TRENDSURFING: HOW TO CASH IN ON COOL

Surfs up

Surfing to success. We can learn a lot from surfers. They understand that in order to get what you want you have to be patient, selective and brave.  You’ll never catch a serious surfer running into the ocean, board under arm, scrambling to ride the first wave they see. A seasoned pro will select which part of the ocean they will enter. They will cooly enter the water and prepare themselves on their board. The pro will exercise patience and wait for the right wave. In the blink of an eye they’ll pursue the wave, mount their board and ride the surf.

Marketers should apply the same principles when exploiting trends in their own market sectors. Come on, lets be honest not everyone is a trendsetter, however you don’t have to create a trend in order to make money from it. In fact if you can learn how to exploit emerging trends like surfers ride emerging waves. By Trendsurfing your brand can begin to systematically cash in on cool.

Cash in on cool. A trend is cool personified. A successful trendsurfer exploits an up coming trend and knows when to break free from it before its appeal declines. As they leave one trend they are constantly on the look out for the next. A skilled trend surfer moves from one trend to the next, knowing they don't have to create a trend to profit from it. Not every trendwave is right for your brand. A successful trend surfer knows his or her brand very well and will only surf when there is real synergy between what they offer and what is popular at that time. 

So how can you benefit from trendsurfing? We’ve put together eight simple tips to help marketers and or entrepreneurs benefit from emerging trends in their market.

8 Trendsurfing tips

1. Be clear about what you want to achieve from trendsurfing. Cash? fame? infamy?...

2. Research! Spend a little time finding out the specific costs and potential rewards. 

3. Separate trends from fads. Trends take time to develop. Fads are overnight successes.

4. Only select a trend that fits your brand’s attitude and style. 

5. Be brave. Don’t be put off by the scale of the trend or who you will be up against.

6. Whilst exploiting a trend keep an eye out for other emerging trends to move onto.

7. Make sure you promote your activity. Your customers must know what you are doing. 

8. When returns begin to level out start to scale down activity and exit the trend.

Next week: we’ll take a closer look at the inner workings of desire and reveal the principles of Desire. You’ll find out what they are and how your brand can benefit from the awesome power of desire.

7ology is a London based branding and advertising agency born out of the desire to create desire. Join the ADversation with us on twitter. Visit us at 7ology.co.uk. If you need further advice on branding and advertising or even if you would like a quick chat about what we have discussed above give us a call on 0207 903 5277.

MAKE MY BRAND FUTUREPROOF

What does the future hold? Its a question that mankind has been asking itself since... well time began. Throughout the ages there have been many claims to foretell the future and countless prophesies predicting the end of the world (we’re still here by the way). Popular fiction is full of stories that attempt to answer the question responsible for keeping many of us up at night. While films like ‘The Terminator’ and novels like ‘The Time Machine’ entertain us they cant answer the real question we constantly ask ourselves. What does the future hold for me? What does it hold for my brand?

Truth is there is no magical answer or secret formula that holds the key. However, there is a method you can apply that can help you even the odds when it comes to you and your brand facing the future. We call it Futureproof.

Futureproof. Being Futureproof is not about predicting the future but rather preparing for its challenges and being confident about heading off into the great unknown. At the heart of Futureproof is the simple philosophy, ‘In the future your customers circumstances will change however what they truly value in life will not’. Bold statement? Well think about it this way, whether the economy is doing well or not, you still value your relationship with you loved ones, correct? If a telecommunications brand associated its image with that value rather than the services it provides they would be futureproofing themselves. The services would support a much more powerful and desirable value in your life. Correct? We’d say so. So how can your brand become Futureproof? Simply follow our 5 steps below.

5 steps to becoming Futureproof

1. Empathise 

Begin to see the world through your customers eyes, no your own. Easier said than done however their priorities must become your priorities. Make a list of the sorts of things they value highly in life.

2. Visualise 

Build a picture in your mind of a future where you and your customers work together to achieve their goals. Take your customer value list and highlight the areas your brand can have influence over. 

3. Adapt

Does your brand represent the values and interests you have highlighted? If not think of how your communications strategy could be adapted in the future to represent the values your customers cherish the most.

4. Plan

Write a clear and simple action plan, detailing what changes you will implement, when you will have it done by, who will be involved and how much it would cost to implement. 

5. Commit

Don’t put it off! The future will be upon us before you know it. Decide today that you will invest in making your brand futureproof. (See step 1)

Next week: pack your beach wear, we’re heading off to the coast to do some Trend Surfing. You’ll find out what it is and how your brand or business can profit from emerging trends. See you there dudes!

7ology is a London based branding and advertising agency born out of the desire to create desire. Join the ADversation with us on twitter. Visit us at 7ology.co.uk. If you need further advice on branding and advertising or even if you would like a quick chat about what we have discussed above give us a call on 0207 903 5277.

THE POWER OF DESIRE

Fans exploding with desire

You are never alone. From the moment you enter this world desire is with you. It’s the motivation behind your every action. As you grow and develop, so does desire. It becomes more complex and multifaceted but no less influential in your life. Our relationship with desire is intimate and deeply personal, however it can also be of great commercial value to those who appreciate its power.

Perception

A desirable brand is like a desirable person, its about perception and confidence. A brand is a representation of an underlying promise a company/person is making to the world. The key is to be perceived in a way that is desirable to your target market and not necessarily your own preferences. Its about being flexible enough to appeal to others not just yourself.

Awareness Vs Desire

Its better to have 100 people desire what you do, than 1000 people be aware of it.

The brands that will dominate this century will be the ones that shift from an awareness building mentality to a desire focused philosophy. Once people understand that you are there for them and you’re willing to help them obtain what they want from life, they will desire you.

How to start creating desire for your brand

• Question: What are my customers trying to achieve in life and how can my brand help them do this?’

• Summarise: Once you have an idea of what your potential customers want summarise their desire and how your brand helps them into a single sentence. 

• Brainstorm: Place the desire sentence in the centre of the diagram. What images, messages and ideas come to mind when you think about what they are after? 

• Evaluate: Look at your current marketing activity in comparison to your brainstorm ideas, how well does your brand reflect what your customers are looking for?

• Implement: Update your marketing activity based on your new insights and ideas.

Next week: we’ll be taking a look into the future. What does it hold for your business and how can you ‘Make your brand futureproof? 


7ology is a London based branding and advertising agency born out of the desire to create desire. Join the ADversation with us on twitter. Visit us at 7ology.co.uk