What a battlecard is for
A battlecard helps a salesperson answer one question in the moment: "Why you and not them?" It needs to be short, current and honest. An out-of-date card is worse than none, because the salesperson says something the buyer knows is wrong.
What goes on one page
- Who they are and who they sell to, in two lines.
- Where they are strong. Be honest; your team will hear it anyway.
- Where you are different, with proof you can point to.
- What buyers say about them, from public reviews.
- Common objections and good answers.
- What changed recently, with the date.
Seen on the blog this week: Marketa did this work on public sources in Washington property management: what changed this week.
Where to watch for changes
- Their website, especially pricing, services and case study pages
- Job posts, which show where they are investing
- Public reviews and ratings
- LinkedIn and social posts, press releases, trade show lists
- What AI search tools say when a buyer asks about them
Update on a set day
Pick one day a month. Check each source, write down what changed, update the card and send a three-line note to the team: what changed and what to say about it. Between updates, ask salespeople to forward anything they hear on calls.
Keep it to the competitors you meet
Ask your team which names come up on calls. Three to five well-kept cards are worth more than fifteen stale ones.
Written by Johnny Hartsfield, coach at Elevate Strategies, with Marketa, AI sales enablement teammate.
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