Gather public information
Look at competitors' websites, reviews, social media, and advertisements. Take notes on their services, messaging, pricing approach if public, and what customers say about them.
Organize with AI
Paste your notes into AI and ask it to compare competitors across categories like services, strengths, weaknesses, and positioning.
Learn from reviews
Competitors' reviews reveal what customers value and what frustrates them. AI can summarize common themes.
Find gaps
- Services competitors don't offer
- Customer complaints you can solve
- Messages nobody is using
- Areas that seem underserved
Don't copy
Use research to differentiate, not imitate. Copying competitors' wording or content can be unethical and may violate copyright.
Stay ethical
Only use publicly available information. Don't misrepresent yourself to gather information.
Act on insights
Choose one or two ways to stand out and build them into your marketing.
Review periodically
Competitors change. A quick review every few months keeps you informed.
Compare customer experiences
Try contacting competitors the way a customer would, such as calling with a common question or filling out a website form, as long as you do it honestly and don't waste their time with fake requests. Note how quickly they respond and how clearly they explain things. If a mystery-shop approach feels uncomfortable, simply review their public website and booking process instead.
Focus on your own customers
Competitor research is useful, but your customers matter more. Use what you learn to serve them better, not to obsess over what others are doing.
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