Template
A battlecard template you can fill in during one call
A four-part battlecard format with an objection, one-sentence answer, dated proof, next response, and a clearly fictional worked example.
Four fields, in this order: the objection in the prospect's words, a one-sentence answer, one dated proof point, and what the competitor says next. Everything else is a research document wearing a battlecard's name.
The template
| Field | What to write | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Headline | [what the prospect actually said] | One quoted line |
| Answer | [the whole answer, with no setup] | One sentence |
| Proof | [one fact, with a date and a source] | One fact |
| They will say next | [the competitor's next response and your reply] | One line |
That is the whole thing. If a section needs two sentences, it is two cards.
A worked example
The example below is fictional; the competitor, plans, prices and dates do not represent a real case.
"They quoted us half"
Answer. Their quote covers monitoring only — alerting, the API and SSO are on the tier above, so it is not a like-for-like half-price comparison.
Proof. Their pricing page moved SSO to Business on 2026-08-14 (verified 2026-09-06).
They will say next. That most teams do not need SSO in year one. Ask the prospect when their security review is scheduled.
What to leave out
Keep
- The objection in the prospect's own words
- One sentence that answers it
- One dated, sourced fact
- The counter-move
Cut
- Feature matrices
- Funding and company history
- Anything below the fold
- Undated claims of any kind
Where Steve fits
Steve can draft cards from cached competitor research and project resources
with source citations; source dates are retained when available. It saves card
configurations as project-scoped presets. Per-claim sources and validation status
apply to the singleWithClaims path, not every card type.
Resource updates and recent news can generate a proposed stale diff for classic battlecards. A user must accept the proposal before the card changes.
Frequently asked
What should a battlecard never contain?
A feature matrix, company history, funding, and anything a rep would have to scroll to reach. All four are research outputs, not call aids.
How many battlecards per competitor?
Create one card per recurring objection that has evidence behind it. One card covering every objection is the format this template replaces.
Should reps be able to edit the card?
Yes. Let reps propose corrections, but do not treat edit history as proof that a card was opened. Use open data where available and ask sellers which cards they use.
Keep reading
All posts- September 8, 2026Win/loss analysis without a research teamYou do not need a research function to run win/loss. You need five questions, a rule about who asks them, and somewhere the answers cannot rot.
- October 7, 2026Why CI tools become shelfware: six adoption signals to check by week fourVendor adoption figures have no denominator. Measure six seller-usage signals with pass lines you set in week zero, and read a failing one before renewal.
- October 7, 2026"Their price is 30% lower": five talk tracks that do not start with a discountSort a cheaper-competitor objection into one of four kinds with a single question, then answer it with one of five talk tracks. None opens with a discount.
- September 12, 2026Turn seller feedback into a reviewed battlecard revisionCapture a seller’s objection, check the disputed claim, approve a scoped revision, and return the new battlecard with its evidence and open questions.
See what Steve finds in your market