Marketing Internship Program

Parkway South High School

Academic Requirements and Guidelines

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Internship Assignments

The internship notebook assesses the internship experience, and relates observations and experiences to concepts learned in your marketing class. Emphasis is placed on observation, analysis, and evaluation of the experiences, your organizational skills, and a detailed description of tasks and duties.

Internship Notebook:

Each individual assignment should be double-spaced. The grammar, writing style, and organization of the paper should be of professional quality.

  • Include an introduction and conclusion for each assignment.
  • Add visual material such as graphics, charts, scanned images when appropriate
  • Use bullet points if needed
  • Add samples to give detailed support to your sections (example:a copy of an ad, etc)
Grading Period Journal

The grading period log of your work activity encourages retention of specific events and provides a basis for observation. The log should include a description and analysis of your work responsibilities, observations, and new experiences. For example, in a given week you might include descriptions of new duties, observations of interactions among your team members, customers, etc.

The log should be maintained in an electronic format (word processed). Each grading period should start a new section. Your log should be at least one page typed. It should be hole-punched and included behind the corresponding grading period section. You will submit a copy of this log at each of the internship assignment due dates for a total of six logs.

Section Due Dates:

  1. Introduction/Description of EnvironmentSept.16
  2. Design the cover page of your notebook
  3. Basic facts about my employer
  4. Department description

d. A list of my job duties

e. Rules and regulations of your company

f. Organizational Chart

  1. Product Service ManagementOct. 29

a. Understanding the product life cycle.

b. Describe your competitors include location and type of competitor

c. Describe your market share and ways to maintain their current share.

d. Discuss your competitor’s successes discuss products and services that the

Competitors are offering.

III. Marketing ResearchDec. 10

  1. Creating a marketing survey
  2. Administering a marketing survey
  3. Identify methods of marketing research
  4. Motivating employees

Final Exam First Semester:

IV. PricingFeb.4

a. Review pricing policies

b. Compare pricing structure to competitor’s pricing

c. Investigate how mark-up’s and mark-downs are determined

d. Describe procedures for handling inventory/shrinkage

V. SellingMarch 16

a. Identify sources of product/service information

b. Analyze features & benefits of a product/service

c. Determine buying motives

d. Utilize specialized selling techniques

VI. Promotions in MarketingApril 27

  1. Determine the factors considered when selecting advertising media
  2. Discuss planning and promotional activities for special events
  3. Identify a promotional mix for a product/service sale
  4. Design an ad

Final Exam: Analysis/Conclusion

Section I: Introduction /Description of the Environment

Section A: Design the Cover Page of Your Notebook

Section B:Company Profile

  1. What is the Company’s Mission Statement?
  2. What products or services does this company or organization provide?
  3. How many people are employed by this company/organization?
  4. Where are the company’s locations?
  5. In what ways does this company/organization serve as a good corporate neighbor

(PLEASE TYPE ANSWER IN ESSAY FORMAT AND INSERT IN NOTEBOOK)

Section C:Department Description

Describe in detail your specific department. If you work in more than one department, describe all of your responsibilities. Make a complete and detailed list of things you do in connection with your job. Arrange them in chronological order, if possible. Carefully analyze your job and see that nothing is omitted.

(PLEASE TYPE ANSWER IN ESSAY FORMAT AND INSERT IN NOTEBOOK)

Section D:Basic Facts about my Employer

Please complete the pages entitled “Basic Facts about my Employer”

Section E: Rules and Regulations of your company

Please complete the pages entitled “Rules and Regulations of my Training Station”

Section F:Organizational Chart

What is the organizational structure of this company? Create an organizational chart that clearly

demonstrates the upper management level all the way through the front line employees. (PowerPoint software has a slide that will help you create your chart. See example provided)

Section II: Product Service Management

Section A: Understanding Product Life Cycle

Choose one product at your training station. Identify which stage of the product life cycle it is in and why. Which stage do you predict this product to be in five years and why?

Section B: Describe your competitors

List (at least three) of your business's competition and approximate how far away each competitor is located (miles, blocks, etc.) Describe why you feel that they are competitors. Are they direct or indirect competitors? Describe in detail your product mix as it compares to your competition.

Section C: Describe your market share

Identify ways that your business maintains and increases its market share.

Discuss new products, promotions, services, etc.

Section D: Discuss your competitor’s successes

What things are the competitors doing that make them successful?

Discuss products/services that the competitors are offering.

Section III:Marketing Research

Section A: Creating a marketing survey

Marketing research is the gathering, recording and analyzing of data to market goods and services. With the help of your manager, identify a problem that your company would like to have solved. (Hints: customer complaints, employee complaints, manager complaints) Then prepare a survey of four or more questions to collect the data needed.

Section B: Administering a marketing survey

In section (A) you identified a marketing problem at your training station. Now, you will need to prepare a survey and actually collect the data to help solve this problem. You must survey six individuals and tabulate the results. Create one chart or graph that utilizes the collected date. You may do this in Microsoft Excel or other spreadsheet program and attach or draw it. Then write a paragraph on your conclusions from the data collected. (Remember to only ask those people to whom the survey applies) (see sample for ideas)

Section C: Identify methods of marketing research

Companies conduct market research constantly to keep updated on their customer’s needs. Consult with your manager on the ways your company conducts marketing research. List them. (Could also attach a copy of a marketing research tool used by your company) Then analyze each method and determine if it accomplishes what it is supposed to. Finally, think of three ways your company could conduct marketing research that it is currently not doing. Write each down and what you hope each would achieve for your company.

Section D: Motivating Employees

Develop a list of three methods of recognizing employee accomplishments at your training station. Estimate the costs of the method of recognition. Finally, explain why you think this method would motivate employees.

First Semester Final Exam: Analysis

For this assignment, you will be analyzing your internship experience over the past year or semester. You will need to type your answers and make sure you turn it in with your notebook. Please use complete sentences and keep your answers appropriate. It is better to make sure that you have answered each question completely instead of just putting something down to get by.

  1. Describe your expectations for internship over the past semester. Answer whether internship met your expectations and if it did not, tell me why.
  2. Describe your expectations for your job over the past semester. In other words, did you expect a promotion or change in job duties during the semester? Did you unexpectedly get a promotion or change in job duties? What did you expect as far as pay goes? Did you work the number of hours you expected?
  3. Analyze the internship assignments. In your opinion, which assignment was the hardest; which was the easiest?
  4. Describe the best experience that you had on the job this semester.
  5. Describe the worst experience that you had on the job this semester.
  6. Write a letter using correct business letter form and grammar to a junior telling them about your experiences over the past year with internship. Provide them with advice for the upcoming year as well as what struggles and triumphs you endured this past year. It needs to be on a separate piece of paper and at least three paragraphs. (only complete this assignment if you will not be interning second semester)

Section IV: Pricing

Section A: Review pricing policies

Determine your company’spolicies concerning calculation of prices. Who does it? How is it done? How are employees trained? Are they happy with the method? If not, is a new method being developed?

Section B: Compare pricing structure to competitor’s pricing

Choose an item/service from your training station and compare its price with two similar stores that sell the same product. Is there a price difference? If so, what reasons can you determine for this difference?

Section C: Investigate how mark-up’s and mark-downs are determined

Investigate how mark-ups and mark downs are determined at your training station. Who does this? When is it done? How is it figured? Provide an example of a mark-down that is currently taking place at your company.

Section D: Describe procedures for handling inventory/shrinkage

Describe the procedures for handling business/product/inventory shrinkage or loss.

Section V: Selling

Section A: Identify sources of product/service information

Identify sources of product/service information that are utilized by your training station for

assisting employees in gaining product knowledge.

Section B:Analyze features & benefits of a product/service

Choose a product or service offered at your training station and list the features and benefits

of the product or service.

Section C: Determine buying motives

By understanding buying motives, marketers can better promote their products to meet their customers’ needs and wants. Determine the buying motives of the customers at your training station.

Choose three products that your company sells. What buying motive impels customers to purchase each product? For example: Rational motives-hunger, thirst, shelter, health, safety and protection, comfort and convenience. Emotional motives-affection, and love, prestige and recognition. Product (brand) Motives or Patronage motives. (customer loyalty to that business)

(Example:Refrigerator: Most customers buy a refrigerator for the convenience of chilling food. It does not appear that they are impelled to buy our refrigerator due to psychological motives. It appears that for most customers the purchase of a refrigerator is a rational decision. Both product and patronage motives appear to urge customers to buy our products because we consistently sell two or three brands, and we have many repeat customers who buy those brands.

Section D: Utilize specialized selling techniques

Develop a follow-up strategy that your training station could use to thank customers for their patronage and to encourage repeat sales. (Example: letter, card, phonescript, gift,etc.)

Section VI: Promotion

Section A: Determine the factors considered when selecting advertising media

Determine the factors considered when selecting the types of advertising media to use when promoting sales for your training station. (television, radio, newspaper, direct mail, internet, etc.) Find out what works best in what situations.

Section B: Discuss planning and promotional activities for special events

Develop a list of all of the local activities and seasonal events that your company could use for planning promotional activities.

Section C: Identify a promotional mix for a product/service sale

Identify an annual sale or a special event in which your company is involved. (Example: Anniversary sale/Celebration, Back to School sale, Special Event) Plan and develop a usable theme for this event. Describe the promotional mix (all the different forms of media you would use to promote the event)

Section D: Design an Ad

Create an ad for the promotion you just described in Section C above. The ad may be a direct mail, radio ad, newspaper/magazine, internet banner or TV storyboard advertising.

Second Semester Final Exam: Conclusion/Analysis

For this assignment, you will be analyzing your internship experience over the past year or semester. You will need to type your answers and make sure you turn it in with your notebook. Please use complete sentences and keep your answers appropriate. It is better to make sure that you have answered each question completely instead of just putting something down to get by.

  1. Describe your expectations for internship over the past semester. Answer whether internship met your expectations and if it did not, tell me why.
  2. Describe your expectations for your job over the past semester. In other words, did you expect a promotion or change in job duties during the semester? Did you unexpectedly get a promotion or change in job duties? What did you expect as far as pay goes? Did you work the number of hours you expected?
  3. Analyze the internship assignments. In your opinion, which assignment was the hardest; which was the easiest?
  4. Describe the best experience that you had on the job this semester.
  5. Describe the worst experience that you had on the job this semester.

6. Write a letter using correct business letter form and grammar to a junior telling them

about your experiences over the past year with internship. Provide them with advice for

the upcoming year as well as what struggles and triumphs you endured this past year. It

needs to be on a separate piece of paper and at least three paragraphs.