Cards for Sales Teams
In the competitive Australian business landscape, your sales team needs more than just product knowledge; they need to know exactly how to beat the competition. Competitive battle cards are concise, visual cheat sheets that empower your team to handle objections, highlight your unique value, and neutralise competitor claims in real-time.
Without these guides, your sales reps are often left guessing during high-stakes calls, leading to missed opportunities and lost revenue. By following this guide, you’ll create a professional toolkit that turns competitive threats into sales victories.
Prerequisites
Before you start, ensure you have:- A list of your top 3-5 direct competitors.
- Access to your own product's unique selling propositions (USPs).
- Basic design software (Canva, Google Slides, or Microsoft PowerPoint).
- Feedback from your sales team regarding common objections they hear.
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Step 1: Identify Your Primary Competitors
Don’t try to map out every business in Australia. Start with the 'Big Three'—the competitors your sales team encounters most frequently in the field. What you should see: A simple list or spreadsheet categorising competitors by 'Direct' (similar product/service) and 'Indirect' (solves the same problem differently).Step 2: Gather Intelligence (The 'Legwork' Phase)
Visit their websites, read their Google Business Profile reviews, and check their social media presence. In Australia, checking the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) or industry-specific bodies can sometimes provide insights into their scale and focus.Pro Tip: Look at their 'Careers' page. If they are hiring heavily in customer service, they might be struggling with churn. If they are hiring developers, a new feature rollout is likely imminent.
Step 3: Define the Battle Card Structure
Consistency is key. Every card should follow the same layout so your sales team can find information in seconds. We recommend including:- Company Overview & Quick Stats
- Win/Loss Themes
- Pricing Comparison
- Key Features: Ours vs. Theirs
- The "Killer" Question (to sow doubt about the competitor)
- Handling Common Objections
Step 4: Map Out Competitive Advantages (The 'Why Us')
This is the core of the card. Identify 3-4 areas where your business outperforms the competitor. For Australian small businesses, this is often 'Local Support' vs. 'Offshore Call Centres', or 'Fixed Pricing' vs. 'Variable Contracts'.Step 5: Identify Their Strengths (The 'Honesty' Phase)
To be effective, you must be honest. If a competitor is cheaper, acknowledge it. This allows you to prepare your sales team to pivot the conversation from 'Price' to 'Value' or 'Return on Investment'.Step 6: Create 'Landmine' Questions
These are strategic questions your sales team can ask a prospect to expose the competitor’s weaknesses without 'bad-mouthing' them. Example: "Does [Competitor] provide a dedicated account manager based here in Brisbane, or will you be redirected to an international help desk?"Step 7: Draft the 'How to Win' Section
Summarise the winning strategy for this specific competitor. Is the goal to highlight your superior technology, or to focus on your long-standing reputation in the Australian market? Give your reps a clear 2-sentence 'Win Theme'.Step 8: Design for Readability
Use a clean layout. Use green text or icons for your strengths and red for competitor weaknesses. Screenshot Description: Imagine a two-column layout. The left column (Your Business) is branded in your corporate colours with bullet points. The right column (Competitor) uses a neutral grey to keep the focus on your advantages.Step 9: Review with Your Top Sales Performer
Before rolling this out to the whole team, show it to your best salesperson. Ask them: "Does this reflect the actual conversations you’re having with Brisbane business owners?" Adjust based on their 'on-the-ground' reality.Step 10: Distribute and Train
Don't just email a PDF. Hold a 15-minute 'Lunch and Learn'. Role-play a scenario where a prospect says, "But [Competitor] offered me a 20% discount."Step 11: Establish a Feedback Loop
The market changes fast. Set a calendar reminder to review your battle cards every quarter. If a competitor changes their pricing or launches a new service, your battle card must reflect that immediately.---
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Information Overload: If a battle card is more than one page, it won't be used. Keep it punchy.
- Bad-Mouthing: Never encourage your sales team to speak poorly of competitors. It looks unprofessional. Instead, focus on "differentiation."
- Outdated Data: Using 2022 pricing in a 2024 pitch will destroy your salesperson's credibility instantly.
- Ignoring the 'Status Quo': Sometimes your biggest competitor is the prospect doing nothing at all. Consider creating a battle card for "The Status Quo."
Troubleshooting
"I can't find the competitor's pricing." Many Australian B2B companies hide pricing behind a 'Request a Quote' button. In this case, use your sales team's anecdotal evidence from lost deals to estimate their price range. "My sales team isn't using the cards." Ensure the cards are accessible where the team works. If you use a CRM like HubSpot or Salesforce, attach the battle cards to the 'Deals' or 'Leads' view. If they are on the road, ensure the PDF is mobile-friendly. "The competitor just copied our main feature." Shift the battle card focus to your service, your implementation speed, or your local Australian expertise. Features can be copied; relationships and reputation cannot.---
Next Steps
- Start Small: Create one battle card for your toughest competitor this week.
- Audit Your Reviews: Check your Google Business Profile reviews to see why customers chose you over others—this is gold for your battle cards.
- Refine Your Pitch: If you need help identifying your unique market position in the Australian landscape, we can help.
Need a professional audit of your competitive landscape? Contact the team at Local Marketing Group to help sharpen your sales strategy.