During my internship at Sweet Caroline’s Boutique in the Southside Mall in Oneonta, NY, I supported the store's transition to new ownership by developing and executing digital marketing strategies, focusing on live content promotion and customer engagement. I gained hands-on experience in retail operations, e-commerce, and fashion marketing.
Final Project Outcome
This image represents one of the many promotional social media posts I created during my internship at Sweet Caroline’s Boutique. It was used to advertise one of our regularly scheduled live-stream events, where the boutique’s owner, Michelle Castle, and I would model and style new clothing arrivals. Throughout my time at the boutique, I consistently designed and shared similar posts across Facebook and Instagram to build anticipation and drive engagement. These live streams became a core part of our digital marketing strategy, and I played a key role in planning, promoting, and participating in them week after week. This post is just one example of the ongoing content creation and audience engagement efforts I contributed to during the internship.
What I did
I created weekly content calendars to promote daily product highlights and helped manage social media campaigns across Facebook and Instagram. A major part of my role was co-hosting live-stream sessions with the boutique’s owner, Michelle Castle, where we showcased new arrivals by styling and modeling clothing and accessories. I regularly crafted social media posts that teased upcoming content and learned how to create engaging visuals and captions that resonated with the boutique’s audience. Through trial and observation, I saw how consistency, authenticity, and enthusiasm significantly impacted viewer engagement and store visibility. I also gained insight into customer preferences, inventory turnover, and strategies for increasing both foot traffic and online reach in a small-town market.
What I learned
Through this internship, I learned how to effectively engage a target audience through social media marketing, especially by using live streaming as a tool to drive customer interest and sales. I gained hands-on experience in content planning, e-commerce promotion, and understanding consumer behavior in a small-market retail setting. I also developed stronger communication and presentation skills by interacting directly with potential customers during live videos. This experience has given me a deeper understanding of how digital marketing and visual merchandising work together to build a brand, and I’m confident these skills will be valuable in any future career in fashion, marketing, or retail management.
