You can end the battle before it starts. All you need is a Google Doc and some research.
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LivePlan

October 2025 

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How to outperform your rivals?

 

A strong competitive analysis.

 

As a small business owner, your competition is everything. And knowing what they're up to can help you define your strategy... But only if you take the time to make sense of the playing field.

 

A strong competitive analysis is about more than uncovering who your direct and indirect competitors are. It means documenting what these competitors are doing well, where they fall short, and where they leave room for you to outshine them.

 

It's a formal but straightforward process you can create in a Google or Microsoft Word document. Write out your competitors and compare their:

  • Product or service offerings
  • Pricing
  • Messaging
  • Marketing channels
  • Customer experience

Use that information to position your business against others. Does the quality of your product give you a competitive advantage? Maybe you offer a similar experience, but at a lower cost? Just make sure you work from good research — competitor websites, customer reviews, even shopping from the competitor yourself — to determine how you'll want to stand out.

 

Need help seeing exactly how this works? Watch the video above showing a real example of competitive analysis, including how to build the framework, research your competition, and decide what differentiates you in the market.

Out-Plan Your Competitors

Effective Plans From the Ground Up

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The One-Page Business Plan

 

You wouldn't write a 40-page business plan just to brainstorm an idea, and neither would we. But a one page plan can do wonders for your preparation. Get our free one-page business plan template to boil your idea down to the 12 key aspects that give you a working plan for growth. 

Write Your Plan in 30 Minutes →

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Full Business Plan Template

 

Ready to write your full business plan, but not sure where to start? Make our free business plan template your first step. It walks you through creating each section of your business plan in a format that's recognizable to lenders or investors. Download it as Google Doc, Word document or PDF when it's ready to share.

 

Get the Business Plan Template →

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LivePlan Downloads Gallery

 

We've got two dozen free templates, checklists and eBooks to help you plan, start, and grow your business. They cover common challenges like writing a business plan or creating forecasts, plus recent additions to our template library, like AI prompts for business planning.

View our Free Resource Library →

Ask Questions and Get Funded

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Leave competitors behind

 

You can't eliminate your competition, but you can plan better than them. Learn our five-step strategy for monthly plan reviews that are bound to give you a leg up on competitors.

Grow Faster Than the Pack →

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Who's fighting for your sale?

 

Just as important as outperforming your competition is understanding exactly who they are. Competition can come from unexpected places. Read our time-tested process for identifying and staying up to date on your competition.

Know Who You're Dealing With →

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Options for fundraising

 

Looking for funding for your startup or small business? We explore 40 different funding avenues, from traditional loans and grants to fintech options, crowdfunding, venture capital, and other options.

Explore Funding Sources →

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How big is your market?

 

Learn why understanding your Total Addressable Market, Serviceable Available Market, and Service Obtainable Market is essential for a well-thought-out business plan, especially when seeking investment.

Focus Your Market →

Plan to Beat the Competition

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