How to Use Competitive Research to Differentiate Your Brand Positioning

“Don’t worry about what competitors are doing” is great advice until you realize your competitor’s website uses the exact same headline as yours.

There’s nothing like discovering a competitor’s website sounds exactly like yours. Same promises. Same phrases. It’s not just awkward. It makes buyers wonder if there’s really any difference at all.

Competitive research is how you stop blending in. By mapping what others in your market are saying, you can spot the overlaps, find the gaps, and claim the language and positioning that set you apart.

Here’s how to use competitive research to carve out a brand position that no one else can claim and make it obvious why clients should pick you over the others.

Step 1: Map the Competitive Landscape

Start by building a competitor list that goes beyond the obvious. Include:

• Direct competitors selling the same thing

• Indirect competitors solving the same problem a different way

• DIY solutions (spreadsheets, internal teams, workarounds)

You’ll have the full picture of what your audience is choosing between, not just your top-of-mind rivals.

Step 2: Collect the Right Data

Look at how competitors present themselves:

• Taglines and value propositions

• Product or service descriptions

• Pricing and packaging

• Content topics, tone, and calls-to-action

• Reviews and testimonials (what people praise or complain about)

Capture this in a spreadsheet so you can spot patterns instead of just impressions.

Step 3: Identify Positioning Patterns

Once the data is organized, look for common threads:

• Do most competitors lead with price?

• Are they all promising the same generic benefit (“save time, save money”)?

• Are they using similar design, tone, or imagery?

Clusters reveal where the market is crowded and where you have room to stand apart.

Step 4: Spot the Gaps

The best brand positioning comes from filling gaps competitors leave open:

• Are they underserving a specific audience segment?

• Do they ignore an emotional driver (trust, prestige, safety) and focus only on features?

• Is there an experience they fail to deliver, like fast onboarding or transparent pricing?

These gaps are opportunities to differentiate in a way that feels relevant, not forced.

Step 5: Build Your Unique Value Proposition

Take what you’ve learned and craft a UVP that does two things:

• Makes a promise competitors can’t match (or aren’t making)

• Speaks directly to client priorities uncovered through research

For example, if everyone is shouting about speed, you might emphasize accuracy and peace of mind and back it up with data.

Step 6: Test Your Messaging

Positioning isn’t a one-time brainstorm. Put your new messaging in front of clients and prospects:

• A/B test headlines on landing pages

• Share new taglines on social and see what gets engagement

• Listen to how your sales team feels using the new language

Refine until it resonates.

Step 7: Keep Watching the Market

Competitors will adjust, copy, and shift. Keep your research current:

• Quarterly competitor sweeps to see if they’ve changed positioning

• Review client feedback to ensure your message still feels differentiated

• Refresh your UVP annually to stay ahead

At Borrowed Pen, we dig through competitor noise to help brands find the message only they can own. Work with us, and we’ll turn your research into a brand position that makes clients say, “This is exactly what we need!”