Whatever type of professional or entrepreneur you are at some point you will need to do some market research. That gap in the market doesn’t mean anything until you’ve done some research to make sure it’s viable.

Here are some tips on how to carry out your research.

1. Employing professionals is a very effective but costly method of market research. Companies like Gartner and Forrester give detailed market research with accurate reporting.
2. Specialist Magazines, industry specific media, blogs and competitors sites and blogs are a much cheaper form of research.
3. Talking to experts in the industry, use networking sites such a LinkedIn to find them or simply ask around. They can give valuable advice about how to make your business a success.
4. Talk to your customers or potential customers directly. You can even use social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook to gain some useful information.