cardcommunications exposed: who knew?
By Derek "the Intern" Smith

After countless all-nighters filled with studying, writing, and coffee, there exists a glimmer of hope the struggle for success may pay off. As an Algonquin College public relations student, I'm doing an internship at cardcommunications.

I've seen and heard some startling things over the past seven weeks! For a unique glimpse of the e-marketing industry and cardcommunications through the eyes of an intern, keep reading...

Some of us soon-to-be graduates are given the opportunity for practical ‘real world’ experience through an internship. This can either be a blessing or a disaster.
While exploring the fascinating world of email marketing during my internship at cardcommunications, I took it upon myself to document my every move and thought. Of course for the purpose of this article, I’m only sharing the really good stuff!

Week 1
I nervously entered the office on my first day with my freshly ironed buttoned-up shirt and clipboard in hand. I’m a soon-to-be graduate, anxious to see where the next few weeks are going to take me.
I knew cardcommunications was an innovative email marketing company that had become increasingly popular thanks to its charismatic founder and president, Carolyn Gardner.

It didn’t take long before I had loosened the top button of my shirt and began my training into the growing world of e-marketing.

It began with research. My first thought was: Isn’t this just spam? I couldn’t have been more wrong.

Week 2
Early on I started to see what email was doing for companies who have taken the time to understand what cardcommunications is all about.
The staff lives and breathes email! All day, they write, design, and analyze what’s coming into people’s inboxes.

These email campaigns are 100 per cent permission-based and dare I say, they’re changing the way the world gets information.

The purpose of my internship is to learn and decide what path I will take my career. For me, a good job is one that throws you somewhere new everyday. Some days at cardcommunications I find myself writing articles, building reports, pitching the media and learning new technology. I saturate myself in the unfamiliar yet intriguing territory of email marketing. Everyday I’m on the edge of my seat!

Week 3
Laughter fills the office on a regular basis. Working for a company that is focused on quality, while at the same time encouraging creativity and new ideas is the kind of work I want to be doing. cardcommunications is the kind of organization that encourages this kind of thinking.

With a talented team of designers, speakers, and business-savvy e-marketing experts, cardcommunications is obsessed with spicing up inboxes everywhere. Fortunately for me, I’ve still got four weeks to get to know this unique breed of marketers.

Week 4
Mid-week I traveled to the headquarters of a major wholesale retailer to witness Carolyn Gardner give a presentation on the power of email marketing.

Carolyn does these speaking engagements all the time. Organizations pay to have her engage the audience in a way that shows her passion for email, while also demonstrating the vast knowledge she has for business and the future of marketing. It’s a refreshing feeling to know you’re working for an entrepreneur who cares about her services.

Week 5
Everyday something new arrives in my inbox. Being able to work on something new and different when I go to work, makes the days fly by. I’m sure millions of people envy the idea of such an invigorating workplace.

I spend my days studying the company and observing the work they do. I’ve become increasingly more interested in seeing how well these email campaigns are working for clients. From a clients’ perspective, it seems these emails are paying off in a big way.

Week 6
It’s become clear to me that the best way to enjoy your work is to believe in the products and services your company offers. The more I observe, the more I believe in what cardcommunications is doing for its clients.

My research shows that cardcommunications is the only company in Canada doing quarterly reports on email trends and findings. These reports show what's working and what isn't for Canadian email marketers. I took it upon myself to delve deeper into how cardcommunications is taking steps to become email marketing leaders in Canada.

Week 7
Having the opportunity to witness exciting products and services has been one of the most exciting aspects of this internship. I was able visit the offices of an interesting web-marketing company called Sitebrand. They’ve developed software that is shaping the way marketers use the internet. I have a feeling you’ll be hearing more about Sitebrand soon.

I never knew you could identify whether your website users are male or female based on the way they move their mouse. That opened my eyes and my appreciation for the industry I’ve been thrown into.

I, of course, spent the remainder of my week packing up my desk and trying to fill my pockets with free cardcommunications swag.

For seven weeks I was given the opportunity to see why people consider cardcommunications one of the leading groups of e-marketing specialists in Canada. More so, I was able to see and learn something new about an industry I was unfamiliar with.

The purpose of an internship is to learn, produce work, and give you an indication of where you want to take your career. Whether I continue to work in this field or not, I know that I want to work with people who are innovative and fun.

I leave my internship with considerably more experience and knowledge than I had when I arrived. I’m excited for the future, inspired by the experience, and impressed by those who have taught me so much. Rumour has it, I may be back for an encore; an encore with salary and benefits!

Derek Smith
Public Relations Intern