Sales Enablement

10 Things To Keep In Mind When Designing Sales Battle Cards

A sales battle card is a single-page document containing key details about your competitors, and how their products, services, market, and customers compare to your company's. It also has key selling points to help your sales reps to win deals against the competitors.Battle cards display details in graphics, graphs, text, or video form to equip sales reps with knowledge and confidence essential in holding conversations with prospects to win deals. Although a one-page document, the battle card should provide a complete overview of your competitors and guidelines to counter competition.

A sales battle card is a single-page document containing key details about your competitors, and how their products, services, market, and customers compare to your company's. It also has key selling points to help your sales reps to win deals against the competitors.

Battle cards display details in graphics, graphs, text, or video form to equip sales reps with knowledge and confidence essential in holding conversations with prospects to win deals. Although a one-page document, the battle card should provide a complete overview of your competitors and guidelines to counter competition.

Why Sales Reps Need Battle Cards

There are many reasons why your sales reps will benefit from a set of well-made battle cards.

  1. Deliver Effective Pitches: Battle cards help reps prepare in advance for sales pitches and avoid having weak or insufficient responses if called by a customer. Battle cards also save your sales team the trouble of searching for information as they speak to customers. As a result, customers tend to trust your reps because of adequate knowledge and confidence, which leads to higher conversion rates.
  2. Track and Take the Lead Over the Competition: Battle cards keep your sales reps informed about your competitors' new products and highlight their strengths and weaknesses. This is vital information for your sales team to develop winning strategies to close our deals.
  3. Keep Up To Date: Sales battle cards also keep your team up to date on your company's new features or offerings. They detail the latest incentives such as discounts and sales promotions, including launch dates, prices, and expiration dates. This arms your sales rep with persuasive ammunition as they communicate to customers. 

Types of Battle Cards

There are many uses of sales battlecards, each of which deserves its own template for you to fill in as you need. Here are three of the most popular types.

Product Battle Card

A product battle card is for sales enablement. It provides all the information about your company's product to your sales rep team. They can then use this information in conversations with prospects. This card should include product features, value, and uses. You can also include challenges that customers could face while using the product and how to provide a solution. 

Competitor Battle Card

A competitor battle card indicates key details of your competitor(s), such as their sales run rate, target customer, market value, and solution overview. You can use these cards to compare in detail with a single competitor, or as an overview against multiple competitors.

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Competitor battlecards inform your sales reps about the latest features developed by your competitors so that they may prepare answers if questioned by prospects or customers. 

Inquiry Battle Card

An inquiry battle card contains questions designed to skillfully collect information about your competitor which the prospect wouldn't disclose. Your sales reps use this battle card to discover your competitor's weaknesses. This information feeds back into the competitor battle cards, and the strategy to de-position them can begin.

10 Tips to Keep in Mind while Designing Sales Battle Cards

1. Competitive Intelligence

Your sales battle card should bear your competitor's company name, location, and website. You can also include their target markets, partners, number of employees, and customers. Some of this information might be available on their website, while other details might be things you pick up in business conversations.

2. Customer Profile

Different customers have different interests, pain points, and buying patterns. Your sales battlecard should outline the customer profile it is targeting. This will help your sales reps use the right approach for each potential customer, and increase the probability of closing great deals.

3. Unique Selling Points

Identify the distinctive features of your products and highlight them on your sales battlecards. These features are the reason your prospects will choose your products over those of your competitors.

If your competitor copies your product features or offers, note this on the battle card so that your sales rep is in a position to dismiss the competitor as inauthentic.

Design your sales battle cards to feature your strengths against your competitor's weaknesses so that your sales team can win the deal early in the sales battle.

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4. Success Stories

It's a scientific fact that people like to follow the masses, so customer success stories are a key part of your sales enablement battlecards. Customers are more likely to believe a story that came from another customer rather than taking the rep's word for it. 

Reviews of unsatisfied customers should also be considered. In some situations, explaining how your company has responded to and fixed the issue shows that you prioritize your customers' satisfaction. This builds trust in your products.

5. Potential Drawbacks

It is a good idea to include your weaknesses on your battle cards and train your sales reps on how to avoid conversations centered on these areas in their conversations with customers.

6. Counter Questions

Sales reps meet customers who've already used your competitors' products. These customers ask counter questions to compare your products to those they've used before. Your sales reps should be ready to answer those questions in ways that portray your company's products in the best light.

7. Customer Incentives

Your sales battle cards should include benefits that customers expect to get on purchase of your products. For example, if you offer a discount on all products purchased within a specific period, then all the details should be on the battle card.

8. Trends in the Sales Industry

Sales reps should stay updated about market trends that may impact their industry. Your sales battle cards should provide details on government policies & regulations, new businesses entering the market, and incumbent ones. These details help reps make informed approaches during marketing.

9. Details About Your Company, Products, and Services

Although your product details are on your website, it's a good idea to include the basics on your battle cards for your sales reps' use during sales calls. Even the office phone number is important to have to hand. 

10. Comprehensive Research

A well-researched sales battle card is a valuable tool. Invest in your competitive intelligence, across various platforms such as the internet, studying reports, databases, reading blogs, and listening to webinars.

Bottom Line

Competitive battle cards make work easier for sales teams as they contain critical information in a concise form. Ensure your battle cards are well compiled, accessible, usable, and updated to be of value to your sales reps. Battle cards equip your sales teams with vital information to tackle competition and help your company take the lead.


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