Rules for every competitive conversation

1. Let them name it. Do not raise a competitor first; once they name one, answering directly is fine. Never name competitors in marketing, emails, decks or proposals.
2. Credit them first, and mean it.
3. Ask, don't claim. Landmines are questions, never accusations, and never one Maktura cannot answer itself.
4. GREEN only. If it is not GREEN in Proof and guardrails, it is not in your mouth.
5. No disparagement. Never call a rival illegal, unsafe, dying or "about to be banned". Never repeat second-hand figures or their internal numbers.
6. Nothing comparative in writing. Comparative advertising must be objective and verifiable (CAP Code; 2008 business marketing regulations). A table in an email is an advert.
7. Prices are dated: "Their list price as published on 14 October."
8. Never discount to beat a competitor: "The product is the product. It costs what it costs." Non-price concessions only, from the give-get table in Commercial answers.
9. The engagement data rule. Say "see who's engaging with your posts, and reply from one place" and "know who to talk to first". Never call engagers leads, prospects or candidates, never promise CRM export, never offer to track who engages with a competitor's posts, never say "official APIs only" or "we never scrape". Asked where engagement data comes from:

Say

"Publishing runs through LinkedIn's own connection: we don't ask for your password and we don't hold one. On the engagement side, I'll get you a written answer from our legal team rather than paraphrase it, because your compliance people will want it exactly right."

10. Log it. Record every competitor named, what was said and the outcome in the sales log (the CRM once one exists). That log refreshes these cards.