Markashia Jeter, a third-year public relations student knows how to accurately represent a client.
With the experience and knowledge she has gained, she has established her own marketing business, Jeter International Marketing.
The 21-year-old Atlanta native always had a passion for public relation, and a speech she witnessed during her freshman year at Florida A&M University put everything in perspective for her.
“There was an event in Lee Hall and the speaker made a comment that America was one of the most ignorant countries,” Jeter said. “He said Americans have the least amount of issued passports, and we have not been exposed to other cultures. I was immediately taken aback and went straight downtown and applied for a passport.”
Jeter said she knows of the importance of having a passport and visiting other countries, but never took the initiative to act on it.
However, Jeter said she realized she needed to expand her horizons.
So she did.
Jeter said she had an urge to travel to Italy one day and was curious about how international marketing appeals in other countries.
She set her mind on finding out, took off work for the rest of the week and hopped on a plane to Milan, the fashion capitol of the world.
“The purpose of my business is to market to all businesses in every corner of the world,” she said. “We find the human interest in the consumer and execute any product.”
Jeter said the main functions of Jeter International Marketing is to research a target audience, analyze trends, predict outcomes, establish a competitive edge, and have a thorough evaluation.
While in Italy, Jeter used the clothing line of her client, a fellow student, to began as her first project.
“My mission was to speak to different citizens, businesses, and business owners to ask them their preferred way to be marketed or to market themselves,” she said. “I created a questionnaire, translated the language on freetranslation.com, and printed sheets to gather information.”
Jeter said her business is important because marketing is everywhere.
She said marketing determines whether a customer will spend their money or not.
Jeter is currently representing her client’s business and establishing ways to market it globally.
“I have learned how to market [his clothing line] in other countries,” she said. ” For instance, in Italy the clothes could not consist of t-shirts. It has to have a Vogue feeling. It would have to be a designer blouse instead.”
Jeter is also marketing an up and coming music artist, Tonie Brown.
They are in the process of getting Brown signed to Def Jam Records.
“Tonie and I met while we interned with BET in Los Angeles,” she said.
“She raps and sings and one day she asked me to listen to some of her work. I usually don’t listen to locals because I don’t really care for the music, but this time I gave her a chance. I listened and actually enjoyed it and we established a partnership from there.”
Jeter said she helped Brown start a Web site and got a graphic designer to help with her album cover.
They are working together to represent Brown in the best possible way.
Jeter also represents other FAMU students.
Audrey Kennedy, a third-year public relations student from San Francisco said Jeter is her personal consultant.
“She helps me a lot with my styling and personal image,” the 21-year-old said. “She is preparing me for when I get into the entertainment world of modeling and acting. We work on building my resume and portfolio.”
Students are somewhat surprised at Jeter’s success and popularity at this phase in her life.
“She’s young, and for her to be making moves like this is awesome,” said Adolphus
Thompson,20, a third-year political science student from Miami. ” She’s still in college, yet she is traveling across the globe to help expand her business and herself.”
Thompson mentioned that he is somewhat inspired by Jeter’s story.
He said she moves him to become an entrepreneur in his own prospective field.
Jeter said she is excited to continue her work and plans to visit places including Philadelphia, New York, Alaska, Antarctica, Paris, Japan and Belize.
For more information about Jeter International Marketing, send emails to markashia.jeter@gmail.com or markashia@jimarketing.com.
You can also visit the official Web site, jimarketing.com.