Use market research to analyze your customers and competitors on multiple levels. This will help you evaluate whether the demand for a product/service is real, and whether expanding into a potential new market is worthwhile for your company. Identify consumers segments that share common characteristics such as age, gender, education, income, occupation, and place of residence, or softer variables such as lifestyle and values. Also consider consumer motivation. What "job" is the customer trying to get done? What barriers may be constraining consumption? Knowing who your key competitors are and assessing their strengths and weaknesses can also illuminate specific growth strategies and ways to differentiate your products and services.