You don’t need to consult a fortune teller to read your coffee or cards to know the future. The key to predicting some of the upcoming events and spot upcoming trends It is closer to you than you think – and yes, it is possible. Actually, it is about developing a detailed observation of the present and to curate ideas logically. That’s what Rohit Bhargava, founder of the Influential Marketing Group and author of the bestselling book, stands for. Not Obvious. How to Think Different, Curate Ideas & Predict The Future.
Bhargava explains, in a summarized way, what his methodology (The needle in the haystack) consists of to hunt trends. For the expert, all clues are around us, so a good marketer (or entrepreneur) can discover them for get ahead of the facts and develop innovative products, services or strategies that will conquer the audiences of the future.
How to spot trends
So if you want to become a trend huntertake note of the skills you must cultivate or enhance to spot trends:
1. Observation capacity
Society and its changes constantly give us clues as to what the consumption trends will be in the future. That is why it is important that you become a true observer of everything around you. For a moment stop looking at the cell phone screen and look at details that most would pass by. How do people react to certain stimuli? What are the difficulties you face in your daily life? How do they behave when making a purchase or choosing a brand?
2. Curiosity
A truly curious person does not keep what he receives, but is willing to go much further to discover what lies behind. A trendsetter is naturally curious: he is eager to learn and wants to understand why people act in a certain way or why -and how- societies are transformed. Research as much as you can; enter websites from different parts of the world and periodically browse magazines that talk about other topics that commonly interest you.
Bhargava claims that he has a habit of reading dissimilar things all the time. For example, she takes advantage of trips to buy women’s magazines, aimed at teenagers or hunting magazines to find out what types of brands are advertised and how they speak to each audience. This has allowed him to broaden his horizons and discover trends.
3. Volatility
This is probably one of the less “traditional” pieces of advice shared by Bhargava. For him, it is essential to develop the ability to change mindsets and let things go. That way, if one idea doesn’t work out, you can move on to another without going through a long and painful road. Being fickle allows you to see from other angles and empathize with different types of people. It also helps you stay dynamic and never get stuck on a thought. A trend hunter must be willing to change all the time and not stick to one state or strategy.
4. Ability to think
Modern life is ironic: every day we are forced to learn more, but have less time to really think and reflect. We receive hundreds of messages – from the media, from the people around us and even from the streets we walk on – so we are used to letting them pass without reasoning. if you really want predict the trends that will mark consumption and how to sell you should give yourself minutes to think. Not only will you find good ideas, but you will also be able to process all the information you received that day, curate it (give it order and meaning) and discover which path you should follow.
5. Elegance
Don’t take it as the way you dress or talk, but the way you execute. Elegance requires using fewer elements, which are chosen with great care. As you look around you, investigate new things, exchange ideas, and analyze the information you received (that is, the previous steps), it is essential that you take only what will serve you to innovate and anticipate the desires of consumers.
(Extra note: if you analyze the method that Bhargava proposes, you will notice that it is similar to the one used by Sherlock Holmes to find the culprits of the crimes he investigates. The secret is to learn to observe, deduce, think and get rid of irrelevant details).