My co-op term is officially coming to a close here at Venture Accelerator Partners. I found that when working at a growing company there is a lot of opportunities to engage in a number of different roles. In addition to learning skills about marketing and social media, I was also able to learn about other areas of business. Here are just some takeaways that I learned with the many hats I wore over the past four months.

Marketer                                                                           Free digital photos –  sheelamohan

The first and perhaps the most important thing that I learned was how crucial corporate blogging is. Blogging is an easy way to engage with your audience when it is done consistently. A good way to think of blogging ideas is by figuring out questions that people have and how you could answer them. Try splitting your blogging efforts between different members of the team. I also learned about what and why SEO is so important. There are a number of methods used to increase SEO including using keywords and organizing posts into categories.

Social Media Specialist

Previously I was merely a social media user, but now I feel like I need to be a social media engager. I have learned that social media isn’t just about broadcasting information, it’s about creating a conversation. It is a valuable tool that if used properly can have a great impact on your business. Connect with others on social media by re-sharing content, and developing relationships. It isn’t enough to blindly be using a social media outlet. There should be a strategy and goals in place to see results; whether it’s simply more brand awareness or turning online connections into offline opportunities.

Sales Researcher

I also had the opportunity to be a sales researcher here at VA Partners. I was responsible for locating key contacts and entering information about their company into a CRM system. I learned how important a CRM system is for a business and the amount of detail that goes into organizing one properly. It is also critical to figure out who your key contacts are for each specific client in order to get the best results when connecting with them.

Networker

Among the many firsts I had over the past four months one of the most challenging was learning to network. As recommended by the team I attended a number of events including Entrepreneur 101 at MaRS Discovery District, Sprouter and Third Tuesday. One of the main things I learned is that networking doesn’t start and end with a conversation; it’s important to be prepared ahead of time and follow up after. For example go into the event with clear goals, make sure you have business cards in a convenient place, and carry a pen and a notepad to write down others’ information. Following the event connect with who you talked to on Linkedin or Twitter.

 As you can see, working at a small company allowed me to develop a lot of different types of skills and take on a variety of challenges. I am glad to have had the opportunity to be involved with the many services that VA Partners offers. Check out the “What We Do” section for more information of VA Partners services.