BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT INTERN

ENGAGE RESONATE is seeking a motivated, organized and entrepreneurial Business Development Intern to support our growing experiential marketing agency.

This is an opportunity for someone interested in marketing, advertising, experiential, events, brands and sales to gain hands-on experience in the business development side of an agency.

The Business Development Intern will work closely with agency leadership and our business development team to research prospective clients, identify new business opportunities, support outreach efforts, maintain prospect information and help grow ENGAGE RESONATE's network of brands and agency partners.

The ideal candidate is curious, resourceful, organized, comfortable doing research and not afraid to pick up the phone or send an email. You don't need prior sales experience — we're looking for someone who is eager to learn, takes initiative and wants to understand how agencies win new business.

Candidate must be Chicago based and able to work out of our O'Hare-area office full time.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Prospect Research & Lead Generation

• Research and identify prospective clients across CPG, food & beverage, travel & tourism, retail, hospitality, lifestyle, sports, technology, entertainment and other consumer-facing industries
• Research companies, brands and marketing initiatives to identify potential experiential opportunities
• Identify relevant marketing, brand, experiential, events, partnerships and sponsorship decision-makers
• Build and maintain prospect lists and contact databases
• Research upcoming product launches, sponsorships, events, retail expansions, campaigns and other opportunities that may create a need for experiential marketing
• Monitor LinkedIn, industry publications, trade media and other sources for potential leads and business opportunities
• Research prospective advertising, creative, PR, media and other agency partners
• Assist in identifying relevant networking events, conferences and industry opportunities for ENGAGE RESONATE

Outreach & Business Development Support

• Assist with targeted email and LinkedIn outreach to prospective clients and agency partners
• Help develop personalized outreach based on prospect and company research
• Assist with follow-up communications and maintaining prospect activity
• Help prepare research and background information for prospective client meetings
• Support agency leadership with new business outreach and relationship development
• Maintain accurate prospect and contact information in ENGAGE RESONATE's CRM
• Assist with tracking business development activity, follow-ups and opportunities
• Help organize and maintain business development materials, case studies and capabilities presentations

Market & Industry Research

• Stay current on trends in experiential marketing, advertising, consumer behavior, entertainment, culture and events
• Research competitor campaigns and experiential activity
• Identify brands and categories that are actively investing in consumer experiences
• Monitor industry news for new business opportunities, RFPs, product launches, sponsorships and other relevant activity
• Help identify new industries, brands and agencies that may be a fit for ENGAGE RESONATE

Agency Support

• Assist with preparation for client meetings, networking events, conferences and presentations
• Support development of prospect lists, presentations and other business development materials
• Participate in internal meetings and contribute ideas for growing the business
• Work collaboratively with agency leadership and account/production teams to understand ENGAGE RESONATE's capabilities and past work
• Assist with special projects and other business development initiatives as needed

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

• Curious and eager to learn about marketing, advertising, experiential and business development
• A self-starter who takes initiative and is willing to figure things out
• Interested in brands, consumer marketing, events, entertainment, culture and trends
• Comfortable conducting research and digging for information
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Organized and detail-oriented
• Comfortable communicating professionally through email, phone and LinkedIn
• Able to manage multiple assignments and priorities
• Resourceful, persistent and willing to follow through
• Positive attitude with a willingness to learn and contribute
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced agency environment
• Interested in learning both the creative and business sides of experiential marketing

Prior experience in experiential marketing, advertising, events, sales, marketing, hospitality or another agency environment is a plus, but is not required.

REQUIREMENTS

• Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Advertising, Business or a related field, or recently graduated
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• High proficiency with Mac computers and Apple operating systems
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint, Excel and Word
• Comfortable learning new technology, CRM systems and business development tools
• Strong internet research and organizational skills
• Ability to manage time, meet deadlines and prioritize multiple assignments
• Professional and personable communication style
• Ability to work independently while collaborating closely with agency leadership
• Chicago based and able to work from our O'Hare-area office
• Ability and willingness to occasionally attend industry events, networking events or client meetings as needed

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

This role provides hands-on exposure to how an experiential marketing agency finds, develops and wins new business.

You will gain experience in:

• B2B prospecting and lead generation
• Sales and business development
• CRM and pipeline management
• Market and competitive research
• Email and LinkedIn outreach
• Brand and agency research
• Experiential marketing
• Client communications
• Proposal and presentation development
• Industry networking
• Understanding how brands use live experiences to connect with consumers

You'll work directly with agency leadership and gain exposure to the business side of an experiential agency, while developing skills that can translate into careers in marketing, advertising, sales, account management, experiential and events.