Market research planning creates leverage when teams separate signal collection from interpretation and then turn both into a decision brief. Without this structure, outputs become long summaries that do not change strategy.
This guide gives startup and SMB teams a repeatable market report process for segment prioritization, trend interpretation, and execution planning.
Updated February 2026. This guide is designed for practical planning execution and decision quality.
Who this is for and when to use it
The workflows below are designed for operators who want faster execution without sacrificing quality controls. Each block is built so a small team can run it quickly, audit assumptions, and adjust based on weekly signal.
Who this is for
- Founders evaluating new market entry opportunities.
- GTM leaders refining segment and messaging focus.
- Product teams validating roadmap demand assumptions.
- Operators needing faster research cycles with better evidence.
When to use it
- The team lacks a current market view before planning cycles.
- Segment decisions are based on anecdotal evidence.
- Competitor movement is outpacing internal analysis cadence.
- Leadership asks for sharper TAM, SAM, and SOM assumptions.
Step-by-step workflow
This workflow is intentionally linear: scope first, then build, then review, then operationalize. Keep each step focused on one clear decision before moving forward.
Step 1: Research question framing
Timebox: 45 min. Define target segment, geography, and decision horizon.
Step 2: Signal collection pass
Timebox: 80 min. Gather customer, demand, and competitor evidence quickly.
Step 3: Evidence normalization
Timebox: 55 min. Tag findings by confidence, recency, and source quality.
Step 4: Insight synthesis
Timebox: 60 min. Convert findings into ranked opportunities and risks.
Step 5: Decision brief drafting
Timebox: 40 min. Publish one concise recommendation with owner actions.
Step 6: Refresh cadence setup
Timebox: Recurring. Schedule monthly updates for fast-changing categories.
30-60-90 day execution cadence
A common reason playbooks fail is that teams stop at document creation. Treat this article as an operating rhythm, not a writing task. The first 30 days should focus on baseline quality and consistency, days 31-60 should focus on throughput and conversion quality, and days 61-90 should focus on compounding improvements through tighter signal loops.
Days 1-30: Baseline and alignment
- Finalize one canonical version of the workflow and assign owners.
- Run the process end to end at least once with real constraints.
- Capture every major assumption and mark confidence levels.
- Establish weekly review meeting with fixed agenda and outputs.
Days 31-60: Optimization and throughput
- Reduce handoff friction between teams using shared definitions.
- Retire low-value tasks and double down on high-signal actions.
- Update templates based on what actually improves outcomes.
- Report progress in a short weekly summary with owner accountability.
Days 61-90: Compounding and governance
- Promote stable workflows into standard operating procedures.
- Set monthly quality audits for assumptions and source freshness.
- Document lessons learned and feed them into the next cycle.
- Align leadership decisions to the metric and risk signals collected.
Internal resources and next steps
Each link below is selected to help you move from strategy to execution. The mix intentionally includes tool pages, adjacent guides, and a direct signup path to reduce friction between learning and action.
- Planning workspace - Use the Market Report tool inside Planning.
- AI market research guide - Expand this workflow with deeper research tactics.
- TAM SAM SOM Calculator - Quantify segment potential with transparent assumptions.
- Competitive analysis planning - Pressure-test market insight against competitors.
- Kona blog library - Browse all planning and market intelligence playbooks.
- Start free on KonaBusiness.ai - Run collaborative market research workflows.
