Your rep thinks they’re in a head-to-head with one vendor. But the buyer delays. Goes quiet. Or worse, chooses to do nothing at all.
They didn’t lose to a competitor. They lost to competition — and they didn’t even know what it was.
This blog is your tactical, guide to coaching sales reps on the Competition component of MEDDPICC.
Written with the knowledge from our expert sales coach Nigel Arthur, you’ll learn how to:
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Identify what the real competition is (spoiler: it’s not always another vendor).
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Coach reps to ask better questions early and often.
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Reframe competitive conversations to differentiate without going negative.
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Win against status quo, budget shifts, and buying committees.
This post is part of our Mastering MEDDPICC series—a tactical, zero-fluff guide to turning qualification into second nature for your sales team. If you’re looking to build a MEDDPICC process reps actually follow (and your CRM doesn’t ignore), check out our intro guide. It walks through what each letter means, why this framework drives results in complex B2B deals, and how to embed it into your sales motion for good.
What is Competition in MEDDPICC?
In MEDDPICC, Competition refers to anything that could prevent your deal from closing—not just rival vendors. It includes internal priorities, existing solutions, political blockers, and even doing nothing. Great sellers uncover all threats early, then differentiate based on value, urgency, and business impact.
Rethink the Battlefield: Competition Isn’t Always a Vendor
Too many reps define competition narrowly. If they’re not being compared to another supplier, they assume there is no competition.
Coach your reps to broaden their lens.
The real competitor might be a hiring plan, a new initiative, or a stronger business case for another department.
If your rep doesn’t know what else is competing for budget, they’re flying blind.
“We often forget to ask where the project sits in the business’ list of priorities. You could lose budget to HR, not a vendor.” — Nigel Arthur
Things to Do:
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Ask questions like: “What else is the business prioritising this quarter?”
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Map non-vendor competition: internal projects, resources, people.
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Reframe the competitive landscape to include all alternative paths.
Questions to Ask:
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“What other ways could you solve this?”
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“Is there anything else that might take priority over this project?”
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“What happens if this doesn’t get done now?”
Compete Without Going Negative
Reps fear bringing up competition because they don’t want to sound desperate or unprofessional. But ignoring the topic is worse. When done right, talking about competitors can actually build trust.
Coach your team to handle it like a pro: stay curious, never trash-talk, and always pivot back to what matters most to the buyer.
“Challenge assumptions without ego. It shows confidence in your solution and respect for theirs.” — Nigel Arthur
Things to Do:
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Use phrases like: “Other teams using [competitor] tell us… How’s that been for you?”
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Personalise battlecards based on what this buyer values most.
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Stay focused on solving their problem, not proving yours is better.
Questions to Ask:
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“Have you used something like this before? How did it go?”
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“What matters most in making the right choice here?”
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“What would a win look like six months from now?”
Win Against the Status Quo
The most dangerous competitor? Doing nothing.
No procurement process. No objections. Just a slow fade into indecision.
Coach reps to sell against inertia by raising the cost of inaction. Use implicating pain to make the stakes of doing nothing feel real—and urgent.
“Inaction isn’t neutral. It’s a decision to live with the problem. That’s how you have to frame it.” — Nigel Arthur
Things to Do:
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Link current pain to near-term business impact.
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Use success metrics: revenue, risk, attrition, growth.
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Paint the risk of delay in buyer’s own terms.
Questions to Ask:
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“What if this problem still exists in six months?”
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“How would your team be affected if nothing changes?”
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“What’s the cost of not solving this now?”
Don’t Obsess Over Features: Differentiate on Value
Reps often fall into the feature trap. But deals aren’t won on features—they’re won on trust, clarity, and alignment with business goals.
Coach your team to differentiate the solution and themselves.
The way they run the process, ask questions, and share insight matters as much as the product.
“Differentiate early and often—not just what you sell, but how you sell.” — Nigel Arthur
Things to Do:
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Coach reps to be strategic advisors, not just vendors.
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Highlight onboarding, support, and long-term alignment.
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Use discovery to influence how the buyer frames their decision.
Questions to Ask:
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“What does a successful rollout look like for you?”
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“What support would help your team get value quickly?”
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“How do you want this solution to show up in your business?”
Conclusion: The Real Competition Is Uncertainty
If your reps can’t name the competition, they probably don’t know the deal.
And that makes it nearly impossible to win.
Great sales coaches push reps to dig deeper, ask broader questions, and reframe how they think about risk and alternatives. Because when you help your team identify the real threats, you empower them to navigate past them.
Coach the competition early, often, and holistically—and your reps will stop losing to deals they never saw coming.
Turn MEDDPICC into your team’s competitive advantage
Our hands-on MEDDPICC learning path equips your reps to master the framework, uncover hidden decision drivers, and apply it directly to live deals in your pipeline—so you close more, faster.
Book a call with our team to find out more.
Competition in sales (MEDDPICC) - Frequently Asked Questions
How do I find out who we’re competing against?
Buyers might say, “We’re not looking at anyone else,” but that rarely means there’s no competition.
As Nigel puts it:
“You could lose to HR, not a vendor.”
Coach reps to ask open-endedly:
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“What other options are being considered?”
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“What happens if you don’t move forward?”
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“What else is being prioritised across the business?”
Help them broaden their lens so they’re not blindsided by hidden projects or political distractions.
What if the competition is the status quo?
Doing nothing is often your biggest threat. The deal doesn’t fall apart — it just fades out.
Coach reps to highlight the cost of inaction. As Nigel says, “Inaction isn’t neutral. It’s a decision to live with the problem.”
Use questions like:
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“What’s the impact if this goes unsolved for another 6 months?”
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“How does this affect revenue, growth, or team performance?”
How do I compete when we’re not the cheapest?
You don’t win deals by being the cheapest — you win them by being the clearest on value.
Coach reps to link their solution to outcomes that matter:
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Speed of implementation
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Risk mitigation
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Long-term ROI
Then frame it with confidence: “Let’s talk about what success looks like — and how we get there faster than anyone else.”
How do I beat a strong incumbent?
Start by understanding why the incumbent is still there. Is it habit? Price? Trust?
Coach reps to ask:
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“What’s working well with your current provider?”
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“What would you improve if you could?”
Then help them reframe:
“Others who moved from [vendor] often told us they struggled with [specific pain]. Have you experienced that?”
How do I talk about competitors without sounding negative?
Going negative too soon makes reps sound insecure. But silence isn’t the answer either.
Nigel frames it like this:
“It’s not about pretending your competitors don’t exist — it’s about being so confident in your value that you don’t need to tear theirs down.”
Coach reps to:
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Stay curious: “How has [competitor] worked out for you so far?”
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Share observations: “Some teams say they struggle with onboarding there—has that been your experience?”
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Always pivot back to the buyer’s goals, not your product’s features.
What else might compete with us for budget?
The most dangerous competition is often internal — new hires, a compliance project, a shift in executive priorities.
Reps should ask:
“What else is being considered at exec level?”
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“Are there other departments pitching for this same budget?”
And if the Champion disappears, they need to have mapped the full landscape.
How do I know if we’re really in the running for this deal?
If your rep doesn’t know who the other players are — or what needs to happen next — they’re not really in the deal. They’re just watching from the sidelines.
Nigel challenges reps to stay sharp:
“If you can’t tell me what we’re up against, you’re not selling—you’re hoping.”
Coach reps to test the water:
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“What criteria will drive the final decision?”
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“What does a successful outcome look like for your team?”
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“Who else needs to believe in this for it to move forward?”
What questions should I ask early to uncover competition?
Reps wait too long to talk about competition — and by the time they do, it’s baked in.
Nigel suggests front-footing the conversation, not tiptoeing around it:
“If you don’t ask what else they’re considering, someone else will define the comparison — and it won’t be in your favour.”
Coach reps to open up the discussion with:
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“What other solutions are on the table?”
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“Is there a plan B if this doesn’t happen now?”
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“What else is fighting for attention or investment internally?”
