By: Nikki, The Best Intern Ever
As a junior in college just about to start her senior and final year at Michigan State University, it only seemed logical to apply and interview for a summer marketing internship. Hence began my three-month journey with The Skye Group! My time spent with Deidra and Katy has been amazing. The two of them have shown me so many experiences and taught me so many things that will follow me through my hopefully long and successful marketing career. Here are just a few of all the things that I have learned this summer at The Skye Group:
- The success of a marketing plan is directly correlated to a client’s level of involvement and their willingness to communicate. As a newbie in the industry, I was happy and eager to begin work for current and potential clients, but I quickly learned that the work I was so committed to completing sometimes sat unfinished or unanswered for long periods of time due to clients setting marketing projects on the back burner.
- Persistence is key; the job must get done! It was Deidra who really pushed this lesson on me, and thank goodness she did! There were times during the summer in which clients would ignore my emails and drafts of monthly newsletters. I was hesitant at first, I didn’t want to be labeled The Skye Group’s annoying intern, I thought it best to just sit and wait for a reply. Deidra taught me to do the opposite. At every meeting, she would tell me to email and email again! I’ve learned that sometimes people need a little push and when the most important thing is for the job to get done and get done well, little things like sending “too” many emails doesn’t matter.
- Social media has a prime time. As manager of a number of business Facebook pages, Pinterest boards and Twitter accounts, I learned the times my posts and efforts were the most effective. I came to realize updates that were posted later at night, after business hours, had less reaction than those posted between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Therefore, social media updates usually took priority over other work during my time in the office.
- Some of the best ideas are generated in the conference room. Some of my favorite moments at The Skye Group occurred in our office conference room. It is a special experience to be able to sit around a big table with other colleagues and clients and bounce schemes and visions off of one another. Surrounded by walls covered in dry erase marker flow charts, I learned the process of a marketing plan can be a long one, but also a colorful and exciting one.
- It takes discipline. Towards the end of my internship with The Skye Group, I worked mostly from home. Changing from a controlled work environment to the freedom of operating in the comfort of my own home really challenged my ability to discipline myself. Marketing requires a lot of everyday attention and in order to succeed, you have to be willing to put in the time.
- Marketing can be fun! Makeovers, lunch meetings, trips downtown and golf outings; one thing my internship this summer was not, was boring! I’ve learned that marketing is not just a sit-at-your-desk-all-day kind of job. It’s about catering to clients, showing your face out of the office and exploring the field. Marketing is everywhere, in everything and I have The Skye Group to thank for showing me that!
Needless to say, I loved everything about this summer! The Skye Group has changed me, both professionally and personally. I am extremely grateful to Deidra and Katy! Man oh man, do I love my two crazy ladies!
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