Research Prompts — Competitive Analysis & Market Intelligence
Competitive Analysis
Competitor Deep-Dive
Conduct a structured competitive analysis of [COMPETITOR NAME] in [INDUSTRY/MARKET].
Research dimensions:
1. Company overview: founding year, headquarters, funding, employee count, leadership
2. Product: feature set, differentiators, pricing model, user experience strengths and weaknesses
3. Market position: target customer, market share estimate, growth trajectory
4. Go-to-market: primary channels, content strategy, sales motion (self-serve vs sales-led)
5. Strengths: what they do better than alternatives
6. Weaknesses: gaps, customer complaints, churn signals
7. Recent moves: last 6 months of product launches, partnerships, pricing changes
Sources to consider: website, G2/Capterra reviews, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, press releases, job postings.
Format as an actionable brief. For each weakness identified, note whether it's an opportunity for us to exploit.
Competitive Landscape Map
Map the competitive landscape for [MARKET/PRODUCT CATEGORY].
Analyze [N] competitors: [LIST NAMES IF KNOWN]
Create a positioning matrix with these axes:
- X-axis: [DIMENSION 1 — e.g., Ease of Use / Power]
- Y-axis: [DIMENSION 2 — e.g., SMB Focus / Enterprise Focus]
For each competitor:
- Bubble size proportional to [REVENUE/USER BASE/MARKET SHARE]
- Primary customer segment
- Price point: [FREE/FREEMIUM/$XX-YY/MONTH/ENTERPRISE]
- Key differentiator (one sentence)
- Where they're vulnerable
Identify whitespace on the matrix — where are the underserved customer needs?
Feature Comparison Matrix
Create a feature comparison matrix for [PRODUCT CATEGORY].
Competitors: [LIST 3-6 COMPETITORS]
Feature categories:
1. [CORE FEATURE AREA 1]
2. [CORE FEATURE AREA 2]
3. [INTEGRATIONS/ECOSYSTEM]
4. [SECURITY/COMPLIANCE]
5. [PRICING/MONETIZATION]
Use a table format: Features as rows, competitors as columns. Mark each cell: ✓ (full support), ◐ (partial/limited), ✗ (not available), ? (unclear).
Below the table: highlight the 3 biggest feature gaps in the market and our relative position on each.
Market Sizing
TAM/SAM/SOM Analysis
Estimate the TAM, SAM, and SOM for [PRODUCT/SERVICE] in [GEOGRAPHY/INDUSTRY].
Product description: [1-2 SENTENCES]
Target customer: [WHO BUYS THIS]
Provide:
1. TAM (Total Addressable Market): Top-down estimate using industry reports and government data
- Methodology and assumptions
- Source citations
- Dollar figure with confidence range
2. SAM (Serviceable Addressable Market): TAM filtered by our target segment and geography
- Filters applied (company size, industry, budget, etc.)
- Resulting figure
3. SOM (Serviceable Obtainable Market): Realistic share we can capture in [YEAR]
- Assumptions about penetration rate and competition
- Resulting revenue estimate
Note: if specific data isn't available, state your assumptions clearly and provide a sensitivity range.
Market Trends Report
Synthesize a market trends report on [TOPIC/INDUSTRY] for the next [TIME HORIZON].
Structure:
1. Executive summary: 3 most important shifts happening right now
2. Trend 1: [NAME] — driving factors, evidence, implications
3. Trend 2: [NAME] — driving factors, evidence, implications
4. Trend 3: [NAME] — driving factors, evidence, implications
5. Wildcards: low-probability high-impact events to watch
6. Implications: what this means for [OUR BUSINESS/INVESTMENT THESIS]
Each trend should include:
- Supporting data points from recent reports or news
- Companies or products exemplifying the trend
- Contrarian view (what would prove this trend wrong)
- Recommended action
Cite specific sources with dates. Flag any contradictory signals.
Technology Evaluation
Evaluate [CANDIDATE TOOLS/FRAMEWORKS] for [USE CASE].
Context:
- Team size and skills: [DESCRIBE]
- Scale requirements: [USERS/REQUESTS/DATA VOLUME]
- Budget constraints: [RANGE]
- Timeline: [WHEN DECISION NEEDED]
Evaluation criteria with weights (must sum to 100%):
1. Functional fit: [%] — does it solve the core problem?
2. Learning curve: [%] — time to team proficiency
3. Community/ecosystem: [%] — available libraries, support, hiring pool
4. Performance: [%] — latency, throughput, resource usage
5. Cost: [%] — licensing, hosting, operational
6. Future-proofing: [%] — roadmap, vendor stability, migration ease
Score each candidate 1-5 per criterion. Provide weighted total and a narrative recommendation.
Include a "what would make us switch later" section.
Build vs Buy Analysis
Analyze whether we should build or buy a solution for [PROBLEM DESCRIPTION].
Internal build estimate:
- Engineering effort: [PERSON-MONTHS]
- Ongoing maintenance: [HOURS/MONTH]
- Opportunity cost: [WHAT ELSE THE TEAM COULD BUILD]
Buy options:
- Vendor 1: [NAME] at [$XX/MONTH] — pros/cons
- Vendor 2: [NAME] at [$XX/MONTH] — pros/cons
Decision framework:
1. Core vs context: is this differentiating for our business?
2. Time to value: when does each option deliver?
3. Total cost over [3-YEAR] horizon (build: eng cost + infra; buy: license + integration)
4. Flexibility risk: what if requirements change?
5. Vendor risk: what if they raise prices, get acquired, or shut down?
Provide a clear recommendation with the decisive factor highlighted.
Research Synthesis
Literature Review Summary
Synthesize findings from these [N] sources on [TOPIC]:
[LIST OR DESCRIBE SOURCES]
Output:
1. Consensus findings (things most sources agree on)
2. Points of disagreement or debate
3. Gaps — questions none of the sources adequately address
4. Key quotes (max 5, with attribution)
5. Recommended follow-up research questions
Keep total output to [N] words. Prioritize actionable insights over comprehensive summary.
SWOT Analysis
Generate a SWOT analysis for [COMPANY/PRODUCT/INITIATIVE].
Context: [1-2 PARAGRAPHS OF BACKGROUND]
Format:
- Strengths (internal, positive): [4-6 items] — what advantages do we have?
- Weaknesses (internal, negative): [4-6 items] — where are we vulnerable?
- Opportunities (external, positive): [4-6 items] — what trends or gaps can we exploit?
- Threats (external, negative): [4-6 items] — what external forces could harm us?
For each quadrant, prioritize by impact and likelihood.
Then provide a TOWS cross-analysis:
- How do we use strengths to exploit opportunities?
- How do we use strengths to counter threats?
- How do we fix weaknesses to pursue opportunities?
- How do we fix weaknesses to survive threats?