Essential Work Samples for Evaluating AI-Powered Sales Competitive Intelligence Skills

In today's hyper-competitive sales landscape, having strong competitive intelligence capabilities can be the difference between winning and losing deals. As artificial intelligence tools become increasingly sophisticated, sales organizations are seeking professionals who can leverage AI to gather, analyze, and operationalize competitive intelligence at scale. These specialists combine deep sales knowledge with technical AI tool proficiency and strategic thinking to give sales teams the competitive edge they need.

Evaluating candidates for AI-driven competitive intelligence roles presents unique challenges. Traditional interviews often fail to reveal a candidate's actual ability to use AI tools effectively, analyze competitive information critically, and translate findings into actionable sales strategies. Without proper assessment, companies risk hiring individuals who understand competitive intelligence theory but struggle to deliver practical value in real-world sales scenarios.

Work samples and role plays provide a window into how candidates actually approach competitive intelligence tasks using AI tools. They reveal not just technical proficiency, but also critical thinking skills, strategic mindset, and the ability to communicate complex competitive insights in ways that empower sales teams. These practical exercises help identify candidates who can truly drive competitive advantage rather than those who merely talk about it.

The following four activities are designed to comprehensively evaluate a candidate's ability to leverage AI for sales competitive intelligence. From tactical tool usage to strategic planning and communication, these exercises will help you identify candidates who can transform your competitive intelligence capabilities and directly impact sales success.

Activity #1: AI-Powered Competitive Analysis

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to use AI tools to gather and analyze competitive intelligence about a specific competitor. It tests their research skills, tool proficiency, critical thinking, and ability to identify the most relevant competitive insights for sales conversations.

Directions for the Company:

• Select a real competitor in your market that sales teams frequently encounter.
• Provide the candidate with access to AI research tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or specialized competitive intelligence platforms your company uses.
• Create a brief that includes: the competitor's name, their primary products/services, and 2-3 specific questions sales teams commonly need answered about this competitor.
• Allow 45-60 minutes for this exercise.
• Prepare a sample of what an excellent response might include (for your reference only).

Directions for the Candidate:

• Using the AI tools provided, research the specified competitor to answer the questions in the brief.
• Create a one-page competitive analysis document that includes:
• Key strengths and weaknesses of the competitor's offering
• Primary differentiation points between your solution and theirs
• Recommended talking points for sales conversations
• Be prepared to explain your research methodology, including how you used AI tools to gather and validate information.
• Include citations or sources for key claims where possible.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After reviewing the analysis, provide feedback on one strength (e.g., "Your identification of their pricing model weaknesses was particularly insightful") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The competitive differentiation points could be more specific to our target market").
• Give the candidate 10 minutes to revise the section needing improvement based on your feedback.
• Observe how receptive they are to feedback and their ability to quickly incorporate it into their work.

Activity #2: AI-Enhanced Battlecard Creation

This exercise tests the candidate's ability to translate competitive intelligence into practical sales enablement materials. It evaluates their understanding of what information sales reps need most, their ability to structure information effectively, and their skill in using AI to generate compelling competitive positioning.

Directions for the Company:

• Select a competitor for which you need a battlecard.
• Provide the candidate with:
• Basic information about your product/service
• Access to AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or specialized competitive intelligence platforms
• A template or example of your company's battlecard format (if available)
• Allow 60 minutes for this exercise.
• Prepare evaluation criteria focusing on practicality, accuracy, and sales usefulness.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Create a one-page sales battlecard for the specified competitor using AI tools to help gather and refine information.
• Your battlecard should include:
• Competitor overview (1-2 sentences)
• Key competitive advantages (your product vs. theirs)
• Common objections and recommended responses
• Competitive landmines (questions to ask that highlight competitor weaknesses)
• Win/loss insights (if available from provided materials)
• Focus on making the battlecard actionable for sales conversations.
• Be prepared to explain how you used AI to enhance the quality and accuracy of the battlecard.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide specific feedback on one strength (e.g., "The objection handling section provides very practical responses") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The competitive advantages could be more clearly tied to customer pain points").
• Give the candidate 15 minutes to revise the section needing improvement.
• Ask them to explain their revision process and how they would use AI tools to continuously improve battlecards over time.

Activity #3: Competitive Intelligence Program Planning

This strategic exercise evaluates the candidate's ability to design a comprehensive AI-powered competitive intelligence program. It tests their understanding of program structure, stakeholder needs, and how to systematically leverage AI for ongoing competitive advantage.

Directions for the Company:

• Provide context about your current competitive intelligence capabilities and challenges.
• Share information about your sales team structure, key competitors, and strategic priorities.
• Allow 60-75 minutes for this exercise.
• Prepare questions to probe the candidate's thinking about program design, AI tool selection, and success metrics.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Develop a 90-day plan for implementing or enhancing an AI-powered competitive intelligence program for the sales organization.
• Your plan should include:
• Program objectives and success metrics
• Key AI tools and data sources you would leverage
• Process for gathering, validating, and distributing competitive intelligence
• Roles and responsibilities (who does what)
• Timeline with key milestones
• Budget considerations and resource requirements
• Create a simple slide deck (5-7 slides) outlining your plan.
• Be prepared to present and defend your recommendations.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the presentation, provide feedback on one strength (e.g., "Your phased approach to implementation is very practical") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The success metrics could be more directly tied to sales outcomes").
• Ask the candidate to revise their success metrics section based on your feedback.
• Evaluate their ability to think strategically about program design while incorporating practical feedback.

Activity #4: Competitive Intelligence Briefing Role Play

This role play evaluates the candidate's ability to effectively communicate competitive intelligence to sales teams and answer questions in real time. It tests their presentation skills, depth of competitive knowledge, and ability to translate complex information into actionable sales guidance.

Directions for the Company:

• Select a real competitor that your sales team frequently encounters.
• Provide the candidate with:
• Basic information about the competitor
• Access to AI research tools
• 30 minutes of preparation time
• Assemble 2-3 people to play the role of sales representatives.
• Prepare challenging questions that sales reps might ask about the competitor.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Using AI tools and the information provided, prepare a 10-minute competitive intelligence briefing on the specified competitor.
• Your briefing should include:
• Recent competitor developments (product updates, pricing changes, etc.)
• Competitive positioning (how to position against this competitor)
• Key strengths and weaknesses
• Recommended sales tactics and talking points
• After your presentation, be prepared to answer questions from the "sales team" for 15 minutes.
• Focus on providing practical, actionable guidance rather than just information.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the role play, provide feedback on one strength (e.g., "Your handling of the pricing objection question was excellent") and one area for improvement (e.g., "The competitive positioning could be more clearly tied to specific customer segments").
• Give the candidate 5 minutes to revise and re-deliver the section that needs improvement.
• Evaluate their ability to incorporate feedback and improve their communication on the fly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much information should we provide candidates before these exercises?

Provide enough context about your company, products, and competitors for candidates to be successful, but not so much that you're doing the work for them. The goal is to evaluate their research skills and ability to use AI tools effectively. A good approach is to provide basic information (company overview, product highlights) and let them demonstrate their ability to find and analyze the rest.

Should we allow candidates to use their preferred AI tools or only the ones our company uses?

If possible, allow candidates to use tools they're familiar with for initial exercises, as this shows their current capabilities. However, include at least one exercise using your company's specific tools to assess adaptability. The ability to learn new AI tools quickly is often more important than expertise with a particular platform.

How do we evaluate the accuracy of competitive information in these exercises?

Compare the candidate's findings against your own competitive intelligence. However, remember that the exercise is primarily about process and analysis rather than having every fact perfect. Look for sound methodology, critical thinking about sources, and appropriate use of AI to validate information rather than perfect accuracy.

What if our company doesn't currently use AI tools for competitive intelligence?

These exercises are still valuable. Allow candidates to use publicly available AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude. Their approach will show you how AI could enhance your competitive intelligence efforts and help you identify candidates who can lead this transformation. Focus evaluation on their strategic thinking and how they envision AI improving your competitive position.

How should we weight technical AI skills versus competitive analysis skills in our evaluation?

The ideal balance depends on your specific needs, but generally, prioritize analytical thinking and strategic insight over technical proficiency. AI tools change rapidly, and candidates can learn specific platforms, but critical thinking about competition and the ability to translate insights into sales action are harder to teach. Look for candidates who use AI as a means to an end rather than those who are technically proficient but lack strategic perspective.

Can these exercises be conducted remotely?

Yes, all of these exercises can be adapted for remote settings using video conferencing and collaborative tools. For the role play, ensure participants have their cameras on to evaluate communication effectiveness. Consider extending time limits slightly for remote exercises to account for potential technical issues.

In today's AI-driven sales environment, competitive intelligence professionals must combine technical proficiency, strategic thinking, and practical sales knowledge. These work samples will help you identify candidates who can truly leverage AI to create competitive advantage rather than those who simply understand the theory. By evaluating candidates through these practical exercises, you'll build a competitive intelligence function that directly impacts sales success and drives revenue growth.

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