1. Align Strengths with Trends: Leverage your core strengths to capitalize on emerging market trends, such as adopting new technologies. 2. Turn Trends into Opportunities: Identify trends that create new business possibilities like sustainability or digital transformation to innovate and expand. 3. Mitigate Threats Early: Use trend analysis to anticipate and counteract external risks such as disruptive technologies or regulatory changes. 4. Address Weaknesses Proactively: Leverage trends to overcome internal gaps like improving e-commerce capabilities if online shopping is growing. 5. Drive Innovation and Differentiation: Stay ahead by using trends to pioneer new solutions, benchmark against competitors and differentiate your offerings.

Market Trends: Analyzing Beyond the Surface Not all businesses can or should participate in every market trend. Identifying the right trends requires precision. Start by tracking visible trends using tools like industry reports and historical data to spot emerging patterns. Evaluate the nature of the trend—is it incremental, disruptive, cyclical, or just a passing fad? Consider the cost of participation: direct investments, operational changes, opportunity costs, and risks to brand reputation. Finally, align trends with your long-term goals and pilot test before scaling. Trends aren’t one-size-fits-all.

Intent is PIVOT YOUR STRATEGY in light of new trends, however, SWOT in isolation would fall short. 1. Do your PEST Analysis First: Ascertaining the nature of the external market trend is paramount to understanding it's validity (fab or fad) and it's relevancy to your business 2. You don't immediately get new Strengths & Weaknesses: An external factor presents an 'Opportunity' or a 'Threat' to now position of the company. The current strengths & weaknesses may (if at all) add synergy or weight to the factor for future S & W 3. 'Smarter Choices' needs 'Choices' first: Just mapping O & T in a SWOT is not sufficient. You identify how the factor impacts organizations' specific competitive forces (use Porter's 5 Forces) to create choices.

𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: Identify rising trends like demand for sustainable packaging. Align your products (e.g. compostable biodegradable bags) to meet this demand. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘀: Be proactive about environmental regulations. Position your packaging as compliant to attract eco-conscious buyers. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: Use growing trends (e.g., e-commerce boom) to target new sectors like logistics with mailer bags and stretch films. 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁: Stay ahead by launching customized & recycled solutions that resonate with changing consumer preferences. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗨𝗦𝗣: Showcase your commitment to sustainability, innovation & quality to stand out from competitors.

Probably start with an open mind with respect to the trends, understand what thet mean for your customer so that you can filter it through your organisation via the SWOT analysis. This remains only a tool to prompt the thinking process. Fresh perspective and a customer mindset are morecritical.