As a third year marketing student at the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, it is sometimes challenging to understand the content I learn in a real life context. Interning with Kocina Marketing Companies has given me the opportunity to not just understand what I’ve learned, but apply my knowledge to the projects that I have worked on. Through working with Mid-America Events & Expos and Checkerboard Strategic Web Developing (two of Kocina Marketing’s companies), my notions of the importance of communication among co-workers, research of key demographics and strategic decision-making have been confirmed. However, I have become more aware of how significant it is to remain current with the trends in the economy and familiar with the character of specific industries. Clearly, to exceed expectations you need understand the environment of your business. Kocina Marketing Companies has done an exceptional job at understanding the environment of its business, and I think that the team members here are successful because of their communication, research and strategic decision-making.

An example of communication: I have found it rare that someone not be on the phone, for a particularly long time, building a relationship with a client or media contact. The communication that I’ve noticed is both internal and external of Kocina Marketing, which I see as equally important.

Kocina Marketing Companies also has done research in order to make strategic decisions. For example, one of Kocina’s companies, Mid-America Events and Expos, has been able to recognize the needs of the senior citizen community through focus groups and other forms of research, and holds two expos a year targeting the senior demographic to support those needs.

It is inevitable that technology has changed the traditional mass marketing approach. It seems that in today’s world it is becoming more and more important to find a niche in the market then determine the best way to reach that target. That may mean partnering or building a relationship with another company or simply contacting the market through a different medium. With these changing trends in marketing it is increasingly important to become innovative in your marketing approach. I believe that Kocina Marketing Companies has innovated its marketing strategy through the Pay Per Interview Publicity® approach; which is effective and an efficient use of a marketing budget.  These are just a couple thoughts that I’ve developed over my three short months at Kocina Marketing Companies as I hope to take with me on my subsequent endeavors.