Life After Integrated Communication

I guess I'm at that point in my life where I have to start figuring out who I want to be. I'm on the edge of a diving board preparing to dive into my life as a responsible adult who contributes to society.  When I was little, I never pictured myself in the world of marketing. I actually pictured myself as a teacher, but that was all before social media.

I remember using Facebook and liking it, but when I got into Twitter that's when I fell in love with connecting with people for more than just casual conversation. I started networking with people who followed the same sports teams as me. We had great conversations during games and before I knew it I was blogging for an NBA affiliate website. That's when I realized that social media was something I could see myself doing professionally.

Fast forward 3 years, I currently work as the Social Media Manager for a health supplement company. I'm learning that social media is so much more than interacting. From a business perspective, social media combines online marketing, advertising, story telling, customer service and so much more. It's becoming a powerful and affordable way for many companies to reach out and advertise to their clients.

I've learned a lot about online marketing but I feel that I'm lacking some knowledge in the world of traditional marketing. That's where I felt that integrated communication would be beneficial. The marketing industry is very competitive and in order to do well, one must be well rounded in online marketing as well as traditional marketing. The new age of selling a brand will require knowledge of who people think in front of their computers, how they think when listening to the radio, reading a magazine, watching TV, and interacting with businesses face to face.

I see a lot of potential for myself in this industry. After graduation I want to open up a social media consultation firm working with multiple companies on multiple projects. Marketing is a really competitive industry and I am a very competitive person, so I know that if I'm willing to put the effort in, I will be able to make a name for myself within the industry.