If you’re running a competitive intelligence (CI) program, you know the drill: research, build battlecards, send updates, repeat. But at some point, someone’s going to ask, “So, is this actually working?” That’s when you need to measure your impact—and not just to justify your existence. You want to know what’s landing, what’s ignored, and how to actually move the needle.
This guide is for CI leads, product marketers, and anyone who’s tired of guessing whether their competitive work is making a difference. We’ll dig into how to really use Klue analytics—not just check off boxes, but get answers you can act on.
Step 1: Know What Impact Actually Means
Before you start tracking numbers, get clear about what “impact” looks like for your CI program. Here’s the uncomfortable truth: flashy dashboards won’t save you if you’re not focused on the right questions.
Ask yourself: - Are you trying to help sales win more head-to-head deals? - Do you want to make sure product doesn’t get blindsided by new features from competitors? - Or are you just trying to keep execs from being surprised at the next board meeting?
Common, measurable goals: - More (and better) use of battlecards by sales - Faster ramp-up for new reps and PMs - Fewer “we lost because we didn’t know” post-mortems - Less time wasted chasing rumors
Write down what matters to your team before you look at any analytics. Otherwise, you’ll get distracted by vanity metrics.
Step 2: Set Up Klue Analytics the Right Way
Klue’s analytics are only as good as your setup. If your workspace is a mess, your reports will be too. Don’t skip this step.
Clean up your content
- Tag your assets: Make sure your battlecards, competitor profiles, and updates are tagged consistently. If you’ve got three tags for “Gong” (e.g. “Gong,” “gong.io,” “GONG”), merge them. Garbage in, garbage out.
- Archive stale content: If you haven’t updated a battlecard in six months and nobody’s looked at it, archive it. Out-of-date info poisons trust.
Map your users
- Who needs insights? Make sure your salespeople, PMs, and execs have the right access. If everyone’s logging in as “Sales Team,” you’ll never know who’s actually using your stuff.
Set up notifications (sparingly)
- Klue can send alerts when key content changes or competitors are mentioned. Don’t overdo it. Flooding inboxes means everyone tunes you out.
Pro tip: Audit your setup every quarter. New competitors pop up, people change roles, and your content will get stale faster than you think.
Step 3: Track Usage Metrics That Actually Matter
Now you’re ready to look at numbers. Klue spits out plenty of metrics, but not all of them are useful.
Focus on these:
- Battlecard views: Are people actually opening the resources you make? Look for trends over time, not just spikes.
- Top users: Who’s using your intel the most? If it’s just the same two folks, you’ve got a coverage problem.
- Team adoption: Which teams or roles use your CI tools? If marketing loves it but sales ignores it, you’ve got a disconnect.
- Engagement by competitor: Which competitors get the most attention? If your main threat is barely being viewed, that’s a red flag.
What to ignore:
- Total logins: Someone logging in doesn’t mean they’re getting value. It could just mean they forgot their password again.
- Page refreshes: Same idea—refreshing a tab isn’t insight.
Reality check: High usage doesn’t always mean high value. Sometimes people look at a battlecard because they’re confused. Combine metrics with real feedback.
Step 4: Connect CI Efforts to Real Business Outcomes
This is where most CI programs fall down. You convinced yourself that more clicks equals more wins. It doesn’t. Here’s how to go from activity to actual impact.
Tie usage to sales performance
- Win/loss analysis: Compare usage data with win rates. Did deals where the rep used your battlecard close at a higher rate? If not, ask why.
- Sales cycle time: Are deals against key competitors closing faster when your content is used?
- “We didn’t know” losses: Track “lost due to competitive gaps” before and after rolling out new intel.
Get feedback from the field
- Surveys: Short, specific, and anonymous works best. Ask, “Did this battlecard help you?” and “What’s missing?”
- Anecdotes count: Yes, they’re not data—but if your best rep says your stuff saved a deal, write it down.
Report what matters, not everything
- If you can only show one chart, pick the one that connects your work to revenue or time saved.
- Don’t drown execs in vanity stats. One strong story beats a dozen weak ones.
Step 5: Use Klue Analytics to Spot Gaps and Double Down on What Works
Now that you’ve got your baseline, use Klue for what it’s actually good at: showing you where you’re hitting and where you’re missing.
Look for patterns
- Battlecards nobody uses: Time to update, promote, or delete.
- Most-used competitors: Double down on updating those cards often.
- Drop-offs: If usage tanked after a certain date, did something change? Did a big competitor get acquired or did you just forget to send an update?
Experiment and iterate
- A/B test content: Try different formats or messaging. Did usage or win rates change?
- Update frequency: Sometimes just reminding people your stuff exists can spike usage. But don’t spam—quality over quantity.
Don’t chase every metric
- New features and shiny dashboards will keep popping up. Don’t get distracted. Stick to the basics: Are you helping your company win, save time, and avoid surprises?
Step 6: Share Results and Keep the Loop Tight
All this tracking is pointless if you keep it to yourself or send out novel-length reports nobody reads.
Share what matters, in plain English
- “Since launching X battlecard, deals against Y competitor closed 15% faster.”
- “This month, 80% of new reps used our onboarding intel, and ramp time dropped by a week.”
Close the loop
- Ask for feedback every quarter: “What intel helped you win? What’s missing?”
- Show you’re listening: If you update a battlecard based on someone’s suggestion, call them out (with their permission).
Keep it simple
- One-pagers beat decks. Charts beat tables. Stories beat stats.
The Bottom Line: Iterate, Don’t Overthink
Measuring the impact of your CI program with Klue isn’t about chasing perfect data. It’s about getting a clear sense of what’s working, fixing what’s not, and making sure your work isn’t just noise.
Start with the basics, keep your setup clean, focus on the numbers that matter, and always connect your efforts to real business outcomes. And don’t be afraid to toss what doesn’t work. CI isn’t about looking busy—it’s about making your company harder to beat.