Is Radical Business for You? Part 2, Trends
In my previous post, I introduced the idea of going beyond guerrilla approaches to radical business as an antidote for this difficult business climate. The first column in this series discussed . However, additional opportunities lie in trends.
Have you known a person who seems to always be six steps ahead in his or her understanding of what amusing quote people will snap up in tee shirts or on caps? My mind doesn’t work that way although I love the creativity when I see it. And I’ve noticed the most successful products seem to be the ones that tap into truth and emotion.
Shortly after the BP oil spill plus chemical dispersants were killing and poisoning our cherished seafood in the Gulf of Mexico, I discovered a local artist who rapidly designed and produced a line of clothing items that said, “Save Our Gumbo.” For residents of the northern Gulf Coast, a lifetime of gumbo memories were haunting us as we wondered if we’d eat gumbo again – gumbo with the exquisite flavor produced by the sweetness that comes from the high iodine levels of seafood in the Gulf. While others sold “Save Our Shores” and similar predictable phrases on products, the big seller beloved by locals was “Save Our Gumbo” because it touched tender issues of our lives.
Every event and disaster seems to warrant a tee shirt these days. Usually, they’re baggy men’s shirts. I’ve long thought that the person who designs shirts with art and sizing which appeal to women will sell far more merchandise.
Do you have the talent to quickly turn a disaster or event into a money maker? If so, find a tee shirt printer who can give you instant turnaround and ramp-up for the next event. Decide what your geographic range will be. And plan your business just as you’d plan any business. How will you sell what you produce? Don’t over-order merchandise. It’s far better to sell everything you have than to end up with a garage full of T-shirts saying “I Survived 7.1,” a shirt designed after the Loma Prieta earthquake.
In addition to producing and selling merchandise based around one-time occurrences that present the opportunity for commemorative items, there are other trend businesses that might be right for you.
Recently, I heard about two young women who started a cupcake baking company in a city where there is no bakery specializing in cupcakes. They’ve developed seasonal recipes, and planned to target holiday parties throughout the year with their themed cupcakes. However, they’re growing much faster than they anticipated. Because neither of them has the resources to invest in a professional kitchen, they worked out an arrangement with their church, where the spacious professional kitchen is rarely used.
To garner attention when they started, they baked cupcakes for a large nonprofit fundraiser, where they left their cards on the table with their beautifully decorated ad displayed, delicious treats. I watched those cards get snapped up at first bite of cupcake after cupcake. Sometimes you fill a market need and your business grows much faster than you expect. The founders of this cupcake bakery are wise enough to know that cupcakes might be a trend so they have no intention of getting themselves into a financial bind with overhead that could be a detriment if the cupcake craze crashes. Business decisions that recognize the pitfalls of a trend are essential.
Do you have a talent that you’d enjoy using to establish a trend-focused business?
