SALES BATTLE CARDS: ‍10 Ammunition Tips to Make Your Sales Team Win the Competition Battle

With so much information available online, there’s no wonder that 60% of potential customers reach out to sales departments only after they’ve done their research (by HubSpot Sales Perception Survey 2016). Whatever pain they might need to solve, they can easily look up solution providers. When reaching out to your sales team, this group of people has already done the research and a final shortlist of potential suppliers. They’re longing to hear specific things from all of them to have the ammo to compare and pick the right one.

To make sure prospects won’t catch your team off-guard, give them sales battle cards. Battle cards provide accurate and updated information comparison about your and the competitors’ products. Having these cards in hands, your sales team can react promptly and correctly answer any potential customer’s questions. They will maintain their confidence, and the prospect will perceive them as professionals. Sales battle cards are one of the most powerful sales enablement tools; read the article to get the hang of creating them.

Specifically, we’re going to give guidance on what can be done in front of the computer, possibly via a phone or online chat room.

Networking events are great places to meet quality potential candidates. However, in 2020 and 2021, this doesn’t seem to be the option.

Introducing battle cards:

Your sales battle cards should match their name. “Card” literally calls for short information. It should never be a long, detailed document. Its content should be quick and easy to read, even when on a phone call. Cards should be full of essential information your sales representatives use when phone-talking to a potential customer. They serve as a guideline to winning a deal against competitors - therefore the “battle”.

The better your sales battle cards are, the higher the chances the sales team lands a deal are. It’s an absolute must to keep them updated - both your company and your competitors’ information, so watch them regularly. Battle cards are not just features comparison; they are also full of “how to sell” tactics.

Different kind of collectible cards

1. WHY YOU SHOULD BOTHER WITH SALES BATTLE CARDS

There are 3 main reasons to create battle cards for your sales team:

• Newbies are onboarded quicker. They’ll probably need to do their research but the summed up information provides an excellent overview of the other players on the market.

• The team understands your competitive advantage. They’ll know how you position yourself on the market and what makes you unique. In the previously mentioned 60% of cases of a self-educated prospect with a shortlist, they’re entering a competitive situation right away. They need to know their stuff.
• The team is familiar with the tactic of selling against the other players. Cards give them the ammunition to beat others. Remember, even the mildest badmouthing is never an option! Make sure the team keeps its integrity, and even if they know your product is better, have them inform the prospects about it nicely:

Lay the cards of the table

2. WHAT SHOULD BE IN YOUR SALES BATTLE CARDS:

There are several categories to cover in your cards. Depending on your company or strategy, feel free to omit or add anything that you think might help your team succeed:

1. Your company overview

You can create the same overview as for your competitors. Plus, adding information about your values, etc., helps newbies identify themself with your company faster.

2. Your competitor's overview

List your biggest competitors. How are their features, customer service, pricing, etc., compared to yours? List their customers and target markets - most likely, they’ll have customers’ logos and referrals on their website. You can attach websites, locations, company sizes, geographic reach, etc.

3. Important product features

List your product features together with their advantages and benefits. Do competitors have the same ones? Which of them resonate with various personas and segments?

4. Questions to ask

Create a list of questions that your sales representatives must ask to identify customers’ needs and find the best solution for every prospect.

5. Common objection and responses

Gather all the objections your sales representatives hear the most, and accompany them with the best responses to overcome them. There are also competitors’ objections against your solution. Find out what they are and have a counter against them.

6. Boosters

There are things you do the best. Word these properly; when the sales representatives tell the prospect, they knock the competition out (most probably rather in an early stage of their decision process).

7. Landmines

There are things that your competitors do the best. You should know what they are, and have responses ready.

8. Warnings

Look out for warning signs that there’s another player in the game. The prospects won’t probably share whether or who they’re talking to, so, instead, include clues on how to continue the conversation. Your sales representatives should watch out for specific questions on features, topics, or even phrases they might know from competitors.

9. Testimonials

Do you like your customer references? You can add some of the convincing ones in your sales battle cards. Include interesting stats or case studies that prove your product is worth it.

10. Inspirational stories

Pack your cards with short stories for inspiration and insights. For example, how sales representatives win deals, how they lose them, exceptional winning stories. They’ll see reasons why people buy or don’t buy from you.

Aces in the sleeve

3. SOME TIPS ON HOW TO BUILD YOUR SALES BATTLE CARDS:

Stick to our best practices to make sure you’re creating sales battle cards that the sales representatives will actually want to use: