Market · Focus area
Win/Loss Analysis
Why did recent evaluators buy from us, or not?
Win/loss analysis is the process of understanding why recent evaluators did or didn’t buy from you. It helps you identify your real competitors, see how buyers judge your pricing and features, and understand how they make decisions.
Win/Loss AnalysisMarket category
What is win/loss analysis?
A win/loss analysis is an objective assessment of buyers’ experiences with your product, marketing and sales processes. It shows why a buyer did or did not purchase your product, and it gives you detail about your customers, your competitors and where to adjust your sales approach or improve the product.
It also shows how well sales and marketing are working, because the feedback comes from the people who just went through your buying process.
In the 2027 edition of the Pragmatic Framework, Win/Loss Analysis moved below the bar. Focus areas above the bar center on the market, and focus areas below it center on the product.
Step by step
How to conduct a win/loss analysis
Identify recent wins and losses
Start with won and lost evaluators for the product you want to investigate, including prospects who became customers and leads who decided not to buy.
Have someone outside sales run the interviews
Evaluators give more honest feedback when the interviewer isn’t from sales. Interview them two to four weeks after their decision.
Look for patterns across deals
Win/loss analysis needs a methodical approach. Repeat the process across at least 10 deals to find the patterns behind why you win and lose.
In the Framework
Where Win/Loss Analysis fits
Win/Loss Analysis sits in the Market category, alongside Market Problems, Product Strategy, Distinctive Competencies and Competitive Landscape.
Market category
What problems does the market have, and where can we win?
To build products your market wants to buy, you first need to understand the market’s problems, needs and desired outcomes. Market work starts outside the building: talking with buyers, users and people who chose not to buy, studying the alternatives they use today, and naming what your organization does better than anyone else.
- Market Problems
- Product Strategy
- Distinctive Competencies
- Win/Loss Analysis
- Competitive Landscape
Free guide
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The Product Professionals' Guide to the Pragmatic Framework, 2027 edition, walks through all 37 focus areas in 7 categories, the question each one answers and what changed in the first major update to the Framework.
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