For this social media blog, I would like to focus on how Whole Foods uses social media to create a valuable experience through their marketing strategy. First, Whole Foods has an awesome Facebook page that is very inviting in terms of user participation. They post local events, new products, contests, promotions, philanthropy, in-store demos, and questions for users to post their answers on the page such as, “What is your favorite cheese?” Facebook allows Whole Foods to write long posts, post photos, and post videos. It also allows people to respond not only to Whole Foods, but to other users and becomes a sort-of conversation between Whole Foods customers. Not only do they have one main page, but also have pages for each of their major stores. For example, Whole Foods Market Austin has its own store page, which allows customers to get a genuine glimpse of their local store’s culture. It also strengthens Whole’s Foods’ concept of community. After experiencing Whole Foods’ Facebook page, customers might begin to think of their trip to whole foods as a community experience rather versus just a trip to the store. Most importantly, with a Facebook page, all the information is in one spot. Customers can search for Whole Foods and find all they need to know without having to search extensively. The research is done for you; all in one stop.
Whole Foods is most well known for its use of Twitter http://twitter.com/wholefoods Whole Foods currently has close to 2 MILLION followers. All I can is, WOW. Whole Foods is one of the most popular retailers on Twitter. They use Twitter primarily as a customer service tool. They do promote blog content and may mention promotions such as holiday specials and that sort of thing, but their number-one focus on Twitter is customer service. Most of Whole Foods' output on Twitter is typically used to respond to individual questions or concerns in a conversational manner. They also throw in some freebies like a gift card for the best @wholefoods tweet of the week. Whole Foods also have many niche Twitter accounts that specialize in certain topics, metro areas or specific local stores. For example, http://twitter.com/WFMcheese is WF’s cheese expert who has a quadruple PhD in cheese. Customers are able to follow certain detailed topics that interest them which makes the experience even more personal and engaging. They have a Whole Foods Austin account: twitter.com/wholefoodsatx. One of the biggest is and most popular accounts so far is WholeRecipes which has over 35,000 followers. It’s an automated feed of the latest recipes from Whole Food Markets. This account is pure broadcast, no conversations or @replies. Whole Foods' Twitter accounts offer clear value to followers and create an experience similar to what they might receive in the store. These social media outlets are invaluable in helping them develop new products or think of ways to improve their existing products. They can also get an early heads up on dissatisfied customers and get to those customers quickly to avoid negative word of mouth that could lead to lost sales. Whole Foods' Social media techniques follow the Groundswell evaluation rules of new technology: 1) It enables people to connect with e/o in new ways, 2) It is effortless to sign up for, 3) It shifts power from institututions to people, 4) The community generates enough content to sustain itself, and 5) It is an open platform that invites partnerships. For all of these reasons, Whole Foods social media has thrived.
It is very important for companies to ask “Why” before they engage in any social media tactic or marketing strategy. It is my understanding that most companies do extensive research before implementing social media or integrated marketing strategies. There are many research tools out there that help companies know where the conversations are going on, what are the trends, who are the influencers etc. Companies monitor these tools on an ongoing basis in order to adapt to trends, seasonality and changes in what's important to the target market in order to adjust. These tools are invaluable in helping companies discover key insights to make their social media strategy successful. For this blog, I checked out both Google Insights and Samepoint .
I decided to conduct my social media research on behalf of Southwest Airlines. Last week they grounded dozens of planes after learning of possible structural problems so I wanted to see what topics were trending related to Southwest and how this possible negative media attention may have affected social media. Using Google Insights, I searched for “Southwest” worldwide, from the past 90 days. I few different categories came up related to Southwest, but the top category was obviously “Travel” and top subcategory of “Air Travel.” 90 days before they grounded planes, the interest level of Southwest remained pretty steady at around 60%. Around April 4th, the date that the planes were grounded due to cracks, the interest level shot up. I then decided to compare Southwest interest level growth relative to interest level growth of the “Travel” category over the past 90 days. Both interest growths remained steady and around correlated well until April 4th when the interest level of Southwest grew 41% relative to the growth of interest in Travel. Also, search volume was greatest in Nevada, New Mexico and Arizona. The plane was grounded in Arizona which makes sense, but if I were Southwest, I would wonder why search volume in Nevada was highest.
I also decided to try out Samepoint. Samepoint is a conversation search engine that lets you see what people are talking about. SamePoint.com tracks millions of conversations, taking place in more than tens of thousands blogs and social media sites. It is extremely important to companies to monitor blogs and according to Groundswell, blog reading is one of the most popular social media activities with one in four online Americans reading blogs. I decided to search for Southwest on Samepoint’s “Negative Thoughts Search Engine.” It monitors the social tone of the websites, and shows columns that represent how negative or positive the social tone currently is. On sites such as Southwest’s Facebook page, the tone is about 30% negative/70% positive. There was a considerable amount of negative social tones regarding Southwest in many blogs. However, typically, there was more positive social tone than negative in most of the blogs. Many of the posts that the search engine pulled were from Yelp.com and were reviews of the airlines. This could be an important tool for Southwest to use in order to gauge the tones of the various reviews being posted on different websites.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Is Wal-Mart too smart?
The Wal-Mart story is very unique. Sure, many other retailers capture consumer data to gain a better understanding of their shoppers, but Wal-Mart has the most data by far. Wal-Mart has the most shoppers, the widest range of shoppers in terms of income and socio-economic level, and a top-notch system to capture these shoppers’ information.
Given the enormous amount of data that Wal-Mart captures, do you think they have been successful at converting it into an experience that serves as a competitive advantage for them?
I believe that Wal-Mart has done an excellent job at using their data. Before anyone else, Wal-Mart understood that all this data represented a competitive advantage: the ability to predict customer buying behavior. From this data, Wal-Mart created a buying experience that gives customers exactly what they need, when the need it. For example, through data mining Wal-Mart figured out that Pop-Tart sales soared right ahead of a forecasted hurricane. Of course, Wal-Mart inferred that consumers wanted to have Pop-Tarts for whatever reasons during a hurricane and over stocked their stores with Pop-Tarts. Yes, Wal-Mart was trying to profit, but they also converted this data into a more meaningful buyer experience for its consumer by stocking the store with the exact items it knew they wanted. They didn’t run out, and thus the consumer was a happier shopper.
What makes Wal-Mart so powerful it their ability to predict exactly what certain customers expect and need in specific situations. In recent article on Wal-Mart’s data gathering, the author points to another good example of how WM is creating a meaningful buyer experience. In certain countries and markets Wal-Mart’s data indicates that shoppers have a particularly hard time at the end of the month. Wal-Mart helps these low income shoppers get through hard economic times by offering different pack sizes by time of month because of their paycheck cycles. For example, there are some global markets where Wal-Mart offers individual diapers because large packs are not affordable during certain times of the month. This proves Wal-Mart’s attention to detail and success at creating a buyer experience gives them a competitive advantage.
What do you think about the privacy issues associated with all of that data and the amount of personally identifiable data they are able to capture. Does it bother you? Do you trust them with it?
The fact that Wal-Mart has so much data is a bit frightening. Wal-Mart consumers want to assume that Wal-Mart will only use our data in good health, but there is no way to be sure. Although the article points out that Wal-Mart no longer sells their data to outside companies such as ACNielsen who in turn sold it to retailers, they did at some point (that data is lost), and there is no way to know they won’t do it again. Most consumers never even blink an eye when giving the cashier their credit card. However, with one swipe, Wal-Mart is capturing private data that can lead to information such as access what they paid for their house, and their mortgage. The privacy issues bother me, especially because consumers have no idea that their data is being stored and are never asked for consent. I recently read about Wal-Mart’s use of RFID tags. These tags are used for maintain inventories that reflect customer demand better. However, people are concerned that the RFID could scan customers without their knowledge. Some states have new licenses that have RFID tags, which might allow retailers to scan their license without knowing and obtain private information. It bothers me a little, however, I feel like people can find just as much information online or more. Today, it’s impossible to hide personal information. There are people out there who are much more skilled at finding our information than most consumers are at hiding their information. Because Wal-Mart has so much at stake, I trust that they have invested the best technology and do everything possible to protect the data of their customers. If they didn’t, they would be getting into a lot of lawsuits that could severely damage their reputation.
What impact do you think they are having on their suppliers - making them better and more efficient or driving them too hard and reducing their profitability.
In relation to RFID, Wal-Mart is encouraging its suppliers to take part in the change. It first required suppliers to invest millions of dollars to comply with Wal-Mart's drive to have every carton and palette it receives carry a RFID tag. From the beginning, I think Wal-Mart was driving their suppliers a little hard to use RFID tags. Many suppliers hadn’t budgeted for this expensive new technology and could not immediately see the benefits. However, in the end I believe that the RFID technology will benefit the suppliers and make them more efficient. Wal-Mart’s suppliers will have a lot more data on the movement of their products. Suppliers will know when goods have arrived and be able to tell what is on hand, on sales floor and back room. I believe that this enables suppliers better demand signals for forecasting. I think that suppliers are waiting to see if there is in fact a return on the investment and then will make their decisions. In the end, suppliers are most likely benefiting in the long run more than it is costing them to implement the new technologies required by Wal-Mart.
Given the enormous amount of data that Wal-Mart captures, do you think they have been successful at converting it into an experience that serves as a competitive advantage for them?
I believe that Wal-Mart has done an excellent job at using their data. Before anyone else, Wal-Mart understood that all this data represented a competitive advantage: the ability to predict customer buying behavior. From this data, Wal-Mart created a buying experience that gives customers exactly what they need, when the need it. For example, through data mining Wal-Mart figured out that Pop-Tart sales soared right ahead of a forecasted hurricane. Of course, Wal-Mart inferred that consumers wanted to have Pop-Tarts for whatever reasons during a hurricane and over stocked their stores with Pop-Tarts. Yes, Wal-Mart was trying to profit, but they also converted this data into a more meaningful buyer experience for its consumer by stocking the store with the exact items it knew they wanted. They didn’t run out, and thus the consumer was a happier shopper.
What makes Wal-Mart so powerful it their ability to predict exactly what certain customers expect and need in specific situations. In recent article on Wal-Mart’s data gathering, the author points to another good example of how WM is creating a meaningful buyer experience. In certain countries and markets Wal-Mart’s data indicates that shoppers have a particularly hard time at the end of the month. Wal-Mart helps these low income shoppers get through hard economic times by offering different pack sizes by time of month because of their paycheck cycles. For example, there are some global markets where Wal-Mart offers individual diapers because large packs are not affordable during certain times of the month. This proves Wal-Mart’s attention to detail and success at creating a buyer experience gives them a competitive advantage.
What do you think about the privacy issues associated with all of that data and the amount of personally identifiable data they are able to capture. Does it bother you? Do you trust them with it?
The fact that Wal-Mart has so much data is a bit frightening. Wal-Mart consumers want to assume that Wal-Mart will only use our data in good health, but there is no way to be sure. Although the article points out that Wal-Mart no longer sells their data to outside companies such as ACNielsen who in turn sold it to retailers, they did at some point (that data is lost), and there is no way to know they won’t do it again. Most consumers never even blink an eye when giving the cashier their credit card. However, with one swipe, Wal-Mart is capturing private data that can lead to information such as access what they paid for their house, and their mortgage. The privacy issues bother me, especially because consumers have no idea that their data is being stored and are never asked for consent. I recently read about Wal-Mart’s use of RFID tags. These tags are used for maintain inventories that reflect customer demand better. However, people are concerned that the RFID could scan customers without their knowledge. Some states have new licenses that have RFID tags, which might allow retailers to scan their license without knowing and obtain private information. It bothers me a little, however, I feel like people can find just as much information online or more. Today, it’s impossible to hide personal information. There are people out there who are much more skilled at finding our information than most consumers are at hiding their information. Because Wal-Mart has so much at stake, I trust that they have invested the best technology and do everything possible to protect the data of their customers. If they didn’t, they would be getting into a lot of lawsuits that could severely damage their reputation.
What impact do you think they are having on their suppliers - making them better and more efficient or driving them too hard and reducing their profitability.
In relation to RFID, Wal-Mart is encouraging its suppliers to take part in the change. It first required suppliers to invest millions of dollars to comply with Wal-Mart's drive to have every carton and palette it receives carry a RFID tag. From the beginning, I think Wal-Mart was driving their suppliers a little hard to use RFID tags. Many suppliers hadn’t budgeted for this expensive new technology and could not immediately see the benefits. However, in the end I believe that the RFID technology will benefit the suppliers and make them more efficient. Wal-Mart’s suppliers will have a lot more data on the movement of their products. Suppliers will know when goods have arrived and be able to tell what is on hand, on sales floor and back room. I believe that this enables suppliers better demand signals for forecasting. I think that suppliers are waiting to see if there is in fact a return on the investment and then will make their decisions. In the end, suppliers are most likely benefiting in the long run more than it is costing them to implement the new technologies required by Wal-Mart.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Lulu- WHAT?
Recently, I noticed that my roommates were doing more shopping. Typically, I expect to see Nordstrom, Urban Outfitters, or Neimans bags lying around, but that wasn’t the case this time. These days, my friends were bringing home red, reusable bags with colorful pictures on them of women and men exercising, as well as inspirational quotes. Taking a closer look, I realized these bags were from Lululemon Athletica. Lululemon is an athletic store that makes technical athletic apparel for yoga, running, dancing, and most other “sweaty pursuits” (as quoted from their website.) Lululemon focuses on technical fabrics, slimming styles, bold colors and splashy patterns for their workout gear. The price range is pretty high, ranging from $45 yoga shirts to $150 jackets. The most I’ve ever bought there is a $10 headband! Yes, I am used to buying expensive tennis shoes, but it seems as if more women are making pricey investments into their workout wardrobes. Of course most college students can’t afford to shop at Lululemon, but my friends aren’t your average college students. It seemed to me like they had caught Lululemon fever and I couldn’t really figure out what it was all about. I am an avid runner, yoga fanatic, etc., but I cringe thinking about buying a $80 shorts only to sweat and smell them up in a matter of an hour. I don’t quite understand why women and men (yes they do have mens clothes) want to spend so much on clothes to work out in, However, I knew Lululemon clothes must have a deeper appeal that revolves around either looking good while you work out, feeling good while you work out, or wearing clothes that make you look like you are going to work out. The Lululemon gear is cute enough to wear around town and I am wondering how many people buy it just to look “active.”
For my paper, I want to explore the concept of fitness clothing and the customer experience and insights behind it. According to a recently published article on Mainline, it is no longer acceptable for women who care about how they look to wear baggy sweat pants and/or their old college t-shirts to workout. The gym is a social outlet for many women, especially the stay-at-home-mom crowd, so it’s important to them that they look good. In a Minel report on Fitness Clothing, females- in particular women from affluent households- purchasing flattering fitness wear. Sports bras with extra support, figure-flattering materials and cuts, and varied colors translated into higher price points for products. Mintel also found that women from higher-income households sustained the fitness wear segment by purchasing stylish and functional fitness clothing. I am not sure if I want to hone in on Lululemon in particular, or the customer experience of buying and wearing high-end fitness wear. I want to explore WHY women in particular are so attracted to this segment in the current environment and what drives the popularity of these stores. What does this clothing provide, that Target leggings do not? Where is the experience taking place? In the LuLu store? in yoga class? out with friends? (while wearing the clothing of course) I think this will be an interesting customer experience to explore that I can personally connect to.
http://mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2011/02/21/people/flair/doc4d62c2f51083b915667650.txt?viewmode=fullstory
Mintel- Fitness Clothing - US - September 2009
For my paper, I want to explore the concept of fitness clothing and the customer experience and insights behind it. According to a recently published article on Mainline, it is no longer acceptable for women who care about how they look to wear baggy sweat pants and/or their old college t-shirts to workout. The gym is a social outlet for many women, especially the stay-at-home-mom crowd, so it’s important to them that they look good. In a Minel report on Fitness Clothing, females- in particular women from affluent households- purchasing flattering fitness wear. Sports bras with extra support, figure-flattering materials and cuts, and varied colors translated into higher price points for products. Mintel also found that women from higher-income households sustained the fitness wear segment by purchasing stylish and functional fitness clothing. I am not sure if I want to hone in on Lululemon in particular, or the customer experience of buying and wearing high-end fitness wear. I want to explore WHY women in particular are so attracted to this segment in the current environment and what drives the popularity of these stores. What does this clothing provide, that Target leggings do not? Where is the experience taking place? In the LuLu store? in yoga class? out with friends? (while wearing the clothing of course) I think this will be an interesting customer experience to explore that I can personally connect to.
http://mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2011/02/21/people/flair/doc4d62c2f51083b915667650.txt?viewmode=fullstory
Mintel- Fitness Clothing - US - September 2009
Monday, February 7, 2011
Whole Foods, Whole Customer
I can’t think of a better place than Whole Foods to describe a meaningful customer experience. Each and every time I enter those sliding glass doors I experience something totally new, and totally fantastic. I shop at Whole Foods on many different occasions throughout the year. Really, I hesitate to use the word “shop” because when I venture into Whole Foods I do way more than just shop. Webster’s dictionary defines shopping as: “to examine goods or services with intent to buy.” Thinking about it in this context, shopping is what I do at Randalls and HEB. I go there to buy and nothing more. On the other hand, sometimes I go to Whole Foods for no reason at all. For me, Whole Foods is more than a place to shop.
Whole Foods is an adventure and I am the explorer. When I venture to Whole Foods, I typically walk down every single aisle. I come sans grocery list and explore with my eyes, ears, hands and most importantly, my mouth. I am awed by the vast array of cheeses, mountains of fresh fruits, rows of specialty strawberry jams, chunks of dark chocolate, and displays of gourmet premade foods. I smell bags of coffee, examine labels of healthy chips, try natural lotions, taste crispy cookies and drink wine samplers. If I find something intriguing, I throw it in the cart. No harm in trying something new! Whole Foods provides the ultimate customer experience, offering a pleasurable, captivating, sensory shopping environment and most importantly unmatched customer service.
The employees at Whole Foods have the ability to assess the customer’s real need and that is just what Angela did for me one warm September day. I was on the way home from running at Town Lake when I realized I forgot to pick up the ingredients for the chicken I was making for our house potluck. I was already late, forgot my phone at home, and had no idea what the heck went into “Chicken Marbella.” Sure, Mom has made it plenty, but I couldn’t remember exactly what I needed. We barely had olive oil stocked at our typical college house….let alone pitted prunes and whatever other crazy ingredients the chicken called for. Without phone or any other means of communication to call my Mom for the recipe, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to ask the customer service representative to look up the recipe for me. Lo and behold, this simple question turned into an experience I will never forget.
Angela proceeded to print out the recipe from Whole Foods’ own recipe book online. Then, she asked me if I wanted any help finding the ingredients. “Well sure!” I proclaimed! My own personal shopper! Could this really be happening? I was overwhelmed with excitement. Angela made sure she knew where to find each ingredient in the store and then we headed to the aisles. She picked out the more tender chicken, best cooking wine; the hidden no sugar added canned prunes, and all of the other ingredients. She explained the benefits of each ingredient- what it added to the chicken etc. By the end of this unbelievable customer experience, I was awestruck. I can truly say that at Whole Foods, they pay just as much attention to the customer as they do the food. Although at Whole Foods I pay more and sometimes buy more than I should, it pays off in happiness and satisfaction.
It might help to break apart the experience in terms of the customer framework. SENSE marketing at Whole Foods is overwhelming. Shopping at WF is quite a sensory experience. I can see, smell, touch, taste almost anything and the displays are a sight for sore eyes. My sensory experiences motivate me to buy things I normally wouldn’t and gave me a real feel for what I was purchasing before I ever unwrapped it in the kitchen. FEEL marketing applies closely to my Whole Foods experience. As stated above, I have feelings and moods linked to shopping at Whole Foods. I feel happy, intrigued, elated, overwhelmed, energized, and healthy. When leaving, I always feel satisfied that I purchased the best tasting and healthiest foods in Austin. I feel excited when I walk through doors and I felt “special” and cared for as the customer service rep. shopped with me throughout the store. I felt connected to the Whole Foods brand. I felt like it was a part of me. THINK marketing wasn’t as strong during my WF customer experience. I didn’t exactly have to do much thinking or solve any brain racking problems. My mind was stimulated though, but not in the 4*365 = 1460 type of way. Angela did all the thinking for me! However, I was thinking about all the different ways I could use my fresh Garlic Red-Pepper Hummus.
WF definitely engages in ACT marketing. WF stands for and promotes a healthy lifestyle and I felt it throughout the entire shopping experience. Through the promotion of organic, fresh, high quality foods, WF engages the customer in eating healthy and caring about the things he/she puts into his body. I can honestly say that going to WF makes me want to lead a better, more “holistic” lifestyle. I am now more motivated to cook instead of eating out. Angela’s customer service definitely influenced me to come back and shop at Whole Foods and spread the word of the WF brand to family and friends. The WF brand helps me RELATE to the unique Austin culture centered on living a healthy lifestyle and sustainable living. By selling locally made foods and featuring local farms, Whole Foods helps me relate to the local customer. In the end, it is obvious Whole Foods cares about the Whole Customer. They not only care about the food you eat, but how you eat it, and how you feel and the whole experience of buying food.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Mon Personnage (My persona - in French!)
Thinking and Feeling
What really counts? Above all, I am most concerned about being happy with my path in life. Also, I think that all aspects of my health, including spiritual health are a very important part of my core. If I do not feel happy and healthy, then I am unable to achieve my highest potential. My achievements (high GPA, running half-marathon, or even simple things such as achieving a certain yoga pose) are an important part of what counts in my life. Equally or more important is maintaining close relationships with all of my friends and family. Both of these groups are my biggest support systems. I rely on my closest friends and my sister and parents for support whenever needed. I want to move back home to my hometown in a few years to settle down and be near my family. Also, respect for the environment is important to my well-being. Overall, what really counts is a balance between friends, family, school, work, exercise, and an enjoyment of my surroundings.
Major preoccupations? Currently, as an MPA student, my major preoccupations concern securing an internship for the Spring 2012. Other educational preoccupations include maintaining a good academic record (high GPA) and staying involved- community service.
In my free time, my major preoccupations include cooking, reading, and exercising. I especially enjoy being outdoors either hiking or running. I am curious about science so I read National Geographic and I also have an interest in fashion and enjoy reading my monthly subscription of Vogue. I am also preoccupied with having fun with my friends (6th street, concerts, festivals, town lake), meeting guys, and enjoying my last year as a true college undergrad. My digital camera is always present to capture the events.
Worries & aspirations? I currently have a few worries, which I am trying not to focus on. I am too young for worries! I worry about securing a job and being able to support myself when I graduate as well as pay off my student loans. I aspire to be a successful businesswoman and to have the opportunity to change the world- in many senses. I also look forward to having a family of my own- one day!
Major preoccupations? Currently, as an MPA student, my major preoccupations concern securing an internship for the Spring 2012. Other educational preoccupations include maintaining a good academic record (high GPA) and staying involved- community service.
In my free time, my major preoccupations include cooking, reading, and exercising. I especially enjoy being outdoors either hiking or running. I am curious about science so I read National Geographic and I also have an interest in fashion and enjoy reading my monthly subscription of Vogue. I am also preoccupied with having fun with my friends (6th street, concerts, festivals, town lake), meeting guys, and enjoying my last year as a true college undergrad. My digital camera is always present to capture the events.
Worries & aspirations? I currently have a few worries, which I am trying not to focus on. I am too young for worries! I worry about securing a job and being able to support myself when I graduate as well as pay off my student loans. I aspire to be a successful businesswoman and to have the opportunity to change the world- in many senses. I also look forward to having a family of my own- one day!
Seeing
Environment? When I look out into my own environment, I am typically looking for ways to improve myself, my surroundings, or the well-being of others. I see things that are good for the health of the planet (sustainable living) and for the health of people. I want to purchase organic foods and objects made out of recycled materials or in a sustainable manner. I also see things that represent comfort- soft materials, comfy places to sit and relax, and comfortable/ homey/ “warm” places to eat.
Friends? I enjoy the company of my friends more than anything. I strive to keep in close contact with my old friends from home by calling/texting and or “Facebooking” them every once in a while. Of course there are a few who I talk to on the phone once every two weeks. I have made some very close friends in college who I have learned so much from and have been my support base these past 4 years. We enjoy spending time together hanging out, watching movies, eating out, and “going out.”
What market the offers? To be honest, I have a hard time keeping up with what the market offers...it offers too much these days! I rely on word of mouth and the Internet to find out about the latest and greatest. For high priced items, I stick to brands I have used before and researched a bit.
Friends? I enjoy the company of my friends more than anything. I strive to keep in close contact with my old friends from home by calling/texting and or “Facebooking” them every once in a while. Of course there are a few who I talk to on the phone once every two weeks. I have made some very close friends in college who I have learned so much from and have been my support base these past 4 years. We enjoy spending time together hanging out, watching movies, eating out, and “going out.”
What market the offers? To be honest, I have a hard time keeping up with what the market offers...it offers too much these days! I rely on word of mouth and the Internet to find out about the latest and greatest. For high priced items, I stick to brands I have used before and researched a bit.
Actions and Words
Attitude in public? I am very friendly and I have no reservations being sociable with people I do not know. I tend to be more patient in public than I may be with my family and friends. I hardly ever walk around listening to my I-pod. I feel like if I do, I'll miss out on the world.
Appearance? I care about my appearance and try to look appropriate for all situations. I find myself leaning towards some trends for my nicer clothes, but typically stick to classics that I feel will last a while. I dress pretty casually for class (sporty t-shirt and shorts in the summer), but amp it up when I go out on the town. I love higher end discount stores because I thrive on finding deals!
Behavior towards others? I open up pretty easily and enjoy meeting new people. I am pretty conscious about others feelings and find myself trying to comfort anyone who might need it. I don’t always tell people if I am upset with them and typically do not hold grudges. I am afraid being on someone’s “bad side” and I avoid it at all costs. I seek out those who make me laugh and smile a lot in the company of others.
Appearance? I care about my appearance and try to look appropriate for all situations. I find myself leaning towards some trends for my nicer clothes, but typically stick to classics that I feel will last a while. I dress pretty casually for class (sporty t-shirt and shorts in the summer), but amp it up when I go out on the town. I love higher end discount stores because I thrive on finding deals!
Behavior towards others? I open up pretty easily and enjoy meeting new people. I am pretty conscious about others feelings and find myself trying to comfort anyone who might need it. I don’t always tell people if I am upset with them and typically do not hold grudges. I am afraid being on someone’s “bad side” and I avoid it at all costs. I seek out those who make me laugh and smile a lot in the company of others.
Hearing
What friends say? Friends say anything to make you feel better about yourself. Friends don’t always “say”, they often are there to listen.
What bosses say? Bosses give you direction to figure things out on your own, but as I student I do not have much experience with bosses.
What influencers say? Influencers, whomever they may be, say things in a general sense. I feel as if they (celebrities, politicians, religious leaders) say things that apply to the masses.I try to find personal meaning.
What bosses say? Bosses give you direction to figure things out on your own, but as I student I do not have much experience with bosses.
What influencers say? Influencers, whomever they may be, say things in a general sense. I feel as if they (celebrities, politicians, religious leaders) say things that apply to the masses.I try to find personal meaning.
Pains
Fears? I fear taking risks (hence why I dropped my Finance major). However, I am always trying to push fears out of my mind.
Frustrations? I become internally frustrated with challenges to fulfilling personal goals or externally by small nuisances such as traffic. On that note, I wish there was better public transportation in the U.S.
Obstacles? I want to think that there are no obstacles to achieving what I want. I believe there is a way to get over anything. Fear of.......seems to be the biggest obstacle that could get in my way.
Frustrations? I become internally frustrated with challenges to fulfilling personal goals or externally by small nuisances such as traffic. On that note, I wish there was better public transportation in the U.S.
Obstacles? I want to think that there are no obstacles to achieving what I want. I believe there is a way to get over anything. Fear of.......seems to be the biggest obstacle that could get in my way.
Gains
Wants/needs? I want to lead a balanced life. I want to feel comforted, but also be forced to go beyond my comfort zone. I want to have enough money to travel the world and enjoy the cultures and sights it has to offer. I want to be able to give to those in need.
Measures of success? Most importantly, happiness is the biggest measure of success. This includes but is not limited to having loving friends and family. I am not afraid to throw in money or making a positive difference in the lives of others. Helping others is key to one’s own success.
Obstacles? Not finding a good enough job or the "right" place to settle.
Measures of success? Most importantly, happiness is the biggest measure of success. This includes but is not limited to having loving friends and family. I am not afraid to throw in money or making a positive difference in the lives of others. Helping others is key to one’s own success.
Obstacles? Not finding a good enough job or the "right" place to settle.
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