Editor’s note: This article was originally published in December 2012 and was updated in September 2026 to reflect what I’ve learned since then. Toward the end of 2012, my business hit a wall. Within two months, I lost six social media management clients and roughly 40 percent of my revenue. Strella Social Media was only […]

By Rachel This past year has been a little busy. Among them starting a mastermind group, and working through client turnover, it’s sometimes difficult to establish a rhythm, let alone set aside time to reflect on where I am and where I want to go, rebranding the business, launching my new product,. I admit to […]

Every other month, we interview one of our management clients to ask them about their experience in social media. This month, we are delighted to interview, Justin Leader of Special Risk Insurance Services, Inc. Be sure to connect with Justin on LinkedIn and follow Special Risk on Twitter. Justin, tell us about your business, your […]

By Rachel I've found that some businesses fail to realize their full social media potential because their goals are simplistic, misguided, or unrealistic. My favorite example is the goal you’re probably thinking about right now: getting more sales! Make no mistake – increasing sales is fundamental to business success. Sales growth is also one of […]

by Ric Albano Next Saturday, November 24th has been deemed Small Business Saturday, positioned between Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the post-Thanksgiving shopping spurt. On the surface, this is a very good thing. It brings widespread awareness to small business in general and should cause consumers to think of the little noticed shops they […]

by Rachel There has been discussion between Gini Dietrich and Mark Schaefer, which I have been calling, The Great Debate. Essentially, the argument is whether or not social media really levels the playing field. According to Gini, it does because as a business, “no longer do you need millions of dollars to spend on PR […]

By Joseph Baxter Retired Chief Petty Officer in United States Navy Boot Camp, 1983 A century ago, in a place many people would find challenging to identify on a map, the presumptive heir to the throne of a fading empire died at the hands of an assassin.  Within a month, one country had declared war […]

There is a saying among social media professionals that “Content is King.” Simply stated, posting valuable content is often what separates social media success from failure. This is a challenging step for many, but my rule of thumb is to know that you already have expertise, now you just need to share it in a […]

by Rachel I recently spoke to two banking-related non-profit organizations: The Pennsylvania Credit Union Association (PCUA) and  the Pennsylvania Association of Community Bankers (PACB). Both of these were challenging to present as the primary focus of my company relates tosocial media marketing for small businesses.  However, if I learned anything from the research for these presentations, […]