Trends

When I first started studying public relations, I quickly learned what I consider to be the three cardinal rules of PR in what makes something newsworthy and if it can't fit into one of these three categories, then leave it and move onto the next thing. The "news" that someone wishes to promote can be considered news and therefore "pitched" in some manner if:

1.) It solves a problem
2.) Can offer useful tips
3.) Identifies a trend

It is with trends I want to touch upon this week. It is imperative in the marketing world to keep up with trends. Trends allow you to tie your product, service, idea, "news" into the larger picture by connecting it somehow to a trend, which is what makes it newsworthy to the media.

Some examples would be relating a product to a certain season or a way of life, such as being green. Or, offering a service and tying it in to a similar service popular on the national level. Or, positioning an event with a well known movement. Or, connecting a concept to popular lifestyles or recreation.

Trends can be local, regional, or national and using trends can help a local item of news become newsworthy on a national level and vice versa. It is important to note trends have nothing to do with what you wish a trend to be, it is what the existing trends are and using them to your advantage - a great opportunity to get creative!

Here are some trend resources - both for talking about trends and for you to browse to discover trends yourself:

- National Consumer Trends:
www.trendwatching.com
www.dailycandy.com

- Vermont Trends:
burlington.craigslist.com
sd.blogs.com/802online
candleboy.com/candleblog

Any trends out there people would like to comment about?