I think Bob Dylan said it best, “The times they are a changing”… and ironically this fundamental truth hasn’t changed. Change is inevitable, I’m sure you are aware of it yourself… how fast things are changing these days. Just look at social media, just when you think you’ve got the hang of Facebook and Twitter, someone comes up with Pinterest and you’ve got to start learning all over again!
This is just an example of clever people, backed by people with money, jumping onto fast moving trends that force us all to throw ourselves into it just so we don’t miss out.
A key factor in business success these days is your ability to spot a trend and steer your business towards it. For example, a key trend I’ve always been aware of is being championed by Sir Richard Branson … businesses as a force for good. Businesses that are making a genuine difference to some significant problem on our planet will be in the right space for today’s consumers. Trends coming up will be around the needs people have, whether on a global scale such as the environment and worldwide food shortages, or on a more personal level such as the massive shift towards online retail over traditional retail. If you sell something, you pretty much have to sell it online… and to the right hardware, be it pads, androids, pcs… it’s changing all the time! We are all coming to accept this reality more and more.
But what other trends are happening that could impact your business? And how can you use a trend to your advantage? Do you need to re-engineer any aspect of your business to be ready for an impending trend?
Let me know what trends you see coming…