Back from Chapel Hill

Area Sales Manager training in Chapel Hill for University Directories was a success. It was an amazing experience that really expanded my knowledge about managing and working with people. The first day we were at the Triangle Training Center. We had some really great topics come up like trust, direction, and team work. It definitely was fun. Taylor, the TSM in my region and I did the ropes course together. I know we are going to be such a great team, especially working under Kyle, our regional manager. I just can't believe the challenge I have for this summer! It seems like such a big task this summer to manage 27 interns! I'm so thankful for the opportunity. I'm currently reading the book, Self Leadership & the One Minute Manager. It's really intriguing and has some great insight. Hopefully I will be able to apply everything in the book to my interns!

The more I think about it, I know that I really would like to be on the Marketing or Public Relations side of business instead of sales. Sales is a great place to develop my skill set and learn how to put things in the perspective of the consumer; however, I'm ready to apply that to marketing strategy and practice. After this summer, I hope to find an internship to supplement my internship with Allied Integrated Marketing to really put my marketing and public relations skills to the test. In the middle of the semester I was doubting my switch from Marketing to Integrated Marketing Communications; however, now I know I am studying the right coursework.

Wikipedia defines IMC as: Integrated marketing communications (IMC) is a process for managing customer relationships that drive brand value primarily through communication efforts. Such efforts often include cross-functional processes that create and nourish profitable relationships with customers and other stakeholders by strategically controlling or influencing all messages sent to these groups and encouraging data-driven, purposeful dialog with them. IMC includes the coordination and integration of all marketing communication tools, avenues, and sources within a company into a seamless program in order to maximize the impact on end users at a minimal cost. This integration affects all firm's business-to-business, marketing channel, customer-focused, and internally directed communications.^[2]