Kaitlin Winters
Welcome to my CV! My name is Kaitlin Winters, a marketing professional graduating from the University of Tampa. With a background in sports and business, I specialize in bringing a dynamic and results-driven approach to digital marketing and social media. Let's bring our passions together to elevate your brand and execute your vision!
About Me
My Vision
As a future marketing professional with a love and passion for sports, branding, and digital engagement, I’m excited about the impact marketing has on connecting people, building brands, and driving results.
With a background in sports and business, I thrive in fast-paced environments where adaptability, strategy, and creativity come together. I’m determined, organized, and always eager to learn, bringing a hands-on approach to every project I take on. Whether it’s developing marketing strategies, analyzing trends, or engaging with audiences, I’m always looking for new ways to make an impact.
I’m excited to keep growing in the industry, gaining real-world experience, and collaborating with like-minded professionals. Let’s connect and make something great happen!
Education
2021-2025
Marketing
University of Tampa
I earned my Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of Tampa, where I developed a strong interest in building creative strategies and understanding how to connect with people in meaningful ways. One of my favorite moments was placing first in a prospecting competition during my professional selling class—it pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me grow in adaptability, communication, and work ethic. My time at UT shaped not just my knowledge of marketing, but the way I approach challenges and opportunities. Along the way, I also discovered how much I love the intersection of sports and marketing, especially the importance of truly knowing your audience to create meaningful impact.
Experience
January 2025 - May 2025
Special Topics: Social Media Marketing Intern
Tampa, Florida
University of Tampa X PAINT Nail Bar
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Increased account followers on Instagram by 76% from January 2025 to April 2025.
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Increased account followers on Facebook by 65% from January 2025 to April 2025.
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Generated 12,600 impressions on Instagram.
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Created multi-media content that amplified the brand, increased engagement, and drove audience growth across digital platforms.
February 2023 - Present
Server
Tampa, FL
Whiskey Joe's Bar and Grill
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Consistently generated over $1,000 in sales per shift through effective upselling techniques, personalized customer service, and strong product knowledge.
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Instilled strong communication, remained focused, and moved efficiently while multitasking.
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Remained positive every day and aimed to provide a positive outcome and welcoming environment for guests.
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Basic math and persuasion are quickly valued and picked up on while in a busy rush.
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Coached several servers in the POS system and company basics.
January 2024 - May 2024
Student
University of Tampa, Tampa, FL
Professional Selling and Sales Management
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Participated in a mock sales competition, ranking within the top 10% among all participants.
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Completed 20+ role-playing exercises designed to improve sales negotiation and communication skills.
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Collaborated with peers on real-world scenarios and received feedback from industry professionals to refine sales techniques.
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Developed strong skills in customer relationship building and sales negotiation.
PAINT Client Work Samples
In my Special Topics: Social Media Marketing Class, my role was to actively participate as a student, learn valuable information about socials and marketing, increase engagement, grow the audience, and enhance brand visibility through strategic social media efforts. While in class, I interned for PAINT Nail Bar Tampa, a modern-luxury nail salon committed to providing a clean, upscale, and trend-forward experience. The brand focuses on high-quality, non-toxic nail care while creating a chic and inviting atmosphere. Throughout the semester, I worked on expanding PAINT Nail Bar's social media presence by creating engaging and shareable content across Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram.
My deliverables included:
- Two Multimedia Content Videos
- Four Strategic Client Proposals:
A. Social Media Marketing Campaign
B. Influencer Collaborations Proposal
C. Trend Recommendations Proposal
D. Creative Real-World Integration Proposal
- Group Project Slide Deck
Multimedia Content
Videos:
Content Video #1
Rationale/Strategy:
Video:
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Purpose: Showcase the spring nail set and the salon’s ambiance to attract new clients and engage current ones.
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Engagement: Videos drive higher engagement and are shareable, especially on Instagram and TikTok, creating emotional connections with seasonal content.
Graphics:
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Brand Consistency: Use on-brand colors and fonts to reinforce the “Luxury Nail Affair” vibe.
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Call to Action: Include actionable text like "Book Now" to drive conversions.
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Seasonal Tie-In: Spring-inspired graphics (florals, pastels) appeal to the audience seeking fresh trends.
Analytics:
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Track Engagement: Monitor views, shares, and comments to gauge the video’s appeal.
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Conversion Metrics: Use UTM links to track bookings and calculate CTR.
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Audience Insights: Review demographic data to ensure alignment with your target audience (18-44 women).
Content Video #2
Rationale/Strategy:
Video:
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Purpose: Showcase PAINT Nail Bar’s luxurious, unique experience, from high-end nail services to the clothing boutique and mimosas, offering something beyond the typical nail salon visit.
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Engagement: Time-lapse videos create a dynamic, visually appealing narrative, emphasizing the salon’s trendy and energetic vibe while keeping the content fast-paced and shareable.
Graphics:
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Brand Consistency: Use PAINT’s signature colors and fonts to maintain a cohesive brand identity.
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Call to Action: Include text overlays like "Explore Tampa's hidden gem" or "Vibe with PAINT" to entice viewers to book a visit.
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Visual Appeal: Highlight the unique elements like the boutique and mimosas with text or quick shots, showing the brand's lifestyle approach.
Analytics:
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Track Engagement: Focus on view count, shares, and comments to assess how well the video resonates with the audience.
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Conversion Metrics: Use UTM links to track clicks and bookings from the video, focusing on CTR.
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Audience Insights: Review engagement and demographics to ensure the content reaches PAINT’s target audience of 18-44 women.
Social Media Marketing
Campaign Proposal:
The Jet-Set Nails campaign slide deck focuses on combining travel themes with nail art, showcasing how PAINT Nail Bar’s designs align with popular vacation destinations. The campaign strategy emphasizes interactive engagement, using photo and video content, user-generated content, and contests to connect with the travel-loving audience. Graphics maintain PAINT’s vibrant, luxe aesthetic while incorporating travel elements, and call-to-action text prompts to clear next steps such as booking appointments or entering contests. Analytics will track engagement through likes, shares, and comments, measure conversions via contest entries and bookings, and analyze audience demographics to ensure the campaign reaches the target 18–44 year old women who are passionate about both beauty and travel. This approach drives brand awareness, engagement, and measurable results while reinforcing PAINT’s luxury and travel-inspired brand identity.
Influencer Collaborations
Proposal:
The Influencer Collaboration Proposal for PAINT Nail Bar aims to leverage influencer partnerships to increase brand visibility and attract the target audience of 18-44 year old women. By collaborating with influencers whose styles align with PAINT's luxury and feel-good aesthetic, the campaign will showcase the brand's unique services, like seasonal nail art, exclusive designs, and the luxurious, one of a kind experience offered at the salon. From the three possible influencers I chose, they will create authentic, engaging content featuring PAINT's services, driving awareness and credibility. The strategy will include pre-scheduled content, personalized posts, and influencer-hosted giveaways to further boost reach and engagement. Analytics will track metrics like engagement rates, reach, conversion to bookings, and audience demographics to assess success and refine future partnerships. This approach strengthens PAINT’s brand presence, increases customer loyalty, and drives measurable results through influencer-driven marketing.
Employee Advocacy/Generated
Content Proposal:
The Employee Advocacy/Generated Content Proposal for PAINT Nail Bar focuses on empowering employees to become brand ambassadors by sharing authentic content about their experiences at the salon and as a day in the life worker. This includes showcasing nail art, boutique items, and the luxury experience with mimosas, while also showcasing their work day. Employees will be encouraged to share posts using branded hashtags, which helps foster trust and connection with the audience. The strategy includes content guidelines and incentives to motivate employees to actively participate. Key metrics like engagement rates, reach, and participation will be tracked to assess success. This approach not only enhances brand visibility but also boosts employee morale and customer engagement through relatable, personal content.
Creative Real-World
Integrations Proposal:
The Creative Real-World Integration Proposal for PAINT Nail Bar focuses on attracting younger demographics such as Gen Z and young Millenials by partnering with a local juice bar to create a "Mani + Matcha Sundays" event. This collaboration taps into the up and coming wellness trend by offering a relaxing self-care experience combining nail services with complimentary health-conscious drinks like matcha lattes or smoothies. The event will create a unique, Instagram-worthy experience, attracting customers who value both beauty and wellness. The proposal includes joint promotions, social media cross-promotion, and exclusive perks for attendees. Tracking metrics like event attendance, social media engagement, and customer feedback will gauge success. This partnership aligns with the wellness movement, helping PAINT appeal to health-conscious, trend-driven younger audiences while boosting brand visibility.
Group Project Slide
Deck:
The group project was created as a way to showcase the most effective and creative ideas developed throughout the semester, highlighting the strengths of the best team member's work. By compiling the best videos and slide decks into one cohesive presentation, the project emphasizes strategic thinking, audience engagement, and real-world application of social media marketing concepts. The strategy behind it was to demonstrate how well-executed content—when backed by research, creativity, and clear objectives—can successfully connect with a target audience and drive results.
Analytics:
Engagement Metrics:
From January- April 2025
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#TampaFL - Most engaged hashtag
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Posts with this hashtag were 15.5% more engaged with
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From the start of the semester, Jan 17th through April 20th (94 days)
- Our total Instagram engagement grew by 525.87%
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Our total Facebook engagement grew by 2,475%
- We generated 12,600 impressions on Instagram
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Increased account followers on Instagram by 76%
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Increased service revenue by 24.5% in 3 months of work
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Product sales increased by 256% in 3 months
Performance Analysis:
From January- April 2025...
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74% increase in account followers for Instagram
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Originally 354, now 616
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65% increase in account followers for Facebook
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Originally 130, now at 215
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21% follower increase in influencer collaboration on Instagram
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Originally 510, now at 616
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21,800 impressions on influencer collaboration post
MKT 495 Takeaway Testimonials:
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Audience Is Everything – Understanding your target audience’s needs, behaviors, and preferences is foundational to crafting effective and personalized content.
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Platform Specific Matters – Successful strategies adapt to the strengths, tone, and best practices of each platform.
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Data-Driven Decisions – Analytics and performance metrics are critical for evaluating success, optimizing content, and continually refining your strategy.
Takeaways:
Class Client Takeaway Testimonials:
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Visual Consistency Builds Trust – Maintaining a clean, luxe aesthetic across all platforms helps reinforce PAINT’s modern and elevated brand identity.
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Engagement Is Key – Interacting with followers, reposting UGC, and creating community-driven content helps build meaningful brand loyalty.
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Campaign Planning Matters – Strategizing content calendars and themed campaigns strengthens brand storytelling and drives results.
Industry Certifications
HubSpot Selling Certification:
I earned my Inbound Sales Certification from HubSpot Academy in April 2024, after taking a Professional Selling and Sales Management course at the University of Tampa. The certification has equipped me with the skills to communicate, engage, and convert potential customers using a customer-focused approach. My ability to build meaningful relationships, build trustworthy connections, and identify buyer needs has made me a valuable asset for the next steps in my career. I pursued this certification to strengthen my experience in digital sales strategies and communicating with confidence, ensuring I can meet the goals of sparking engagement and conversions in roles I pursue.
Social Media Marketing Certification:
I earned my Social Media Marketing Certification from HubSpot Academy in February 2025, after taking a Social Media Marketing course at the University of Tampa. I have gained knowledge and experience in creating and optimizing social media strategies across multiple platforms. This certification enhances my ability to build brand awareness, analyze performance metrics, and drive engagement. I pursued this certification to heighten my understanding of effective content strategies, audience targeting, and best practices for specific platforms verifying I can successfully grow and run an online presence for any client.
SEMRush Certification for Education:
I earned my SEMRush Certification of Education, which has since expired, and I plan to pursue a higher level of certification soon to further boost my skills and knowledge in the digital marketing space. This certification provided me with a solid foundation in SEO strategies, keyword research, and competitive analysis, enabling me to improve search engine visibility and optimize online content effectively. By taking the next level of certification, I aim to deepen my expertise in advanced SEO tactics and data-driven strategies to stay ahead in the field and enhance my ability to deliver measurable results for clients.
