mkt-icp-research
ICP Research & Audience Intelligence
Communicate Track — Step 1 of 4. Builds deep audience intelligence from real research, not assumptions.
Inputs Required
- Product context from
.agents/mkt/product-context.md(or willingness to answer product questions)
Output
.agents/mkt/icp-research.md
Quality Gate
Before delivering, verify:
- Every VoC quote includes platform name and is from a real source (not agent-generated)
- Each persona has a habitat map with ≥3 specific channels (not just "Reddit" — which subreddit?)
- Each emotional driver is traced to ≥2 specific quotes
- Decision psychology section names specific cognitive biases and objections (not generic "they need trust")
Chain Position
Previous: none (or any skill needing audience context) | Next: mkt-imc
Before Starting
Step 0: Product Context
Check for .agents/mkt/product-context.md. If missing: INTERVIEW. Ask the user to describe their product (what, who, problem, differentiator) and save to .agents/mkt/product-context.md. Or recommend running mkt-copywriting to bootstrap it.
Required Artifacts
| Artifact | Source | If Missing |
|---|---|---|
product-context.md |
mkt-copywriting | INTERVIEW. Ask user to describe product (what, who, problem, differentiator) and save to .agents/mkt/product-context.md. Or recommend running mkt-copywriting. |
Optional Artifacts
| Artifact | Source | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
diagnosis.md |
mkt-diagnosis | Problem context sharpens audience research |
root-cause.md |
mkt-root-cause | Focuses research on confirmed issues |
Phase 1: Scope
Ask:
- Who are we researching? (Job role, mindset, community, or use case)
- What decisions will this inform? (Messaging? Channels? Positioning? All three?)
- B2C or B2B? Geography? Specific segments to focus or exclude?
Phase 2: Research
You MUST use WebSearch for real discussions. Do NOT generate hypothetical quotes, invented personas, or assumed pain points.
Search Query Patterns
Use these specific queries. Adapt [topic] to the product/audience:
| Goal | Query Pattern |
|---|---|
| Find communities | site:reddit.com "[topic]" subreddit |
| Find pain points | site:reddit.com "[topic]" frustrated OR struggling OR hate |
| Find reviews | site:g2.com "[product category]" OR site:capterra.com "[product category]" |
| Find discussions | "[topic]" forum OR community best OR worst |
| Find Twitter takes | site:twitter.com "[topic]" thread |
| Find decision criteria | "[product category]" vs OR alternative OR switch from |
| Find objections | "[product/competitor]" not worth OR overpriced OR disappointing |
Multi-Platform Coverage
Search ≥4 of these categories:
| Category | Where | What to Extract |
|---|---|---|
| Communities | Reddit, Facebook Groups, LinkedIn Groups | Pain expressions, solution attempts |
| Social | Twitter/X, TikTok | Real-time frustrations, opinions |
| Reviews | G2, Capterra, App Store, Amazon | Feature complaints, switching reasons |
| Content | YouTube comments, Quora | Questions asked, knowledge gaps |
| Professional | Discord, Slack communities, industry forums | Unfiltered opinions, workflow details |
VoC Quality Criteria
A good quote has:
- Emotional intensity (frustration, excitement, relief — not neutral)
- Specificity (mentions a specific tool, workflow, number, or scenario)
- Recency (within last 12 months)
- Relevance to the product category
A bad quote is:
- Generic ("I wish there was a better way")
- Old (2+ years, industry may have shifted)
- From a seller/marketer, not a real user
- A one-word reaction with no context
Collect 3 quotes per pain category. Stop when patterns repeat.
Pain Analysis (3 Levels)
| Level | What | Where to Find |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | What they openly complain about | Public forums, review sites |
| Hidden | What they say anonymously | Reddit throwaways, anonymous reviews |
| Emotional | Identity threats, status anxiety, fear | Language intensity, desperation indicators |
MANDATORY: Habitat Mapping
For every platform where you find audience activity, document specifically:
| Platform | Specific Community | Density | Engagement Type | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| r/[specific subreddit] | H/M/L | Lurker/Engager/Creator | Discovery/Trust/Conversion |
Not "Reddit" — which subreddit. Not "LinkedIn" — which group or content type.
See references/habitat-mapping.md for density definitions.
Decision Psychology
Document:
- Trigger: What event makes them seek solutions?
- Research behavior: Where they go first, second, third
- Cognitive biases: Which are strongest? (Loss aversion? Social proof? Authority?)
- Top 3 objections: What stops them from buying? What's the psychological root of each?
- Trust signals: Who/what do they trust? What creates instant distrust?
Phase 3: Synthesize
2 Personas (max)
For each persona, provide ALL of:
- Demographics: Age range, role, industry, company size
- Pain Profile: Top 3 pains with triggers, impact, and quotes
- Decision Psychology: Research behavior, biases, objections + roots
- Habitat Map: ≥3 specific channels with density and engagement type
- VoC Quotes: 3-5 most revealing, with platform attribution
Top 3 Emotional Drivers
Core psychological motivations. Each traced to ≥2 specific quotes.
Red Flags
Language or positioning that triggers instant skepticism for this audience.
Artifact Template
---
skill: mkt-icp-research
version: 1
date: [today's date]
status: draft
---
# ICP Research
**Date:** [today]
**Skill:** mkt-icp-research
**Product:** [from product-context.md]
## Persona 1: [Name/Archetype]
**Demographics:** [Age, role, industry, company size]
### Pain Profile
1. **[Pain name]** — [description]
- Trigger: [what causes acute pain]
- Impact: [daily/financial/professional]
- Quote: "[exact quote]" — [Platform, context]
- Quote: "[exact quote]" — [Platform, context]
2. **[Pain name]** — [description]
[Same format]
3. **[Pain name]** — [description]
[Same format]
### Decision Psychology
- **Trigger:** [what event starts their search]
- **Research path:** [where they go 1st → 2nd → 3rd]
- **Key biases:** [which cognitive biases are strongest]
- **Objections:** (1) [objection] — root: [psychological reason]. (2) [objection] — root: [reason]. (3) [objection] — root: [reason].
- **Trust signals:** [what they trust]
- **Distrust triggers:** [what kills credibility]
### Habitat Map
| Platform | Community | Density | Engagement | Role |
|----------|-----------|---------|-----------|------|
| [Specific] | [Specific] | H/M/L | [Type] | [Role] |
## Persona 2: [Name/Archetype]
[Same format]
## Top 3 Emotional Drivers
1. **[Driver]** — [explanation]. Quotes: "[quote 1]" ([source]), "[quote 2]" ([source])
2. **[Driver]** — [explanation]. Quotes: ...
3. **[Driver]** — [explanation]. Quotes: ...
## Red Flags
- [Language/positioning that triggers skepticism and why]
## Next Step
Run `mkt-imc` to turn these insights into a communication plan.
> On re-run: rename existing artifact to `icp-research.v[N].md` and create new with incremented version.
References
- references/habitat-mapping.md — Density definitions, cross-persona analysis
- references/icp-to-imc-handoff.md — How to package outputs for IMC
- references/voice-of-customer.md — VoC collection patterns
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