Lesson 3: Ideal Customer Avatar
Think of your ideal customers. The people you love to serve.
What do they have in common?
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Believe in Jesus Christ and try to be like him
Love their families
Accept and Receive Callings
Understand they have a purpose on the Earth
Understand that they can have eternal relationships
Understand that they must repent to become like Christ and live with God again.
They are looking for opportunities to serve and grow.
They feel like they have a lot on their plates.
They are trying to find balance without stimulants.
They are trying to do their best.
They have faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ.
They believe that they can pray and receive answers.
They have friends who are members and non-members..
They have family members who have left the church.
They have family members who have joined the church.
They are concerned with their posterity and ancestry.
They have copies of the scriptures and tools to study and grow their testimonies.
They have made at least one covenant with the Lord, to be baptized.
They have the gift of the Holy Ghost.
They belong to a ward family.
List every common trait, both demographic - age, income, gender, marital status, industry, etc. and psychographic - worldview, values, beliefs, lifestyle, hobbies, interests, etc.
There are married, single, widowed, divorced, men and women. There are some who are straight, gay, trans, and completely confused. They work in all industries and come from all walks of life. They are generally interested in a wide range of things. Many like football, computer games, quilting, painting, baking, cleaning, organizing. One characteristic that seems to be common is their desire to become more than they are now. They seem to understand that they're capable of more than they're currently experiencing. They want to expand their understanding by learning new things and increasing their interests.
They all believe in Jesus Christ.
They all believe that God has a plan for them.
They all believe that this life is the midpoint in their existence, even though many forget, they know this.
They all believe that people are equal and that we should be free.
They often desire to improve the world through their career or vocation.
They often desire to be useful in any capacity.
They are encouraged to have children and many families are large and continue to grow.
They often live frugally, in an effort to keep everyone clothed and fed, and to be good stewards of the money they've received, and to keep pride at bay.
Now use those commonalities and create a single representation of your ideal customer with as many specific details as you can. Give her or him a name, a full identity and, if you’d like, grab an image of a face online or use a photo of an actual customer if you have one. Visually seeing a real human makes it easier to complete this exercise.
HER/HIS NAME: Alena Perkins
AGE/GENDER: 25 Femail
HAIR COLOR/EYE COLOR: Black, Dark Brown
MARITAL STATUS/CHILDREN (INCLUDE NAMES): Married to Jon Perkins, Two Children, Elijah age 2, Jade age 6 months
WHERE SHE LIVES: LIves in an apartment in Orem Ut
ANNUAL INCOME: > 50,000 per year
OCCUPATION: Mompreneur- Sells Essential Oils, Does ACT Prep, Doula, and is an awesome Mama.
CORE LIFE BELIEFS: Live to serve and love to serve. Look for others to raise up. Live the Gospel every day. Enrich and nourish your life with valuable time and experience. She knows she's a daughter of God, believes the gospel is true, tries to love everyone and accept people as they are but still feels like she doesn't measure up because her measuring stick is so long. She has a compassionate heart for the disabled, as she has a disabled brother. She is compassionate toward those who aren't as far on the path as she is and willingly teaches what she knows. She's a valuable person to have in your life, a veritable encyclopedia of wisdom. She has many different friends from different times in her life, she makes friends easily, and keeps them for all time, never offending or being rude. Always kind and generous and friendly.
FAVORITE BOOKS, MUSIC, TV SHOWS OR PODCASTS: She loves non-fiction books, learning drives her. She loves to learn about a wide range of topics, for eexample, she is interested in the human body and development, nutrition, the gospel, personal growth, the stories of others, and learning from the past, so history/historical novels. She likes a wide array of music, though she generally leans toward music that invites the spirit and brings peace to her soul. She only watches TV when she wants to learn or laugh, so cleaner funny shows like Psych and instructive shows like Tidying up with Marie, The Great British Baking Show, etc.. She loves science, history, music, and the broad range of human pursuits. When she listens to podcasts, they're generally to help her increase her understanding on a topic or to inspire her to be better. She is very driven to be her best self and is consistently looking for ways to improve life here on the earth. She listens to business blogs like Entreleadership and reads business books. She's interested in having a successful business.
MAGAZINES SHE READS: She reads church news and magazines, as well as parenting magazines and science and nature magazines. She's interested in how the world operates.
BLOGS SHE FOLLOWS: She follows her sister's blog, as well as other family member's blogs. She doesn't spend much time online, as she likes to be continually present for her friends and family. She maybe subscribes to one or two food blogs or friend's blogs.
WHAT CONFERENCES OR EVENTS DOES SHE GO TO? She goes to doula events and/or conferences, general and stake conferences. She attends baby showers, birthday parties, and family get togethers. She goes to conferences like Master your Influence, and BYU education week, and other similar firesides and conferences.
WHAT DOES SHE DO IN HER FREE TIME? Free time, what's that, she doesn't have free time. She's very intentional with her time. She's usually spending her time with her husband playing games, going on walks, listening/playing music, changing daipers, singing lullabys, or playing with her kids. When she has time to herself, she reads, showers, takes care of her home, and soaks in the tub.
WHAT ARE HER GUILTY PLEASURES? She loves chocolate but doesn't allow herself to have it all of the time. She also loves a nice long bath and a good book. She also feels like reading fiction is a guilty pleasure.
WHO DOES SHE IDOLIZE? She idolizes her sister who has a degree in ancient studies and knows the doctrine of the gospel really well. She wants to understand the gospel better and idolizes those who get it, and live it. She idolizes people who have brought their dreams to life and those who work hard to accomplish their goals.
WHAT WRITERS, SPEAKERS, AUTHORS, TEACHERS OR EXPERTS DOES SHE FOLLOW (IF ANY)? She loves the apostles and studies the words of President Nelson, Holland, Eyering, Uctdorf, and Oaks. She loves to follow the teachings of Jesus and tries to find meaning in her own life. She likes listening to me teach and speak as well, President Hinkley, Nelson, Monson, Sheri Dew also Marie Kondo and anyone that can add light and understanding and truth to her life.
WHAT BRANDS DOES SHE LOVE (ACROSS ANY INDUSTRY!)? She loves modern, clean style. Not super modern but just nice and neat. She loves olive tones and neutral shades. She loves the all american look of ambercrombie and fitch, downeast outfitters, and lularoe. She doesn't do a lot of frills but she loves clean basic lines and styles. She loves to be comfortable and look cute all at the same time.
What do you secretly fear may be true about your life, either as it relates to the service/product you’re about to buy or to your life in general, right now?
I'm afraid I'm wasting our family's money. Money is always tight and it's between new daipers and mascara right now. How can I afford it all, or any of it really. With John not working and barely any money coming in with my side jobs, I'm concerned we aint gonna eat next week. I am afraid we're not going to make it until our lease is up. We are in a pretty dark place right now. I wish one of my businesses would take off and provide enough money to pay the bills, let alone frills. I told Andrea that we'd be interested in taking her course, and I really want to, but I can't justify the expense right now. How do I tell her that without looking vulnerable or stupid? I don't know what we're going to do.
What do you worry about? What keeps you up at night?
What don't I worry about? Am I a good enough mother, wife, friend, daughter? Am I able to maintain all of these relationships and still create a good one with God? How do I know if I'm receiving revelation or if we're just doing what seems right? I love to study the scriptures but I really want to be able to apply them to me directly, to my life, like to know, ok, this is how I live this out.... I also worry about money and would love to be financially free. I worry about Jon being in school and taking care of these kids. How are we going to hold it all together?
What stresses you out on a regular basis?
Money, Parenting, and keeping up with where I think I should be.
What do you not look at or face in your life because it triggers too much fear?
I don't want to be in charge of our finances because watching us go deeper into debt freaks me out. I also don't want to face paying the bills or things breaking because we can't afford taking care of them.
What’s the worst case scenario related to your life situation -- the one fear that keeps you up at night? Worst case scenario, we can't afford to eat, live here, or keep our babies fed and clothed until our contract ends and we can move in with Jon's family. I don't want to move, but it feeels more secure than what we're doing now.
How do you fear others (close friends, family, spouse, clients) would react if they found out about your situation?*
I think they might try to help, which, honestly, it's our own choices that led us here, or even worse, they might try to relate. I don't want people to commiserate with us and justify what we're doing but I also don't want people trying to help in ways that are unhelpful. I would rather not think about it and have faith that things will work out.
What do you fear might fail in your life if your situation continues or if it gets worse?*
I'm worried about Jon not getting a job when he finishes school, that he'll have borrowed all of this money and we won't be able to pay it back. I'm worried about the strain it puts on our relationship. We get along well now, but I think if things got worse, I might start to feel resentful, after all, he's supposed to provide for our family. I'm supposed to care for our kids. I don't mind helping but I feel like he should be the breadwinner, which is what he wants anyway. I think that bitterness toward my husband could infect other parts of my life.
Where will you lose power, influence and control in your life if things don’t change or if they get worse?*
I think I'll lose all power, all of my connections are here to making money, if we move to a new area, I'll have to start over. I also feel like I'll lose my friends and support system. My mother-in-law will take over my duties and I will lose my ability to blossom and grow because I won't be standing on my own two feet.
If money were no object, what brand or kind of product/service would you buy to solve this problem?
If money were no object, I buy everything and anything that built stability and structure into our lives. Books, magazines, courses, anything that strengthened our home and family and my relationship with the Savior. I know he is the foundation upon which I stand, and I would purchase things that I think I'd use and get benefit from. I obviously wouldn't waste my money on stuff that I'd never use but, I'd buy things that were helpful. I love to learn so online courses and classes are fun for me. I also love to read and teach my kids. I am trying to follow the counsel of the prophet so I'm working on Come Follow Me, if I could find some resources that could help me implement that into my family study and my couples study, I'd totally love that. I also love the words of the prophets that are uplifting and geared toward women achieving great things, I'd be interested in things like that. I love short stories too, like a chicken soup for the soul, but stories of strength of members, and or, stories that led to revelation and or power. I would like help with keeping life organized and on track each day, and help with knowing how to feel comfortable and serve my ministering families. I would love some lesson plans too, I find I'm teaching a lot and it's nice to see what others have gotten out of the material and then build a lesson out of that.
What do you wish companies/brands/providers in this industry understood about you? I wish they understood that I have a willing heart but not a lot of time. That implementing what I learn and doing it from day to day can be a challenge. I also wish that they understood the heavy responsibilities I carry. I feel as though I'm probably in the most demanding time of my life. I am doing my best but I still feel like I fall short when I see what's expected of me. I wish that companies would make it easier to do what's being asked. Having a paper workbook and easy to access materials go a long way for me. If I'm able to use my phone or an ipad, that's good too, since I'm rarely able to sit down at the computer. I like to be able to have different options every day, since every day, I am facing different obstacles. Life's so unpredictable. I also wish that they made a couples study. I just feel like there's stuff for families and stuff for personal study, it would be nice to have specific curriculum that Jon and I work on together, that we could be on the same page about. I know the prophets have asked us to study together and pray together, and yet, I've struggled to understand what that means and when t make it happen. If I had a company blatantly say, we have a study program for spouses and couples to do for 30 minutes a day, I'd make time for that I think.
What do you secretly wish was true about your life situation -- either as it relates to the product/service you’re about to buy OR in your life in general?
I secretly wish that Jon and I didn't have to work and that we could raise our family in righteousness every day. I love spending time with Jon and wish that we could spend more time together. I also secretly wish that someone would die and leave us an inheritance or that our loans would be forgiven, just because we're nice people and that's what we deserve. I wish I could spend every day learning new things and growing. I secretly wish I had a teacher that challenged my intellect and still was interesting and entertaining. I feel like so many times, I am left wanting more, a deeper dive.
What’s the OMG, I can’t believe that exists “dream solution” that you’d pay almost anything for?
I would pay almost anything for a continual wellspring of insight and knowledge from someone I loved and trusted. If my favorite author/publisher came out with more, I'd buy it, no matter the cost. Especially if it were to relate to getting to spend more time with my hubby and to increase our communication.
If this dream solution -- product or service -- could appear and unfold perfectly, how would that story go?
A friend of mine would tell me about it and I'd go look it up and find that it met everyone one of my desires. It allowed me to spend time with Jon, it allowed me to access it on my phone, in person, and on the computer, it allowed me to have a concise list of things to do so that I'd know when I'd finished, it would allow me to dive deep and would invite revelation and the Spirit so that I could grow, and of course, it would help me draw closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. I'd love to have the classes at home and watch after the kids went to bed. I'd love to have a daily time with Jon that was more meaningful than watching TV or cleaning the house. I would love to be able to dive deep with him and share what I'm learning with him and he share what he's learning with me. I'd love to strengthen our relationship especially while involving God. The triangle, that's what I'd love to strengthen.
How will others respond to you if you get this situation fixed in an ideal way?* They will be so excited, they will want to know how my testimony is so strong, how my marriage is so strong, and how we have developed such meaningful, happy lives. I think we'll be able to serve our family and the Lord more fully, the more we expand and strengthen our marriage together.
What will you be able to do, get or achieve if your fantasy situation comes true?
I'll be able to have an eternal family, I'll be able to endure to the end, I'll be able to continue to grow throughout eternity. I'll be able to live with God again, I'll be able to fulfill my purpose here on the Earth, I'll be able to overcome the difficulties of this life and will be able to rely on the Savior once more. I'll be able to draw upon the powers of the priesthood and have a reliable partnership with God, the Father, Jesus Christ, and Jon. I'll be able to raise our children in righteousness and be able to partake of the love of God.
Where will you be more powerful and influential in your life if your fantasy situation comes true? In every aspect of my life. In my marriage, in my role as a mother, daughter, sister, friend, minister, steward, in business, in play, health, and in wealth. This would touch every part of my life.
Notes from the Anthropoligie Article
What do they have in common?
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Believe in Jesus Christ and try to be like him
Love their families
Accept and Receive Callings
Understand they have a purpose on the Earth
Understand that they can have eternal relationships
Understand that they must repent to become like Christ and live with God again.
They are looking for opportunities to serve and grow.
They feel like they have a lot on their plates.
They are trying to find balance without stimulants.
They are trying to do their best.
They have faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ.
They believe that they can pray and receive answers.
They have friends who are members and non-members..
They have family members who have left the church.
They have family members who have joined the church.
They are concerned with their posterity and ancestry.
They have copies of the scriptures and tools to study and grow their testimonies.
They have made at least one covenant with the Lord, to be baptized.
They have the gift of the Holy Ghost.
They belong to a ward family.
List every common trait, both demographic - age, income, gender, marital status, industry, etc. and psychographic - worldview, values, beliefs, lifestyle, hobbies, interests, etc.
There are married, single, widowed, divorced, men and women. There are some who are straight, gay, trans, and completely confused. They work in all industries and come from all walks of life. They are generally interested in a wide range of things. Many like football, computer games, quilting, painting, baking, cleaning, organizing. One characteristic that seems to be common is their desire to become more than they are now. They seem to understand that they're capable of more than they're currently experiencing. They want to expand their understanding by learning new things and increasing their interests.
They all believe in Jesus Christ.
They all believe that God has a plan for them.
They all believe that this life is the midpoint in their existence, even though many forget, they know this.
They all believe that people are equal and that we should be free.
They often desire to improve the world through their career or vocation.
They often desire to be useful in any capacity.
They are encouraged to have children and many families are large and continue to grow.
They often live frugally, in an effort to keep everyone clothed and fed, and to be good stewards of the money they've received, and to keep pride at bay.
Now use those commonalities and create a single representation of your ideal customer with as many specific details as you can. Give her or him a name, a full identity and, if you’d like, grab an image of a face online or use a photo of an actual customer if you have one. Visually seeing a real human makes it easier to complete this exercise.
HER/HIS NAME: Alena Perkins
AGE/GENDER: 25 Femail
HAIR COLOR/EYE COLOR: Black, Dark Brown
MARITAL STATUS/CHILDREN (INCLUDE NAMES): Married to Jon Perkins, Two Children, Elijah age 2, Jade age 6 months
WHERE SHE LIVES: LIves in an apartment in Orem Ut
ANNUAL INCOME: > 50,000 per year
OCCUPATION: Mompreneur- Sells Essential Oils, Does ACT Prep, Doula, and is an awesome Mama.
CORE LIFE BELIEFS: Live to serve and love to serve. Look for others to raise up. Live the Gospel every day. Enrich and nourish your life with valuable time and experience. She knows she's a daughter of God, believes the gospel is true, tries to love everyone and accept people as they are but still feels like she doesn't measure up because her measuring stick is so long. She has a compassionate heart for the disabled, as she has a disabled brother. She is compassionate toward those who aren't as far on the path as she is and willingly teaches what she knows. She's a valuable person to have in your life, a veritable encyclopedia of wisdom. She has many different friends from different times in her life, she makes friends easily, and keeps them for all time, never offending or being rude. Always kind and generous and friendly.
FAVORITE BOOKS, MUSIC, TV SHOWS OR PODCASTS: She loves non-fiction books, learning drives her. She loves to learn about a wide range of topics, for eexample, she is interested in the human body and development, nutrition, the gospel, personal growth, the stories of others, and learning from the past, so history/historical novels. She likes a wide array of music, though she generally leans toward music that invites the spirit and brings peace to her soul. She only watches TV when she wants to learn or laugh, so cleaner funny shows like Psych and instructive shows like Tidying up with Marie, The Great British Baking Show, etc.. She loves science, history, music, and the broad range of human pursuits. When she listens to podcasts, they're generally to help her increase her understanding on a topic or to inspire her to be better. She is very driven to be her best self and is consistently looking for ways to improve life here on the earth. She listens to business blogs like Entreleadership and reads business books. She's interested in having a successful business.
MAGAZINES SHE READS: She reads church news and magazines, as well as parenting magazines and science and nature magazines. She's interested in how the world operates.
BLOGS SHE FOLLOWS: She follows her sister's blog, as well as other family member's blogs. She doesn't spend much time online, as she likes to be continually present for her friends and family. She maybe subscribes to one or two food blogs or friend's blogs.
WHAT CONFERENCES OR EVENTS DOES SHE GO TO? She goes to doula events and/or conferences, general and stake conferences. She attends baby showers, birthday parties, and family get togethers. She goes to conferences like Master your Influence, and BYU education week, and other similar firesides and conferences.
WHAT DOES SHE DO IN HER FREE TIME? Free time, what's that, she doesn't have free time. She's very intentional with her time. She's usually spending her time with her husband playing games, going on walks, listening/playing music, changing daipers, singing lullabys, or playing with her kids. When she has time to herself, she reads, showers, takes care of her home, and soaks in the tub.
WHAT ARE HER GUILTY PLEASURES? She loves chocolate but doesn't allow herself to have it all of the time. She also loves a nice long bath and a good book. She also feels like reading fiction is a guilty pleasure.
WHO DOES SHE IDOLIZE? She idolizes her sister who has a degree in ancient studies and knows the doctrine of the gospel really well. She wants to understand the gospel better and idolizes those who get it, and live it. She idolizes people who have brought their dreams to life and those who work hard to accomplish their goals.
WHAT WRITERS, SPEAKERS, AUTHORS, TEACHERS OR EXPERTS DOES SHE FOLLOW (IF ANY)? She loves the apostles and studies the words of President Nelson, Holland, Eyering, Uctdorf, and Oaks. She loves to follow the teachings of Jesus and tries to find meaning in her own life. She likes listening to me teach and speak as well, President Hinkley, Nelson, Monson, Sheri Dew also Marie Kondo and anyone that can add light and understanding and truth to her life.
WHAT BRANDS DOES SHE LOVE (ACROSS ANY INDUSTRY!)? She loves modern, clean style. Not super modern but just nice and neat. She loves olive tones and neutral shades. She loves the all american look of ambercrombie and fitch, downeast outfitters, and lularoe. She doesn't do a lot of frills but she loves clean basic lines and styles. She loves to be comfortable and look cute all at the same time.
What do you secretly fear may be true about your life, either as it relates to the service/product you’re about to buy or to your life in general, right now?
I'm afraid I'm wasting our family's money. Money is always tight and it's between new daipers and mascara right now. How can I afford it all, or any of it really. With John not working and barely any money coming in with my side jobs, I'm concerned we aint gonna eat next week. I am afraid we're not going to make it until our lease is up. We are in a pretty dark place right now. I wish one of my businesses would take off and provide enough money to pay the bills, let alone frills. I told Andrea that we'd be interested in taking her course, and I really want to, but I can't justify the expense right now. How do I tell her that without looking vulnerable or stupid? I don't know what we're going to do.
What do you worry about? What keeps you up at night?
What don't I worry about? Am I a good enough mother, wife, friend, daughter? Am I able to maintain all of these relationships and still create a good one with God? How do I know if I'm receiving revelation or if we're just doing what seems right? I love to study the scriptures but I really want to be able to apply them to me directly, to my life, like to know, ok, this is how I live this out.... I also worry about money and would love to be financially free. I worry about Jon being in school and taking care of these kids. How are we going to hold it all together?
What stresses you out on a regular basis?
Money, Parenting, and keeping up with where I think I should be.
What do you not look at or face in your life because it triggers too much fear?
I don't want to be in charge of our finances because watching us go deeper into debt freaks me out. I also don't want to face paying the bills or things breaking because we can't afford taking care of them.
What’s the worst case scenario related to your life situation -- the one fear that keeps you up at night? Worst case scenario, we can't afford to eat, live here, or keep our babies fed and clothed until our contract ends and we can move in with Jon's family. I don't want to move, but it feeels more secure than what we're doing now.
How do you fear others (close friends, family, spouse, clients) would react if they found out about your situation?*
I think they might try to help, which, honestly, it's our own choices that led us here, or even worse, they might try to relate. I don't want people to commiserate with us and justify what we're doing but I also don't want people trying to help in ways that are unhelpful. I would rather not think about it and have faith that things will work out.
What do you fear might fail in your life if your situation continues or if it gets worse?*
I'm worried about Jon not getting a job when he finishes school, that he'll have borrowed all of this money and we won't be able to pay it back. I'm worried about the strain it puts on our relationship. We get along well now, but I think if things got worse, I might start to feel resentful, after all, he's supposed to provide for our family. I'm supposed to care for our kids. I don't mind helping but I feel like he should be the breadwinner, which is what he wants anyway. I think that bitterness toward my husband could infect other parts of my life.
Where will you lose power, influence and control in your life if things don’t change or if they get worse?*
I think I'll lose all power, all of my connections are here to making money, if we move to a new area, I'll have to start over. I also feel like I'll lose my friends and support system. My mother-in-law will take over my duties and I will lose my ability to blossom and grow because I won't be standing on my own two feet.
If money were no object, what brand or kind of product/service would you buy to solve this problem?
If money were no object, I buy everything and anything that built stability and structure into our lives. Books, magazines, courses, anything that strengthened our home and family and my relationship with the Savior. I know he is the foundation upon which I stand, and I would purchase things that I think I'd use and get benefit from. I obviously wouldn't waste my money on stuff that I'd never use but, I'd buy things that were helpful. I love to learn so online courses and classes are fun for me. I also love to read and teach my kids. I am trying to follow the counsel of the prophet so I'm working on Come Follow Me, if I could find some resources that could help me implement that into my family study and my couples study, I'd totally love that. I also love the words of the prophets that are uplifting and geared toward women achieving great things, I'd be interested in things like that. I love short stories too, like a chicken soup for the soul, but stories of strength of members, and or, stories that led to revelation and or power. I would like help with keeping life organized and on track each day, and help with knowing how to feel comfortable and serve my ministering families. I would love some lesson plans too, I find I'm teaching a lot and it's nice to see what others have gotten out of the material and then build a lesson out of that.
What do you wish companies/brands/providers in this industry understood about you? I wish they understood that I have a willing heart but not a lot of time. That implementing what I learn and doing it from day to day can be a challenge. I also wish that they understood the heavy responsibilities I carry. I feel as though I'm probably in the most demanding time of my life. I am doing my best but I still feel like I fall short when I see what's expected of me. I wish that companies would make it easier to do what's being asked. Having a paper workbook and easy to access materials go a long way for me. If I'm able to use my phone or an ipad, that's good too, since I'm rarely able to sit down at the computer. I like to be able to have different options every day, since every day, I am facing different obstacles. Life's so unpredictable. I also wish that they made a couples study. I just feel like there's stuff for families and stuff for personal study, it would be nice to have specific curriculum that Jon and I work on together, that we could be on the same page about. I know the prophets have asked us to study together and pray together, and yet, I've struggled to understand what that means and when t make it happen. If I had a company blatantly say, we have a study program for spouses and couples to do for 30 minutes a day, I'd make time for that I think.
What do you secretly wish was true about your life situation -- either as it relates to the product/service you’re about to buy OR in your life in general?
I secretly wish that Jon and I didn't have to work and that we could raise our family in righteousness every day. I love spending time with Jon and wish that we could spend more time together. I also secretly wish that someone would die and leave us an inheritance or that our loans would be forgiven, just because we're nice people and that's what we deserve. I wish I could spend every day learning new things and growing. I secretly wish I had a teacher that challenged my intellect and still was interesting and entertaining. I feel like so many times, I am left wanting more, a deeper dive.
What’s the OMG, I can’t believe that exists “dream solution” that you’d pay almost anything for?
I would pay almost anything for a continual wellspring of insight and knowledge from someone I loved and trusted. If my favorite author/publisher came out with more, I'd buy it, no matter the cost. Especially if it were to relate to getting to spend more time with my hubby and to increase our communication.
If this dream solution -- product or service -- could appear and unfold perfectly, how would that story go?
A friend of mine would tell me about it and I'd go look it up and find that it met everyone one of my desires. It allowed me to spend time with Jon, it allowed me to access it on my phone, in person, and on the computer, it allowed me to have a concise list of things to do so that I'd know when I'd finished, it would allow me to dive deep and would invite revelation and the Spirit so that I could grow, and of course, it would help me draw closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. I'd love to have the classes at home and watch after the kids went to bed. I'd love to have a daily time with Jon that was more meaningful than watching TV or cleaning the house. I would love to be able to dive deep with him and share what I'm learning with him and he share what he's learning with me. I'd love to strengthen our relationship especially while involving God. The triangle, that's what I'd love to strengthen.
How will others respond to you if you get this situation fixed in an ideal way?* They will be so excited, they will want to know how my testimony is so strong, how my marriage is so strong, and how we have developed such meaningful, happy lives. I think we'll be able to serve our family and the Lord more fully, the more we expand and strengthen our marriage together.
What will you be able to do, get or achieve if your fantasy situation comes true?
I'll be able to have an eternal family, I'll be able to endure to the end, I'll be able to continue to grow throughout eternity. I'll be able to live with God again, I'll be able to fulfill my purpose here on the Earth, I'll be able to overcome the difficulties of this life and will be able to rely on the Savior once more. I'll be able to draw upon the powers of the priesthood and have a reliable partnership with God, the Father, Jesus Christ, and Jon. I'll be able to raise our children in righteousness and be able to partake of the love of God.
Where will you be more powerful and influential in your life if your fantasy situation comes true? In every aspect of my life. In my marriage, in my role as a mother, daughter, sister, friend, minister, steward, in business, in play, health, and in wealth. This would touch every part of my life.
Notes from the Anthropoligie Article
Your Fieldwork Never Ends If you really want to understand your customer, you have to spend a portion of your time excavating the creative edge of the culture that defines her. For Anthropologie president Glen Senk, that means lurking around upscale neighborhoods, looking for blue plastic New York Times delivery bags and calculating the ratio of Starbucks to convenience stores. For found-objects buyer Keith Johnson, that can mean four-to-eight-week treks across multiple continents in search of new sources of inspiration. “It’s important,” he says, “to go to the source: great museums, antique stores, cultural events, and farther afield. I will absolutely go down any alleyway that looks like it might lead to a discovery.”
Name Everything The Anthropologie merchandising mix is so dynamic, richly layered, and dense with references that it’s hard to keep it straight. In the buying department, each season’s collection is organized into three companywide categories (feminine, ethnic, and modern) that are then refined and named at the department level. The feminine line of bedding for Fall 2003 is called “Estella.” In the visual department, visual director Kristin Norris concocts names for every vignette — Angels & Insects, The Collectors — for internal use.
Don’t Forget Feedback “The Anthro Dig” is a weekly newsletter published on the intranet that features success stories, product highlights, $1,000-plus sales, PR of the week, celebrity shopping. Good Idea Sheets are one-sheet forms that any person can send to the home office. Sales associates send ideas about customer service, store experience, and product fit to the home office; Norris attaches a picture of the best execution of a merchandising concept or visual “story” and sends it around to every store’s visual team.
Get Personal Anthropologie’s designers and buyers constantly draw inspiration from far-flung sources. But sometimes the best ideas are closer to home. After 40 years without picking up a brush, Polly Dickens’s mother started painting when her husband died. “It turns out she’s a great painter,” says Dickens, design director of home furnishings. “She did a great series of chickens, which I sent to be made into table linen. It’s been the number-one table linen collection for months.”
Be Cheap Unbridled creativity and strict cost control are by no means mutually exclusive concepts. Anthropologie has always favored humble, recycled, and natural materials. Some of the store’s most striking visual effects have been crafted out of mundane materials. Last season, the visual team took the idea to new levels of austerity when it created window displays using only big pieces of butcher paper, scissors, and a needle and thread. The windows featured paper cutouts of some striking silhouettes with detailing from that season’s collection. The backdrop was a big sheet of butcher paper covered in hand-written poetry. People called from all over the country to see if they could buy the cutouts.
Sidebar: Talk Like an Anthropologist
Retailers speak a highly technical language full of obscure terms and acronyms: “open to buy,” “receipt flow,” “SKU.” Anthropologie’s unique approach translates to its vocabulary. Explanations of three critical terms:
Happy Clothes When you boil it down, Anthropologie’s philosophy is, “Our customer wants happy clothes.” According to Wendy Wurtzburger, head merchant for women’s apparel and accessories, happy clothes are first and foremost colorful, pretty, and feminine. (A happy look for fall would be “colors that are unexpected for the season, like yellow and pink in a vintage-looking sweater.”) Sad clothes, by contrast, tend to come in darker colors and have sharp, edgy shapes. “We’ve learned to steer clear of sad clothing in sophisticated darker colors and strange new edgy shapes,” says Wurtzburger. “Our experience is that sad clothes end up on the markdown rack.”
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