The Trendmasters Guide: Get a Jump on What Your Customer Wants Next
by By Waters, Robyn and VanDeWeghe, Lindsay (ILT)
Category: Business & Economics , Marketing , General

According to Robyn Waters, it’s a myth that trends can only be spotted early by überhip Bohemian types who are ever so much cooler than everyone else.   She ought to know. As Target’s former VP of Trend, Design, and Product Development, Waters helped a dowdy regional discount chain become a national fashion destination. Today she consults for many different companies to help them stay ahead of the curve. The Trendmaster’s Guide features her favorite tips and examples for understanding and anticipating trends. Every letter from A to Z offers an insight to help readers navigate the unknown and prepare for whatever their costomers want next. It’s a quick read that packs a lot of insight between "A is for antennae" and "Z is for Zen."   Anyone can use the tools in The Trendmaster’s Guide to become more aware of the world around them. Even if you weren’t born with a trendspotting bone in your body, you don’t have to be a follower forever. No one these days can afford to just be catching on when others are already moving on.   Waters stresses that recognizing and reacting to trends is a learned skill, and it can be acquired without spending time in the streets of Milan or the high schools of Orange County. If you’ve ever witnessed a trend unfolding and said to yourself, "I should have seen this coming," there’s hope. You too can become a trendmaster.