My Summer at Cardinal Rental

By Nuhami Miller

During the summer after my sophomore year, I spent my time working as the Social Media Strategist for Cardinal Rental. Now that I’m a senior and getting ready to graduate, I’ve been thinking about that job and how much it actually taught me about how companies communicate to their audiences. 

This was one of the first times I could apply the skills I was learning in my classes to a real workplace scenario.

It’s More Than Just Posting
I used to think social media was just about picking a good photo and hitting post, but at Cardinal Rental, I realized there is way more to it. I had to develop a real communication strategy to ensure we were actually reaching the right people and helping the business grow.

I spent most of my time on:

• Brand Voice: Making sure the posts sounded like the company’s persona.
• Having a Plan: Learning that every post needs an objective, like trying to get more people to rent equipment or just letting people know who we are.
• Connecting with People: Creating content that wasn't just "filler" but actually caught people's attention.

What I Noticed About Customers
The coolest thing I learned had nothing to do with social media; it was seeing how much people truly care about a company’s values. I realized that customers aren't just looking at the products. They want to know the people behind the business. 

This changed how I wrote my posts. Our engagement numbers shot up once I started showing what Cardinal Rental stood for, instead of just listing what we had for rent.

Wrapping It Up
Even though I did this internship a couple of years ago, I still think about it now while wrapping up my senior year. It really helped me see the "big picture" of how a brand works. 

It taught me that good communication isn't just about being fancy, it's about being consistent and actually connecting with people. It was a solid experience to have under my belt before I head out into the real world.

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