How to Use the ‘COMP-ACT’ Framework to Build Better Battlecards

Tell me if this sounds familiar: You’ve spent countless hours crafting battlecards, summarizing every detail about your key competitors, only to watch them gather digital dust within your organization.

It’s a common frustration, but it doesn’t have to be this way. There’s a method to turn those neglected documents into go-to resources for your sales team.

In this guide, we’ll introduce you to the COMP-ACT Framework – a practical approach for crafting competitive content, including sales battlecards.

Let’s get started!

Oh – and if you’re short on time, we have six fillable templates you can download now for free. Grab them here.

COMP-ACT Framework: Key Concepts

The COMP-ACT Framework consists of two key concepts: comparison and action. 

The Importance of Comparison

Comparison is the cornerstone of competitive differentiation and is essential to building effective battlecards. 

It’s important to remember that competitive facts don’t exist in isolation. They gain meaning and power when presented in the context of your offering versus your competitor’s. By framing information comparatively, you:

• Highlight your unique value proposition
• Provide clear context for your sales team
• Emphasize your competitive advantages

When leveraging comparison, always frame your content as “Us vs. Them”. This approach provides clear context and naturally highlights your competitive edge. For example, instead of just listing your features, show how they stack up against the competition:

“Our AI-powered analytics provide real-time insights, while Competitor X relies on manual reporting that can take days.”

The Importance of Action

Writing strong strategic ‘actions’ for your sales team is what separates top-notch competitive content from the average stuff. And these actions are crucial for effective competitive selling.

Actions turn static competitive intel into tangible sales advantages. They guide your sales team, telling them exactly how to use the information you’re providing.

How should you use actions in your content?

Start by clearly explaining how your sales team should utilize the competitive information you provide, and include specific examples. These actions can take several forms:

1. Discovery Questions
2. Trap Setting Questions
3. Redirect Statements
4. Objection Handling

By including these strategic actions, you’re not just informing your sales team — you’re equipping them with tools to steer conversations, highlight your strengths, and ultimately close more deals.

Putting It Together: The COMP-ACT Framework

Now that we’ve explored the key concepts of comparison and action, let’s see how they come together in the COMP-ACT Framework. 

In the simplest terms, The COMP-ACT Framework is a two-step process for competitive content creation. It involves:

1. Defining clear comparisons between your offering and the competition.
2. Providing your sellers with specific actions based on those comparisons.

The purpose of this approach is also straightforward: it’s intended to help you transform static competitive information into tools that your salespeople can leverage during calls. 

Let’s walk through this framework in more detail:

COMP (Comparison)

• Ask yourself: What’s a fact about this competitor, and how do we compare? 
• Write down: A clear, concise statement comparing your offer to your competitor’s.
  

ACT (Action)

• Ask yourself: How can you equip your team to use this comparison (competitive intel)? 
• Write down: Specific, actionable guidance on how to leverage this information. Ideally, this should include a tactic (e.g., trap setting question) backed up with specific talking points.

Example: 

• Comparison: Pied Piper’s dashboard offers one-click report generation, while Zest requires complex query writing.
• Action for your rep: Trap Setting Question – “How much time do you spend creating reports?”

Reminder: this framework isn’t a rigid template. It’s a flexible approach meant to add structure to your content creation process, ensuring your output is always relevant, focused, and impactful. So, don’t feel constrained by it. Adapt and customize it as needed.

Wrapping Up: COMP-ACT in Action

Ultimately, you can think of the COMP-ACT Framework as a two-step approach to competitive content creation. First, you define clear comparisons between your offering and the competition. Then, you provide specific actions for your sellers based on those comparisons. This method doesn’t just inform your team; it empowers them to win more deals.

Good luck!