Poor marketing accounts for 14% of small business failures. Despite its importance, however, many companies simply don’t have the time to devote to researching and developing their marketing strategies. Those that are astute hire marketing interns, and if you’re looking for an internship, this is your chance to shine. If you’re hired by a small business, your role as a marketing intern has the potential to revolutionise the marketing strategy of the company you’re working for. So if you’re starting a role as a marketing intern, what are the key areas you should look at if you want to help them modernise their strategy and make your CV shine in the process?

Start with research and market analysis

If a small business has hired an intern to help with their marketing, the chances are that their background research will need some work. Use your background in marketing to pinpoint what your business needs to know in order to implement a successful marketing strategy: gather information about the customers and the business’ target audience, and find out where these people are conducting their own research before buying products or services.
Find out what’s trending in the niche, and find out what it is that customers want. It is only when you fully understand the market that you can sell the business’ products or services effectively. Most businesses will understand that market research is an important part of the process, but if you find yourself encouraged to leap straight into action, explain why research is crucial. If you do this in a professional and informed manner, your company will respect your expertise, and they’re more likely to trust your authority on the subject.

Focus on social media

The chances are that your time with the company is finite, so to really make yourself stand out and to give them the best boost to their marketing strategy you can, focus on their social media marketing strategy. Social media has high engagement, and marketing can easily be targeted at the right audience, so once a strategy is in place, providing it is nurtured by the business, it has the potential to help them long after your time with the company. Because of the initial work required in setting up social media accounts, it’s also quite likely that this is an area your company will need you to develop for them.
80% of Instagram users follow one or more business accounts. If your business has an account that posts valuable content on a regular basis, you can reach a vast audience straightaway. Consider boosting your social media reach by suggesting your company works with an influencer. They play an important role in modern marketing, and it has been shown that influencers help build the trust and authority of a brand. Working with an influencer can help your business build long-term relationships and extend its reach far beyond its own social media accounts.

Evaluate competitor marketing

Another valuable resource you can leave your company with is an in-depth analysis of their competitors’ marketing strategies. Not only will this help you with the work you do on their marketing strategy, but it will help them to continue to keep up to date with their marketing in the future. Identify the business’ main competitors and gather information on their products and prices, and begin an analysis on their strengths and weaknesses. To get an idea of their marketing reputation, talk to customers directly and find out what they think of their strategies. Learn the platforms on which competitors are most successful in their advertising, and make sure your business’ marketing strategy also uses these platforms.
As an intern for a small business with a shaky marketing strategy, you have the potential to shape their approach for the future. Not only will this be great for the company, but it’s the perfect opportunity for you to sharpen your own skills and add valuable experience to your CV.