by Karen Funk
From the latest smartphone advertisement to a cosmetic company’s most recent Instagram post, marketing is used all around us to create and communicate value to a target audience. This means that marketing skills provide the opportunity for anyone to campaign and promote something they believe in or that can enhance the lives of others, and in doing so, gain skills that are beneficial in a variety of industries. In addition, even though a product or service could fulfill a need or gap in the marketplace, if the company is unable to effectively communicate that value to their target customer, then the company misses an opportunity and the consumer loses the benefit of the product. Understanding its importance, I became interested in acquiring marketing and communication skills, and I sought to develop these abilities through my college coursework and work experiences. I completed internships at an entertainment marketing company, the American Red Cross, and the U.S. Senate. Through these experiences, I have gained marketing skills, including effective written and verbal communication, working collaboratively, and creating social media content.
Populus Brands Marketing Internship
At Populus Brands, I developed marketing skills within the context of an entertainment company that creates and produces its own shows and partners with other companies for product integrations. An important marketing skill is knowing how to connect with your target audience. In my role, I assisted with campaigns that reached potential partners for the company’s TV shows through email and phone calls. I learned how to write a call script and execute sales calls. In doing so, I learned how to tell a compelling story and communicate a vision that aimed to get someone interested in a project. I also participated in senior leadership’s marketing calls with companies and organizations with whom they already had partnership agreements.
Moreover, I created a “one sheet,” detailing the cost of various facets of product integration with a potential partner. In terms of technical skills, I became well acquainted with Salesforce, which is a commonly used business software. I also became skilled in putting together video clips of a client’s product displayed on their shows, in order to showcase examples of previously-aired product integrations. Another part of the internship entailed preparing a proposed marketing integration for a show of my choosing. I put together a sales deck, created a sizzle reel, and pitched it to employees at the company, including the CEO. Through that project, I furthered my communication skills, a vital skill in marketing, as I learned how to make a presentation and pitch a concept. In addition to the marketing skills I gained, I also had a fun summer of going to tapings of shows at FOX and Warner Brothers, as well as getting to work collaboratively with a great group of interns from all parts of the country.
American Red Cross Business Operations & Communications Internship
During the summer and fall of 2017, I interned at the American Red Cross in their Business Operations & Communications Departments. In the Business Operations Department, I communicated with vendors in anticipation of negotiating regional contracts, and I utilized my technical skills to provide extensive financial analysis of internal spending data for all departments by creating pivot tables in Excel. I also assisted with event planning and execution for board meetings and large-scale events with 100-300 attendees. Planning events is directly relevant to marketing and a helpful skill set to learn, as it engages others and communicates the value and mission of an organization. In addition, check out the blog post I wrote for the LA Region website discussing my internship experience in the Business Operations Department. This opportunity gave me the chance to hone my writing skills, which is a valuable asset in marketing.
In the Communications Department, I created content for Twitter and Facebook for the entire Los Angeles Region, which represented nearly 10 Red Cross offices. I crafted audience-specific messages to educate and publicize the work and initiatives of the organization—a skill necessary in marketing across industries. Through this work, I acquired software marketing skills in Hootsuite and Trendkite, both of which are commonly used digital marketing software. I also had the opportunity to participate in a social media campaign, for which I was filmed encouraging people to donate or volunteer for the “Sound The Alarm” campaign, which installs free smoke alarms in low-income areas around the country and educates families about home fire safety. In doing so, I was communicating with their target audience in the effort to deliver engaging digital content.
Senator Feinstein’s Office Internship
Last summer, I interned in Senator Dianne Feinstein’s Washington, D.C. office. In this fast-paced environment, I regularly answered calls from constituents and communicated the Senator’s position on various issues. I did so by using social media and press statements to accurately relay information. Communicating effectively with customers, which in this case were the constituents of California, is a vital marketing skill. I also wrote memos on a variety of legislative areas and had the opportunity to write research reports for the Senate Judiciary Committee, all of which required concise and effective written communication. Moreover, I assisted the press team in planning events for over 100 attendees.
Furthermore, I completed a policy project in which I outlined a problem and a proposed solution related to electric vehicle infrastructure, which I then presented to the Senator’s senior staff. Doing so allowed me to hone my public speaking and verbal communications skills in pitching an idea. I also learned to anticipate objections that could be brought forth and prepared for how to respond to them. Having an awareness of how your ideas may land on others as well as a readiness to defend them, is a vital marketing skill that will be beneficial in a variety of professional settings. In addition to the useful skills I acquired, I worked with a wonderful cohort of interns and very capable staff who made the internship a great learning experience. Check out the blog posts I wrote reflecting on my experience as an intern in DC.
In summary, through internships at Populus Brands, the American Red Cross, and the U.S. Senate, I honed my ability to work collaboratively with others, communicate verbally and in writing, pitch ideas, participate in marketing campaigns, and acquire relevant software skills. Although not all these roles had marketing in the title, my experiences in the private, non-profit, and public sectors all helped me to gain skills that are useful in marketing and applicable to a variety of business positions and industries.
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