Insights provided by two of our fantastic summer 2016 interns, Jarod Meyer and Kaileen Dunleavey.
As we reflect on our time spent as an intern at Sagefrog Marketing Group (Sagefrog) a few things things come to mind: busy, near-chaotic days are never a bad thing; Doylestown Brewing Company (DBC) is truly a hidden Doylestown gem; and while America might run on Dunkin, Sagefrog runs on Starbucks.
Our First Day: The Lay of the Land
On our first day at the lily pad, we were introduced to new processes and instantly began working on high-level tasks. The phrase ‘baptism by fire’ comes to mind; however at Sagefrog, it was more like ‘baptism by Statements of Work (SOW), pitch decks and excels spreadsheets.’ By the end of our first week, we felt ready to embrace the challenge of working at a full-service marketing agency – and why not? The entire team is understanding, eager to help and upbeat. Once we (finally) agreed that the Cowboys are the team to beat this year, it was smooth sailing! They helped us learn way more about marketing than originally anticipated, and because of them, we feel more prepared for the professional business world.
Insight #1: “That’s Agency Life For Ya”
Working at a full-service marketing firm, you never quite know how a given day will play out. You might have an idea based on scheduled meetings, phone calls and typical workload levels, but you never know if and when a valued client may decide to meet with you last minute. These are the days where Mark, our trusted Co-Founder and Managing Partner, will tell you, “that’s agency life for ya.” In the midst of the uncertainty however, it never seemed to be too much to handle for the Frogs, as business was always handled professionally and calmly. Forget marketing tactics, working at Sagefrog showed us first-hand what it’s like to be a part of an agency.
Insight #2: Marketing + Professional Communication = Good Business
How could anyone forget the marketing tactics that working at Sagefrog will teach you? From the start, there were things we expected to learn: email, PR, social media, content marketing and even the basics of branding. Not only did we learn more about these strategies than any class would have taught us, but we also learned first-hand how to effectively correspond with clients, prospects and sales representatives. Primarily via email, this type of professional communication is a skill that not many professors teach. Though we were Frogs for only a few months, the firm’s ‘baptism by fire’ approach helped teach us more about marketing than we could have imagined, in a short amount of time.
Insight #3: B2B, Healthcare and Tech Have More In Common than Expected
Sagefrog’s select niche of B2B, healthcare and technology clients showed us just how booming these industries are. The fast-paced nature of marketing to these clients can be hectic at times, but this only ensured that we remained busy during the work day. It was also surprising to learn how many commonalities these three industries share – such as healthcare companies offering biomedical technology to hospitals (three in one!). The experience gained at Sagefrog will be highly beneficial throughout any career within the B2B, healthcare and technology sectors.
Our Final Takeaway: Passion for What You Do Goes a Long Way
These summer months as a tadpole here at the Sagefrog lily pad have been packed full of marketing experiences and exciting memories. This opportunity has provided us with more experience in the marketing field than any other internship has. The entire staff is as charming as the 19th century renovated office space itself (original pocket door included)! Time spent with the Frogs, both in and out of the office space has made for a hoppy summer. Although the workload appeared daunting at first, it was valuable to learn the agency’s standards and processes for projects and tasks. To the future interns who walk through the double front doors of Sagefrog’s Doylestown office: there will be chaotic days ahead of you, but know that you are part of a strong agency with a true passion for marketing.
Are you interested in an internship or career with Sagefrog Marketing Group? Review our current openings today!
