Use competitors as market evidence, not a template to copy. Look for customer expectations, positioning patterns, and underserved needs.
Research worksheet
Choose three direct competitors customers genuinely compare with you.
Write each company’s one sentence promise in your own words.
List the services, locations, audiences, and calls to action emphasized.
Note the proof used: reviews, case studies, credentials, examples, or guarantees.
Record the questions answered well and the questions left unanswered.
Review Google results and profiles for categories, reviews, photos, and recurring language.
Identify similarities across every competitor, these may be baseline market expectations.
Identify meaningful differences you can truthfully own.
List three customer needs nobody explains particularly well.
Choose one improvement to your offer, page, proof, or process based on the research.
NEXT STEP
Put it to work
The output should be a better understanding of the customer, not a collection of competitor screenshots.