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 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