Andrew Coelho: From AEO Content to Pitching His First Client
Meet Andrew Coelho: Summer 2026 Develomark Cohort Spotlight
Most marketing interns learn to create content. Andrew Coelho is also learning to sell it — he is currently working to sign his first client, a local masonry company, while writing AEO content for the businesses Develomark already serves.
Andrew is from Southbury, Connecticut, and a recent graduate of Quinnipiac University. He joined the Summer 2026 Develomark Cohort, our 12-week paid digital marketing internship in Connecticut, with two goals: "sharper skills in AEO and LLM visibility strategies" and stronger client-facing relationships. You can watch Andrew's full video update on YouTube.
Writing AEO Content Backed by Real Customer Sentiment
"I've gained a lot of skills in creating blogs and AEO and SEO content for a bunch of different clients," Andrew says. What makes his approach different is where the content starts: with what customers are actually saying.
Using SplashDash, a customer-sentiment tool Develomark is building, Andrew pulls sentiment from client reviews and feedback across multiple businesses, then writes AEO blogs based on those themes. Content built on real customer language answers real customer questions — which is exactly what AI search rewards. He has also "learned a lot about AI and how to use Claude to automate everyday tasks," building efficiency into the workflow itself.
How Does a Business Show Up First in ChatGPT?
Andrew's explanation of AEO is one of the clearest we've heard: "AEO is basically how well LLMs — like ChatGPT, Claude, different AIs — can pick up on your company. If you went to ChatGPT and said 'masonry company near me,' your company comes up first." That is the outcome every piece of cohort content is built toward: making Connecticut businesses the answer AI platforms give.
Pitching His First Client
The cohort has pushed Andrew beyond the keyboard. "I've definitely already improved my client-facing skills with on-site visits and interviews — as well as a client that I'm trying to sign right now, a masonry company that I'm working towards," he says.
That business development experience comes with direct mentorship. "Ruan has walked me through how to be a better salesman," Andrew says — including one lesson that stuck: "meeting people in person to actually create a relationship, instead of just doing strictly business."
Up Next: Law Firm Video Ads and the Lion's Den Website
Andrew's upcoming projects show the range of the program. He is starting a video project for a law firm client, turning transcripts into videos and advertisements. And with Lion's Den, a local coffee shop Develomark recently signed, he and the cohort are building out a new website — with a video shoot and in-person customer interviews planned to shape what the site should become.
Content, strategy, sales, and client relationships — that is the full skill set the cohort builds. See how the program works in our Summer Cohort program overview, and if you are ready to build real marketing experience in Connecticut, apply to the Develomark Cohort today.








