How would you start to build marketing experience if you didn’t have a degree in marketing?

I completed a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, not Marketing. I had a strong interest in writing, design and psychology from a young age which are all closely linked to Marketing - so I know the feeling.

I would recommend reading up about Marketing, finding out where in Marketing your skillset and interests apply. Would you work best within strategy, copywriting, design, research, or email campaigns? There are so many different areas you can focus on - marketing is never only one thing (and it's certainly not colouring in). Finding out what you want to do, will not only help you write your application to internships/jobs, it will also help you decide what companies you want to work for. From Tech Start Ups, to Marketing Agencies who work for multiple clients, to Consumer brands - you have a wide array of choice. Just research, apply and don't feel let down if you get rejected. For every 100 jobs you apply to, 10 will probably bother to respond with a rejection, 5 will give you an interview and you may get 1 or 2 interviews (coming from my own experience). Just keep going - it will happen.

And if this doesn't work, my own personal experience leads me to advise you to get into the company you want to work for. Let it be customer service, sales, admin or another role. Once you are in, if you are set to impress them with your hard work and grind, you provide innovative ideas, and you get involved in their Marketing Projects, showing them your interest, you will most probably open up discussions to get you transferred into their team.