Second Shift; First project to tackle

On the second day of my internship I was assigned a new task, Research (which I had never expected to be so time consuming and difficult). For several shifts at my internship, a majority of my day would be spent on research for a upcoming project Linc had planned to action.The project was to create an online portal or magazine, that offers services, products and content that would be related to the over 50’s and who we also call the “Baby Boomers”.

The project was solely targeted at baby boomers, which are not only the wealthiest and most willing to spend generation but baby boomers also make up for  majority of the Australian society. Another reason to invest time on baby boomers was that from previous research, it was shown that although it is known that this market segment are willing to pay and invest for goods not much marketing and advertising is targeted at them although they are becoming more internet savvy and increasing the usage of the world wide web.

The research I had to conduct was based solely on researching Australian bloggers preferably from Western Australia that had blogs with information that would attract the attention to these over 50's. The topics could range from current affairs, sports, finance , travel , health and wellbeing, life and style and events. The key focus was to ensure the content on the blogs are information that the over 50's would find beneficial and would want to have access and use on a regular basis.

Whilst researching, I had to ensure that my target market could relate to the content. For instance, I wouldn't suggest a blogger who focuses on the nightlife scene of Perth such as clubbing or the latest bars to my target market. Instead I would suggest bloggers that would discuss topics such as the latest or the types of fine wines in Perth wine industry. These kind of topics would be more relevant to my target market and would be of interest to them.

Through my research, I was briefed alot on how to understand clients and to always think from the clients perspective. In other words to always think outside the box especially when it comes to researching for the target. I also learnt the essentials of keyword searching when using the world wide web. With this project I learnt alot especially the copious amount of research needed for each project and how it wasnt just a one day type of task. It could take up to days, weeks and maybe even months. I also learnt how valuable time is for a Public Relation consultant, considering how they are paid by time.

The End is Just the Beginning

Where has the time gone? I can’t believe I am now going into my last few days as an intern at The Hub Marketing Communications. I feel like this is a good time for me to reflect on the main things I have learnt since starting work in January.

One of the best decisions I made when organizing my internship was choosing to work 1-2 days a week over the course of the holidays and semester, rather than 4 weeks full time. I felt that this has given me the opportunity to learn more and be involved in more. I have done work for several different clients and jobs, and have gained a large perspective on the workings of a consultancy over a four month period.

I have also learnt a great deal of marketing and public relations skills that I have not touched on at uni. A lot of my work has been centered around The Hubs free e-books that they release on Facebook and their website. E-books have not been something I have touched on heavily at uni, however they are such an important and unique education tool I am glad I was given the opportunity to learn about the formats, information to be included etc.

I’m also lucky to have started working at the Hub Marketing Communications during such a dynamic and exciting time. The Hub has recently been undergoing some changes to the structure of the business, as well as redeveloping their website and slogan. This has been very educational and I have enjoyed having an input into the ‘new Hub.’

I’ve also spent lots of time learning about several different social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and LinkedIn. I’ve developed some great skills and my research has helped me understand creative ways for using these different methods of communication in marketing. I’ve learnt some invaluable techniques that I will be able to carry with me through other jobs after I graduate from university.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time working at The Hub Marketing Communications. All of the girls employed there are fantastic! They were so helpful and such a pleasure to work with. I was given so many different opportunities; dabbling in market research, media relations, social media development, public relations, social media research, client analysis and more. I was given a great deal of responsibility which I thrived off! I enjoyed working alongside the Marketing Communications Coordinator and The Public Relations Coordinator. I felt as though I learnt a great deal and have definitely expanded my knowledge.

Bye for now!