Emmy's Marketing Work Experience

I graduated from Birmingham University with a BA degree in Marketing and Management in June 2013. Since then I have found it difficult to secure a permanent job within marketing. The main reason for this was my lack of experience. My Dad's colleague recommended I contact Karen to see if I could come for a week's work placement in Aylesbury at Enterprise Marketing Solutions. My aim of the work placement was to gain some experience in an actual marketing company so that it would enhance my CV. I gained so much more than that within the 4 days I worked with Karen.

On the Monday I arrived I had no idea what to expect, Karen talked me through her business and explained what a busy week I had in store. I then read through some marketing plans she was currently implementing with her clients and I was so impressed with the detail and the creativity she had used.

That afternoon I met with Andrew, Karen's right hand man! They had a Skype meeting with a taxi firm to discuss how their marketing plan was going and in particular the website and social media for the company. I had not taken any modules to do with the internet at University, which after listening to Andrew's viewpoint made me regret my decision and it is definitely something I will look into and learn more about in the future.

On Tuesday I arrived at Aylesbury nice and early as we had a breakfast meeting in Oxford at the Business Wealth Club. Karen introduced me to many important business people from the area. We had two meetings and it was fascinating to see how Karen networked and I loved meeting people that were so enthusiastic about their businesses, the same as Karen was with hers.

That afternoon we went to another meeting at a local business called Sivatech, Karen was there to get feedback on the recent leaflets she had designed. It was good to be asked my opinion and it really made me think about all different aspects of marketing including the design element and also made me feel valued.

On Wednesday Karen and I travelled to Banbury to meet with a company named Kendra. They were in the early stages of their marketing plan that Karen had written for them. It was a long meeting but interesting as we covered every aspect of the business. With Karen's recommendations a timeline was set up to implement the plan.

That afternoon Karen gave me the chance to write my own case study about one of the marketing plans I had read earlier in the week. I quizzed her to get all the facts and wrote a 2 page case study.

On Thursday, I was given the task to research other companies in the area which could be of interest to Karen. I created a spreadsheet and found contact details for potential tele marketing activity. Market research is incredibly important to any business so it was good to put to use my knowledge from University.

That afternoon I accompanied Andrew back to Sivatech and observed a class he taught the employees about how to use word press and manage the website that he and Karen had made for the company. Once again it reminded me that online marketing is something that I would really like to get into and learn more about.

That was the end of my incredibly busy week. I felt that I had learnt so much in that small amount of time and I am really grateful to Karen and Andrew for all that they taught me.

Within my job search over the last 6 months I had been drifting away from applying for the marketing roles but after my work placement at Enterprise Marketing Solutions it had reminded me how much I enjoy marketing and it put me back on track to starting my marketing career.

Coincidentally I had a job interview the next day at Mercedes head office in Milton Keynes. I really believe that the knowledge and confidence that Karen had given me this week is the reason how Mercedes offered me a job that very same day.

Emmy

 

 

Where Did My Market and Customers Go?

Have you found that the Recession has changed a few things? You might have found it's had a rather profound impact on your marketplace and your customer base. So how can you identify where your industry is now and what your customers are likely to do next?

Macro reports are market research reports, which provide you with information about the wider environment within which you operate, relating to your industry. You are likely to find it brimming with useful information and intelligence on your category, the competition, your customer and developing trends, with very little upfront outlay.

Macro market reports are just one of the low cost tools at a business’ disposal for up to date market context and insight. They provide many useful details including:

·             Size of the market; so you understand the size of your potential sales opportunities;

·             Size of the industry; so you can decide on the % market share that you want to aim for

·             Trends in the sector; so you know which of your products and services are relevant to drop or promote

·             Details on key players; so you can determine how you want to position your business in the marketplace, know who your competitors are, clarify how your brand differentiates you, what you what to be seen to stand for, and who your target customers might be

·             And even identify new opportunities for innovation, which you can lead.

Furthermore, these reports provide solid, factual market figures which can provide a good rationale and background for wider business plans. For instance, the information provides good input into a SWOT analysis which in turn, provides a corner stone for future strategic planning. 

So for a low cost, high return investment, don't you think it's time to understand your market place a little better? 

Richard Wood, Insights & Intelligence Officer, Enterprise Marketing Solutions T: 01296 584834.

 

 

 

Building Consumer Relationships, the Innocent Way

Innocent smoothies is just one of the most referenced companies in the UK when it comes to marketing success stories.

For Innocent, it all started just over 15 years ago, when three Cambridge graduates, Adam Balon, Richard Reed and Jon Wright tested the water at a small music festival in London.

Armed with a large sign (which asked people if they 'thought they should give up their jobs to make smoothies'), and a 'Yes' bin and a 'No' bin in front of their stall, they asked their consumers to vote with their empties and the rest as they say, is history. The next day all three resigned and now, Innocent have expanded to provide veg pots, juices and kids' drinks across Europe, with the vision of helping 'people live well and die old'. The company turns over in excess of €200m across Europe and continues to go from strength to strength.

So how does a company as successful as Innocent remain true to its roots and keep its consumers happy? Put simply, by engaging with their consumers via all touch points, giving them a way to voice their opinion and keeping it 'fun', the company offers all critical components that ensures the brand remains both fresh and front of mind to the consumer.

Whilst not every company has the luxury of being able to communicate using consumer language on their product itself (Innocent bottles use simple things, such as 'enjoy by' rather than 'use by' and 'call us for a chat' to engage with the consumers in a friendly and approachable way), another approach used by Innocent is their eCRM system. With over 120k subscribers, their newsletter has a vast reach and is continuing to grow.

A CRM (or Customer Relationship Management system) allows a company to track and segment consumer types based on their interests and preferences. For your average business, it is a great way to ensure you can gather useful information on your customers, tailor messaging or offers to certain target markets and allow you to identify trends that you may not have been aware of at first glance.

And this is where we stumble into the arena of market research. Through formal or informal information gathering (stored in an up to date CRM system), you are essentially undertaking your own form of primary research and through interpreting this data (via segmentation, reviewing and identifying trends or similarities in consumers), you can tailor or even introduce new products or services to a new market.

So even if you do not sell fruit based beverages, your company can benefit from simple market research and who knows - you might just uncover the next 'smoothie'.

From Richard Wood, Insights & Intelligence Officer, Enterprise Marketing Solutions Ltd.

01296 584834 www.enterprisemarketing.co.uk

Out of this World Work Experience

After being in full time employment for near to 6 years in the retail management industry I decided I wanted to follow in a different career path. Taking advantage of my qualifications I achieved at the Grange School 6 form in 2008, 3 A-Levels in business studies, I decided I wanted to enter into the business sector of management and more specifically the fast passed world of advertising and marketing. In order to hope to achieve this I have taken up a part time (BA Hons) degree in business management and marketing which I begin late in September.

Since deciding to go traveling around Europe throughout August I realised I would have near to three weeks before my university enrolment when I returned. Realising this I decided to take this opportunity to look for and obtain possible work experience in marketing as I would be looked at as a novice entering a field I had zero experience in and put me ahead of the game when applying for internships or entrée level positions. This is where I came across Enterprise Marketing Solutions, after looking into their website and discovering not only were they a well-established marketing firm in my home town they were situated in walking distance from my home. I contacted Karen Moule via email along with my CV and cover letter and within 30 minutes I had a response from Andrew McIntyre, who then forwarded myself to Karen who then rang me personally to arrange a date I could come in and gain the experience I was looking for.

Once I returned from traveling I began my initial 1 week work placement with Karen and the team at Enterprise Marketing Solutions. Within the first initial meeting, where there was an introduction to the business, the employees and Karen herself, I could tell I was in an environment I could not only learn but feel comfortable and along with Karen’s long wealth of experience not only in marketing but also in advertising Karen was the perfect person to work alongside to get the experience I was looking for. By the end of the first two days I had created an e-newsletter, created and edited a few social media networks for clients including email communication to clients discussing the progress and changes, read and understand the final strategic plan for another client and started managing and editing a website using word press, along with some admin work so this was not a case of sit back and make tea for Karen and Andrew. Throughout these tasks though I was not at any stage ‘thrown into the deep end’ I was always given easy to follow instructions and guidance during every task I was given.

Nearing the end of my third day I had learnt so much with Karen and Enterprise Marketing I decided I would request to lengthen my initial time another week which Karen was happy to accept, so what started as an initial one week work placement had now turned into two which I was extremely happy about. My time at Enterprise was not however confined to the office and this was shown near the end of my first week when I was asked to join Andrew in an off-site meeting with a current client who was requesting a review on the status of his on-going social networking sites including his website and SEO responses while keeping notes. I also put myself forward to accompany Andrew at the beginning of my second week to oxford to represent Enterprise Marketing Solutions at the Business Wealth Club meeting, this was highly rewarding as this gave me an insight not only into the running of many entrepreneurial businesses small and large but also the key marketing points, known as the marketing wheel, these businesses focus on during their yearly quarter. I also assisted Karen and Andrew in shooting two adverts for clients who were looking to re-brand there image, giving my opinions and ideas of shooting angles when and if they were needed, this was great experience as it focused more on the advertising side of marketing.

Overall I only have to thank Karen and the team at Enterprise Marketing not only for the amount I have learnt over my two week work placement but for the welcoming and supportive environment they provide that allowed my learning to take place. My time with Enterprise Marketing Solutions was highly rewarding and if you are in the Aylesbury or local Buckinghamshire region and looking for some real hands on experience you can take with you, I would 110% recommend Karen and the team at Enterprise Marketing Solutions and in fact would love to come back in the near future and work for them again.

Luke De Benedictis

Masters of the Consumer Marketing Universe

Coca-cola: creating consumer relevance and belonging in the soft drink market

When it comes to understanding your consumer, look no further than the masters of marketing, Coca-Cola.

From giving Father Christmas his famous red coat, to key presence and support on countless sporting events, Coca-Cola is synonymous with examples of how to successfully market a product to your consumer.

Their latest campaign, 'share a Coke' positions the brand clearly as the inclusive soft drink - moving a bottle of the fizzy stuff from 'just a drink' to being a friend in its own right. Essentially, it just would not be a gathering if Coca-Cola wasn't there.

So how have they managed to give this perception across so many countries and to so many people?

Put simply, it all started with a simple piece of Market Research. Coca-Cola identified a list of the 250 most popular names in the UK, taking into consideration gender and ethnic make up of the UK. As the company wanted to appeal to everyone (after all, anyone can purchase and consumer a coke), it deliberately identified with its entire target audience.

By replacing their iconic branding on their bottles and can with these names, they successfully engaged with their target audience and created a 'buzz' around the campaign (for instance, I not only seek out a bottle with names of friends/relatives, but I save the bottles too, once empty!). And for those of you who have a rarer name than I? Don't fret - Coca-Cola thought of that too: you can personalise your can using the virtual can app!

From here, the Share a Coke campaign gathered momentum, with social media posting opportunities (Coca-Cola actively encourages consumers to share their images and stories on its Facebook page too) growing on an international basis and eventually lending itself to a television ad, starring some of those popular names. There were even Share a Coke events running through the summer, proving just how successful this marketing campaign was.

So what learning's can we take from this campaign? Firstly, including your customer (or at the very least, engaging with them) builds a sense of camaraderie where they are an extension of your business; an advocate, and you are part of their lives.

Secondly, through simple market research, you can identify your target audience (on first name terms if you really want!), and can reach out to them on a perceived individual basis.

Finally, all great marketing campaigns start with market research. It doesn't need to be expensive and in the grand scheme of things, is rarely that big, but the insights you can gleam from the findings can help you to shape a marketing campaign and position your brand in a very consumer friendly way.

So Coca-Cola has delivered yet again via an engaging and memorable campaign and it won't be long until another one of their famous ads graces our screens again....holidays are coming folks...

Richard Wood, Market Research & Insights Officer 

Enterprise Marketing Solutions Ltd 

My Work Experience at Enterprise Marketing Solutions

As passionate believers in work placements and work experience, this week we have been joined by Alex, to show him the wonders of the world of marketing and why we love it so much. I thought it would be interesting for him to tell you in his own words how it went:

My Experience at Enterprise Marketing Solutions 

During the introduction of my first year at John Hampden Sixth Form, I had to dive straight into sorting out an activity for personal social development week.  4 Days, straight after our summer exams, to complete something productive and relevant to our future course at University.  After covering Marketing throughout my Business Studies AS course, I developed a key interest into its shear importance with modern-day businesses (and my 15 mark exam essays).  Considering my choice of university course is German with business studies, I felt it would be ideal to obtain work experience in my favourite business field.  After some Google browsing and website reviewing, I found Enterprise Marketing to be the perfect place to contact.  With Karen’s experience with working in Germany and developing a fluency in their language, as well as Andrew currently being at University, I was inspired to get my work placement sorted immediately with them.  Naturally, with Karen’s goodwill and keen interest to help others out through work experience, I found myself to be accepted for the required dates with all forms filled out in under a week. 

Exams were finished, revision was over and work experience was waiting in the wings.  I was nervous yet somewhat excited to both be away from exams and to have first hand experience at the Enterprise Marketing firm.  As the days went by and the week progressed, I found myself presented with brand new experiences each day.  From understanding the contents of marketing plans, to being toured around a major printing company – Spot On.  It was this variety of events that truly defined the value of work experience and the importance of spending time in different fields.  Even minor details such as learning about SWOT analysis and how to professionally interact with clients, have all combined together to prove the importance of my time with Karen and Andrew.   

After reviewing my personal social development week with my school teachers and friends, it became clear that my experience was something to be admired.  When listening to what others had done with their time, it merely strengthened my overall satisfaction with Enterprise Marketing Solutions.  With my friend Jack revealing he just browsed the PC on BBC Sport for the majority of his time at his work placement; and Usman explaining his shear disappointment with the lack of activities during his week, I realised just how grateful I was to spend my time with such amazing and helpful people. 

My thanks go directly to the supreme team of Andrew and Karen, for accommodating me for a week in both June and August, and delivering a host of tasks and objectives that made up one incredible experience at Enterprise Marketing Solutions.  I have learnt so much in terms of practical business skills and knowledge that will only benefit me in both the working environment and with my university application.  You truly are superstars and I wish you the best of luck with the future of your business and everything else outside of that.  I can only recommend you continue to take on work experience placements, so others can live the same experience which I was so fortunate to receive.

http://www.enterprisemarketing.co.uk/testimonials1/giving-back/

We really enjoyed having Alex with us; he was extremely helpful, willing and we enjoyed sharing our knowledge with him. And we've got some yummy choccy biscuits to enjoy as a parting present for us!

Karen