Use it for some down-and-dirty R&D
Pinterest really is a community all about what people want. People are constantly pinning things they're interested in -- things they wish they had. Brands can benefit from that sense of imagination.
Take some rough product ideas and see what your followers think of them. Or ask them for their input on what they think you should be creating. A design company in Portland, Yala, asks people to upload pictures of designs or items they would like to see produced.
But even the smallest things could give you new product ideas. Maybe your audience is really into dogs. Is there a product extension that could tap into that passion? For a fashion company, maybe that's dog-wear. For an airline, maybe that's a new "product" designed to take care of travelers' pets or help them fly in style.
What if car companies asked about people's favorite features of their car to understand the features that have emotional attachment? Given that a large majority of Pinterest users have household incomes of less than $75,000, what if financial services companies were inspired to create new types of products that could help their customers attain those things on their wish list?
Pinterest is all about inspiration. And that can lead to innovation.
Britt Peterson is director of growth strategy at Cole & Weber United.
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