Don’t Just Respond—Compete: How to Use Competitive Analysis to Identify Strengths, Weaknesses, and Differentiators
Identifying your strengths, weaknesses, and differentiators before responding to a Request for Proposal (RFP) is critical because it enables your team to position strategically, respond persuasively, and compete effectively. A realistic view of your position relative to competitors helps your team determine whether to pursue an opportunity or walk away. And understanding where you’re strong and where you’re vulnerable supports smarter investments of time and resources. When you understand your strengths, you can emphasize them throughout your proposal response. Highlighting relevant capabilities and past performance helps build trust and show that your team is low-risk and high-value. Beyond strengths, identifying your differentiators is key to standing out. Whether it’s a unique technical approach, proprietary tool, past success with similar customers, or unmatched talent, identifying these elements early ensures they are woven throughout the proposal in a meaningf...