How detailed should one make a battlecard/killsheet?

I'll try and answer each of these three questions separately. My philosophy is short and sweet. If you're making battlecards longer than one page or using size 5 font it's going to be impossible for your sales reps to get the high impact at a glance insight they need. Battle cards work best when they are reference docs a rep can use to find what they're looking for in <30 seconds. If they get lost in the amount of detail you provided, they will not use the battle card after the first attempt. ...Read More

(1) I think beyond short and sweet, a battlecard or kill-sheet should be tactical. Literally the format should be: "show xyz when you are stating abc, in this zyx situation"  (2) Framing to sales that competitor research and battle card development are a team sport. (a) Stuff that you don't know, set expectations with sales where they there are gray areas, and will need their ears and eyes in the market place to find the answers. Of course, you will want to emphasize that you're doing your part ...Read More

My philosophy on battlecards aligns well with what the other posters have said on the topic. I tend to create two resources: one that is tactical in nature and gives reps the actual words they need to say in the moment (a true "Battlecard"); the other is more educational and provides deeper exploration when the reps are not in the moment (more of a "Competitor Profile"). If you want maximum traction with sales, you should consider doing these happy paths: Ensure that your battlecards are up-to-d ...Read More

Details on the battlecard really depends on the complexity of the product, solution and industry segment.  Start with something simple for Version 1 - and as you get more questions / feedback from sales, add to it. While I have done battlecards, they very soon become outdated, so pretty layout etc, goes waste.  I would really prefer a live FAQ type format that sales can use - searchable on specific topics, competitor, objection handling.  I have not yet seen tools that can make life simple. Very ...Read More

If you aren't partnering with sales, and seeking meaningful feedback from a number of the highest performing reps and sales leaders, I think it's impossible you will get it right. You need to ask sales what they need to know to feel confident. I'm convinced that competitive intelligence as a sales resource is as much about instilling confidence in sales as it is with informing any specific deal strategy.  That confidence comes from being able to anticipate the landmines their competitor will pla ...Read More