How to Know Your Competition in a Deal.
Picture this. You run a great process. The buyer likes you. Then the deal goes quiet, and you lose to something you never even knew was there. That is the "C" in MEDDPICC, the competition. It is every other option the buyer is weighing, including the choice to do nothing at all. Know who you are up against, and you stop getting surprised at the finish line.
The mistake most people make
Most people think they are the only choice. They never ask what else the buyer is looking at. So they sell in a bubble, sure they will win, right up until they don't. And here is the part people miss. Your biggest rival is usually not another tool. It is the buyer doing nothing. Staying put is free, safe, and easy. If you never name it, you never beat it, and the deal just fades away.
What good looks like
Good sellers know exactly who and what they are up against. They can name the other tools, the in-house fix, and the option to do nothing. They are not scared of that list. It helps them. Once they know the rivals, they plan how to stand out against each one. It feels less like hoping and more like steering. That is the whole shift.
How to do it
List every option, including doing nothing
For each deal, write down the other choices the buyer has. Real rivals, in-house fixes, and the choice to stay put.
"So if you did not go with meritt, what else are you weighing up? And is staying as you are still on the table?"
Plan how you stand out against each one
A list is not enough. For each option you named, write one clear reason you are the better fit for this buyer.
"Against the in-house spreadsheet, meritt saves your team a full day a week. Against doing nothing, the cost of a bad hire keeps stacking up."
See the difference
"I am sure we are the front-runner here, so let's get the contract over." You are guessing you are ahead. You never asked what else is in play, so you have no idea who could pip you at the post.
"Before we talk next steps, help me understand the full picture. What other options are you weighing up, and is staying as you are still on the table? Then I can be straight with you about where meritt fits and where it might not."
Same deal. A totally different result. The strong version pulls the hidden rivals into the open. Now you know who you are up against, including the buyer doing nothing, and you can plan for it.
How you'll know it's working
You have got this when you can name the other options in play, including the buyer doing nothing. After your next call, try to list the rivals from memory. If you can name them, and you have one reason you beat each one, you are there. Knowing your competition turns a deal from a guess into a plan, and that is a skill you will use on every deal you ever run.
Questions people ask
What does competition mean in MEDDPICC?
In MEDDPICC, the "C" stands for competition. It means every other option the buyer is weighing, not just rival tools. It includes an in-house fix, a cheaper substitute, and the choice to do nothing at all. Knowing the full list lets you plan how to stand out against each one, instead of selling like you are the only choice on the table.
Why is doing nothing my biggest competitor?
Because staying put is free, safe, and easy for the buyer. There is no budget to approve and no risk of a bad call. Most lost deals are not lost to a rival. They simply stall because the buyer never felt enough reason to change. If you do not name the cost of doing nothing, you never give them a reason to move.
How do I ask a buyer who else they are considering?
Ask it straight and without fear. Try, "If you did not go with us, what else are you weighing up, and is staying as you are still an option?" Most buyers answer honestly when you sound calm and curious. The question shows you want to help them choose well, not just win, and that builds trust.
What do I do once I know my competition?
For each option you named, write one clear reason you are the better fit for this buyer. Be specific to their needs, not generic. Then weave those points into your follow-up, gently. Do not bad-mouth a rival. Just show, side by side, where you help most, including against the buyer doing nothing.
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