What Is a Futurist? How to Create a Forecast for Your Business

If you want to succeed in your business, you’ll need to do more than simply respond to existing trends. You’ll also need to figure out future developments today. Business planning for the future isn’t optional if you want your business to succeed. In fact, it’s imperative to strive for a proactive mindset and plan for the future.

As the old saying goes, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” That may not be literally true in every case. However, as a general rule, long-range planning helps keep your company’s operations on track.

For example, predictive marketing can help you more readily convert prospects to customers by meeting those buyers where they’re going to be in the future. Predictive SEO planning helps content marketers boost their content creation efforts and generate more leads as well.

Yet, planning also takes a toll, no matter what the context. How are you supposed to know what future conditions may develop to alter the landscape and your carefully drawn plans?

That’s where the futurist’s capacity to forecast comes in, and fortunately, it’s a skill anyone can develop.

What is a futurist?

A futurist is a kind of social scientist who advises brands about the potential shape of the future…