LOG BOOK
26 JUNE 2023
I was taught on how to prepare a formal invitation letter to other businesses, I followed series of steps
which guided me through:
1. Identifying participants: I started by clearly identifying all relevant participants involved;
2. Objectives & purpose: I Define the objectives and purpose for writing the letter;
3. Specific information: Included specific details about the event (date/time/location etc.)
4.Tone & etiquette: Convey formality and politeness in your language;
5. Formal closing: Use formal closing remarks when signing off;
6. Proofread & send: And lastly I carefully proofread the finished letter before sending it off!
Conclusion
1.
An Assessment of my Learning during my Internship  Academic and Theoretical Insights that I
gained at university which applied in practice My job title throughout my internship was
‘Marketing Assistant’. Primarily, I acted as a marketing support tool to all marketing brand
managers and to the customer marketing team. This role afforded me the opportunity to work
with the array of major brands included in the C&C Gleeson portfolio. Although the majority of
my work was dedicated to the cider portfolio, I am glad that I was given an opportunity to work
across the span of the entire portfolio. The responsibilities that I assumed as a result often
varied. Like many new experiences, my initial time in the organisation was full of learning and
adapting to the structure of the company. Although I had held previous part-time positions in
companies, my hours were always infrequent and I was never fully immersed in a
2. business environment Simple tasks such as sending emails and answering the phone were
totally unfamiliar to me. The initial step I took was to familiarise myself with brand information,
focusing on the cider portfolio. I made a conscious effort to immerse myself in any social events
that took place as an occasion to get to know my colleagues and become more comfortable in
the working environment. The following activities are those that I was heavily involved in for the
duration of the year.
Day1
Task: Invoice processing and payments
3. 1. Invoice processing and payments A daily task that I assumed was raising purchase order
numbers for outstanding invoices, relating to the marketing department, and subsequently
processing these for payment. It was my responsibility to ensure that all invoices followed the
correct protocol, i.e. with the correct address, VAT number and VAT rate, so as to avoid being
rejected by accounts which would involve subsequent delays in payment. This task involved
liaising directly with suppliers and with the accounts and finance department. The systems used
for raising the purchase order numbers are complex and involved a significant level of training.
There are a limited number of employees who are sufficiently trained and, as a result, I was
given significant responsibility in ensuring that all suppliers were paid for their services
accordingly and on time. What I learned by obtaining this responsibility: By assuming this task, I
gained a better understanding of payment process and agreements within a company. The
systems involved for invoice processing are complicated and lengthy. There are a number of
forms to fill out and each step can be slow to progress. However, this process has taught me the
importance of being thorough with your work. I have learned
4. from mistakes which I made at earlier stages and hence altered the way I carried this task out. It
is vital that each step of this operation is fully completed, to avoid later complications with
suppliers. I made sure to keep a constant and rigorous record of each step that I completed. In
turn, this record then assists my co-workers when chasing payments and tracking their
remaining budget allocations. Academic and Theoretical Insights Used: Before starting my
internship, I was conscious of my weak Microsoft Excel skills and was concerned as to how this
would affect my performance in my new role. It was a great assistance to have the Excel skills
videos readily available within the supporting resources section on Blackboard. These amenities,
along with the Excel Core manual, provided me with the necessary tools to become proficient at
the above in advance of my internship. I was confident in being able to keep a comprehensive
record of all purchase order number payments and supplier’s details. 2. Sales force support Over
the course of my internship, I offered my support to the customer marketing team, brand teams
and the nationwide sales force. This was in the form of getting involved in below-the-line
activation, in conjunction with customer specific activations and branding opportunities. I acted
as a direct contact to all sales representatives, as they requested help from the marketing
department. I developed a close relationship with the nationwide sales team and I believe that
they valued my opinion on running such events, by trusting that I would organise for the correct
promotion tools to be delivered to their outlets. It was my
5. responsibility to constantly review the latest stock report and flag when stock levels were
running low. I also acted as a feedback loop between the marketing, branding and sales
departments. What I learned by obtaining this responsibility: The most important learning that I
took from this responsibility was the importance of effective communication. Having the ability
to be able to transfer information effectively, accurately, and as intended was crucial to this
type of work. As expected, conflicting opinions made it difficult to arrive at a decision on what
branding and what level of investment to commit to when activating promotions. As the
organisation’s marketing budget is not as plentiful as those of our competitors, it was vital to
manage the sales team’s expectations on what promotion tools (items such as branded beer
garden furniture), the marketing team could provide. I learned from handling previous
experiences, and from my co-workers’ advice, on how to approach these requests and ensure
that the correct level of support was provided in each instance. Academic and Theoretical
Insights Used: The module which prepared me for undertaking this task was MK20020,
‘Marketing, Firms, Customers and Society’. This module deals with how to develop a successful
marketing structure. As highlighted in the module outline, the theory relates to understanding
that ‘a detailed understanding of market needs and dynamics with appropriate product/service
offerings and effective communication strategy’ is what is needed to achieve a fruitful marketing
structure.
Day 2
Task: Events organising
3. Event Organisation This was the aspect of my role that I found to be most rewarding and
enjoyable. Events planning and coordinating included anything from working on high-profile
festivals and concerts to conducting sampling sessions in local outlets. I was given the
responsibility of conducting nationwide sampling for the new range of flavoured ciders on the
market. I also worked alongside the cider marketing team to ensure the smooth running of
festival sponsorships, which included ‘Tennents Vital’, ‘Forbidden Fruit’ and ‘Metropolis’. These
festivals catered for Some of my tasks involved forecasting and ordering branding tools and
stock, promoting sponsorship activity through digital content and being onsite at the event as a
contact person, while also ensuring the smooth running of the event. What I learned by
obtaining this responsibility: A key learning point that I took from this responsibility, was
working through feedback given from previous events and making subsequent improvements.
Event co-ordination has made me realise the importance of listening to any issues that appeared
throughout the event and using these as a constructive tool for the next event. It appears to me,
that having an open mind is an essential trait in being a marketer. In an ever changing
environment, I have come to learn that being open to change and understanding the
importance of consumer insights is a trait that will stand to you in such working environment.
There is a constant need for brands to evolve in order to remain relevant with their chosen
target market. Another crucial skill that I secured from this responsibility, is the ability to work
under pressure in order to meet deadlines.
Conclusion
I believe that I have developed a mind-set whereby I can be very productive in situations where
time is tight. Academic and Theoretical Insights Used: An important theoretical insight from
university which I utilised within my event-planning role was the ability to work effectively
within a group. Throughout my two years in Commerce, I have been assigned to work in
numerous groups for projects and presentation work. Although I wouldn’t describe myself as
shy, before I started college, I had very little experience in presenting as a group or in collating
projects with unfamiliar people, and so was always reserved with my work. Constantly working
in groups during college improved my confidence and made me feel comfortable voicing my
opinions on certain topics. As I acted as a ‘pilot member’ of the target market in relation to
festivals and various sponsorships, I was happy to be able to present my opinions in meetings to
senior members of the team and was confident when asked to give insights into student
lifestyles and behaviours. 4. Social-Media Marketing I was predominantly involved in the
management and daily operations of the Bulmers and Magners cider brands’ digital and social
media channels. I had responsibility for collating and approving any digital content, alongside
our appointed digital agency. An important aspect of this project was to analyse the
engagement and reaction on each post and use this feedback analysis to further improve the
consumer perception of the brands. What I learned by obtaining this responsibility Looking after
the digital content was something I felt very comfortable with. Once I became knowledgeable
about the brand and fluent with the way in which the marketing team wished to come across on
social media, I was suitably equipped to create, approve and analyse the content of these
channels. This task allowed me to employ my creative side and develop my copy-writing and PR
skills. It also made me aware of the array of strict rules and regulations put in place for alcohol
companies when promoting any digital content. It was often difficult to communicate with your
audience in the preferred way, due to the limitations in place to prevent irresponsible drinking
behaviours. Academic and Theoretical Insights Used: ‘MIS2040 eMarketing and Social
Networking’ proved very helpful to me when looking after the digital content for Bulmers and
Magners brands. It prepared me for being in a position to effectively analyse the social media
engagement feedback and subsequently make the required improvements. Throughout the
module, we had discussed and learned about successful and unsuccessful social media
campaigns, which helped me when designing and implementing the strategy for each brand.
|5|- |8| Identify a Problem of Significance in your Organisation The Nature of the Business
Problem and why it is Important How the Organisation has dealt with the Problem Problem:
‘Recruiting and Rebuilding Relevance with a younger target market