Market Research

SKILL.md

---
name: market-research
description: Competitive landscape analysis, market sizing, and positioning research. Use for "who are the competitors", TAM/SAM/SOM sizing, go-to-market input, or positioning strategy. Produces competitive profiles, market opportunity sizing, and a defensible positioning statement.
---

# Market Research

Competitive landscape, market sizing, and positioning analysis using a KPI-driven "No BS" framework.

## When to Use
- Competitive landscape ("Who are the competitors?")
- Market opportunity sizing (TAM / SAM / SOM, gap identification)
- Positioning strategy ("What should we own?")
- Go-to-market input
- Deal / partnership competitive assessment

## The 5 Core Questions
Every brief answers these:

1. **Comparable Projects / Competitors** — Name 3–5 direct or adjacent competitors *globally* (not just regional). For each: price point, positioning, return/value promise, what they get right, what they miss.
2. **Market Gap** — The biggest unmet need, with specific evidence (search data, buyer behaviour, a real customer quote).
3. **Success KPIs** — The 3 metrics that make or break the first $1M in traction. What does success look like at 30 days / 90 days / 12 months?
4. **Fatal Risk** — The #1 thing players in this space get wrong (regulatory, trust, delivery, pricing). How do we counter it?
5. **Positioning** — One sentence no competitor can honestly claim. Specific, defensible, ownable.

## Output Format
```markdown
# [Business] — Market Research Brief

## Executive Summary
- Opportunity size: [TAM / SAM / SOM with methodology]
- Key gap: [one sentence + 1 supporting datapoint]
- Risk: [#1 blocker + mitigation]

## Competitive Landscape
| Competitor | Price | Positioning | Return/Value Promise | Strength | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|

## Market Sizing
- **TAM**: [$ + methodology]
- **SAM**: [$ + methodology]
- **SOM (Year 1)**: [$ + methodology]

## Success Metrics (First $1M)
- 30-day: [metric + target]
- 90-day: [metric + target]
- 12-month: [metric + target]

## Positioning
> "[one-sentence defensible claim]"
```

## Research Sources
- **G2 / Capterra** — competitor features, pricing, reviews
- **Crunchbase** — funding, segments, deal flow
- **Search trend data** — Google Trends, Ahrefs (volume, SERP landscape)
- **Customer signal** — LinkedIn, Reddit/HN threads, interviews
- **Pricing intel** — competitor pricing pages, payment models

## Quality Checklist
- [ ] 3–5 comparable competitors (global, not just regional)
- [ ] Specific pricing/revenue model for each
- [ ] Market sizing has explicit methodology
- [ ] KPIs are specific and measurable (not "grow fast")
- [ ] Risk is the #1 blocker, not a secondary concern
- [ ] Positioning is one sentence and defensible
- [ ] Every claim has supporting data