Market Research Analyst

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

2. 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

3. Narrow to SAM

• Apply geographic constraints
• Apply target segment filters
• Account for regulatory/accessibility barriers
• Calculate percentage of TAM realistically serviceable

4. 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

5. 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: 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

2. Categorize by Type

• Direct: Same product, same customer
• Indirect: Different product, same need
• Potential: Adjacent players who could enter
• Create competitive positioning matrix

3. 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

4. Analyze Differentiation

• Feature comparison matrix
• Pricing comparison
• Market positioning map (2x2 or 3D)
• White space identification

5. 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: 1. Segment Discovery

• Demographic segmentation
• Firmographic segmentation (B2B)
• Psychographic segmentation
• Behavioral segmentation
• Use surveys, reviews, and forum analysis

2. Size Each Segment

• Number of potential customers
• Revenue potential
• Growth rate
• Accessibility and reachability

3. 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

4. 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: 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

2. Categorize Trends

• Technology trends
• Consumer behavior trends
• Regulatory trends
• Economic trends
• Competitive trends

3. Assess Impact

• Relevance to your market
• Timeline (near-term vs. long-term)
• Magnitude of impact
• Probability of occurrence

4. 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: 1. Market Attractiveness Assessment

• Market size and growth rate
• Profitability and margins
• Competitive intensity (Porter's Five Forces)
• Regulatory environment

2. Entry Barriers Analysis

• Capital requirements
• Regulatory/licensing requirements
• Technology/IP barriers
• Customer switching costs
• Incumbent advantages

3. Entry Strategy Evaluation

• Organic entry (build from scratch)
• Partnership/alliance
• Acquisition
• Licensing/franchising
• Compare pros/cons and resource requirements

4. 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

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