Here's how you can effectively provide feedback to marketing interns or junior team members.

When you hire a junior, lay down the expectations Not in words but in writing Once you do this you ensure that the junior’s role is clear and has been prepared with a clear thought process

Explain the role and company objectives, and then outline the expectations for the intern position. I typically create a Monday board that lists all tasks, expectations, and timelines for the interns. I have found that this method is greatly appreciated by the interns and helps keep them on track.

I once led a campaign where a junior team member was handling social media content. Before starting, I laid out our goals: increasing engagement by 20% and aligning posts with our brand voice. By setting these clear expectations, my feedback on their initial posts was more meaningful. They understood why certain changes were needed and how improving their work contributed to our overall success. This approach not only enhanced their skills but also motivated them by showing how their role made a difference.

When I started working with interns and associates, I had no idea that most of them were looking for spoon-feeding. And I did exactly that. The problem with this was that they started to depend on me for everything. So, I started giving them more autonomy to come up with their own solutions to simple problems and use their own creativity. This autonomy increased their interest, creativity and drive for work. And I had more time to do other things than spoon-feeding juniors.

I was once leading a brand named "Better Nutrition" and i had a E-commerce sales target to achieve. I realised that education based content promotion on social media channels had a positive impact on sales. So I hired 3 interns and gave them a clear instruction as to what i expect from them in terms of no. of videos and the kind of content going on social media. Setting this expectation made them work towards it and slowly they knew how they could improve their efficiency without having any affect on the effectiveness.

You make a good point. Specific feedback is crucial. Vague comments are unhelpful. Pinpoint areas for improvement. Highlight successes. This guides interns and juniors. It shows you're attentive and value their work. That can be highly motivating.

I thoroughly enjoyed working with interns and junior marketing associates. They are often the most eager to learn and develop new skills. In my experience, the most effective way to provide feedback is to be specific about the areas that need improvement. I always pinpointed the exact "skill" or area that needed development and provided relevant resources and actionable steps for improvement. Most of the time, they not only improved in this area, but they actually excelled.

Specific feedback makes a world of difference! Instead of vague comments, highlight exact areas for improvement or praise specific actions. It helps interns and junior marketers know what to keep doing and what to tweak. Plus, it shows you're paying attention and value their work—super motivating!

I once had an intern who wrote a blog post. Instead of saying, "Good job, but it needs work," I said, "Your introduction is engaging and hooks the reader well. However, the middle section could benefit from more data to support your points. Consider adding statistics or quotes from experts." This clear, actionable feedback made it easier for the intern to improve their writing and feel confident about their strengths.

What i has learnt previouly is that what kind of input you give decides the quality and outcome of the output. Thus, while you give any brief to anyone make sure they are specific and easily understandable.

Start with the Positive. Starting with positives is like extending an olive branch, fostering strong relationships and building trust. When we acknowledge the strengths and accomplishments of others, it creates a sense of respect and camaraderie. You make the other person more receptive to your feedback, and you don’t just stop at appreciation; you also encourage and support the continued development of what's already going well. By focusing on strengths, we inspire the person to build upon their successes and reach new heights. This positive reinforcement can be a catalyst for growth and improvement.

En cas de feedback, il y a plusieurs étapes à respecter. Tout d’abord, donner globalement quelques points positifs (3 par exemple) chez la personne ensuite 2 points a améliorer (sans utiliser MAIS entre les deux pour ne pas annuler les points positifs) enfin finir par une qualité retrouvée chez la personne. Cela rendra le feedback positif !

feedback can be structured, but it can be light, daily, with examples, which facilitate understanding, and remember, never expose the person...

While pointing out areas for improvement is important, it's equally vital to acknowledge what’s done well. A balanced approach to feedback, combining positive reinforcement with constructive criticism, can boost morale and encourage growth. Highlighting strengths reinforces good practices and builds confidence, which is crucial for development. For example, I had a junior marketer who created an excellent social media campaign. I praised her creativity and the campaign's strong engagement, but also noted that the timing of posts could be better optimized. This balanced feedback not only motivated her but also helped her focus on specific areas for improvement without feeling discouraged.

For example, if an intern successfully created a compelling email campaign, you might say, "Your recent email campaign was very effective—the subject line was attention-grabbing, and the personalized content likely contributed to the high open and click-through rates. Keep up the good work with these elements in your future campaigns." A balanced approach to feedback, where positive reinforcement accompanies constructive criticism, can boost morale and encourage a growth mindset. Recognizing their strengths reinforces good marketing practices and builds confidence, which is essential for their development.

By asking the right questions, you can gain valuable insights into your target audience, their needs, preferences, and pain points. Asking for feedback from customers can help you understand how your products or services are perceived and what improvements can be made. Asking for input from your team members can lead to innovative ideas and collaborative solutions

Any professional environment, the best ideas and solutions often stem from a simple question. Encouraging questions not only fosters a culture of curiosity and continuous learning but also drives innovation and growth.

You cannot expect people to have all the answers, especially those who are new to a business or industry. We were all new at some point and needed to ask questions about what something meant or how it worked. Encouraging juniors and interns to ask questions creates an environment of safety and trust. Marketing is changing rapidly today, and questions are going to arise about those changes. That said, we should encourage everyone to ask questions and feel safe doing so. I think most of us have worked somewhere we felt unable to ask out of fear that we may be made fun of or looked down on for not knowing the answer already. Feeling like its ok not to know can really help build a positive company culture.

If you are not asking questions, you are not learning. Should you be in the position to have interns or junior team members who are just starting out in their career, the best thing you can do is to ask questions about not only their current role and performance but of your own journey and experiences. This will position you as a true leader and potential mentor.

For example, after providing feedback on a social media campaign, you might say, "If you have any questions about the suggestions I made for your campaign strategy, please feel free to ask. I'm here to help clarify and discuss any points." This two-way communication ensures they fully understand your points and demonstrates your openness to dialogue. It also gives them the opportunity to clarify their thought processes and learn from their mistakes.

Resources are very important for people who are just in the learning phase. And I am the kind of person, who documents everything. I like to have things in a structure. So, whenever I onboard a new associate or junior intern, I would share those documentations with them and ask them to come up with things to improve them.

Offer Relevant Resources: Equip interns and junior team members with the resources needed to address your feedback. This could include industry publications, online courses, or access to relevant marketing tools. Mentorship Opportunities: Consider pairing interns and junior team members with experienced mentors who can provide ongoing guidance and support.

For example, if you notice an intern struggling with creating engaging social media content, you might recommend a specific online course or provide articles on effective content strategies. Additionally, you could invite them to attend workshops or webinars focused on social media marketing. Mentorship opportunities are also invaluable; pairing them with a more experienced team member can offer guidance and practical insights. Providing these resources shows your investment in their growth and can help them feel supported as they navigate their roles.

If you can't review it, it can't be improved. So, whenever you give feedback, some sort of resentment comes into the minds of new professionals. And these go a long way. So, it is important that you connect with them and ease things off. And also, check up on their performance so that they know they are expected to improve it.

Schedule Check-Ins: Schedule regular check-ins to discuss progress on implementing feedback and answer any remaining questions. Track Progress: Monitor performance and acknowledge improvements made based on your feedback. This positive reinforcement motivates continued learning and development.

It's tough to set a blanket rule here. For feedback to be effective, it has to be given well AND well received. You can only control how it's given. For that, I recommend this: Tie all of your feedback to a goal. We are trying to accomplish [this]. I can understand why you've done these things, but we need to do [xyz] instead in order to hit our goal. So start doing [xyz].

Tailor Your Approach: Adapt your feedback style to the individual's learning style and personality. Some interns might benefit from a more direct approach, while others might respond better to gentler guidance. Focus on the Future: While addressing past mistakes is important, prioritize future development in your feedback. Focus on helping interns and junior team members move forward and apply learnings to future projects. Celebrate Achievements: Publicly acknowledge and celebrate improvements and accomplishments made based on your feedback. This recognition reinforces positive behaviours and motivates continued growth.

The feedback starts with the person you gives the feedback. If you worry about saving the day only and you are not interested in the development of the junior team, no suggestion would help :) If you care about the development of that person, it's much easier to navigate this. Don't make it feel like a purely personal feedback. Rather share how things could be done differently and how it links to the overall strategic approach of the company.

Cuando trabajas con becarios y jóvenes en marketing, descubres que la retroalimentación efectiva va más allá de se?alar errores y destacar aciertos. Aquí comparto algunos aprendizajes clave: Crear confianza: Es fundamental establecer un ambiente de confianza donde se sientan seguros para expresar ideas y recibir retroalimentación. Adaptarse a las Necesidades Individuales: Cada persona aprende de manera diferente. Estimular la Innovación: Alentar la exploración de nuevas ideas y enfoques creativos inspira un ambiente de trabajo dinámico y estimulante. La retroalimentación entre pares y la autoevaluación promueve un desarrollo más holístico. Todos aprendemos de todos, y esto fortalece la colaboración y la capacidad de autogestión.