Key Takeaways from My Marketing Internship

As summer comes to a close, we are wrapping up an awesome summer with our marketing intern, Amelia Lynas. A senior at Ball State, Amelia dove into her summer internship with enthusiasm and energy. Thankfully, we won't get a chance to miss her. She's joining us as a marketing coordinator! Below Amelia captures three key takeaways from her internship experience. 

Over the summer I had the most amazing opportunity to intern with Green Loop Marketing. I came into this experience with an open mind and excitement to learn from the strong, brilliant marketers who make up the Green Loop team.

I am entering my final semester of studying Advertising at Ball State University and wanted to experience the agency side of this field, compared to in-house marketing. I have run multiple social media accounts in the past, and am familiar with graphic designs, but little did I know that over the summer months I would gain an immense amount of new digital marketing knowledge, as well as diving into skills I didn’t know I had.

Throughout my internship, I was introduced to a wide variety of clients and was able to assist in working towards their strategic goals. From gathering social data for new client launch phases to analyzing competitors and designing social media graphics, I got to explore other parts of the marketing process and discover new areas of the field that I now love! I’ve learned so much over these past couple of months, but here are three takeaways that I will keep with me. 

Never Be Afraid to Ask For More

When I first started at Green Loop, I felt I wasn’t challenging myself enough. I was in my comfort zone but felt I really needed to take advantage of this opportunity to learn new skills instead of continuing to only develop the ones I was sufficient at. I vividly remember a check-in meeting I took part in a few weeks into the internship, and I decided to speak up and ask for more. I wanted to see the behind-the-scenes of client work, be involved in client meetings, and help with launch phases for new clients. Granted, I probably would have seen that later on in the internship, but I was ready to leap into this new opportunity and take it all in as soon as possible.

My ask was met with excitement and immediate action. Shortly after that conversation, I was added to multiple accounts and was working on client-facing projects. It was an increase in work and a challenge, but I am so proud of myself for asking for more and having the confidence to communicate my desires when it came to this internship. That conversation truly allowed me to take control of my experience and soak up all of the opportunities available. While this is a soft skill, this is one of the most important things I took away from the summer and it has grown my confidence in ways I never imagined. 

Data Doesn’t Have to Be Boring

I have never been excited about data, and while I always knew it was important, I never wanted to pay much attention to it. Numbers never felt like my friends and I didn’t think I was capable of understanding it. However, I was wrong.

When I was added to multiple new client launches, I got to deep dive into social media data to get a closer look at how the business had performed in previous years, as well as how they compared to their competitors. The data that I discovered from my research was able to make valuable points within launch meetings and highlight where the client was and where they could improve to grow.

I found myself enjoying the data and being fascinated by my findings, especially how they played a key role in future strategy sessions. I realized the true importance of social data when it comes to reflecting and growing, and got the chance to try my hand at it. Just as it is important to reflect in your personal life, it is important to reflect within your business and future goals; that starts with data! 

The Significance of Content Marketing is Huge

Capturing images during the Devour Indy Cocktail Competition

Before my internship with Green Loop, I truly did not know what content marketing was. We had never discussed it in any of my college courses, and while I thought it was just another word for overall marketing, I discovered it was so much more, as well as how valuable it is. It creates interest and keeps your audience engaged with relevant information without trying to sell your product or service, however it keeps you fresh in the audience’s minds when it comes time to buy said product or service.

When working with clients and analyzing their competitors, it was shocking how many people didn’t interact in content marketing. It’s a very valuable tool that I feel creates a stronger bond between brand and consumer. While there might not be an immediate sale, this type of content serves the customer well in sharing relevant, important information. I feel like content marketing brings the brand to life and switches things up, instead of just offering a constant sales pitch.

Now that I actually know and understand content marketing, I am constantly recognizing and consuming it. I also know now that I would love to explore content marketing more and contribute to this unique segment of marketing. 

Over these last 3 months, I have gained professional confidence, made lifelong connections, and developed new skills that I will take with me wherever I go! Thank you, Green Loop, for what I can say has been my best internship experience yet - I am forever grateful for this.