My work experience week at Mona Farm - by Hope Bunn
My week at Mona Farm by Hope Bunn
My name is Hope. I'm a year ten student at local high school Braidwood Central School. This week I completed my Year 10 work experience at Mona Farm where I gained valuable insights into the world of marketing. This opportunity allowed me to explore whether a career in marketing might be the right path for me in the future. Here’s what I learnt this week.
Monday
On Monday I sat down with Cherie (Brand Manager) and we talked about what I wanted to get out of the week. To be a good marketer you need to know your product so Monday was all about getting to know Mona Farm. We went on a venue tour and got to see all the amazing accommodation they have to offer. After that I had a farm tour with John, who showed me around the entire property. I had such a great time meeting all the animals that live here, my personal favourites being the adorable Scottish highland cows, especially the one whose name was Boris Johnson. In the afternoon Gavin took me on an art tour, showcasing the beautiful pieces of art scattered across the property. We also explored the gardens, and I was completely mesmerised by everything.
Next I was assigned a task to come up with an Instagram post and caption which was to be posted on the Mona Farm instagram account that has 20,000 followers. I enjoyed this task very much as I was allowed to be as creative as I could.
Tuesday
On Tuesday I got the chance to meet with the owners of Mona Farm Belinda and Bill Pulver, and ask some questions about why they bought this place and their story. It was great to talk to them as they shared valuable advice about uni and life. Cherie asked me to help her with some ideas on how we can better connect the Braidwood community and Mona Farm. On Tuesday I was also introduced to a ‘SWOT’ analysis, which is a tool used in marketing to compare different competitors.
Wednesday
On Wednesday we focused on the weddings at Mona Farm. I read through the Mona Farm wedding package and learnt about the services and options available to couples planning their special day. I was also assigned the task of comparing the old wedding package to the new wedding package as a bit of a ‘spot the difference’ task which I enjoyed. I also had the opportunity to help with a guest check-in which was a new experience.
Thursday
On Thursday my task was to complete a ‘Journal’ post to put on the Mona Farm website. I had to select all the photos I wanted and put them onto the journal. Next I had to find all the details about the wedding and the suppliers and link the websites onto the journal post. This allowed me to understand the behind the scenes of what goes into running a website. I also got the chance to write a professional email and learn about how email etiquette which was something I hadn't done before.
Friday
On Friday I was tasked to do another ‘SWOT’ analysis, this time I was comparing another wedding venue to Mona Farm. Having already completed one earlier in the week, I felt more confident about doing this. Cherie asked me to think about USPs (unique selling points) for both venues and then we chatted about it. We finished off the week at Provisions where I tried a French galette and a sweet crepe.
It was a great week. I learnt more about what marketing is about and I’m excited to learn more.
