if the time is right: Could your business cope with expansion, or is it working at full capacity? Do you have the resources and systems in place to carry on your existing business while targeting expansion elsewhere? If new initiatives are likely to disrupt existing performance, how will you ensure your customers don't lose out? You may have to consider including additional staffing, refining production processes and equipment or outsourcing certain tasks in order to give you the flexibility to pursue a growth strategy. It's essential that you comprehensively review the present position of your business to make sure that your consolidation efforts will be as effective as possible. See our guide on how to review your business performance . Options for growth: increasing market share To increase market share a business has to take customers from its competitors or attract new customers. Achieving this requires a thorough understanding of both your own customer base and that of rival businesses. Having the answers to the following questions will help you build a comprehensive picture of your market and your competitors and put you in a stronger position to win a bigger market share. Who are your existing customers? Are there any other groups that may require your product or service and that you haven't targeted before? Can your product or service be used for purposes that you had not previously considered and that could make it appealing to a wider market? What are your competitors' strengths? Do you have these