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Axel Kirstetter

AMA: Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing, Axel Kirstetter on Competitive Positioning

May 23 @ 10:00AM PST
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Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing, Axel Kirstetter on Competitive Positioning
Top Questions
How do you create competitive intel that is really beneficial to sales (i.e. they actually read and use it)?
Axel Kirstetter
Axel Kirstetter
Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing • May 24
At a high level Sales needs to operate on three planes. Defending against weaknesses, driving towards strengths and disseminating fear. Long written thought papers are the wrong format. I believe in short simple bullet points supported by an explanatory video to get the message across. Ultimately......Read More
461 Views
2 requests
How do you obtain competitive intelligence on a competitor's product that has very little public-facing marketing around it?
I'm about to just call and ask them if they still sell it.
Axel Kirstetter
Axel Kirstetter
Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing • May 24
I love this question as it puts competitiveness into context. If you can't find anything about a 'competitor' how is a prospect going to know anything about them? No information on review sites. No analyst overview. No social proof or testimonial. No website. No LI profile. No ads in support of k......Read More
473 Views
3 requests
What constitutes a competitor, and what is the goal you have in mind when you conduct competitor analysis?
What is your philosophy when it comes to competitors?
Axel Kirstetter
Axel Kirstetter
Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing • May 24
I think of competitors in two ways. 1. alternatives. Excel the classical example here. An alternative way of achieving the same 2. similar / same product offerings targeted at the similar / same buyer. This last part around targeting and segmentation is important. Tesla and F150 are both electric......Read More
440 Views
2 requests
What's your approach to competitive differentiation?
How does this inform your core messaging, how do you enable sales to understand what makes you different/better, how do you know if it's working with your target buyers?
Axel Kirstetter
Axel Kirstetter
Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing • May 24
I believe in a simple exercise: * what are you good at. this is the category you want to operate in. Its table stakes. if you want to be in the electric car business and you cant design a chassis and a battery you have a problem. * what are you better at. this is where you are competiti......Read More
430 Views
2 requests
How do you systematically organize & update your competitive intel when there's so much new information that can flow in every day?
Axel Kirstetter
Axel Kirstetter
Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing • May 24
this is such a good question. comp intel is not a one time activity. its ongoing. same with positioning btw. I separate 3 things: Information collection, information analysis and information dissemination. For the latter i recommend no more than 2x per year. Ideally around key events, like annual......Read More
407 Views
2 requests
When considering a new initiative, how do you determine what questions to ask your MR team to ensure you are getting the right data to inform your decision?
Axel Kirstetter
Axel Kirstetter
Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing • May 24
There is an interesting overlap between market research and competitive intelligence. that intersection is market intelligence. strictly speaking CI is only about direct competitors. Ignoring things like technology changes, indirect / partner landscape, macroeconomic changes, market size, regulat......Read More
768 Views
3 requests
Relying on narrative differentiation is obviously essential when products are essentially the same across you and your competitor set, but it's also a tough thing to do? Any advice?
Axel Kirstetter
Axel Kirstetter
Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing • May 24
Here is a controversial statement: value communication beats narrative design. I know narrative and storytelling is a big topic in the product marketing world. But, I would encourage any reader here to invest in their ability to communicate value. here is why. From a sellers' perspective its nice......Read More
411 Views
3 requests
What are the top documents you create when working on Competitive Positioning programs?
Axel Kirstetter
Axel Kirstetter
Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing • May 24
I recommend three documents. 1. an inbound competitive document, covering things like product differentiators, win/loss analysis, pricing and type of open roles. 2. a separate document summarizing industry commentators, analysts or review sites. 3. Finally, a document that focuses on your categor......Read More
412 Views
2 requests
How do you separate out your competitive positioning for two different plans of your product, while keeping a unified view, if the plans serve different customer segments?
For example - Shopify Plus and Shopify (core)
Axel Kirstetter
Axel Kirstetter
Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing • May 24
Pricing and CI are two separate side of the same coin. Easiest way to win more business is to reduce your price. But that has consequences for revenue. Ultimately one product with different price points is aimed at a different cohort where price sensitivity, functional preferences and quality exp......Read More
948 Views
2 requests
How does competitive positioning relate to general positioning? What frameworks do you use to help the company understand the difference?
Axel Kirstetter
Axel Kirstetter
Guidewire Software VP Product Marketing • May 24
When your company only has one product, the product positioning is the company positioning. The next growth phase would be a portfolio of products. Say we are are the professional services cloud with one product for accountants another for consultants another for lawyers and finally one for banke......Read More
405 Views
3 requests