When I first wrote this article in 2016, social media felt simpler in some ways and more chaotic in others. There were fewer platforms competing for attention, but businesses were still trying to figure out where they belonged, what they should post, how often they should show up, and whether any of it was actually […]

In a recent blog on Social Media Today, the author argues that not all organizations should embrace social media particularly those industries that are not “social-friendly.” He offered an example of a mental health care provider who likely won’t have their content shared because it’s personal in nature. I disagree. Sharing content is just one […]

I recently read a story about a dispute in a cafe, which was ultimately misleading, creating huge backlash on social media. This didn’t sit well with me.  We have the opportunity to broadcast our messages so we’ve become self-publishers of sort, yet we’re emotional beings, and as such, we post our version of stories. In […]

The DIY approach is flawed for small business owners.  Wearing all the hats means a great deal of time is being taken away from the core business productivity.  Are you acting as the receptionist, the salesperson, the bookkeeper, the file clerk, the correspondent and the manager of the website, social media, customer service, collections and […]

Two months ago, our biggest client submitted notice due to internal budget cuts. Unfortunately, this was not a new scenario for us. When businesses face financial struggles, the marketing budget is frequently on the chopping block, and social media can be particularly vulnerable. Social media is relationship marketing. It’s a longer-term effort, and when companies […]

There are many ‘oopsies’ that can happen in business - double booking appointments, forgetting about a meeting, putting an extra ‘0’ on the end of a client’s invoice – to name a few. These are all honest mistakes and I’m sure they happen more often than I’d like to believe. Then, there’s just plain stupidity. […]

Few things get a business owner’s attention quite like a bad Google review. It is public. It can show up when someone searches for your business. And whether you think the criticism is fair or not, you do not get to control how other people interpret it. The natural reaction is often to figure out […]

There are a lot of lessons to learn in small business. I’m glad that I have the opportunity to share some of my lessons, including legal troubles with Getty Images in 2014 – in hopes that sharing will prevent other small business owners from making the same mistake. This past year, I learned yet another lesson […]

Every year, people publish predictions about what social media will look like next. Some turn out to be right. Plenty do not. The platforms change. Features come and go. Algorithms shift. New tools emerge, and entire formats can become popular almost overnight. That makes predictions interesting, but not especially useful as a foundation for strategy. […]