/competitor-analysis - Strategic Competitive Intelligence

Two modes: Deep Analysis (comprehensive one-time research) + Ongoing Monitoring (weekly/monthly tracking)

Quick Start

1. Name the competitor(s) you want to analyze
2. Choose mode: Deep Analysis (full research) or Ongoing Monitoring (monthly check-in)
3. I check your workspace first -- user research, meeting notes, churn data, past analysis
4. I show what we already know, identify gaps, then fill gaps with web research
5. I deliver a strategic report with defensive, offensive, and innovative plays

Example: "Analyze Competitor X -- we're losing enterprise deals to them"

Output: thoughts/shared/pm/analyses/competitor-analysis-[name]-[date].md

Time: Deep Analysis: 2-4 hours | Monitoring: 30 min/month

Context Routing Logic (Internal - for Claude)

Automatic Context Checks: When this skill is invoked, immediately check:

Context Priority:

1. Internal context FIRST (user research, meetings, PRDs)
2. Analytics MCP SECOND (if connected - query churn cohorts)
3. Web search LAST (only for gaps not covered by internal intel)

Cross-Skill Links:

• If churn mentioned → Link to retention-analysis
• If user feedback → Link to user-research-synthesis
• If positioning mentioned → Link to write-prod-strategy

Step 0: Understanding What We Already Know

Before diving into research, let me check what competitive intelligence already exists in your workspace...

Checking:

• thoughts/shared/pm/ for user interviews mentioning competitors
• thoughts/shared/pm/analyses/competitive-*.md for past competitive analysis
• thoughts/shared/product/meeting-notes/ for sales/CS notes with competitive intel
• thoughts/shared/pm/prds/ for competitive positioning decisions
• thoughts/shared/pm/frameworks/ for strategic context
• thoughts/shared/pm/metrics/ for churn data

[If analytics MCP connected]: "Let me also query [PostHog/PostHog] for churn patterns and competitor-related data."

Based on what I find, I'll show you:

Internal Intelligence Summary

From User Research:

• [List interviews mentioning competitors with quotes]
• Example: "Found 4 interviews mentioning Competitor X: 'We switched because...'"

From Sales/CS Meetings:

• [List competitive losses and patterns]
• Example: "3 sales calls lost to Competitor Y in Enterprise segment"

From Existing Analysis:

• [Reference past competitive analysis]
• Example: "Last analyzed Competitor X on 2024-08-15 (6 months ago). Key finding: [summary]"

From PRDs:

• [Features built in response to competitors]
• Example: "PRD-2024-03 added Feature Z to match Competitor positioning"

From Strategy Docs:

• [Strategic positioning context]
• Example: "Your strategy positions you as [X] vs competitors who are [Y]"

From Metrics/Analytics:

• [Churn data, if available]
• Example: "20% of churned customers mentioned Competitor X as reason"

Gaps in Knowledge

Based on internal context, we don't yet know:

• [Gap 1]: Recent product updates from Competitor X
• [Gap 2]: Current pricing model for Competitor Y
• [Gap 3]: Distribution channels for Competitor Z

Should I fill these gaps with web research, or do you want to provide additional context first?

Step 1: Choose Your Analysis Mode

Based on your objective and existing context:

Deep Analysis Mode

Use when:

• Entering a new market or launching major feature
• Significant shift in competitive landscape
• Need to inform strategic decision (roadmap, pricing, positioning)
• Preparing for funding/board presentation
• Haven't done competitive research in 6+ months

What I'll do:

1. Internal Intelligence First - Synthesize what we already know
2. Gap Analysis - Identify missing information
3. Web Research - Fill gaps with public data (websites, pricing, reviews)
4. SWOT Analysis - Per competitor
5. Positioning Map - Visual 2x2 showing market space
6. Strategic Recommendations - Roadmap, pricing, GTM implications

Time: 2-4 hours (depending on number of competitors)

Output: Comprehensive report saved to thoughts/shared/pm/analyses/competitor-analysis-[date].md

Ongoing Monitoring Mode

Use when:

• You already have baseline competitive analysis
• Want to track competitor moves over time
• Need regular intel updates (monthly check-ins)

What I'll do:

1. Monthly Check-in - Search competitor mentions in user feedback
2. Feature Tracking - Monitor features appearing in customer requests
3. Win/Loss Trends - Track patterns via sales team
4. Update Matrix - Keep feature comparison current
5. Alert on Major Moves - Flag significant changes

Time: 30 minutes/month

Output: Updates saved to thoughts/shared/pm/analyses/competitive-intel-[month].md

Deep Analysis Mode: PM-Specific Questions

Instead of generic "Who are your competitors?", I'll ask:

Question 1: Competitive Context

"Which competitors appear most frequently in your user research or churn interviews?"

This tells me who actually threatens your business (not just who you think competes with you).

Question 2: Customer Segment

"Where do competitors win with your target customer segment?"

Focus on specific segments, not broad "they have more features."

Examples:

• "Competitor X dominates with enterprise IT buyers because..."
• "SMB customers choose Competitor Y because..."

Question 3: Churn Reasons

"What do churned customers say about why they picked competitors?"

Pull from actual customer interviews, not assumptions.

Question 4: Distribution Advantage

"Where does Competitor X have stronger distribution/presence?"

Examples:

• Geographic presence
• Channel partnerships
• Integration ecosystem
• Community/network effects

Question 5: Lost Segments

"What customer segments are you losing to specific competitors?"

Be specific: "Enterprise healthcare" not "big companies"

Deep Analysis Framework

Once I understand the competitive landscape from internal intel + your answers:

Phase 1: Synthesize Internal Intelligence (15 min)

I'll create a report showing:

What We Already Know:

• User quotes about competitors
• Sales losses and why
• Features we built to compete
• Strategic positioning decisions
• Churn patterns

**What We Don't Know