Whether your company is 100 years old or 100 days old, you better understand the consumer and cultural trends impacting the adoption of your products and services. With so many tools available to track the buzz of the moment, it seems that you should never be caught flatfooted. The problem though, is that whether you’re using Google Trends, del.icio.us, or Twist, you’re catching real-time trending buzz, without much context.  If the top trend on Google Trends is “cash for clunkers bill,” what does that tell me about what consumers want from my business today and tomorrow?

Many companies offer to interpret that noise for you, for a hefty fee. But one company will give you a surprising amount of information for free – Trendwatching. Trendwatching, known for it’s inventive (or schlocky, depending on your prerspective) naming of trends, sends out free monthly trend briefings. August’s briefing included the trend “Innovation Jubilation” (see what I mean about the names?), which mentions San Diego company, BillMyParents. Trendwatching has a sister company called SpringWise which tracks new business ideas around the world. Trendwatching will do custom work for a fee and also gives paid trend presentations.

I have no connection to the company, but I do subscribe to their briefing and find it valuable. It’s a great free source of trend information, but it’s on you to apply it to your business.