12A Figuring Out Buyer Behavior

1) Pick a segment. In class, we have discussed how you might intuit the existence of segments that might exist in your venture's market. For this exercise, you must pick one segment.  

I have picked the segment on UF students that are health conscious and see what they do for health restaurants.

2) Find three people who would fit that segment and arrange to interview them. These interviews, if conducted properly, should take about 10-15 minutes. Any less, and you won't be able to obtain adequate information. 

I am interviewing 3 of my roommates that rarely work out, but are super health-conscious.

3) Begin with need awareness. In earlier exercises, you have identified an unmet need and developed a solution. If the person you are talking to does not have the same unmet, then you need to move on. You may not include this as one of your three interviews. If the person you are talking to does have the problem, then you're on the right track! For need awareness, we need to figure out at what times, situations, places, contexts, etc., their need becomes the most salient. The questions you ask should be related to determining exactly when, how, and where their need awareness occurs. 

I interviewed all 3 roommates about my segment. They all 3 have the same problem. Back at UF, they would have to go out of their way and make a 15 minute drive to Vale for healthy food, even though it's not that cheap (which gets annoying). If they want cold-pressed juices they just wait till they're back home because they haven't found any places in Gainesville for them. The times would be either in their school schedule or whenever they're in the mood for. The situation would be location and time. Even here in Madrid, they are still traveling about 20 minutes just to get overpriced cold-pressed juice and quality food.

4) Move to information search. When the person you are interviewing becomes aware of their need, what is the very first thing they do to find a solution to their problem? What sources of information do they look for? When they search in Google, what are their search terms? Do they talk to friends and family.

The very first thing they do to find a solution to their problem is drive far to either Vale or Bolay and suck up the price, distance, and time for it. Sources of information they look for is Google Maps and Yelp. When they search in Google its "healthy food near me." They do not talk to family, but do to friends for recommendations.

5) Report the findings of your research. Simply summarize what you learned in the interviews.

What I've learned about these interviews that this unmet need doesn't just effect bodybuilders and all, it also effects normal everyday health-conscious UF students. My roommates are studying abroad in Madrid and still are wasting time and money just to get the right foods to fuel their bodies. I learned that customers will do anything for healthy food because it makes them feel so good it's addicting. 

6) Draw conclusions. Based on what you know about this segment and what you learned in your interviews, how would you succinctly describe this segment in terms of need awareness and information search? 

I would describe this segment in terms of need awareness and information search as relatable. Sometimes, I just want to drop my allowance money just for my mind and body to feel good, to properly fuel itself. I see why most health restaurants are usually expensive because theres such a high demand from customers that they'll do anything just to get that feeling.