Companies are always looking for a way to enhance their image, and it’s not necessarily because they don’t have a good one. Sometimes, they simply have their hands full. It can be hard to tell people who you are and what you are about when you have a million things on your plate and your focus is on serving your current clients. And, let’s be honest, many small businesses are on a budget.
What if there was a way to solve both of those issues; the issue of a small budget, full hands and no social outreach?
Oh, wait there is; it’s called an intern.
Now when most people think of interns, they immediately have visions of gum-chewing, desk-dozing teens that are there for the college credit and nothing more. However, those are dated and highly unfair connotations. Yes, many of them need college credit, but by spending time to select the right candidate your business’ brand can be enhanced in several ways through their presence.
For example, have you been hankering for a way to connect and bend an ear to the local community? Hire an intern. Interns are young and have a much keener sense of the local community as opposed to an overworked entrepreneur who spends his or her days at a computer. An intern may know a connection that can boost your business and help get you out front in your surrounding city. Apart from that, an intern can offer fresh eyes on new ideas and potential projects. Sometimes businesses can forget that young people do most of the networking, buying and consuming in the market—they just call it ‘hanging out’. Depending on your target audience, having a youthful connection can be a great boost in your perspective and reputation.
Think of the future. Investing in an intern means investing in your community–at very little sacrifice. You’ll be adding value and experience to the life of a person who will one day be a prominent citizen and giving them an opportunity to contribute to the community as well. Regardless of how apathetic college students may seem, every one wants to excel and make the most of a chance they are given. Additionally, while that intern may be there for only a season, a good relationship with him or her can serve your business in the long run. While he or she may not become your next employee, you never know where or with whom they may become employed. Some of the most successful people in their field started out as interns– Stephen Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Steve Jobs, just to name a few. And they didn’t forget the people who helped them get there.
As with anything, there is always a word of caution. Remember, that while hiring an intern can provide great mutual benefits for you both, it’s important to not abuse that power. An intern is simply that. They are not an unpaid employee. Any true intern will go above and beyond and work their fingers to the bone if asked, so while it’s tempting to allow them to do so, remember that you are there to teach, and give them a valuable experience while letting them provide input and basic duties. In the end solidifying yourself as a respectful and valuable intern opportunity, will also solidify you in the community as a respectful and valuable business; at no cost to you.
Visual Caffeine is a boutique full-service marketing agency. Known as brand storytellers, Visual Caffeine offers in-house treatments for Marketing, Branding, Social Media, Web Design, Graphic Design, Copywriting, Web Development, App Development, Public Relations, SEO, Social Media Marketing, Content Writing and more. Founded by Cheale Villa in 1998 in Michigan, Visual Caffeine delivers the best Branding, Design and Technology to the Charlotte area and worldwide.