Marketing Stint - Survival Kit
Timeline: November 2004 to January 2005
Line of Work: Management Trainee in an FMCG company
My 15 month training period also included a 13 week marketing stint and while it was not half as physically and mentally draining as the sales stint, it has it’s own set of unique challenges!
A large part of the time in this stint was spent in data collection – attempting to liaison with various internal and external personnel to get all the data and information that you require. For example, in my project I had to first get input from the brand manager and then liaison with market research, packaging, technical and the sales team. This does not include the numerous external agencies such as design, third party suppliers and advertising agencies.
The external agencies are easier to handle, since you are a client, so they are pretty prompt in reverting back with data and information. Though once they find out that you are a trainee on a short term assignment, relationship building with you (read as sending replies to your emails) then assumes the same priority as feeding the neighbor’s bull dog!
However how to you get your brand manager to give you time? How do you get in the line of sight of your brand manager and get him / her to update you on the project for a duration more than it takes to walk to the coffee machine?
Here are my all time favorite techniques:
1. Track, Follow and Corner Technique
This technique is movement based and requires good reflexes and split second timing. It calls for careful tracking of the subject and it’s movements. Adjacent cubicles provide good camouflage and a place where you can watch without being watched. Once subject moves out of base location (cubicle), it’s time to make your move. This requires precision and accuracy. Ideal acquisition point would be the printer or photocopy machine. These are usually located in corners – so it makes the target easy to trap and even easier to retain for an extended period of time. And we have slow printers to thank for that. As the subject waits for the machine to spew out the printouts, you pop the question, “Could we discuss the packaging brief now?” This usually works and you end up being scheduled for a slot that day! Another good location is the coffee machine. If you can acquire the subject at the coffee machine, it’s almost impossible for him / her to put you off saying that they are busy. More experienced trainees have been known to track and engage upto 3 subjects simultaneously.
Caution – the entire mission can be compromised and be a spectacular failure in case subject heads towards the cubicle of his / her boss or the toilet.
As a general rule, any movements the subject makes in a span of 30 minutes after a visit to the coffee machine ought to be ignored.
2. Ambush Technique
The ambush technique is a variation of the “Track, Follow and Corner Technique” and involves lying in wait for the subject at predetermined locations such as the elevator, lunch queue and car park without any prior tracking. It is based on pure chance and hence unreliable.
3. Hierarchy Technique
This is the trickiest one of them all. Always cc email to a person one work level higher than the person for whom the mail is meant. Generally works like a charm. But it has it’s limitations since as a trainee your sphere of influence in the company is quite restricted and there are only that many people you can cc mails too.
4. Hover Around till you are Noticed Technique
This technique works best when combined with loads of patience and a thick skin. It involves hanging around for extended periods of time near the cubicle of your target. You can use the cubicle structure for cover and ground support. Lean over and smile and keep doing it until you are noticed. A cup of coffee in your hand also tells the subject that you are not willing to be ignored and are in for the long haul.
The learning objectives for your stint are no good if one does not know these basic survival techniques. These can sometimes make the difference between a mediocre project and a good project – and that is the equivalent to life and death for a trainee :-)
Line of Work: Management Trainee in an FMCG company
My 15 month training period also included a 13 week marketing stint and while it was not half as physically and mentally draining as the sales stint, it has it’s own set of unique challenges!
A large part of the time in this stint was spent in data collection – attempting to liaison with various internal and external personnel to get all the data and information that you require. For example, in my project I had to first get input from the brand manager and then liaison with market research, packaging, technical and the sales team. This does not include the numerous external agencies such as design, third party suppliers and advertising agencies.
The external agencies are easier to handle, since you are a client, so they are pretty prompt in reverting back with data and information. Though once they find out that you are a trainee on a short term assignment, relationship building with you (read as sending replies to your emails) then assumes the same priority as feeding the neighbor’s bull dog!
However how to you get your brand manager to give you time? How do you get in the line of sight of your brand manager and get him / her to update you on the project for a duration more than it takes to walk to the coffee machine?
Here are my all time favorite techniques:
1. Track, Follow and Corner Technique
This technique is movement based and requires good reflexes and split second timing. It calls for careful tracking of the subject and it’s movements. Adjacent cubicles provide good camouflage and a place where you can watch without being watched. Once subject moves out of base location (cubicle), it’s time to make your move. This requires precision and accuracy. Ideal acquisition point would be the printer or photocopy machine. These are usually located in corners – so it makes the target easy to trap and even easier to retain for an extended period of time. And we have slow printers to thank for that. As the subject waits for the machine to spew out the printouts, you pop the question, “Could we discuss the packaging brief now?” This usually works and you end up being scheduled for a slot that day! Another good location is the coffee machine. If you can acquire the subject at the coffee machine, it’s almost impossible for him / her to put you off saying that they are busy. More experienced trainees have been known to track and engage upto 3 subjects simultaneously.
Caution – the entire mission can be compromised and be a spectacular failure in case subject heads towards the cubicle of his / her boss or the toilet.
As a general rule, any movements the subject makes in a span of 30 minutes after a visit to the coffee machine ought to be ignored.
2. Ambush Technique
The ambush technique is a variation of the “Track, Follow and Corner Technique” and involves lying in wait for the subject at predetermined locations such as the elevator, lunch queue and car park without any prior tracking. It is based on pure chance and hence unreliable.
3. Hierarchy Technique
This is the trickiest one of them all. Always cc email to a person one work level higher than the person for whom the mail is meant. Generally works like a charm. But it has it’s limitations since as a trainee your sphere of influence in the company is quite restricted and there are only that many people you can cc mails too.
4. Hover Around till you are Noticed Technique
This technique works best when combined with loads of patience and a thick skin. It involves hanging around for extended periods of time near the cubicle of your target. You can use the cubicle structure for cover and ground support. Lean over and smile and keep doing it until you are noticed. A cup of coffee in your hand also tells the subject that you are not willing to be ignored and are in for the long haul.
The learning objectives for your stint are no good if one does not know these basic survival techniques. These can sometimes make the difference between a mediocre project and a good project – and that is the equivalent to life and death for a trainee :-)
posted by Mohit Sud at 1:04 PM
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