This project allows students and early-career professionals to work hands-on with Cyberus Systems, a cybersecurity startup and Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) based in Maryland and serving the DC/VA region. Interns will help accelerate business growth by supporting sales, marketing, and competitive research initiatives, specifically promoting our Zero Trust Architecture solutions and enterprise-grade security services for regulated industries like healthcare, finance, manufacturing, and federal contractors.

Learners will work closely with the founder and leadership team to gain valuable exposure to cybersecurity services, lead generation tools, and go-to-market strategies in a high-impact startup environment.

To drive business growth and market awareness for Cyberus Systems through the creation of a competitive analysis, a market expansion report, and a suite of sales enablement and digital marketing materials that will support client acquisition and visibility in the DC/MD/VA cybersecurity space.

1. Digital Marketing Strategy Brief

• Define Cyberus Systems’ ideal customer personas (e.g., healthcare IT director, legal compliance officer).
• Identify key value propositions for each vertical.
• Recommend 2–3 marketing channels (e.g., LinkedIn, email) and outline objectives for each.

Deliverable:

Marketing Strategy Brief (3–4 pages)

2. Social Media Content Plan

• Create a 2-week content calendar for LinkedIn and Twitter.
• Write 8–10 social media posts that highlight the company's services, industry challenges (e.g., HIPAA, CMMC), and thought leadership in Zero Trust.

Deliverable:

Social Media Calendar (Excel or Word document)

Social Media Copy Library

3. Content Marketing Asset

• Research and write a short, accessible blog post (500–700 words) on a cybersecurity-related topic that educates prospects and drives traffic (e.g., “Why Every Clinic Needs a Cybersecurity Assessment” or “What is Zero Trust, and Why Does It Matter for Small Businesses?”).

Deliverable:

SEO-Optimized Blog Draft (Google Doc or Word)

4. Email Outreach Template

• Write a 3-step cold outreach sequence targeting one customer persona (e.g., a healthcare compliance manager), including subject lines and CTA suggestions.

Deliverable:

Outbound Email Sequence (3 templated emails in Word or Google Doc)

Learning Benefits

• Apply marketing principles to a real-world B2B cybersecurity business.
• Gain experience in digital content creation, campaign planning, and audience targeting.
• Build a portfolio of tangible marketing assets in a high-demand industry.

This version streamlines your internship project to focus exclusively on marketing, ensuring it is:

• Discipline-specific
• Manageable for individuals or small teams
• Aligned with academic learning outcomes