What's so important about quantifying these trifles is that they are not additive; they multiply. Thus, if the leader has a 2% advantage on six important elements of the marketing mix, the leader has a 64% advantage (2x2x2x2x2x2 = 64), not 12% (2+2+2+2+2+2 = 12).
Here's the exercise.
What are your features, advantages and benefits in relation to each of your competitors? What disadvantages do you have in relation to each of your competitors?
What human benefits (beyond just your product and service) does your company provide that seemingly nobody else does? Do you have a fantastic customer list that will give prospects a feeling of security? Can you show them that you'll personally save them time and hassles?
Where are you weak? If you sold against yourself, where would you find your Achilles' heel? What can you proactively say that would offset such a negative before your competitor even brings it up? (Remember how Avis used to "work harder?" They had to…they were smaller than Hertz.)
This is really important.
Most people are very comfortable with creating marketing and sales pitches
based on positives. Flanking the negatives takes a little more effort
but is worth doing.