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