Welcome and Trends 2011 – opportunities for 2011

Welcome to our new-look newsletter that will now take the form of a Blog.  As trends go, we at Mastermind accept the new digital environment in which blogging plays a seriously important role.  And so, as we move with the times it’s probably appropriate that our most recently posted article is included with some of the newest trends that we see expanding through 2011.  Some of these trends could be your business opportunities for this year and beyond – so read on!

#1 – Wellness – as we see the costs of employee benefits escalating, and as employers look to find ways to improve the relationships with valuable employees, minds have been turning more readily towards prevention, health and wellness.  This trend will continue to gain momentum.  See the article: “Health and Wellness – No more excuses!”.

#2 – Social media – will continue to play and bigger and more important role in our lives.  While this may still be in development as far as B2B business is concerned, it sure has a dominating effect on our lives socially, politically (Obama’s success at the polls) and on the world stage (the chosen communications vehicle for calling out the masses e.g. Egypt and beyond).  Those that ignore it do so at their peril.  Those that embrace it will find a new reality at the other end.

#3 – The cell phone/mobile – the all encompassing means of communications, information and payment.  When will it end?  No time soon.  We don’t know how far this will go because it is just so new and developing fast.  Hold on – the ride will be bumpy.

#4 – The older generation – pressure is rising for us to care for the older generation as they become the elderly (with Alzheimer’s, dementia, frailty and the like taking hold).  This is one trend that will grow and will not change for the better.  It will get more and more difficult for everyday people to take on the burden and governments will not be able to take on the mother load.  This is a shared responsibility for us all and we’d better start taking it seriously.   And for everyday people this is the biggest business opportunity for niche businesses.

#5 – Look deep inside for relevance and differentiation – competition is growing and business will need to find innovation from places that they may not have looked in before.  Creating innovation will not be big or dramatic for most of us (leave that to the major corporations worldwide) – we will need the inspiration to create new things from old.  E.g. finding a new use for an existing product and promoting that idea.  Sometimes we may need to reach well into our subconscious in order to draw that inspiration out and we may need help from people that can make that happen.

#6 – Social shopping – the more social media becomes the norm, and as the cell phone/mobile technology advances, we will advance towards the convenience of social shopping.  Not only will this phenomenon grow for online retailers but for bricks and mortar retailers as well.  The technology will drive us through the early adopters.

Do you agree with these views?  Share your vision and opinion of the future with us…
Email neville@mastermindsolutions.ca

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