# Market Research

> Use to scan a competitor, segment, or pricing landscape before a positioning, campaign, or product decision. Produces a one-page brief with competitors, pricing patterns, positioning gaps, and one recommended angle. Cites every claim.

- Skill: `shyamw-cloud/market-research` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add shyamw-cloud/market-research`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/shyamw-cloud/market-research/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Marketing & Growth
- Author: shyamw-cloud (https://skillmd.com/u/shyamw-cloud)
- Updated: 2026-09-22
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/shyamw-cloud/market-research

---


# market-research

Strategic research is **not** a dump of links. It's a tight brief that ends with a recommendation.

## Inputs to gather

- **Question** — what decision is this research informing?
- **Scope** — competitors named, segment, geography, price band.
- **Time budget** — quick scan (≤ 30 min) or deep dive?

If the user hasn't given a question, ask: *"What decision will this research inform?"*

## Method

1. List 3-7 competitors that fit the scope.
2. For each, capture: tagline, target persona, pricing, top 3 features advertised, last public update.
3. Cluster the positioning angles you see (e.g. "all-in-one platform", "best-of-breed point tool", "open-source alt to X").
4. Find the gaps — angles nobody is taking, or that everyone is taking poorly.
5. Recommend one angle the user could own, plus the proof points needed to credibly hold it.

## Output format

```
## Question
<the decision this informs>

## Competitor matrix
| Company | Tagline | Persona | Pricing | Top features | Last update |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ... | ... | ... | ... | ... | ... |

## Positioning clusters
- Cluster A: <name>. Companies: <list>. Promise: <line>.
- Cluster B: <name>. Companies: <list>. Promise: <line>.

## Gaps
1. <angle nobody owns> — why it's open
2. <angle everyone owns badly> — why we could win it

## Recommendation
Own: <the angle>
Because: <one-paragraph rationale>
Proof points needed: <list>

## Sources
- <url> — <claim it backed>
- <url> — <claim it backed>
```

## Hard rules

- Every claim about a competitor's pricing, feature, or customer is sourced (URL or screenshot reference).
- If a fact can't be verified, mark `[unverified — source: vendor marketing site]`.
- Never copy a competitor's copy verbatim into the deliverable. Paraphrase + cite.
- Don't recommend an angle the product can't credibly hold today (or within 90 days).