During the Spring of 2015 I had participated in an internship with the University of Utah at the corporate office of Sportsman’s Warehouse in Midvale, UT in the Marketing Department. This internship lasted 15 weeks from the beginning of January until the middle of April.
Sportsman’s Warehouse is a nationwide outdoor recreation based retailer. Sportsman’s Warehouse currently has 63 stores in 19 states ranging from as far north as Alaska to as far South East as South Carolina. With these 63 stores Sportsman’s Warehouse strives to provide customers, through large merchandise selections and a knowledgeable staff, with any gear they need. Whether it is hunting, fishing, camping or hiking, Sportsman’s Warehouse has what their customers need.
With that many stores Sportsman’s Warehouse manages them all out of a central corporate office. Within the corporate office Sportsman’s Warehouse handles: purchasing of merchandise, surveillance, accounting, human resources, payroll and marketing. Marketing is the department I chose to serve my internship. I chose marketing for many reasons which included: the extent of the marketing needs for a company so large, the fact that my small internship was at a small company that had virtually no marketing, and the additional training I would attain by moving to the marketing department from the accounts payable department. Once I started my internship I had set the following three goals to accomplish during my internship.
1. Building a marketing contact directory that includes contacts for marketing outlets such as television stations, radio stations, newspapers, and many others for each one of the current and perspective Sportsman’s Warehouse location.
This goal was important to me because marketing departments cannot reach an audience without outlets to utilize. This goal had given me the opportunity to learn the techniques and skills required to determine appropriate outlets.
2. Build a database of truck dealerships that our stores are currently working with or have worked with in the past with the intent to further develop partnerships with the dealerships surrounding our stores for future events and promotions.
The purpose of this goal was to work closely with the Sportsman’s Warehouse stores to receive feedback on what truck dealerships our stores have worked with for past events. This was valuable information because it would help support the proposed partnership that Sportsman’s Warehouse intends to present to a large vehicle manufacturer.
3. Assist the Event Coordinator in event setup and operation of events or booths at an event as well as build promotional packages to send out to our stores for events held at our stores.
This was the final goal I had set and the one I wished to accomplish the most. Companies can have their name presented in many marketing outlets such as magazines and television commercials but consumers also respond greatly to seeing companies at tradeshow or holding events of their own. Fortunately I was able to be involved with both preparation of an event held at the store as well as assist in running a booth at a local trade show. The reason I was most excited to complete this goal was due to my passion for working closely with the public. In preparation for the events held at our stores I was able to put together participant gift packages for the ladies night events held at our stores. I was also able to work at a Sportsman’s Warehouse booth during the Western Hunt and Conservation Expo and converse with expo visitors.
In conclusion over the fifteen weeks I spent working the marketing department I learned a great deal. Before my time with the marketing department of Sportsman’s Warehouse I was under the impression that marketing for a company such as this simply included a few television and radio commercials and maybe sponsoring a few competitive bass fisherman or marksman. In reality there is much more involved, from many other marketing outlets to price negotiations and partnerships, in a companies marketing outlet.
I learned a great deal from this experience and have found a great desire to learn more in regards to marketing a recreation company.
Sportsman’s Warehouse is a nationwide outdoor recreation based retailer. Sportsman’s Warehouse currently has 63 stores in 19 states ranging from as far north as Alaska to as far South East as South Carolina. With these 63 stores Sportsman’s Warehouse strives to provide customers, through large merchandise selections and a knowledgeable staff, with any gear they need. Whether it is hunting, fishing, camping or hiking, Sportsman’s Warehouse has what their customers need.
With that many stores Sportsman’s Warehouse manages them all out of a central corporate office. Within the corporate office Sportsman’s Warehouse handles: purchasing of merchandise, surveillance, accounting, human resources, payroll and marketing. Marketing is the department I chose to serve my internship. I chose marketing for many reasons which included: the extent of the marketing needs for a company so large, the fact that my small internship was at a small company that had virtually no marketing, and the additional training I would attain by moving to the marketing department from the accounts payable department. Once I started my internship I had set the following three goals to accomplish during my internship.
1. Building a marketing contact directory that includes contacts for marketing outlets such as television stations, radio stations, newspapers, and many others for each one of the current and perspective Sportsman’s Warehouse location.
This goal was important to me because marketing departments cannot reach an audience without outlets to utilize. This goal had given me the opportunity to learn the techniques and skills required to determine appropriate outlets.
2. Build a database of truck dealerships that our stores are currently working with or have worked with in the past with the intent to further develop partnerships with the dealerships surrounding our stores for future events and promotions.
The purpose of this goal was to work closely with the Sportsman’s Warehouse stores to receive feedback on what truck dealerships our stores have worked with for past events. This was valuable information because it would help support the proposed partnership that Sportsman’s Warehouse intends to present to a large vehicle manufacturer.
3. Assist the Event Coordinator in event setup and operation of events or booths at an event as well as build promotional packages to send out to our stores for events held at our stores.
This was the final goal I had set and the one I wished to accomplish the most. Companies can have their name presented in many marketing outlets such as magazines and television commercials but consumers also respond greatly to seeing companies at tradeshow or holding events of their own. Fortunately I was able to be involved with both preparation of an event held at the store as well as assist in running a booth at a local trade show. The reason I was most excited to complete this goal was due to my passion for working closely with the public. In preparation for the events held at our stores I was able to put together participant gift packages for the ladies night events held at our stores. I was also able to work at a Sportsman’s Warehouse booth during the Western Hunt and Conservation Expo and converse with expo visitors.
In conclusion over the fifteen weeks I spent working the marketing department I learned a great deal. Before my time with the marketing department of Sportsman’s Warehouse I was under the impression that marketing for a company such as this simply included a few television and radio commercials and maybe sponsoring a few competitive bass fisherman or marksman. In reality there is much more involved, from many other marketing outlets to price negotiations and partnerships, in a companies marketing outlet.
I learned a great deal from this experience and have found a great desire to learn more in regards to marketing a recreation company.