AI Agent Recipe

Compete Outbound Play

Turn competitor data and buying signals into an outbound motion your reps can run at scale.

Agents used

What this recipe gets you

Solves for high-value accounts that go uncontested because teams lack the signals and context to pursue them.

MARKET SHARE
Pursue every competitor account

Accounts using a competitor are surfaced automatically, so your team can act on more competitive opportunities. 

DIFFERENTIATION
Build a case that actually lands

Each message ties your differentiation to what the account is focused on right now, so the pitch reads as relevant and timely. 

PRODUCTIVITY
Make competitive selling scalable

Research and outreach follow the same process every time, so reps can run compete plays without extra prep work.

How it works

Outreach connects to the CRM and tools your team already uses, then layers on AI agents that handle the manual work a rep would otherwise do. Here's the full path, from the initial competitor signal to a research-backed message ready to send.

Accounts are surfaced via CRM data, third-party intent, and buying signals.

It sources and enrolls key contacts into the right sequence for tailored engagement.

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It identifies focus areas, priorities, and recent news to ground the pitch in what the prospect cares about right now.

It builds a compelling case for evaluating your solution, connecting your differentiation to current challenges.

Targeted, compelling messaging goes out automatically or queues for review before sending.

See the recipe in action

Book time to see your AI agent recipes in action and explore how they can help your team drive predictable revenue with Outreach.

Configuring your agents is easy

In Outreach, you set up an agent once using plain-language instructions. No code required. You tell it what to look for and what to produce. Here's how the agents in this recipe work together: one collects the insights, the other turns that context into a persuasive message.

FAQ

How do you identify which companies use our competitors?

The Research Agent cross-references multiple sources: G2 reviews and companies, LinkedIn job titles/skills, website footer tools (via tool-detection services), and public mentions. It also monitors for new competitor deployments via job postings ("looking for X to support our new Y tool").

What's the best timing for competitive displacement outreach?

Research shows the highest receptivity is in the first 90 days after a competitor implementation (while teams are evaluating fit and frustrations are highest). This recipe triggers based on these signals and reaches out at the optimal moment.

Should I criticize the competitor or focus on our strengths?

Focus on your strengths. Criticizing competitors comes off as defensive and damages credibility. Instead, frame it as: "We know you chose [Competitor]. Here's what we do differently..." This positions you as confident and customer-centric.

Who should I target in a competitor account?

The recipe recommends the person with the most visibility into competitor usage (often the buyer or their manager) plus at least one peer user. This gives you both strategic and tactical entry points.

What's a realistic conversion rate for displacement?

Displacement is harder than net-new selling: 2-4% conversion is typical, compared to 5-10% for net-new. But the upside is huge—these accounts already understand the category and know they need it. They're just evaluating options.

How should I handle the "we're locked into a contract" objection?

This is common. The recipe suggests two approaches: (1) offer a proof-of-value or pilot that runs parallel to their current tool, or (2) identify the contract end date and reach out 60 days before renewal with a competitive alternative.

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