Issue #61: Strategic Insights with Deep Research

Good morning.

We’re past the days of surface-level insights and superficial Google searches.

Because of AI, whether you're growing a SaaS startup, scaling an ecommerce store, running a marketing agency, or thriving as a freelancer, you need precise, actionable insights delivered quickly.

That's exactly what this guide offers.

Inside, you'll find techniques for leveraging Deep Research capabilities, thorough competitor analyses, accurate trend identification, and practical strategic recommendations.

And you’ll get them in minutes rather than days or weeks.

Deep Research is a functionality you’ll find (at this moment in time), inside ChatGPT, Grok, or Perplexity.

—Sam

IN TODAY’S ISSUE 👨‍🚀 

1. Deep Research with AI: Why This Actually Matters

2. How to Write Prompts That Don’t Waste Your Time

3. Tailoring Prompts to Your Business (So They Actually Work)

4. Better Prompting: How to Go From “Useful” to “Unfair Advantage”

5. Real Examples of Deep Research Prompts

6. How to Iterate Your Prompts (and Get Way Better Results)

Let’s get into it.

Quick Guide to Deep Research

(This is a shorter version of the full issue, available to free subscribers and on the web. If you’re a Cortex subscriber, you get the full issue below—if you’re reading on the web, make sure you’re logged in. Cortex opens up once a month, at the end of the month.)

How Do You Best Use Deep Research?

We're moving too fast for surface-level guesses to keep up. 

If you're running a SaaS, building ecommerce, growing an agency, or freelancing, you need real insight—the kind that used to take weeks but is now possible in minutes.

This isn't about lazy prompting ("What are the top 5 trends in marketing?"). 

Real deep research with AI means crafting smart, structured prompts that unlock strategic clarity at scale.

Instead of asking: "What are some marketing trends in my industry?" 

Ask: "Analyze the top 5 marketing publications in the SaaS space from the last 12 months. Identify 3 recurring themes on customer acquisition and retention. For each theme, give examples of strategies and assess how useful they'd be for a B2B startup in marketing automation."

One is noise. The other is signal.

Why This Matters to You

• If you're in SaaS:

  • Validate product ideas before writing code

  • Deconstruct competitor playbooks

  • Spot unmet needs and turn them into features

• If you run ecommerce:

  • Catch trends before mainstream adoption

  • Reverse-engineer customer sentiment

  • Price smarter based on competitive dynamics

• If you're in an agency:

  • Understand client industries quickly

  • Build better campaigns with actual insight

  • Create content ideas that don't suck

• If you're a solo consultant or freelancer:

  • Level up fast in new niches

  • Break down client challenges like a pro

  • Research in days what used to take weeks

This is your new research assistant. Your competitive edge. It's like hiring a team of analysts for pennies.

How to Write Prompts That Don't Waste Your Time

AI is only as smart as the prompt you give it. If your prompt is vague, generic, or missing context, you'll get vague, generic, and useless output.

Repeat this: "A good prompt is just good thinking and communication."

And: "I'm not writing prompts, I'm engineering my thoughts."

Be Specific or Be Ignored

AI can't guess what you mean. 

• Define the problem clearly

• Use sharp, direct language

• Break big questions into smaller parts if needed

Context = Quality

AI doesn't know your business, budget, or customer. You have to feed it the background info.

• Give it the who, what, why, and where

• Set the stage like you would for a new team member

• Mention any constraints (budget, timeline, market focus, etc.)

Tell It What Kind of Answer You Want

Be explicit:

• Do you want a summary? A list? A comparison?

• High-level view or deep dive?

• Are you after ideas, analysis, recommendations?

Iterate to Get Better Output

Treat prompting like a conversation.

• Read the AI's answer critically. What's missing? What's useful?

• Ask follow-ups to dig deeper

• Rephrase your prompt with tighter focus

Use the Right Tools for the Job

Not all AI tools are equal. Some are great at summarizing, others at analysis, ideation, or long-form generation.

• Summarization: Condense long stuff fast

• Analysis: Find trends, patterns, insights

• Generation: Draft copy, product ideas, or reports

• Brainstorming: Break out of creative ruts or explore what-ifs

Tailoring Prompts to Your Business

Not all prompts work the same across every industry. The rules are the same, but the execution shifts.

If You're in SaaS

SaaS teams live and die by clarity: market demand, competitor moves, user needs, and feature priorities.

Example Prompt:

Analyze discussions in Reddit subs like r/SaaS and r/smallbusiness over the past year. Identify recurring pain points related to customer onboarding and retention. Summarize the top 3 pain points and suggest feature ideas for a new SaaS to solve them.

If You're in Ecommerce

You're swimming in trends, reviews, and shifting buyer behaviors.

Example Prompt:

Analyze recent content across Pinterest, Instagram, and fashion blogs in the sustainable apparel space. What 3 trends are gaining traction that haven't hit mass adoption yet?

If You're an Agency

Speed matters. Your edge is getting smart on the client's world—fast.

Example Prompt:

Our client is a fintech company offering B2B payment solutions. Analyze the current market: top players, key trends, threats, and white-space opportunities. Format: 1-page overview.

If You're a Freelancer or Consultant

Time is your scarcest asset. The faster you learn, the better you deliver.

Example Prompt:

As a CRO consultant, what 3 emerging skills or tools are becoming critical in 2025? What's the best way to learn each fast?

Real Examples of Deep Research Prompts

Real-World Example Prompt

Act as a user retention specialist for a B2B SaaS company. Our churn rate for the 'Pro' plan (teams of 10–50) jumped 15% last quarter. Investigate these areas:

- Feature usage: What's getting ignored or frustrating?
- Support: Any consistent complaints?
- Pricing: Are we overpriced?
- Competitors: Anyone new stealing attention?

Give me the top 3 reasons for churn and 1 action for each to reduce it. Include a metric we can use to track improvement.

How to Iterate Your Prompts

Crafting a good prompt is like writing copy. It rarely hits perfect on the first draft. The magic's in the iteration.

Read the Output Like an Editor, Not a Fan

• Did it actually answer the question you asked?

Fix the Prompt, Not the Output

• Did I skip context that would have helped?

Experiment Like a Scientist, Not a Tourist

• Rewrite the same question 3 ways

• Add/remove context to test what matters most

• Swap in new roles or data sources

Go Deeper with Follow-Ups

• Drill into something interesting: "Expand more on point 2."

• Clarify logic: "Why did you rank this first?"

• Flip the angle: "Now show me the counterpoint."

You're not just writing prompts. You're building a system that thinks with you. 

You're a Thought Engineer.

(If you’re a Cortex subscriber, you get the full issue with tips, details, prompts, and more below).

Deep research used to mean weeks of work, a team of analysts, or spending hours elbow-deep in PDFs, review threads, and competitor sites.

Now? 

One great prompt gets you 80% of the way there in minutes.

But only if you know how to write the thing.

This guide wasn’t about hacks. It was about leverage.

• Ask better questions, get better answers.

• Add context, and the model thinks more like you.

• Define the output, and you stop wasting time rewriting junk.

• Refine constantly, and the quality compounds.

Whether you’re building SaaS, scaling ecommerce, running an agency, or consulting clients, this is your edge:

The ability to think clearly, deeply, and either fast or slow.

And AI can help you do that.

So use it.

• Use prompts to pressure-test your decisions.

• Use prompts to brainstorm and break through blocks.

• Use prompts to see what others miss.

Don’t wait for perfect. Don’t copy and paste templates hoping they “work.”

Think through the lens of strategy. Clarity. Signal over noise.

You don’t need to master “AI.”

You need to master the thoughts that go into a conversation with it.

That’s how you get insight on demand.

That’s how you win.

Talk soon,
Sam Woods
The Editor