Week 8 EOC: Creative Content

     When thinking about the best way to deliver my creative content, I take into account what I want to be highlighted with my product. One of the main things I want to be highlighted is the experience you have from eating Nature's Delight cookies. It is an elegant experience that not only delights taste buds but also is visually stimulating and delightful. In order to properly advertise and deliver a glimpse of this experience, it must be before the eyes of the potential customer. I can do this by plastering my product on billboards, magazines, and newspapers.

      A key component of enhancing the cookie eating experience would be packaging. I visualize my product being packaged in an elegant gift box, something that you would not expect to find cookies in. This would also add to the aspect of giving people more than what they bargained for. Nature's Delight would not only attract customers with its delicious taste but also its brilliant packaging. A big part of my creative content is selling an experience that can only be fulfilled wholly with my product. Not to mention, at Nature’s Delight, we are committed to excellence and giving back to the community. Just as our cookies give people joy, we in turn, return that joy back the community. 

    The medium I will use to deliver my creative content is Photoshop. Finding an elegant backdrop or upscale cookie will not be hard. After that is done, then, I will put my own creative content on the packaging with the goal of making it look better. Looks are important to the Nature Delight experience, so it is only right to deliver that experience with the highest order of excellence and quality. I am excited to see what a creative mind can put together for Nature’s Delight and I look forward to sharing my product. Hopefully, consumers will find as much joy in every package of Nature’s Delight cookies as I do.

Week 7 EOC: The Pitch

My idea is to have round, organic sandwich cookies. They would have a vanilla bean creme in the middle made from the best organic vanilla beans sandwiched between two organic golden cookies. The name of my product would be Nature's Delight. It would be elegantly packaged and designed perhaps with photos of vanilla beans or nature. The emphasis on the product would be that it is made from the best organic ingredients. From the vanilla beans to the cookie itself. It would be all naturally sweet. Also, the elegant packaging would appeal to the people who shop at whole food markets. A portion of the proceeds would go to the Philippines to help provide them with money to supply whatever they need. That would also be a great selling point. The best natural cookies to satisfy your sweet tooth and not spoil your diet etc. and support the Phillipines simultaneously. My product would be the healthy alternative to Oreos or Grandmas cookies and backed by a great cause. There are other organic sandwich cookies on the market but my product will sell because of the experience of just opening the cookies. Not to mention, a portion of the proceeds go directly to the Phillipines. Quality and great service would be the only standard with my product. The customer would pay for the best quality cookie made with the best of nature's delights.

Week 6 EOC: Me Times 3

My iPad is probably my most frequented purchased item. It defines me with a number of reasons. Variety is the word that comes to mind. I like a variety of things, all of which I access on my iPad. The things I frequent the most on my iPad are my Bible, music, clothes/shoes, and Netflix. Those four things represent my passion for my faith, music, fashion, and movies.

This my is keyboard, the Korg M3, is the keyboard I use in my band. It defines me because I love creating music, from the soundtrack to lyrics. When I play the piano it is somewhat of an expression of myself. Sometimes my mood determines what kind of music I play. I believe the piano/keyboard is an beautiful instrument which describes me as well. When people see me I want them to see a masterpiece showing what I represent, what I hold dear, and who I am. 

My iPod describes me more in depth with my love of music. I take my iPod with me practically everywhere I go. It holds a variety of music that I find very enjoyable. Music is a key part of my life. I have music on my iPod representing different beliefs, freedom of expression, and intricate craftsmanship. Those are all things that help describe me. My taste in music isn't the norm. I believe I am an abstract person in a sense and my music taste is a small testament to that.

Week 5 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

Social networking has changed the culture from the way we communicate even to how companies hire employees. I've heard on several occasions of companies who looked up potential employees Facebook and twitter page as apart of a background check but some companies are using Facebook for better uses. Companies are beginning to hire loyal customers s brand ambassadors. "Brand ambassador programs leverage the power of peer-to-peer communication. Consumers hear about products and brand experiences from others just like themselves—people they trust—rather than from commercial marketing sources." (Armstrong/Kotler pg. 143) The idea is brilliant what better way to get people to buy your product than having people in their own circle tell them about. Facebook has evolved passed being just a social network site. "Facebook hires account for less than 1% of the total hires companies are making, according to Jobs2Web, which helps companies track the sources of candidates and hires. But if current growth trends continue, Facebook could rival traditional job boards in 2012, said Jobs2Web analytics manager Phil Schrader." (Joe Light) Though the movement is small now I believe it will only grow. Who knew a site intended to college students updated would turn into a way for people to get hired."More companies are trying to tap Facebook Inc.'s 750-million-plus user base to find new employees, threatening
traditional job boards and competing with LinkedIn Corp., which has dominated the online professional
networking arena." (Joe Light) I would venture to say social networking may be an intricate part of job hiring in the not-so-distant future. Also, people are much more likely to apply for positions that they find on social network sites such as Facebook among other sites. The corporate world has began to adapt to our tech savvy society. I am interested to see how it will evolve in the years to come.

Week 1 EOC: Great Customer Service

Customer service goes a long way in business. In my experiences, customer service can turn me on or off to a certain product. It makes for a better shopping experience when you have people there who are there to help the best way possible and with a happy face.  Customer service should draw in the customer without overselling the product. One who is good at customer service makes the customer want to come back for more. I have had both good and bad customer service experiences. In the bad experiences, I became less interested in the product and sometimes the store itself. This is the power customer service has. It is also great when customer service actually listens to their customers. Often, I find employees can cut off customers or the employees belittle customers, which is horrible for sales and the company in general. Consumers mark most companies with bad customer service; consequently, there is a chunk of consumers that company cant reach. “The essence of good customer service is forming a relationship with customers – a relationship that that individual customer feels that he would like to pursue.” (Susan Ward) When a customer feel like they are always right it makes for a better shopping experience across the board. “Customer service is an integral part of our job and should not be seen as an extension of it. A company’s most vital asset is its customers. “Susan Friedmann” Customer service should be out in front on display just like an item the company is selling. Taking into account all things to have good customer service, a company will be much more successful. It is almost guaranteed! Customer service is the lifeline. Bad customer service has the reverse effect. A company will definitely not last long without good customer service. Also, a guarantee.

 

Week 3 EOC: Making Money For Good

It is great when big corporations give back to the community. So much can be done when parties with big pockets “share the wealth”, literally. Best Buy is one of these corporations. Best Buy’s Children’s Foundation provides teens with the proper tools for success. They are, “on a mission to provide teens with places and occasions where they can develop technology skills that will inspire future education and career choices.” ( BBY) This is something that teens need in such a tech savvy society, and it will only advance in the future. Best Buy definitely makes money for good. What is also so beneficial about this is that kids who cannot afford the technology that we are so reliant upon can now have access to it through the Best Buy Children’s Foundation.  This company also, “provides funding to strategic national nonprofit partners that help us further our goal of providing teens opportunities to develop technology skills that will inspire future education and career choices.” (BBY) They give to many non-profit foundations to further the betterment of our youth. For example, at the Boys and Girls clubs of America, they support, “Club Tech, a national program from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America that makes technology, software and training accessible in Clubs.” (BBY) The Best Buy children’s foundation is all about furthering the opportunities teenagers can take advantage of that can help decide future career and life choices. Also, with Best buy being, “the world’s largest multi-channel consumer electronics retailer with stores in the United States..”, they can do just what they set out to do helping our youth very successfully. They provide the youth with a variety of learning experiences through their technology and the best information. With this information our youth can have options and a better chance to have a successful future.

Week 4 EOC: There's An App For That!

A problem I often have is temporarily misplacing various items. Therefore, an app to help me find my things would be of great assistance. The first thing that popped in my head was, “How can I make an app that finds things that don’t have an internet connection? Like simple jewelry or keys etc.” The next idea I came up with was a bit surprising but it made sense. I could make an app that would scan rooms or areas using short wave sonar. This would allow the app to see what the naked eye can’t. For example, the app would see behind dressers, underneath big obstacles, and much more. The simplicity and convenience would be wonderful. Also, I would add a feature that allows users to tag items. In doing this, if you lost an item that was tagged by the app, when scanning an area the app would automatically look for objects that fit the tagged object’s precise dimensions.

                It would be a quick and easy way to look for items that you know are in certain places and you just can’t see them or to find items that you lost and completely forgot about! Everyone loses or temporarily misplaces things. Perhaps I’d call it “Lost and Found”, or most likely something a bit more creative and inviting. However, the point is if I could get it to work it would definitely be of use to many people who are just like me; people who sit things down and forget about them. What would allow it to sale would be the fact that although the technology would be complex it would be as simple as downloading an app on your phone. Not to mention, who wouldn’t want to be able to see through walls and objects with their phone!