
Ask HN: Do you watch competitors or do you prefer to not think about it? - nrthrn
It seems like there are two camps of entrepreneurs&#x2F;product teams around how to think about competitors.<p>There is the Peter Thiel (Paypal) &#x2F; Jason Fried (Basecamp) camp who thinks that looking at competitors is a distraction and the Marty Cagan (SVPG) &#x2F; Hiten Shah (CrazyEgg) camp that believes competitor intelligence and analysis are a necessity.<p>Out of curiosity, what camp (or in the middle) are you in, and why?
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nrthrn
Personally looking at competition is HUGE for me.

Here are my reasons that I look at competitors:

\- See the strengths and weaknesses of available products in the market, so
that I can see where I can create something with a competitive edge.

\- To see competitors’ reviews and chatter. Those tell me where customers are
feeling that their needs are underserved or poorly met.

\- For inspiration on creative ways to solve some of the problems that my
customers are facing.

\- To see what positioning, language, and targeting is resonating with
potential future customers, and view how that changes as customer needs evolve
and technology improves.

\- For an understanding of existing flows, language, and behaviors expected in
my market. (Some things don’t need “reinvention”, like filling out an
invoice).

\- Before entering a new space, I look at competitors to map out the “blue
ocean” of where my product(s) can drive value.

\- So that I can guide sales and marketing to show the value of our product
and how it excels over other companies.

\- To see macro trends in the market when they start happening, as opposed to
being surprised.

