Trendspotting: How to Predict and Position Your AMC and Your Clients for Success

1. AMC Institute
Trendspotting
How to Predict and Position
Your AMC and Your Clients
for Success
Adele Cehrs
CEO
Epic PR Group

2. What’s the benefit
of trendspotting?

3. Start by listening.
Competitive intelligence.

4. Bottom up
approach.
Bloggers, listservs and Twitter…

5. Contrarians.
Find out what they are saying.

6. GTS it.
Cash in on their massive stores of data

7. Industry Predictions.
What are they saying is coming next?

8. Look to the Polls.
Leave it to the experts

9. Watercooler Shares
What are people talking about?

10. Time Machine Framework #1
In the past…
Now…
Where your trend will take people, products, service, industry, etc…

11. 2009
In the past, associations have opened up some of their educational
content for crowdsourcing.
Now, a step above crowdsourcing, member controlled innovation
allows members to take part in the creation of actual products,
meetings and changes to the association.
As a result of the Crowdsourcing 2.0 Trend, the member-association
dynamic has changed as it becomes clear the best way to ensure
member satisfaction.
Time Machine Framework #1

12. The Shift Framework #2
Three disparate things all point toward this incoming trend or change in
the market place that you are identifying first.

13. The Shift Framework #2
With more Gen Xer’s in leadership positions, they desire completely
customized membership experience
Members are asserting their desire for uniqueness by demanding products
that are malleable, according to their individual career paths, personality and
networking preferences
This will cause a shift in the way associations tailor membership offerings,
allowing members to call the shots about how they want to interact with the
association moving forward. This is called The Me Generation Trend.

14. What’s Cool Framework #3
Example:
Example:
Example:
Everyone is doing it b/c this is what’s the consumer desires…

15. • Facebook was cool 10 years ago
• Phone calls are for old people
• Email is for parents
• Now, The Ocular Social Trend is in with the popularity of Pinterest,
Snapchat and Instagram
What’s Cool Framework #3

16. Scarcity Framework #4
The trend was bubbling up for a while…
What others didn’t do until now…
Research shows…
How the trend will address a need for a select group of people in the
know…

17. 2009
First propelled into the urban consciousness by New York's Magnolia Bakery in 1996
and subliminally promoted by the pleasure-seeking women of the HBO series "Sex and
the City“ – cupcakes have always had a place in our heart.
Businesses such as Sprinkles Cupcakes and Crumbs continue to draw repeat
customers who appreciate the dessert's size and portability.
When an economy enters troubled waters, this does not spell bad news for all
categories. “Affordable luxury”, for example, tends to perform well in a recessionary
environment.
Given the recent economic downturn, Georgetown Cupcake sells out its treats with a
long line of patrons waiting to buy the $2.75 cupcake because people feel “it’s an
affordable luxury.”
Scarcity Framework #4

18. Smashing Framework #5
Example + Example
=
New idea created by smashing two categories together

19. Smashing Framework #5
Instant Gratification + Quick Solutions
=
The Member Kit Culture
In the age of instant gratification, members crave easy and quick solutions to
their industry or profession’s problems.
This desire has birthed a Member Kit Culture Trend based in ready-made
systems assembled to solve various problems. Kits allow members to enjoy the
benefits of problem solving without a lot of effort.
This will change the way association’s organize content, provide updates and
communicate effectively with members.

20. Trend Creation Exercise
Develop a trend for the Brewers Association based on the information below.
The Brewers Association has seen a significant rise in the number of craft brewers in their
membership in recent years. Craft brew sales have increased by 15% in the past year alone.
Bars and pubs across the country are adding more taps and expanding their beer offerings
to accommodate the consumer interest in craft beers.
American diners increasingly crave food grown in their own region, rather than delicacies
trucked or flown in from far-off locales.
The 2008 recession ushered in a new way to socialize and spend their time – creating an
increase in the foodie and home-brewing culture. Craft brew competitions and festivals are
cropping up across the country.
Large brewers, such as Sam Adams and Budweiser, are diversifying their product offerings
to keep pace with microbreweries across the country. For example, in May of this year, Sam
Adams released a commercial talking about the 60 beers they brew each year.

21. Biggest Challenge Exercise
What is your biggest communications challenge?
For example, here are some things we hear often:
• People don't understand what we do
• Staff doesn't know how to talk about the organization effectively
• Board in-fighting
• Internal communication challenges
• Departmental silos
• Developing trends
• Identifying and talking to the right audience
• Buy-in

22. Thank you.
C = Consulting
S = Speaking
E = Email