Dear SaaStr: Is Bashing Your Competitors in Marketing OK?
Yes, a few folks make this work. Marc Benioff has made a career of bashing Oracle for years, Microsoft, and more. Positioning them as very dated platforms, very aggressively. I’ve also seen my own competitors do this effectively.
And the reality is, almost all sales teams push here. They push the edge vs. the competition. They push FUD and counter FUD, and push the edge of what’s OK when they bash competitors in deals. In fact, 93% of you said the competition lies in deals! More on that here:
But … you have to be very careful here. Done less well, it almost always backfires. Because unless it’s done very well, it will turn off more prospects than it will convince. Competing is good. But crossing the line to bashing?
Going too far in marketing is almost always a bad idea. In most cases, it makes you look insecure, unprofessional, and in many cases, desperate. Or at least, not a market leader. Customers pick up on this quickly, and it can backfire by making you seem less credible. Instead, focus on highlighting your strengths and differentiators in a way that naturally positions you as the better choice.
Here’s why you should generally avoid it, especially at CEO level:
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It Reflects Poorly on You:
Trashing competitors can make you look petty. Customers want to work with confident, forward-thinking companies, not ones that are obsessed with tearing others down. Respect your competitors—they’re often doing something right if they’re in the same space as you. -
It Distracts from Your Value:
If you spend too much time talking about what your competitors are doing wrong, you’re not spending enough time talking about what you’re doing right. Customers care about how you solve their problems, not how bad the other guys are. -
It Can Easily Backfire:
If you bash a competitor and the customer has had a good experience with them, you’ve just alienated them. Worse, you might inadvertently draw attention to your competitor’s strengths.
Instead of bashing, here’s what you should do:
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Position Yourself as the Premium Option:
Focus on what makes your product or service better. For example, if your competitor is cheaper but lacks key features, emphasize your superior functionality and ROI. Being the premium product in the space is almost always better than being the cheapest 6. -
Be Creative in Differentiation:
You can highlight differences without being negative. For example, Brex and Divvy had a fierce rivalry, but Divvy used Brex’s simplicity as a contrast to position themselves as the more sophisticated budgeting tool. It’s about framing, not attacking 56. -
Respect the Competition, but Own Your Space:
Acknowledge your competitors’ strengths when appropriate, but make it clear why you’re the better choice for a specific segment or use case. This shows confidence and professionalism.
If You Do Want To Bash, Slow It Way Down and Do It Strategically:
Make 100% sure you know what you doing, that’s it’s the right strategy, and that your whole senior team is aligned here. You’ll create a lot of drama in general when you do. Just make sure you plan it out and it’s true, strategic strategy.
The bottom line? Don’t trash your competitors 9 times out of 10, maybe 9.5 times out of 10. Instead, focus on your unique value and let your product and customer success speak for itself.
