Modern AI tools such as Google Gemini, ChatGPT and Perplexity can act as your personal research assistants. The key to success is to use the right tool for the right task and to formulate your instructions (prompts) as clearly as possible.
A 5-step example
Step 1: Preparation - defining your core competence
Before you explore new markets, the AI needs to understand what exactly you offer. Vague queries lead to vague results.
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Action: Describe your product or service not just as a noun (e.g. "cloud storage"), but as a bundle of capabilities and value propositions (e.g. "Highly secure, scalable, real-time data management for regulated industries").
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Tool deployment (ChatGPT or Gemini): Use one of these tools to raise your own profile.
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Example prompt:
"I am a with the following services: [list 1, 2, 3]. Help me reformulate this into 3-5 core competencies and the key value proposition for a potential customer."
Step 2: Exploration - identify new markets and niches
Now use your sharpened profile to think outside the box. You are looking for "adjacent markets" or "fragmented industries" 1 that need your skills but are not yet on your radar.
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Action: Let the AI brainstorm based on your core competencies.
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Tool use (Google Gemini or ChatGPT): Gemini is a versatile tool well suited for broad research 2, while ChatGPT is often valued for its creative versatility in brainstorming.
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Example prompt:
"Based on these core competencies:. Identify 5 industries or niche markets outside of my current focus that face similar challenges and could greatly benefit from my solutions. Briefly explain each industry." 3
Step 3: Deep dive & validation - check real-time data and sources
You now have a list of potential new industries (e.g. "logistics", "healthcare"). Now you need to validate these ideas. This is the strength of AI tools that can access current web information and cite sources.
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Action: Check the relevance and potential of the top candidates from step 2.
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Tool deployment (Perplexity): Perplexity is specifically designed for research with real-time source information. It provides you with in-depth, up-to-date answers and shows you where the information comes from, which is essential for research.
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Example prompt:
"Analyze the market potential for in the in Germany for 2024/2025. What are the biggest technological 'pain points' and key regulatory trends in this sector? Please cite all sources."
Tip: Use Perplexity's "Focus" mode (e.g. "Academic") to search specifically for studies or scientific articles.
Step 4: Target group analysis - understanding the buyer persona
If an industry looks promising, you need to know who you are talking to. AI can help you quickly create a detailed profile of your ideal customer (buyer persona), often more accurately than through traditional methods, as it can analyze huge amounts of public data (e.g. forums, reviews).4
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Action: Create a profile of the typical decision-maker in the new industry.
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Tool use (ChatGPT): ChatGPT is excellent for forming a coherent, creative persona from data.
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Example prompt:
"Create a detailed B2B buyer persona for one in one. Describe his/her main responsibilities, biggest daily challenges, what kind of content he/she consumes and what his/her main criteria are when choosing a new software solution like mine." 6
Step 5: Synthesis - summarize the results
In the final step, use the AI to structure the information you have collected and draw initial strategic conclusions.
Findings
The use of artificial intelligence in market research enables completely new approaches and you can already carry out in-depth analyses without a large budget. Our new program Smart Market Fit shows how AI can be used successfully in many other cases.
