| name | market-researcher |
| description | 📈 Sizes markets (TAM/SAM/SOM), builds competitive scoring matrices, runs evidence-based SWOTs, and produces structured research reports with recommendations. Activate for any market analysis, competitor research, or strategic assessment. |
📈 Market Researcher
Market research that ends with "here are some frameworks" is not research -- it is a textbook summary. This skill walks through each framework step-by-step with real numbers, produces structured outputs, and connects findings to decisions.
Core Principles
- Numbers over narratives -- every claim needs a source or is labeled ESTIMATE with reasoning.
- Frameworks are tools, not answers -- a SWOT that lists "good team" under Strengths is worthless; a SWOT that says "3 engineers with prior exits, but no one with enterprise sales experience" is useful.
- Two scenarios, always -- present both optimistic and conservative cases so the reader can calibrate.
Workflow
- Define the question -- "Should we enter this market?" is different from "How big is this market?" Frame the exact decision the research must inform.
- Size the market -- run TAM/SAM/SOM with the step-by-step procedure below.
- Map competitors -- use the competitive analysis template with scoring.
- Assess position -- run SWOT with evidence for each quadrant.
- Synthesize -- produce a research report with findings, implications, and recommendations.
- Flag gaps -- explicitly state what you could not verify and what additional research is needed.
TAM/SAM/SOM Calculation Procedure
Step-by-step (with worked example: B2B email analytics tool)
Step 1: Define TAM (Total Addressable Market)
Choose top-down OR bottom-up:
- Top-down: Start with industry reports. "Global email marketing software market: $12.6B (2024, SOURCE)."
- Bottom-up: Count total potential customers x average revenue per customer. "6.5M businesses with 50+ employees globally x $2,400/yr average spend = $15.6B."
- Use both and compare. Large divergence means one assumption is wrong.
Step 2: Define SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market)
Filter TAM by your actual constraints:
- Geographic: "US and UK only = 35% of global market = $4.4B"
- Segment: "Only mid-market (200-2000 employees) = 40% of that = $1.76B"
- SAM = $1.76B
Step 3: Define SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market)
Realistic capture in years 1-3:
- "Comparable startups captured 2-5% of SAM in year 3"
- Conservative: $1.76B x 2% = $35.2M
- Optimistic: $1.76B x 5% = $88M
- SOM range: $35-88M by Year 3
Output format
TAM: $[X] -- [method used, source]
SAM: $[X] -- [filters applied: geography, segment, channel]
SOM: $[X-Y range] -- [assumptions: capture rate, timeframe, basis for rate]
KEY ASSUMPTIONS:
1. [Assumption and why it is reasonable]
2. [Assumption and its sensitivity -- "if wrong, SOM shifts by X%"]
DATA GAPS:
- [What you could not verify]
Competitive Analysis Template
MARKET: [Market name]
DATE: [Analysis date]
COMPETITORS ANALYZED: [N]
| Criterion (weight) | Competitor A | Competitor B | Competitor C | Our Position |
|------------------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
| Product depth (25%) | 8/10 | 6/10 | 9/10 | 7/10 |
| Pricing value (20%) | 6/10 | 9/10 | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Market share (15%) | 9/10 | 4/10 | 7/10 | 3/10 |
| Brand strength (15%) | 8/10 | 5/10 | 8/10 | 2/10 |
| Tech / innovation (15%)| 7/10 | 7/10 | 6/10 | 9/10 |
| Customer support (10%) | 5/10 | 8/10 | 6/10 | 7/10 |
| WEIGHTED TOTAL | 7.4 | 6.3 | 7.1 | 5.9 |
SCORING NOTES:
- [Why Competitor A scored 8/10 on product depth -- specific evidence]
- [Why we scored 9/10 on tech -- specific evidence]
KEY INSIGHT: [One sentence on competitive positioning]
VULNERABILITY: [Where the market leader is weakest]
OPPORTUNITY: [Underserved gap we can exploit]
SWOT Output Format
SUBJECT: [Company/product being assessed]
CONTEXT: [Market and timeframe]
| STRENGTHS (internal, current) | WEAKNESSES (internal, current) |
|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| [Specific + evidence] | [Specific + evidence] |
| [Specific + evidence] | [Specific + evidence] |
| OPPORTUNITIES (external, future) | THREATS (external, future) |
|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|
| [Specific + evidence] | [Specific + evidence] |
| [Specific + evidence] | [Specific + evidence] |
STRATEGIC IMPLICATIONS:
1. [S+O play: How to use strength X to capture opportunity Y]
2. [W+T risk: How weakness X makes threat Y dangerous]
3. [Priority action: The single most important move based on this SWOT]
Research Report Structure
TITLE: [Market/topic]
DATE: [Date]
SCOPE: [What this covers and does not cover]
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (3-5 bullets):
- [Key finding 1 with number]
- [Key finding 2 with number]
- [Strategic recommendation]
MARKET SIZE: [TAM/SAM/SOM output]
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE: [Scoring matrix summary]
SWOT: [Condensed SWOT]
TRENDS: [3-5 trends with evidence and timeline]
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. [Action + rationale + urgency]
2. [Action + rationale + urgency]
CONFIDENCE LEVEL: [High / Medium / Low -- based on data quality]
DATA GAPS: [What additional research would improve confidence]
SOURCES: [Numbered list]
Anti-Patterns
- Frameworks without numbers -- "TAM is large" is not market sizing. Put a dollar figure with assumptions.
- SWOT as brainstorming -- every item must have evidence, not just "good culture" or "tough competition."
- Competitor analysis by feature list -- features without weighting and scoring do not reveal positioning.
- Presenting research without recommendations -- research that does not inform a decision is an academic exercise.
- Hiding uncertainty -- flag assumptions and confidence levels; false precision is worse than honest ranges.
