Trends come and pass, with customers eventually losing interest or forgetting why a particular thing was popular in the first place. Your business, however, should have true staying power. Regardless of the time or place, customers should want to continue buying your products or services because of the distinct value they provide — not because you participated in a trend.
But trends can also have their place, providing business leaders with the opportunity to reach new audiences and freshen up their marketing. That said, how is a business leader to know when it’s appropriate to hop on a trend and when it’s not? To shed some light, top business leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council offer their perspective on the issue, each discussing one tip they’d offer fellow business leaders for how to determine whether a trend will benefit your business or detract from it.
Go With Your Gut
Trends are well and good, but always stay true to yourself. Ultimately, following trends should depend on your business goals and whether the trends align with them. So, go with your gut and do what feels right for you, your values and your business. – Mark Paulda, Mark Paulda & Co
Ensure It Benefits Your Brand
If the trend benefits your business and the direction you’re heading in, I say go for it. More importantly, don’t feel the need to adopt a trend just because it’s new and fresh. Brand alignment is key. – Karina Michel Feld, Tallulah Films
Ask if It Resonates With Your Customers
Assess the trend’s relevance to your audience and brand values. Whether it’s memes or broader consumer trends, only adopt them if they resonate with your customers. Quick adoption is crucial if the trend aligns, but if not, skipping ensures you stay authentic to your brand and maintain focus on what genuinely interests your target audience. – Dan Serard, Cannabis Creative Group
Consider the Trend’s ‘Why’
Trends come and go — but when read correctly, they provide important business insights. As a body jewelry manufacturer, we predict what people want to wear. However, a consumer chooses to wear butterflies or titanium for very different reasons: A butterfly is a style preference, and titanium is a health decision. Adding more butterflies is a seasonal change; expanding our titanium is a commitment of ideals. – Vanessa Nornberg, Metal Mafia