all about S T O R Y B O A R D I N G

Storyboarding is becoming increasingly popular in the work place today. In case you are unaware of the storyboarding process, it is a graphic organizer in the form of illustrations or images displayed in sequence for the purpose of pre-visualizing a motion picture, animation, motion graphic or interactive media sequence (wikepedia definition). It is a great way to get ideas onto paper and easily allows the artist to move sequences around and not be stuck to one specific order.

Below is an example of a storyboard I put together with a group for my Consumer Behavior class. This is an example of a finished product that is ready to present.

Storyboarding is a great way to get rough and ugly (this is good in brainstorming) ideas down on paper and visualize what is going on. It allows your mind to see what is going on and make adjustments accordingly. We also found that there were pieces missing once we looked at the story as a whole and were easily able to add another block showing what we wanted. 

Each storyboard has a different number of scenes depending on the length and detail of the story you are trying to depict. I found this technique to be very helpful, as I am a very visual person and I like seeing things in chronological order to put everything together in my mind. If you have never tried this technique of brainstorming, I highly recommend it. You never know what might come of your little story on a few pieces of paper!

Source for definition:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storyboard

reasons to ask W H Y, rather than what

As humans, we are often afraid to ask the daunting question "Why?" Asking this question can be quite vulnerable, as it implies that we do not know the answer to something. So often we believe it makes us seem unintelligent to not know the answer to something, when in reality it takes a lot of courage and intelligence to question something. Rather than accepting everything as it is, we need to beccome better about digging to find the answer to something.

The two most influential teachers I have had in my life (one in high school, one in college) both always asked me why. They did not just tell me the answer to something I did not know, they questioned everything, inluding what I was asking them about. They challenged and pushed me to dig deeper than I would have on my own and sometimes this was the last thing I wanted. I would get angry and frusturated, thinking they are the teacher and they should just tell me the answer and then I will know it. Rather than giving in to me, they always pushed me to discover the answer myself. Looking back at both of these teachers, I am so thankful for the skills they taught me, not just the information.

No influential leader whether it be a boss, teacher, role model, or parent, just gives in and tells the answer. They make you look for an answer, rather than giving you an answer. These are the kinds of leaders that truly make a difference in people's lives.


The Power of Asking 'Why?' article:
http://www.reliableplant.com/Read/18393/power-of-asking-'why'-how-it-makes-employees-think-grow

the E V O L U T I O N of buying music

To buy music one used to have to physical go to the record store, purchase a record, take it home and listen to it on their record player. The right way to listen to the record was to listen to the entire thing from front to back - similar to reading a book. Buying a single song was not even an option, you simply bought the entire album.

Next came the compact cassette in 1963. This introduced a whole new phenomenon - people could now listen to their music in the car or on the go. This also started the ever so trendy shoulder boombox fad where all of the cool kids carried their music around on their shoulder, blowing out their eardrums.

After the cassette came the compact disc. It was like a mini record that could be played anywhere at any time. It produced the most crisp clear sound anyone had heard before, and for the first time in history, you could simply skip a song. You could choose whatever song you wanted to listen to without having to guess where you were at like with records or cassettes. The CD really changed the way people listened to their music.

MP3 players were next in line to make an appearance. Now multiple albums could be stored onto one small portable musical device. This allowed people to listen to more than one artist in one outting, and be able to skip around between artists or albums as much as they wanted. MP3 players have now evolved into the ever so popular iPod.

Music nowadays is purchased mostly online, through iTunes or other similar music apps. Consumers can buy one song at a time or an entire album. Spotify, Rhapsody, and Apple Music allow people to pay a yearly fee for unlimited access to any music they want. The world of purchasing and listening music has change an increadible amount over the last century, and it is only going to continue.

S W A R M app

Swarm is a fairly new app that allows you to "check in" to any store/location you go to, and see others who have checked in at the same location. Not only does it allow you to see and manage your own check-ins, you can see where exactly your friends have checked in or are currently at right now. 

The picture above shows how the check in process works. When you walk into a store or some other location you click the check in button in the top right-hand corner of the screen and an option will pop up to leave a comment about the location - or you can choose to just click "check in" and it will move you through to the next page. Here you have the option to save the check in to refer back to it later. 

You can see who your friends are and compete with them for the highest number of check ins. You can also send messages regarding a location such as the example above. This allows you to communicate directly from the app, rather than having to send a separate message. The app also provides you with advertisements related to the places you check in, so you can see what else is out there!

What do you think, will this be the next big app for staying connected to friends? Would you personally use it?

T R A V E L G U I D E: the Lake Tahoe hit list

Most people probably have their favorite travel destination. That place where they love everything - the people, the food, the shops, the adventures to partake in, and anything else. That place for me is Lake Tahoe California.

Standing on top of Mt. Tallac, South Lake Tahoe

The following is a summer travel guide to my favorite place on earth.

Must-Do Activities:

1. Hike Mt. Tallac to get a wonderful view of the entire lake and surrounding mountain ranges. This is a 9.5 mile round trip hike with an elevation gain of 3,500 feet. It is best to start early in the morning as it can get quite hot as you climb higher in elevation.

2. Rent jet skis and/or a boat to spend a day on the water. Well worth the money and time to get out to the center of the second deepest lake in the United States at 1,645 feet in the deepest part.

3. Ride the gondola at Heavenly Ski Resort on the South shore to partake in the built in ropes course tucked away at the top of the mountain.

4. Ride bikes along the paved bike path on the South shore of the lake. It winds through the trees to provide good shade cover for an enjoyable ride the whole family can do. Don't forget to stop at the ice cream shop along the way for some of the best ice cream you have ever tasted.

5. Spend an afternoon at the beach of course. I recommend The Pines or any other beach along the South shore as they are not as crowded and touristy as the North shore beaches. Don't forget to lather up in sunscreen as the high elevation is the perfect climate for a nice sunburn. 

The North Shore - crowded beach

Must-Eats:

1. Steamers on the South shore for wonderful tacos.

2. My Thai Quisine - authentic Thai food that is to die for! Top off your meal with a Thai Iced Tea.

3. The Beacon Bar and Grill at Camp Richardson on the South shore - great lakeside view and great food.

These are my top recommendations for visit to the South shore of Lake Tahoe! Rather than reading TripAdvisor next time you plan a vacation, come to my blog to get the best recommendations of things to do and places to eat.

C O M P E L L I N G spaces

Have you ever analyzed the space in your home? What you like and don't like about it? Where you go to do work, to relax? Do you even like the feeling your home promotes or does it make you agitated or depressed? The spaces around us are so important to our everyday life, and we often don't even realize what they are.

I have done a lot to my house to make it a home - I have created spaces for work and spaces for play. I was analyzing my home and I realized I even have a certain couch I sit on when I am doing work and a different space on a different couch for watching movies or reading. I work really well at a certain spot at my kitchen table in the early hours of the day, however if I try and work there later in the day, my productivity level is next to none. I like to keep my bedroom as a place of solitude and rest. I have created a "yoga corner" for myself where I have a tapestry, unique lights, and my yoga mat. I would never even dream of doing work in this sacred space, as it is not the place I have dedicated for it.

I think it is important to make different spaces for ourselves. It personally keeps my mind clear and I know what I should be doing when I am in my various spaces. It is interesting to notice the places you have subconciously dedicated for certain activites - I think it is instinctual to do so. So next time you are in your home, give it a try - notice all of the places you have labeled without even realizing it. You probably already have some of these places and if you find you don't, give it a try!

food S A M P L E S: a love/hate relationship

I just returned from a trip to Costco - everyone's favorite shopping place. Costco actually makes grocery shopping fun! If you are a little bit hungy while you are shopping, no problem! Swing by a few sample booths. You never would have bought that pesto sauce, but since you tried it you know it is delicious and it will go with everything! With all of those tasty samples spread around the store and a great deal on everything you buy, what's not to love?

Studys have shown the Costco itself loves the samples just as much as you do; samples can boost sales as much as 2,000%. It makes total sense as to why they spend the time and resources to distribute sample food items throughout the entire store. When customers are able to try an item, they may just discover that what seemed like a really weird food and one they would not typically buy to be their new favorite dinner, snack or drink.

The chart below shoes the percentage of people that purchased the item being sampled after trying it themselves. 

I myself, and many other shoppers I see, go into a store with shopping list in hand and plan to stick to that list. However, when there are surprise items around every corner that make your tastebuds water, it is much easier to throw a couple extra items in your cart. It's pretty simple to turn something down if you have never actually tasted it and don't know what you are missing out on. But when you do get to try it and you know it's wonderful, saying yes becomes natural.

Costco plays a huge psychological role when it comes to drawing in their customers. They know just what it takes to get consumers to make a new purchase that will eventually develop into a habit. I don't know if anyone can deny it; Costco is the best. And they know it.

Statistics and information were gathered from the following website:

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2014/10/the-psychology-behind-costcos-free-samples/380969/

"B's get degrees!"

We've all heard the saying "C's get degrees!" but is this really a good thing to base our grades off of? What if the saying were "B's get degrees"? Would this increase the standards that college students have for themselves? It is true that C's get degrees, but if the "normal" was B's rather than C's, I believe more people would strive for higher grades.

In my Consumer Behavior class we had to come up with a nudge that would encourage students to study more and do more homework. One small idea we had (but it would be very hard to implement) is this "B's get degrees" mentality into students. Since this motto is so engrained in students minds with C's, the reality of this happening is not that great.

Our second and more feasible idea is to make final exams optional. The way it would work is if students are happy with their grade going into the final exam, they do not have to take the final. Rather than finals being manditory, have finals be something that can only help you, but not hurt you. This would make students work harder earlier on in the semester, as they can be rewarded by not having to endure finals week. If a student has a B in a class, and they are happy with that then they are exempt from taking the final so there is no chance that their grade can go down. However, if that same student wants to take the final in hopes to get an A in the class, they can do so to try and help their grade. If a student is not passing a class, then they obviously have no choice but to take the final exam, or to retake the class.

We think this would be very helpful to students in encouraging them to try harder on homework and be more dedicated to their studies earlier on in the semester. Everyone dreads finals week, and we believe that most students would do whatever it took to get out of that awful week.

grocery bags: T R I C K Y or meaningless?

In an article titled "How Grocery Bags Manipulate Your Mind," by the Harvard Business School, we discover that maybe grocery bags do more than just provide a place to hold your groceries. I personally have never given much thought on the power of a bag before, but now I see why it is important. Do you think the type of grocery bag you use determines your likeliness to purchase ice cream??


     



In a study done by Carmen Noble, senior editor of Harvard Business School Working Knowledge, experiments were conducted to show a relationship between customers bringing their own reuseable grocery bags and the types of food they chose to purchase. Noble discovered that there is a high correlation between bringing your own reuseable bag and purchasing organic foods and indulgent items such as ice cream and cookies. The fact that people who use reuseable bags are more likely to purchase organic food makes sense because they obviously care about the environment and good healthy, however the ice cream is a different story. It seems strange that the same person who buys organic foods is also very likely to purchase unhealthy "snack" foods. The reason is because when people bring their own bag, they feel they are doing something good and shall be rewarded, in this case with indulgent items.

It turns out there is a high chance that you will buy ice cream (or something else indulgent) next time you go to the grocery store if you bring your own bag willingly. We make subconcious choices every single day as consumers and I bet you never thought this is one that people make. It seems a little far fetched, but hey, stranger things have happened.

To read the details of the experiment go to:
http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/how-grocery-bags-manipulate-your-mind

the D A S H button

Amazon recently released a new product that changes the way consumers purchase common household items. This product is called the Dash Button. The Dash Button allows customers to purchase a button specifically for a variety of items relating to household supplies, grocery, health and personal care, and pets. Each button costs $4.99 and once it is received, all the consumer has to do is press the button when they are running low on that specified product. Amazon automatically ships the amount previously specified on your account to your doorstep so you never run out of products again. The dash buttons look like this:

The dash buttons are sticky on the back, similar to a command strip, which allows you to place it next to the toilet paper so it's convenient to push, next to the washer so you can press it when you are getting low on detergent, and anywhere else in the house!

This is a whole new step in the realm of consumer buying habits, and I think it has potential to be really affective for some customers. For people that lead extremely busy lives and are busy running their kids to sports practices and other events, this is the answer to their prayers. Personally, I enjoy going to the store to get the things I need and I don't seem to have a problem with running out. I don't think that I will be part of the target market, but I think many Americans will be! What do you think about the Dash Button?

customers who bought this item A L S O bought...

If you have ever shopped on Amazon, you will know exactly what I am talking about when it says "Customers who bought this item also bought..." This upselling technique is called Amazon suggestion. Suggestions tactics like the one Amazon uses is a great way to get customers to continue shopping similar items. Getting lost in a plethora of extra items is like getting lost in YouTube videos... it's a endless vicious cycle. It becomes so easy to just keep clicking and all of a sudden you have added two more items to your cart!

Many online retailers use this tactic as a way to show consumers what else they have to offer, based on your preferences and other buyers preferences similar to yours. It's a great way to make you see what else there is, without feeling like you are being forced to look at all of these other items. At the same time, these probably really are items that you would like because other like-minded people have bought the same thing!

This is obvioulsy a nudging technique that works very well, as it is becoming more and more popular on a variety of websites. Next time you are browsing the internet, pay attention to how many retail websites of any kind use this tactic to get more items in your cart. Be careful not to fall for this technique, it can be very very sneaky! Or do, it may lead you to something you didn't even know you needed.

F R E E shipping and returns!

Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular in todays web driven times. If you have ever online shopped for any item, you will probably agree that most websites offer "Free shipping on orders over $..." This is a very convincing nudge.

As the consumer, you went on to buy that on sweater that is $45.99, but now you see that you only have to spend $50 to get free shipping! So what do you do? Of course you aren't going to pay the $7 shipping charge, but rather buy the shirt you debated on getting that costs $20, because at least you are getting something with that extra money spent - not just spending it on shipping. And just like that, your order increased from $45.99 to $65.99, but hey, you got free shipping...

Not only does that nudge people to buy an extra item, but it allows people to act as if they were shopping in store and able to try everything on. Since there is free shipping and returns, you might as well order everything you are even thinking about getting, and then you can try it all out and send back what you don't like. Psh, chances are you will like most of it. More often than not when I myself have done this, I end up keeping more than I originally planned because I have already spent the money AND it's just so much better in person.

The power of this one little nudge is becoming increasingly popular for todays online shopping. Companies know that without a doubt, you will end up spending more than originally planned, and the shipping costs them next to nothing. They are more than willing to pay the extra cost to nudge you to tack on that extra shirt you thought you might like.

can I get you A N Y T H I N G else?

I work in the service industry, at a coffee shop to be exact, and it never ceases to amaze me the power of saying "Can I get you anything else?". This instantly plants the idea in consumers minds that maybe they do want something else. Maybe they don't just want that latte, they would actually like a muffin to go with it. If I'm asking if they want anything else, it may be rude to say no, but rather choose something else that they maybe didn't even want in the first place.

I see it happen all the time - and I believe we are all prone to do it. When the waiter or waitress at a restaurant automatically brings the dessert menu, it is much harder to turn it down. All of those delicious options right in front of you, how can you resist? When the idea is planted that we shoud be getting more than what we are already getting, it becomes much harder to turn down.

These examples show the power of a nudge. Someone is nudging you to get more than you wanted, but it becomes much harder to say no. Just that little extra push can be the difference between getting the consumer to buy or not to buy...

too many C H O I C E S

...If this isn't the best meme you have ever seen, I don't know what is!

Back to having too many choices... I was listening to Pandora Radio this morning and I heard a funny add that related directly to having too many options as consumers! Jensen Jewelers was advertising engagement rings. They were marketing their hundreds of different rings, for every budget, all with 14 different financing options. 14 financing options!!! In "The Paradox of Choice," Schwartz poses the idea that having too many choices can lead to uncertainty, regret, and a struggle to make a decision. I think this is exactly what will happen when a man walks into Jensen Jewelers.

Most people will not ever miss the choices they don't even know they have, but it is easy to regret the choice that you made. As consumers, we think more choices will lead to a more definite decision because we see everything there is and are able to choose from all of them. Contradictorily, it only makes the decision making process worse.

The following video talks about the scientific part of having to make choices and highlights a phenomenon known as decision fatigue. This states that no matter how small or large the decision, choices causes anxiety - even in win win situations where there is no 'wrong' choice! He also discusses decision paralysis, which is when consumers get overwhelmed by too many choices and they end up not making a choice all together. This is a great five minute clip to talk about the downfalls of too many choices!





And there we have it... Too many choices is stressing us out and causing us to be bad decision makers. So next time you are faced with a choice, narrow your options and don't think about it again once your decision is made.

M A X I M I Z I N G or satisficing?

In Barry Schwartz' book titled "The Paradox of Choice," he elaborates on our everyday choices and  expands on the idea of maximizers versus satisficers. Schwartz defines a maximizer as someone who seeks and accepts only the best. On the opposite end of the scale is a satisficer - someone who is willing to settle for something that is good enough and not worry about the possibility that there might be something better. The picture below is a good representation of the process each one goes through, as well as the outcome of their choices. 

The last two days I found myself being the ultimate maximizer - and it is frusturating! My boyfriend and I were visiting a new city and when we got into town it was about lunch time. We were both hungry and neither had a preferance, just food. As we walked the streets of downtown, there were multiple restaurant options that looked good. We weren't to the end of the street yet and the hunger grew, but what if there was something better at the other end?! So we continued walking. Before long we reached the last place on the last corner of main street. We thought this had to be the place so we walked in and it was nothing like we thought. There was about three menu options (none of which were appealing), so we walked back outside and the search continued. In the end, we ended up eating at the first restaurant we saw because it looked to be the best option. By the time we got our food, we were hardly hungry anymore and the quality of the meal was extremely low, leaving us both very dissapointed.

I thought after reading this book and becoming aware of the downfalls of being a maximizer, I would surely not make this mistake any more. I was wrong. It is so easy to think there must be something better, and continue a search for something, even though what is right in front of us satisfies the need.

It is important to become aware of these things to avoid pitfalls, however it is not foolproof. We are all humans and as humans we easily sink into habits - whether its a habit of being a maximizer or a satisficer.

Z M E T

The Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique is a way to discover what consumers are really thinking about something. As consumers, we often don't know the full reason for the decisions we make - we just make them subconciously. The following video is a great down and dirty description of the ZMET technique and how it was formed.





I love how Jerry Zaltman discovered his technique by seeing that people in Nepal subconciously took photos without any feet in them, since bare feet are a sign of poverty in Nepal. I found this interesting because we often do this sort of thing in our daily life without realizing it. We all have 'insecurities' that we do not want to convey - so we do everything we can to not show them.

The fact that we subconciously hide insecurities, is evidence enough for me that we often subconciously make buying decisions. Our assumptions, preconceived ideas, biases, and many other things affect our buying decisions and very little of it is actually based on the product or service itself.  If marketers and producers can get inside the head of their consumers, such as the ZMET allows, they can better understand exactly what is desireable. The Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique is a very useful qualitative research technique that allows marketers to gain an insight into how consumers’ subconscious minds work. It will allow them to better satisfy the needs of consumers and reach an exact market.