How to Ride the Coattails of a Current Trend

You’ve heard the advice before: Tie your blog posts, blog or book into a current trend.

Or not.

Here’s the problem with that strategy: If you can’t publish something at the start of the trend, in all likelihood, by the time you do publish a post or book, the trend is over.

That’s why agents complained about getting a ton of books about the Law of Attraction after release of The Secret. Publishers had no way to release those books in time to catch the trend.

Same with books like Harry Potter or Fifty Shades of Grey. Or even books about the current election. Not gonna happen fast enough.

Now you could get a blog post out quickly and before the tail end of a trend—if you publish often, as in daily or several times per week.

But there is another way.

And for those of you blogging books, it’s a strategy that could work for you. In fact, I used it for my newest release, Creative Visualization for Writers.

How to Catch a Trend

Here’s the strategy: Take a unique and proven angle on an existing trend.

Let me explain with an example from my experience.

In 2015, I became aware of the adult coloring book trend. They were everywhere. I know you’ve probably seen them in bookstores and other shops—even Marshall’s, TJ Maxx and Costco.

I heard a book coach talking about how to “get in on the adult coloring book trend,” and it sparked my interest. However, I had no desire to produce a coloring book.

So I researched coloring books for writers and found two self-published books, but nothing else…and I didn’t feel either one of them were good.

I had another thought about coloring books for writers: Writers don’t have time to sit around and color. Most don’t even find the time to write.

So, I began to brainstorm how to get in on this trend without producing another coloring book for adults.

I decided that such a book need to be goal driven. Everything in it had to help writers succeed. The book I would produce needed to be an interactive journal that included focus driven coloring book pages as well as affirmation pages and techniques to help readers set goals, remove mental blocks to success, visualize their end results, and boost creativity.

Not long after that, I met with my publisher while we were both at the 2015 Book Expo America. I asked him, “Have you thought at all about a coloring book for writers?”

He responded, “I was just researching that exact topic this morning.”

Right then and there we put our heads together with one of his sales reps, and the idea became a “thing.” In fact, the sales rep suggested the title, Creative Visualization for Writers.

I submitted a proposal, and after the editorial board had agreed that this was, indeed, a good idea—a new angle on a current trend—I got a deal. In September 2016, Creative Visualization for Writers was published.

Had I just proposed another coloring book, that book would have been released at the same time…and the trend would have tapered off.

And that’s why proposing a coloring book wouldn’t have worked. That proposal would have been rejected.

But my book is not just a coloring book.

Let’s break this strategy down into steps.

1. Tap Into the Trend

First, you must tap into the trend. You must generate an idea for a blog, post or book that takes advantage of the interest in a subject but that will be of interest even after the trend tapers off or ends.

2. Find a New Angle

Second, even if you tried to reproduce other trending products or topics, you still need something unique. Find a new angle on the current trend—something that is unique and sets your post, blog or book apart.

3. Create a Timeless Trend Setter

Your post, blog or book should take the trend into the future. Revolve it around a topic that has the potential to be timeless—to remain successful long after the trend ends.

4. Mimic Success

Find a second favorable trend or issue, and combine the two. For example, Creative Visualization for Writers is tied to another successful idea—and book: Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain. That book was the predecessor to The Secret and all the other books about conscious or deliberate creation.

5. Create Something Timeless

Create a book that can succeed without the trend. Creative Visualization for Writers is meant to have a timeless quality. It is not a book intended to tap into a short-lived trend. It’s a book that can be used over and over again long after the trend ends but that benefits from that trend.

As you create new blogs, blog posts or books, keep this strategy in mind—especially if you don’t think you can publish in time to catch the trend.

Have you tried strategies with your blog or a book that have helped you use a trend successfully?