Focus on Your Best Customers' Alternatives

When you are listing your Competitive Alternatives, it's important to focus on the alternatives that your best customers would actually consider. Don't get distracted by niche competitors or edge cases.

Your goal is to understand the general case for your ideal customer profile. What are the most common alternatives that they would consider if your solution didn't exist?

To do this, you should:

• Start with your list of best customers: The customers you identified in Start with Your Best Customers.
• Brainstorm the alternatives they would consider: Based on your knowledge of these customers, what are the most likely things they would do to solve their problem?
• Rank the alternatives: Order the list from most common to least common. This will help you to focus on the alternatives that are most relevant to your positioning.

By focusing on your best customers' alternatives, you can create a positioning that is tailored to the needs and perceptions of your most valuable customer segment.

Related Concepts:

• The Customer's Perspective on Competitors is What Matters
• "What Would Customers Do Without You?"
• Competitive Alternatives
• Start with Your Best Customers