Competitor analysis template
Most competitor grids get filled in, presented once, and filed. This one ends in a decision: a row that forces you to name each rival's weak spot, and one sentence that says what you'll own because they can't defend it. Download it as a spreadsheet. No email required.
Opens in Excel, Google Sheets, or Numbers.
Nine rows, one column for each rival
Put your three closest competitors across the top and your own business in the last column. Fill in every row for every column, including the weak spot for yourself.
| Row | What to write in each column |
|---|---|
| Positioning | What they claim to be, in their own words, and who it's for. |
| Services and specialties | What they sell, and what they're known for doing best. |
| Pricing and offer | Published prices, financing, guarantees, maintenance plans. |
| Channels | Where they show up: paid search, Local Services Ads, TV, referrals. |
| Search visibility | Whether they appear in the map results and organic results for your core searches. |
| Response time | How fast they answer a new inquiry, and whether they work nights and weekends. |
| Reviews | Rating, review count, and what customers complain about. |
| Capacity | Trucks, crews, open job postings: where they're growing or struggling to staff. |
| Weak spot | The one thing they can't or won't defend. Force a judgment for every column. |
Under the grid, write one sentence: they can't defend X, so we own it. If it won't come out, the grid isn't finished.
Filled in: a commercial HVAC contractor
An illustrative example: an eight-truck commercial HVAC contractor in one metro, sizing up three rivals. Six of the nine rows are shown.
| Row | National franchise | PE-backed rollup | Established local shop | Us |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Positioning | Brand recognition, residential first | Lowest price, fast scheduling | Relationships, 30 years in the market | Commercial specialist |
| Pricing and offer | Flat rate, published | Aggressive, discounted maintenance plans | Quoted per job, premium | Quoted per job |
| Channels | TV, Local Services Ads | Heavy paid search, Local Services Ads | Referrals, no paid search | Referrals, some paid search |
| Response time | Next day, through a call center | Residential first, commercial queued | Same day for existing clients | Same day, on-call tech |
| Reviews | 4.1 stars, complaints about upselling | 3.8 stars, complaints about no-shows | 4.8 stars, but few reviews | 4.6 stars |
| Weak spot | Commercial is an afterthought | Can't staff complex commercial work | Owner near retirement, not taking new accounts | Little brand recognition |
The read
None of the three is built for property managers who need a commercial tech on site the same day. So the move is to own same-day commercial service for property managers in the four ZIP codes where our trucks already run, and to put the budget there instead of into the residential searches the rollup is bidding up.
Using the template
Who to include, where the information comes from, and what to do once the grid is full.
Read the full competitor analysis guide →What should a competitor analysis template include?
One row for each thing that decides a purchase in your market (positioning, services, pricing, channels, search visibility, response time, reviews, and capacity) and one column for each competitor plus one for your own business. The row that matters most is the last: each competitor's weak spot, the one thing they can't or won't defend.
How many competitors should I include?
Three is usually enough: the company you lose the most jobs to, the biggest name in your market, and one smaller shop that does something well. More than five turns the grid into a catalog and makes the weak-spot row harder to fill in honestly.
Where do I find the information?
Their website and Google Business Profile, a search for your core services to see who shows up in the map and the ads, their reviews, their job postings, and your own lost-deal notes. Everything on this template can be filled in from public information and your own records.
How often should I update a competitor analysis?
Review it every quarter, and sooner when something changes: a new competitor opens, a rival is bought by a larger group, or your cost per lead jumps. The weak spots move, and a grid that was right last year can point you at the wrong opening now.
What do I do with it once it's filled in?
Write one sentence under it: they can't defend X, so we own it. Then put your budget, your messaging, and your service area behind that sentence. If you can't write the sentence, the grid isn't finished.
The grid shows the opening. Then you have to take it.
Competitor analysis: the complete guide
The five steps behind the grid, how to read it for the opening, and how to measure yourself against rivals over time.
1-Day Pathfinder Sprint
Bring the filled-in grid and leave with a 90-day plan built on it. $950, and it comes off your first month if you go on to a plan.