15A- Figuring out Buyer Behavior No.2

Interview 1.
I interviewed a male first because I have discovered while researching about my opportunity that males are the biggest condom purchasers. In this interview, I found that quality, size, and brand all matter. He said he buys the same box of condoms every time, he found one that he likes and he doesn't want to waste money on condoms that might not be as comfortable. Not only does he buy the same brand time after time but he goes to the same CVS to buy them.  When I asked why he goes to CVS to buy condoms he said the workers there are more chill about it then if he were to go to a grocery store.

Interview 2.
I interviewed another male to try and get a different perspective. I was unsuccessful. He basically said the same thing as my first interviewee, that he only used one brand that he had used a lot in the past. He did say that quality was a lot more important than money to him, "why save money and not enjoy it when I can spend a few extra dollars and have a great time." This interviewee also stated how he was kind of embarrassed to buy condoms from any place with a cashier so he drives to Walmart or the Publix on university and uses self-checkout so no one sees him buying condoms.

Interview 3.
My last interview was with a female, to see if they shop with a different mindset. She said that she doesn't like to go buy condoms herself because she doesn't know what size to get or if different material matters. She revealed that she did buy condoms for a friend and that she was very uncomfortable purchasing them and she felt like everyone was staring at her. I asked if it mattered where she bought the condoms or if it would be awkward no matter where she went, " Location doesn't matter, I'm uncomfortable just walking down the aisle."

Conclusions
After hearing everyone's opinions on buying condoms, I believe that I should stock the vending machines with a wide variety of condoms, but I feel like the major sellers will be the name brands and the more trendy condoms. But these interviews supported my theory about people being embarrassed to buy condoms, so the machines should be placed in a more secluded area so people feel comfortable enough to purchase them. 

14A Halfway Reflection

In this course I have developed an even better use of time management in order to successfully write blog posts, create opportunities, and interview various subjects. I have also drastically improved my people and communication skills by talking to so many different groups of people for opinions and interviews about my product.

While filming my elevator Pitch I felt extremely discouraged, I could not come up with a way to pitch my product. I felt like I had a terrible product and that I would have to completely change it because I couldn’t think of a way to sell it in under 90 seconds.

Tips:

1.     Don’t be afraid to talk to people about your idea

2.     Thinking out loud is a great way to get used to talking to potential customers and can lead to new ideas

3.     It’s okay if someone doesn’t like your idea!
        

13A Reading Reflection

I read the amazing story of Ray Kroc, Ray was so hardworking and determined to succeed in everything he did. While reading I was most surprised to find that he didn’t get into business with the McDonald brothers until he was in mid 50's, but I think that’s one of the things I admire most about him. Ray never stopped working hard and no matter what business he was a part he put his costumers first and created great personal connections with so many people. As for the part I least admire I can’t really pick anything, he was an honest man whose temper got a little out of control when he was being unappreciated but he worked harder than anyone else in the company so it’s understandable that he was upset. When Ray encountered adversity, which he frequently encountered, he worked even hard and pushed through the tough times and never gave up on the next big thing.

 While reading I noticed that Ray could sell nearly anything and that no matter what his own personal struggles he would always help out someone else in a time of need. I was a little confused on how the McDonalds and Rays contract was written, and how the McDonalds could screw him over so many times.  If I could talk to Ray now I would ask him if he ever regretted going into some of the businesses that weren’t successful, and how he managed to make so many lasting friendships from all his endeavors.

Ray Kroc may be one of the hardest working men I’ve ever read or known, I would say his definition of hard work would be that hard work doesn’t have to be hard to do it should be enjoyable and that’s what should drive you to put your all into the work. I would definitely share his opinion about hard work.

12A Figuring out Buyer Behavior

Segment: Students
The segment I choose was students because the opportunity I'm trying to help is based upon the STD rates among students. All three of my interviewees are students here at UF, the first one is in ZTA here on campus, the second is a Beta, and the third is a grad student who used to be a part of Greek life during his undergrad.
My Findings:
All the interviewees said the condom vending machine was good in theory but they wouldn't use it very often, My first interviewee said that she's not apart of the "hook-up" crowd and that even though she's single she still wouldn't sleep with a random guy, but that she thinks the vending machine being put in the fraternity house would be a better option then the bars. During my second interview, the Beta said he would definitely use the vending machine. He said that the option to buy single condoms was more appealing than buying a whole box and it would give me a variety to choose from depending on the mood he or his partner is in that night. In my last interview with a male who is now in grad school, he said that in the moment he still wouldn't have thought to go to a vending machine to get a condom and that he was worried about not getting the girl pregnant more than contracting an STD so as long as she was on birth control he didn't think much about protection.
My conclusion:
Students in the moment will worry about protection against pregnancy more than protection against an STD. This would still be a good investment for college dorms and greek areas for the people who do worry about contracting STD's and it will also fight to lower pregnancy rates on campus.

11A Idea Napkin

1. I am Megan, a sophomore at the University of Florida. I am aspiring to join my sister at Zeta Tau Alpha and in the greek community, I have already networked and experienced the normal greek functions. Having been emersed in the culture I want to make the hookups that occur to be safer.
2. I am offering a condom vending machine, that will be available in common drinking or partying facilities on and around campus. By offering this vending machine it will lower the amount of STD's contracted by UF students.
3. The demographic I will be targeting are 18-22-year-old students who have affiliations to greek life or binge drinking.
4. It's valuable to the customers because it will prevent future hassles, save money while reducing awkward and painful situations when treating STD's.
5. I believe that being a college student myself I can relate to the customers better than elders offering similar products. By also offering the ability to charge to condoms to your student account by using a similar hand scanner that the gyms on campus use, it will allow more students to be able to buy them while out.

10A Elevator Pitch

https://youtu.be/E_dcxxMK3E0

Sorry for my awkwardness in the video!

9A Testing Hypothesis Part 2

Who:

•  Through my interviews, I found that there are a number of people that don't fall in my market. These people are those who are not sexually active, and the people who have long term monogamous relationships with one partner. Three of my interviewees were virgins and said they never worried about an STD because they weren't at risk for one. 
• One of the interviewees also stated that she was waiting to have sexual intercourse until she was married for religious purposes. So a condom machine would do them no good since they're waiting.
• The last of my interviewees were in long term relationships, both couples had been together for at least two years. One couple stated that they were both tested for STD's when they first got together so they trusted each other to have unprotected sex. The second couple has never been tested but they both lost their virginities to each other in high school and had plans of marriage so they weren't worried about an STD.

What:

 I believe the need is still there for the people who haven't lost their virginity yet, but for those waiting for religious purposes and in a committed relationship that need isn't as great.

Why:
The consumers outside my products normal boundary don't have as large of a need because they have protected themselves in other ways, whether that be from abstaining from sex or by only having one sexual partner who is committed to you and only you 


                            Inside the Boundaries                                Outside the Boundaries
Who:              Sexually Active College Students             people in committed relationships 
                    Students impaired by drugs or alcohol        Students abstaining for religious purposes

What:         To take away the excuse that they didn't         To lower STD rates on campus to 0%
                       have access to any condoms

Why: Hormones are at an elevated level on a college campus with thousands of students with newly              gained freedoms.
                                                                                         

7A Test the Hypothesis

Sexually transmitted disease prevention on campus

The opportunity:

·      Increase in sexually transmitted diseases on college campuses

o   The who: sexually active college students

o   The what: the increase in sexually transmitted diseases

o   The why: People being inhibited by drugs or alcohol to make clear and safe decisions about sex

The Who: Testing College students who frequent parties, clubs or bars. Although not all people who contract sexually transmitted diseases frequent these establishments. The “who” isn’t limited to any one gender or anyone kind of sexuality. Although I believe that older college students who frequent bars and parties will have a higher STD rate.

Interview 1-

This young man had had an STD himself and says he got it when he was heavily partying in college. He also knew other guys in the gay community who have also gotten an STD, and he says that it's common to contract an STD because the pool of sexual partners is smaller for gay males.

Interview 2-

This young female has not known anyone with an STD, but she says she would guess that fraternity and sorority member would have higher STD rates due to the high rates of alcohol and drug consumption

Interview 3-

She had gotten an STD when she was home on break from college, she is not a very active partier but was at a party when she contracted the STD. She said that she expected frats and sororities to have the highest rate of STDs because of home much they go out and drink

Interview 4-

This grown male has known several people that have contracted STD’s, and he told me that they were all his old college buddies but since he’s graduated he hasn’t known anyone to get an STD. He says that one he graduated college and left the heavy partying behind he started using safer sexual habits

Interview 5-

The last young female that I interviewed was a high schooler, and she hasn’t heard of any of her friends or even any rumors about people with STD’s in her school. She believes that once her fellow classmates gain more freedom the amount of unsafe sex will increase and that she expects to hear about more STD’s.

Summary:

I did not expect my interviewees to known as many people who have had STD’s as they did. It has opened my eyes to shear number of unsafe sexual encounters that actually happen at college. As expected most of the people that had STD’s were at some kind of party or alcohol was present.