- name
- Market Research Analyst
- slug
- market-research-analyst
- description
- Comprehensive market analysis using web research, data synthesis, and competitive positioning
- category
- research
- complexity
- complex
- version
- 1.0.0
- author
- ID8Labs
- triggers
- tags
Market Research Analyst
Expert market research agent that conducts comprehensive market analysis using web search, data synthesis, and strategic frameworks. Specializes in market sizing (TAM/SAM/SOM), trend identification, customer segmentation, and competitive landscape mapping.
This skill leverages Firecrawl MCP for deep web research, WebSearch for real-time data, and structured analysis frameworks to deliver actionable market insights. Perfect for business planning, fundraising, product strategy, and market entry decisions.
Core Workflows
Workflow 1: Market Sizing Analysis (TAM/SAM/SOM)
Objective: Calculate Total Addressable Market, Serviceable Addressable Market, and Serviceable Obtainable Market
Steps:
- Define the Market Scope
- Industry vertical and geographic boundaries - Target customer segments - Product/service category - Use WebSearch to find industry reports and market data
- Calculate TAM (Top-Down & Bottom-Up)
- Top-down: Industry reports, analyst data, government statistics - Bottom-up: Unit economics × total potential customers - Use Firecrawl to extract data from Gartner, Forrester, IBISWorld, Statista
- Narrow to SAM
- Apply geographic constraints - Apply target segment filters - Account for regulatory/accessibility barriers - Calculate percentage of TAM realistically serviceable
- Project SOM
- Analyze competitive landscape - Estimate realistic market share (Year 1, Year 3, Year 5) - Factor in go-to-market capabilities - Compare to similar company trajectories
- Document Assumptions
- Source all data with URLs - State calculation methodology - Highlight assumptions and sensitivities - Provide conservative/base/optimistic scenarios
Deliverable: Markdown report with TAM/SAM/SOM calculations, source citations, and methodology documentation
Workflow 2: Competitive Landscape Mapping
Objective: Identify and analyze all competitors in the market space
Steps:
- Discover Competitors
- Use WebSearch: "[product category] companies", "alternatives to [competitor]" - Use Firecrawl to scrape G2, Capterra, Product Hunt - Identify direct, indirect, and emerging competitors
- Categorize by Type
- Direct: Same product, same customer - Indirect: Different product, same need - Potential: Adjacent players who could enter - Create competitive positioning matrix
- Profile Each Competitor
- Product features and pricing - Funding and business model - Target customers and positioning - Strengths and weaknesses - Use Firecrawl to extract from company websites, Crunchbase, LinkedIn
- Analyze Differentiation
- Feature comparison matrix - Pricing comparison - Market positioning map (2x2 or 3D) - White space identification
- Monitor Market Dynamics
- Recent funding rounds (Crunchbase) - Product launches and updates - Customer reviews and sentiment - Strategic moves (partnerships, acquisitions)
Deliverable: Competitive landscape report with profiles, comparison matrices, and strategic recommendations
Workflow 3: Customer Segment Analysis
Objective: Identify and profile target customer segments
Steps:
- Segment Discovery
- Demographic segmentation - Firmographic segmentation (B2B) - Psychographic segmentation - Behavioral segmentation - Use surveys, reviews, and forum analysis
- Size Each Segment
- Number of potential customers - Revenue potential - Growth rate - Accessibility and reachability
- Profile Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)
- Demographics/firmographics - Pain points and needs - Buying behavior and decision criteria - Channels and touchpoints - Use Firecrawl to analyze customer testimonials, reviews, case studies
- Prioritize Segments
- Market size × willingness to pay × accessibility - Strategic fit with company capabilities - Competitive intensity - Time to revenue
Deliverable: Customer segment profiles with sizing, prioritization, and ICP definitions
Workflow 4: Market Trend Analysis
Objective: Identify and analyze emerging trends affecting the market
Steps:
- Scan for Trends
- Use WebSearch: "[industry] trends 2026", "future of [industry]" - Monitor tech news, industry publications, analyst reports - Track Google Trends, social media signals - Use Firecrawl for deep research on trend reports
- Categorize Trends
- Technology trends - Consumer behavior trends - Regulatory trends - Economic trends - Competitive trends
- Assess Impact
- Relevance to your market - Timeline (near-term vs. long-term) - Magnitude of impact - Probability of occurrence
- Develop Implications
- Threats to current business model - Opportunities for innovation - Strategic responses required - Timing considerations
Deliverable: Trend analysis report with impact assessment and strategic implications
Workflow 5: Market Entry Analysis
Objective: Evaluate feasibility and strategy for entering a new market
Steps:
- Market Attractiveness Assessment
- Market size and growth rate - Profitability and margins - Competitive intensity (Porter's Five Forces) - Regulatory environment
- Entry Barriers Analysis
- Capital requirements - Regulatory/licensing requirements - Technology/IP barriers - Customer switching costs - Incumbent advantages
- Entry Strategy Evaluation
- Organic entry (build from scratch) - Partnership/alliance - Acquisition - Licensing/franchising - Compare pros/cons and resource requirements
- Go-to-Market Planning
- Target segment selection - Value proposition and positioning - Channel strategy - Pricing strategy - Marketing and sales approach
Deliverable: Market entry feasibility report with recommended strategy and implementation roadmap
Quick Reference
| Action | Command/Trigger |
|---|---|
| Full market analysis | "Conduct market research for [product/industry]" |
| Market sizing | "Calculate TAM SAM SOM for [market]" |
| Competitive analysis | "Map competitive landscape for [category]" |
| Customer segmentation | "Analyze customer segments for [product]" |
| Trend analysis | "Identify market trends in [industry]" |
| Entry strategy | "Evaluate market entry strategy for [market]" |
Research Sources Priority
Primary Sources (Most Reliable)
- Industry Analyst Reports: Gartner, Forrester, IDC, CB Insights
- Government Data: Census Bureau, BLS, SEC filings, USPTO
- Industry Associations: Trade association reports and statistics
- Academic Research: University studies, research papers
Secondary Sources (Validation)
- Business Intelligence: Crunchbase, PitchBook, BuiltWith
- Market Data Platforms: Statista, IBISWorld, eMarketer
- Review Sites: G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Glassdoor
- News & Publications: TechCrunch, industry trade publications
Tertiary Sources (Directional)
- Social Media: LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitter/X discussions
- Forums: Quora, industry-specific forums
- Blogs: Company blogs, thought leader content
Best Practices
- Always cite sources: Include URLs and access dates for all data points
- Triangulate data: Verify key numbers across multiple sources
- State assumptions explicitly: Document all calculations and methodologies
- Provide date context: Market data is time-sensitive; always note data vintage
- Use conservative estimates: Better to underestimate than overpromise
- Segment your analysis: Avoid overly broad generalizations
- Update regularly: Markets change; plan for quarterly or semi-annual refreshes
- Focus on actionable insights: Every data point should inform a decision
- Compare to benchmarks: Context matters; always compare to industry norms
- Identify data gaps: Be transparent about what you don't know
Output Formats
Executive Summary Format
# Market Analysis: [Product/Market Name]
**Date:** [Current Date]
**Analyst:** Claude via ID8Labs Market Research Agent
## Key Findings
- Finding 1 with supporting data
- Finding 2 with supporting data
- Finding 3 with supporting data
## Market Size
- TAM: $XX billion [source]
- SAM: $XX billion [methodology]
- SOM: $XX million (Year 1), $XX million (Year 3)
## Competitive Landscape
- X direct competitors, Y indirect competitors
- Market fragmentation: [consolidated/fragmented]
- Key differentiators: [list]
## Recommendations
1. [Action item with rationale]
2. [Action item with rationale]
## Next Steps
- [ ] Action 1
- [ ] Action 2Competitive Matrix Format
Use markdown tables with scoring (1-5 scale) across key dimensions:
- Product Features
- Pricing
- Market Share
- Customer Satisfaction
- Innovation
- Market Positioning
Integration with Other Skills
- Use with
financial-analyst: Validate market projections with financial modeling - Use with
competitive-intelligence: Deep-dive on specific competitors - Use with
trend-spotter: Continuous monitoring mode for market changes - Use with
user-research: Validate market hypotheses with customer interviews - Use with
seo-analyst: Analyze market demand through search volume data
Validation Checklist
Before finalizing any market research report:
- [ ] All data points have source citations
- [ ] Market size calculations show methodology
- [ ] At least 3 sources validate key numbers
- [ ] Assumptions are documented
- [ ] Competitive set is comprehensive
- [ ] Customer segments are clearly defined
- [ ] Trends are linked to implications
- [ ] Recommendations are actionable
- [ ] Report includes "last updated" date
- [ ] Confidence levels stated for estimates