Communications Students Who Don’t Communicate

My friend Irv teaches a communications class and asked me to be interviewed by one of his students.

Suzi’s career goal: becoming a marketing communications professional. I found her background (Marketing/English) and personality appealing. So when I created a paid internship position, I naturally approached her.

At this writing, there’s been no response.

Okay, I’ll admit to sending the offer by email, which some college students consider quaint. I probably should have contacted her via Instagram or with a dance number on TikTok.

This prompts the question: is it realistic to expect your prospective customers to work hard to buy from you?

We’ve talked before about how we’re all selling ourselves (personality, skills, problem-solving abilities, etc.) and that people do business with those they know, like and trust.

Interestingly, this time I’m the customer, and Suzi has missed an opportunity. Given the current environment, you’d think she’d have grabbed it.

I’m assuming she doesn’t read her emails, which doesn’t bode well for someone who wants to communicate professionally. It’s potentially a valuable lesson for her. As my father says, it costs you to learn.

Perhaps I’m hypercritical, but I don’t believe it’s my job to post an All-Points Bulletin to hire Suzi’s services. Sales leads in any industry don’t always announce themselves in advance, making it incumbent upon the seller to be regularly checking every communications network to which they’re connected.

That’s why I scour my email, texts, phone messages, and online networks daily, in case someone’s trying to reach me. I know I won’t be able to work with everyone, but it won’t be for lack of effort on my part.

This young woman’s claimed objective is breaking into my industry, and (knowingly or not) she sold herself enough to get her foot in the door.

If she’d been paying attention, she’d have seen someone offering her entrée and a chance to ease into her profession after graduation next year.

Instead, her failure to actually do the job (communicating with a sales prospect) cost her frontrunner status.

True, at some point she may respond, and the opportunity may still exist. I may even still be persuaded that there’s a relationship worth pursuing further.

However, at this point my initial enthusiasm for her has decidedly waned. 

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.

-------------
Request info on this Communications internship at www.marketbuilding.com.