Battlecard
A battlecard is a short reference document that tells your team how you compare with one competitor and what to say about it.
A battlecard is a short document that tells your team how you compare with a competitor, and what to say when a customer brings them up. It usually covers where you're stronger, where the competitor is stronger, the objections you'll hear, and the answer to each.
Sales teams have used battlecards for years. They matter for AI search too, because the platforms build their picture of you from everything written about you. When your sales team, your website, your press releases and your partners all say the same things, the platforms have one clear story to repeat.
What goes on one
Keep it to a page or two per competitor. Most battlecards cover:
- Who the competitor is and who buys from them
- Where you win, with the proof
- Where they win, said honestly
- The objections customers raise, and how you answer them
- The facts that must be stated the same way every time, like prices and delivery areas
For example, Fernhill Coffee's battlecard against Kestrel Roasters might say: Kestrel is cheaper per bag, Fernhill roasts to order and ships within two days, and when people claim Fernhill only delivers in London, the answer is that Fernhill has delivered across the UK since last spring.
Why it helps in AI answers
When different people describe you in different ways, the platforms get mixed signals. One article calls you a subscription service, another a café, a third repeats an old price. The answer you get is a blend of all three.
A battlecard keeps everyone who speaks for you on the same lines. Over time, the pages the platforms read start to agree with each other.
In AnswerOrbit
The Objections tab in Perception lists the reasons the platforms give for not choosing you, which is a good place to start the objections section. Claims shows where the answers get your facts wrong, so you know which lines need repeating.