Sarah Dale | Communications Consultant, Social Media Manager, & Digital Storyteller
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Marketing Manager, Jan 2024 to Jan 2026
As the in-house marketing manager for Virginia’s largest meeting and event facility, I led strategy and execution across digital, print, and on-site channels in a role that required both high-level planning and hands-on delivery. It allowed me to apply agency-level tactics in a fast-paced, real-world environment. This drove event visibility, enhanced building systems and processes from the ground up, and helped shape the public voice of a major civic institution. From signage and sponsorships to public relations, website content, and community engagement, I worked cross-functionally to ensure each message supported both client goals and the GRCC brand.
Web Redesign - Launched August 2025
Led content strategy, copywriting, and end-to-end launch of a full Squarespace website rebuild, executed independently while navigating legacy tech integrations and complex domain-related challenges. Reworked site structure, messaging, and navigation to strengthen brand clarity, improve UX/UI, and make the platform easier to manage in-house while reducing third-party dependency. Post-launch, performance was closely monitored through both platform-native analytics and Google Analytics, with particular attention to user journey paths, traffic sources, dwell time, and engagement patterns to understand how visitors were moving through the site and where refinements could increase conversion. Weekly SEO audits were also conducted to test and refine keyword strategy, expand reach, and improve visibility among target audiences. This work drove a major lift in lead generation, increasing monthly RFPs from approximately 4-5 before launch to 30-60 after launch, or roughly 500% to 1,400%, demonstrating how strategic and intentional UX/UI improvements, clearer user pathways, and ongoing performance optimization can directly influence conversion and business outcomes.
Public Relations
Wrote and distributed press releases for major events and initiatives. Developed internal SOPs for media outreach and collaborated with leadership on public messaging and talking points.
Signage & Sponsorship Strategy
Developed standard operating procedures for digital signage, podium branding, and sponsorship placements throughout the Greater Richmond Convention Center to streamline processes and ensure consistent, high-quality execution.
In addition to operational improvements, I led the strategic effort to make sponsorship opportunities more accessible and inclusive - designing flexible packages that could accommodate a range of business sizes and budgets. This included creating entry points specifically for small, local businesses, with the goal of lowering barriers to marketing within the convention center and uplifting the entrepreneurs and community partners in our own neighborhood.
The resulting strategy not only increased internal revenue potential through branded placements, but also reinforced GRCC’s role as a platform for community engagement and regional economic opportunity.
Marketing Collateral & Social Media Campaigns
Developed digital and print collateral to support high-impact events, sponsor activations, and GRCC brand awareness. Led concepting and content creation for social media campaigns that drove engagement and highlighted the venue’s flexibility, from trade shows and conventions to local festivals and community events.
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Created original graphics and copy for branded content series and campaigns, including Why Richmond, Meeting Room Monday, and cross-promotional partnerships like VMFA x GRCC x GalaxyCon. Also led campaign creative for the Jurassic Quest/Aramark giveaway.
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Designed and published a visual infographic outlining the GRCC event planning process
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Increased social media reach by 38% and engagement by 56% over a one year and four month period through strategic content planning and community-focused storytelling. More than doubled social following across all platforms over a two year time frame.
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Aligned messaging across web, digital signage, and social to support cohesive campaign rollouts
Venue Photography & Drone Videography
Serve as the in-house content creator for GRCC, capturing event setups, room configurations, and dynamic behind-the-scenes moments through photography and video. Leveraged drone technology to expand visual storytelling and showcase the scale and versatility of the venue from new perspectives.
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Capture and edit photography for marketing collateral, website, social media and client communications, ensuring updated, on-brand visuals across platforms
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Operate a DJI Mini 4 drone to film large-scale setups and promotional footage, following FAA guidelines and obtaining client permission prior to use
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Developed a drone usage SOP and troubleshooting guide, including low-light considerations and safety protocols
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Built a growing library of visual assets that supports campaign storytelling, event proposals, and GRCC’s long-term content needs
Community Engagement
Helped reposition the convention center as more than a standalone civic venue by building community engagement efforts that aimed to create more reciprocal value within Jackson Ward and the wider Richmond region. Developed a campaign to spotlight Black-owned businesses in the surrounding neighborhood, using the organization’s platform to drive local visibility and encourage more intentional visitor engagement with the community. The goal was to move beyond a purely transactional presence and toward a model of partnership that acknowledged the importance of supporting a historically marginalized neighborhood rather than extracting from it.
I also helped lead GRCC's Community Engagement Board and supported a range of service-oriented initiatives, including Red Cross blood drive promotions, coordinating volunteer opportunities with Evergreen Cemetery, Feed More and the Ultimate Backpack Supply Drive, as well as several food and hygiene drives benefiting Third Street Bethel AME Church in Jackson Ward. I also developed a partnership with a grassroots Richmond pet adoption nonprofit, Beagles and Bentleys, to launch an Adoptable Pet of the Month feature on social media, extending the organization’s reach in ways that supported both local community needs and mission-aligned storytelling.
