How Cranewell Equipment Co. Built a Social Presence with the Help of a Freelance Content Creator

Connecting With Customers in a Hands-On Industry

Cranewell Equipment Co. is a supplier of commercial-grade lifting and handling equipment—think overhead cranes, industrial hoists, and warehouse rigging systems. For over 30 years, they’ve been a trusted partner to warehouses, construction crews, and industrial logistics companies across the Midwest. Known for their sturdy builds and no-nonsense service, their equipment did the talking—until digital expectations started shifting.

The Quiet Gap

Their operations were as steady as ever, but their digital footprint was telling a different story.

Their Instagram? Last updated during a safety seminar 14 months ago.
Facebook? Mostly silent, with the occasional company holiday post.
LinkedIn? Sparse, and only used when someone left or got promoted.

None of this was hurting them directly—but it wasn’t helping either. In an age where buyers often check social media before making contact, Cranewell was invisible to new prospects.

Project managers at newer firms weren’t just looking for specs—they wanted visuals, proof, real-world applications. They’d ask things like:

• “Do you have a recent job that’s similar to ours?”

• “Can we see how this system works in action?”

• “Have you done installs in tight spaces like our site?”

These were moments where strong, consistent content could have done the explaining. Instead, the sales team had to dig through old folders for PDFs or scramble for site photos.

Tanya's Breaking Point

Internally, the need for change was clear—but the bandwidth just wasn’t there.

Tanya, the lone marketing coordinator, already had a full plate. Between planning trade show booths, printing spec sheets, updating price lists, and managing vendor catalogs, she didn’t have the hours to write captions, source images, or remember hashtags. Every time she thought about relaunching their content calendar, something urgent came up—and the social accounts slipped further behind.

“We weren’t trying to go viral,” Tanya explained. “We just wanted someone to help us show up like we care—because we do. Our crew works hard. Our customers stick with us for years. We wanted that to come across online.”

Turning to ZapMyWork

That’s when Tanya posted a project on ZapMyWork—simple and direct. She didn’t ask for a full rebrand or marketing overhaul. What she needed was someone to manage the day-to-day storytelling:

• Keep the pages active

• Share photos from real jobs

• Write captions that sounded like Cranewell—not like a sales pitch

• Help potential customers get a sense of what it’s like to work with the team

And maybe, just maybe, take the weight of “figuring it out” off Tanya’s shoulders.

Within days, she had multiple freelancers reach out with ideas, samples, and relevant experience. And for the first time in a while, she could see a clear path forward—one where social media wasn’t another burden, but a tool that worked quietly in the background.

What They Hired For

After some internal discussion and a quick check-in with their sales team for common customer questions, Cranewell Equipment Co. crafted a clear and practical project listing on ZapMyWork. The title was simple and to the point:

“Freelancer Needed for Ongoing Social Content – Equipment Industry.”

They didn’t overthink it. They just listed what they actually needed:

What They Included in the Brief

• Platform Focus:
  Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook—their primary platforms where past clients occasionally tagged them or asked questions.

• Posting Schedule:
  3 posts per week—enough to stay visible, but not so much it felt overwhelming or off-brand.

• Content Types:

  • Project Highlights: Especially jobs that involved tricky setups, limited space, or tight turnarounds. Before-and-after shots were key.

  • Customer Testimonials: Nothing scripted—just real feedback pulled from service emails or follow-up calls.

  • Usage Tips: Safety checks, maintenance reminders, and “did you know?” facts about how certain gear works.

  • Behind-the-Scenes Content: Photos of their techs doing rebuilds, warehouse setups, or equipment tests—something to show the people behind the machines.

• Tone:
  Clean and professional, but no corporate jargon. Think: shop-floor smart, not suit-and-tie polished.

• Bonus Skills (Not Required):

  • Light video editing, especially for turning install footage into 15–30 second reels

  • Familiarity with Canva or Adobe Express for quick graphic tweaks

  • Willingness to coordinate with their team to gather fresh photos monthly

The Response

Within 48 hours, five qualified freelancers submitted proposals. Some had worked in the industrial space. Others came from related backgrounds like automotive, heavy tools, or agriculture. A couple were newer to the sector but made up for it with thoughtful writing samples and questions that showed they were paying attention.

But Rita’s proposal stood out.

She didn’t just send a portfolio—she included three mock post ideas using photos Cranewell had shared publicly on their website. One was a potential LinkedIn post breaking down a recent retrofit project. Another was an Instagram caption explaining the difference between two commonly confused lifting systems, written in simple language anyone could understand.

She also mentioned her past clients, including a mid-sized tool manufacturer and an agri-supply distributor—both companies with similar tones and content needs.

Why Tanya Chose Rita

Rita didn’t overpromise. She didn’t pitch a “brand overhaul” or try to make Cranewell something they weren’t. Instead, she said:

“Your customers don’t need flash. They need trust. My goal would be to make your content feel like a walk through your shop floor—clear, honest, and practical.”

Tanya booked a 30-minute intro call. Within 15 minutes, she knew Rita was the right fit. They talked deadlines, approval flows, and how to get fresh content from the team without interrupting their workday.

And just like that, Cranewell had its first dedicated content partner—someone who understood their space and knew how to communicate it without overselling.

What the Freelancer Delivered

Rita Hit the Ground Running

Within a day of signing the contract, Rita had already set up a kickoff video call. She met with Tanya and one of Cranewell’s floor managers, Dennis, who’d been with the company for over 20 years and had seen just about every kind of job site complication you could imagine.

Rather than diving straight into content creation, Rita started by asking questions that mattered:

• “What kind of work are you proudest of?”

• “What do customers tend to misunderstand about your equipment?”

• “Are there jobs you wish more people knew you could do?”

Dennis appreciated that. He even offered to snap a few photos during their next install if it would help.

“Most freelancers I’ve talked to in the past just wanted a logo file and a few bullet points,” Tanya later said. “Rita actually wanted to understand who we were talking to.”

And that made all the difference.

What She Brought to the Table

Over the next few weeks, Rita laid a solid foundation for Cranewell’s new social presence. Her process was simple but effective—designed to keep things moving without adding work for Tanya or the rest of the crew.