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:
- "market research"
- "analyze market"
- "market analysis"
- "market size"
- "TAM SAM SOM"
tags:
- market-research
- business-intelligence
- market-sizing
- competitive-analysis

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:
1. Define the Market Scope
- Industry vertical and geographic boundaries
- Target customer segments
- Product/service category
- Use WebSearch to find industry reports and market data

1. Calculate TAM (Top-Down & Bottom-Up)
2. Top-down: Industry reports, analyst data, government statistics
3. Bottom-up: Unit economics × total potential customers

4. Use Firecrawl to extract data from Gartner, Forrester, IBISWorld, Statista

5. Narrow to SAM

6. Apply geographic constraints
7. Apply target segment filters
8. Account for regulatory/accessibility barriers

9. Calculate percentage of TAM realistically serviceable

10. Project SOM

11. Analyze competitive landscape
12. Estimate realistic market share (Year 1, Year 3, Year 5)
13. Factor in go-to-market capabilities

14. Compare to similar company trajectories

15. Document Assumptions

16. Source all data with URLs
17. State calculation methodology
18. Highlight assumptions and sensitivities
19. 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:
1. Discover Competitors
- Use WebSearch: "[product category] companies", "alternatives to [competitor]"
- Use Firecrawl to scrape G2, Capterra, Product Hunt
- Identify direct, indirect, and emerging competitors

1. Categorize by Type
2. Direct: Same product, same customer
3. Indirect: Different product, same need
4. Potential: Adjacent players who could enter

5. Create competitive positioning matrix

6. Profile Each Competitor

7. Product features and pricing
8. Funding and business model
9. Target customers and positioning
10. Strengths and weaknesses

11. Use Firecrawl to extract from company websites, Crunchbase, LinkedIn

12. Analyze Differentiation

13. Feature comparison matrix
14. Pricing comparison
15. Market positioning map (2x2 or 3D)

16. White space identification

17. Monitor Market Dynamics

18. Recent funding rounds (Crunchbase)
19. Product launches and updates
20. Customer reviews and sentiment
21. 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:
1. Segment Discovery
- Demographic segmentation
- Firmographic segmentation (B2B)
- Psychographic segmentation
- Behavioral segmentation
- Use surveys, reviews, and forum analysis

1. Size Each Segment
2. Number of potential customers
3. Revenue potential
4. Growth rate

5. Accessibility and reachability

6. Profile Ideal Customer Profile (ICP)

7. Demographics/firmographics
8. Pain points and needs
9. Buying behavior and decision criteria
10. Channels and touchpoints

11. Use Firecrawl to analyze customer testimonials, reviews, case studies

12. Prioritize Segments

13. Market size × willingness to pay × accessibility
14. Strategic fit with company capabilities
15. Competitive intensity
16. 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:
1. 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

1. Categorize Trends
2. Technology trends
3. Consumer behavior trends
4. Regulatory trends
5. Economic trends

6. Competitive trends

7. Assess Impact

8. Relevance to your market
9. Timeline (near-term vs. long-term)
10. Magnitude of impact

11. Probability of occurrence

12. Develop Implications

13. Threats to current business model
14. Opportunities for innovation
15. Strategic responses required
16. 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:
1. Market Attractiveness Assessment
- Market size and growth rate
- Profitability and margins
- Competitive intensity (Porter's Five Forces)
- Regulatory environment

1. Entry Barriers Analysis
2. Capital requirements
3. Regulatory/licensing requirements
4. Technology/IP barriers
5. Customer switching costs

6. Incumbent advantages

7. Entry Strategy Evaluation

8. Organic entry (build from scratch)
9. Partnership/alliance
10. Acquisition
11. Licensing/franchising

12. Compare pros/cons and resource requirements

13. Go-to-Market Planning

14. Target segment selection
15. Value proposition and positioning
16. Channel strategy
17. Pricing strategy
18. Marketing and sales approach

Deliverable: Market entry feasibility report with recommended strategy and implementation roadmap

Quick Reference

Research Sources Priority

Primary Sources (Most Reliable)

1. Industry Analyst Reports: Gartner, Forrester, IDC, CB Insights
2. Government Data: Census Bureau, BLS, SEC filings, USPTO
3. Industry Associations: Trade association reports and statistics
4. Academic Research: University studies, research papers

Secondary Sources (Validation)

1. Business Intelligence: Crunchbase, PitchBook, BuiltWith
2. Market Data Platforms: Statista, IBISWorld, eMarketer
3. Review Sites: G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, Glassdoor
4. News & Publications: TechCrunch, industry trade publications

Tertiary Sources (Directional)

1. Social Media: LinkedIn, Reddit, Twitter/X discussions
2. Forums: Quora, industry-specific forums
3. 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 2

Competitive 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