Checkpoint 4: What Wave Are You Riding?
The first three checkpoints illustrate the role of focus in building a zag. The next five checkpoints will show how focus connects to its powerful twin, differentiation. But let’s take a break for a moment to consider the role of trends in driving both.
You can certainly build a brand without harnessing a trend, but you won’t get the raw, youthful energy of a zag. When focus and differentiation are powered by a trend, the result is a charismatic brand that customers wouldn’t trade for love nor money. It’s the difference between paddling a surfboard and riding a wave.
What trends can you ride? The variety is virtually endless, since each industry, region, and subculture spawns its own trends. Sometimes a ...
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