# Market Research

> Find the right market, extract real customer pain, and validate demand before building an offer. Use when you have an idea but no market, the niche feels too broad, or the offer is not converting. Generates micro-niches, scores them, extracts pain language, and creates a validation test plan — outputs MARKET_RESEARCH.md.

- Skill: `alexsmedile/market-research` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add alexsmedile/market-research`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/alexsmedile/market-research/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Research & Search
- Author: alexsmedile (https://skillmd.com/u/alexsmedile)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/alexsmedile/market-research

---


# Skill: Market Research & Demand (Starving Crowd Engine)

## Purpose
Find the right market, extract real pain, and validate demand before building an offer.

This skill prevents:
- building offers nobody buys
- targeting the wrong audience
- solving weak or low-urgency problems

Goal: identify a **starving crowd with real pain and buying intent**.

---

## When to Use
Activate this skill when:
- you have an idea but no market
- you are unsure who to target
- you want to validate demand before building
- your niche feels too broad
- your offer is not converting

---

## Inputs
This skill works with:
- a business idea
- a niche
- a skill or expertise
- a product concept
- or even a vague direction

---

## Core Outcome
The assistant produces:
- validated micro-niche
- clear target customer
- real pain statements
- demand signals
- buyer vs browser distinction
- validation strategy

---

# PART 1: Starving Crowd Finder

## Purpose
Find a group of people who:
- feel urgent pain
- actively look for solutions
- are willing to pay

---

## Assistant Behavior

### 1. Start from idea or skill
Extract:
- what problem is being solved
- who might have that problem

---

### 2. Generate micro-niches
Break broad markets into smaller groups:

Example:
- “fitness” → “busy dads over 35”
- “marketing” → “coaches under $5k/month”

---

### 3. Evaluate each niche

Check:

#### Pain Intensity
- how often they feel the problem
- how emotional it is

#### Purchasing Power
- can they afford solutions?

#### Accessibility
- can you reach them easily?

#### Growth
- is the market growing?

---

### 4. Score each niche

Score 1–10:

- pain
- money
- reachability
- growth

---

### 5. Select best niche
Choose:
- highest combined score
- strongest pain + ability to pay

---

## Output Format

```md
# MARKET_SELECTION.md

## 1. Idea
- Description

## 2. Micro-Niches
- Niche 1
- Niche 2
- Niche 3

## 3. Niche Scoring
- Pain:
- Money:
- Reach:
- Growth:

## 4. Selected Niche
- Final choice
- Reasoning
```

⸻

PART 2: Pain Extraction Skill

Purpose

Understand what the customer actually feels.

⸻

Assistant Behavior

1. Identify core problems

List:
	•	main frustrations
	•	repeated struggles
	•	emotional pain

⸻

2. Extract real language

Simulate or gather:
	•	how customers describe the problem
	•	informal phrasing
	•	emotional expressions

⸻

3. Create pain bullets

Types:

Surface Pain
	•	obvious problems

Deeper Pain
	•	emotional impact

Hidden Pain
	•	fears, doubts, frustrations

⸻

4. Generate “midnight thoughts”

What they think when:
	•	stressed
	•	frustrated
	•	alone

⸻

Output Format

```md
# CUSTOMER_PAIN.md

## 1. Core Problems
- Problem 1
- Problem 2

## 2. Raw Language
- Phrases customers use

## 3. Pain Bullets
- Surface pain
- Deeper pain
- Hidden pain

## 4. Emotional Triggers
- Fear
- Frustration
- Desire

## 5. Midnight Thoughts
- Thoughts they have at night
```

⸻

PART 3: Demand Validation Skill

Purpose

Confirm if the idea is worth building.

⸻

Assistant Behavior

1. Identify demand signals

Look for:
	•	people asking questions
	•	existing competitors
	•	paid solutions already in market
	•	repeated complaints

⸻

2. Classify audience

Split:

Buyers
	•	already spend money
	•	actively search for solutions

Browsers
	•	interested but not paying

⸻

3. Evaluate demand strength

Score:
	•	urgency
	•	willingness to pay
	•	competition level

⸻

4. Suggest validation tests

⸻

Pre-Sell Test
	•	offer before building
	•	gauge interest

⸻

Fake Door Test
	•	landing page + CTA
	•	measure clicks

⸻

Content Test
	•	post hooks
	•	track engagement

⸻

5. Create validation plan

Define:
	•	what to test
	•	how to test
	•	success criteria

⸻

Output Format

```md
# DEMAND_VALIDATION.md

## 1. Demand Signals
- Evidence found

## 2. Buyer vs Browser
- Buyers:
- Browsers:

## 3. Demand Score
- Urgency:
- Willingness to pay:
- Competition:

## 4. Validation Tests

### Test 1: Pre-Sell
- Plan:

### Test 2: Fake Door
- Plan:

### Test 3: Content
- Plan:

## 5. Validation Criteria
- What defines success
```

⸻

Combined Output

```md
# MARKET_RESEARCH.md

## 1. Selected Market
- Niche
- Reasoning

## 2. Customer Pain
- Pain bullets
- Emotional triggers
- Midnight thoughts

## 3. Demand Validation
- Signals
- Buyer vs browser
- Test plan
```

⸻

Decision Rules

Choose a niche when:
	•	pain is frequent
	•	emotion is strong
	•	money is available

Avoid markets when:
	•	pain is weak
	•	no urgency
	•	no proof of spending

Trust demand when:
	•	people pay already
	•	solutions exist
	•	complaints are frequent

⸻

Style Guidelines
	•	be specific
	•	use real language
	•	focus on pain
	•	avoid assumptions
	•	prioritize clarity

⸻

Success Criteria

The skill works when:
	•	a clear niche is selected
	•	pain is deeply understood
	•	demand is validated
	•	idea feels worth pursuing