Ask what the customer would do instead
Use recent buying conversations to identify alternatives actually considered. Avoid assuming the largest brand in the category is the main rival. A founder may choose to keep a manual process because migration seems riskier than the inconvenience.
Separate direct evidence from your interpretation. “Customer uses spreadsheets today” is observed. “Customer wants a centralized dashboard” needs supporting evidence. An alternative map becomes useful when it explains the tradeoff the buyer recognizes, not when it lists features your product happens to possess.
Compare the task rather than every feature
| Alternative | Why it can feel attractive | Question your offer must answer |
|---|---|---|
| Existing manual process | Familiar and already working | Why change now? |
| Internal build | Control over requirements | What maintenance effort is avoided? |
| Competing product | Known category and established workflow | What specific situation do you fit better? |
| Doing nothing | No immediate migration effort | What real consequence makes action worthwhile? |
Do not invent a competitor's weakness. Check current capabilities when making a public comparison, and distinguish unavailable information from an actual missing feature. If you cannot substantiate a product comparison, publish your evaluation criteria rather than a false verdict.
Worked example: reporting software versus a spreadsheet
Illustrative example: a reporting tool competes with a spreadsheet maintained by one employee. Its strongest message may be continuity when that employee is unavailable, not the number of charts. The proof should show another team member producing the required report using the documented workflow.
The spreadsheet can still be the sensible choice for a small team with simple reporting needs. Say who the product is for and where the alternative remains adequate. Clear boundaries help suitable buyers evaluate fit and reduce the risk of selling a larger solution to a smaller problem.
Convert the map into proof requirements
For each meaningful difference, specify what would demonstrate it: a walkthrough, a sample output, a documented integration or a migration checklist. Avoid moving directly from a desired difference to an unsupported headline such as “zero effort” or “the only tool you need.”
Update the map when customer evidence changes. A competitor introducing a feature may matter less than customers changing how they work. The map should guide sales conversations, landing-page sections and product priorities; it is not an exhaustive market encyclopedia.
Create your first map
List the last five serious buying decisions you know about and record the actual alternative in each. Choose one recurring tradeoff and build a proof asset that answers it. Use the switch interview guide when the decision history is unclear.
Ayoub Mouhachtt
Growth & performance marketing. Explore my working background.
An AI-assisted educational guide commissioned for Ayoub’s Growth Notebook. Worked examples are illustrative; they are separate from the portfolio’s client evidence. How these guides are prepared.