# Competitive Intel Matrix

> Builds a concentric-ring competitive intelligence matrix that maps competitors into direct, adjacent, national, aggregator, and brand-confusion rings, with per-ring tables, a directory coverage scorecard, a GEO/AI-citation leaders matrix, a growth-threat watchlist, and a defensible-position summary. Use when analyzing a market, sizing up rivals for a strategy engagement, finding positioning gaps, or briefing a client on who they actually compete against.

- Skill: `sujanbhuiyan/competitive-intel-matrix` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add sujanbhuiyan/competitive-intel-matrix`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/sujanbhuiyan/competitive-intel-matrix/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Marketing & Growth
- License: MIT
- Author: sujanbhuiyan (https://skillmd.com/u/sujanbhuiyan)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/sujanbhuiyan/competitive-intel-matrix

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# Competitive Intel Matrix

## What this does

Produces a structured competitive intelligence document that organizes a
brand's competitive field into concentric rings — from the rivals fighting for
the same customer today out to the same-name entities polluting its search
results — and then scores the field on the dimensions that actually decide
modern wins: directory/aggregator coverage, AI-citation (GEO) authority, and
emerging growth threats. The result tells a client exactly who they compete
with, where they're losing ground they don't see, and the position they can
defend.

## When to use it

- Building competitive depth behind a research dossier or growth strategy.
- Sizing up a market before entering it or before pitching against incumbents.
- Finding positioning whitespace and messaging angles rivals haven't claimed.
- Reacting to a competitor's move (launch, funding, productized offer).
- Auditing why AI engines cite competitors and not the client.

This is the depth companion to `client-research-dossier` (which references it)
and a key input to `growth-strategy-playbook`.

## How to use it

1. Define the subject brand and the customer/job-to-be-done the field competes
   on. Everything is ranked relative to "who is trying to win this customer."
2. Assign every competitor to a ring using the methodology in
   [`references/ring-model.md`](references/ring-model.md): Ring A (direct/local),
   Ring B (adjacent), Ring C (national/category leaders), optional Ring D
   (aggregators/marketplaces), and the brand-confusion ring (same-name entities).
3. For each ring, build a competitor table: Name · Positioning · Strengths ·
   Weaknesses · Edge vs. us. Profile the top players in prose where it earns its
   space; keep long-tail rings as compact tables or counts.
4. Build the aggregator/directory coverage scorecard — rows are
   directories/marketplaces, columns are competitors + the client, cells are
   claimed/unclaimed/partial. See the column definitions in `ring-model.md`.
5. Build the GEO/AI-citation leaders matrix: who AI engines cite for the key
   queries today, and the asset that earns the citation (structured content,
   calculators, FAQs, reviews, Wikipedia).
6. Compile a growth-threat watchlist: dated, specific moves likely in the next
   12 months (a productized offer, an SME bundle, a hyperscaler push).
7. Close with a defensible-position summary: the wedge the client can own and a
   phased read of the field (e.g. "2026 = ground game, 2027 = productization").

## Inputs

- Subject brand and the customer/market it competes in.
- Geography and category scope.
- Any known competitors, prior research, or the dossier from
  `client-research-dossier`.

## Output

A single markdown file, typically `competitive/01_<Brand>_Competitive_Intel_Matrix.md`,
ordered: ring overview → per-ring tables → aggregator scorecard → GEO leaders
matrix → growth-threat watchlist → defensible-position summary.

## Notes & constraints

- Rank by threat to the specific customer, not by company size. A 5-person local
  rival can outrank a hyperscaler in Ring A.
- Always run the brand-confusion ring — same-name entities that own the SERP,
  reviews, or social handles are real, involuntary competition.
- Cite the source for each claimed/unclaimed scorecard cell and each GEO
  citation. Don't assert a competitor "owns" a query without evidence.
- Keep "edge vs. us" honest in both directions; note where the client is behind.
- Use forward-slash paths; tables for the matrices, prose only where it adds signal.