CHARLESTON, S.C.—The City of Charleston has designated Step Ahead Inc., a social media and public relations company owned by Lyn Mettler, as a part of their Minority and Women Business Enterprise Program.

The Minority and Women Business Enterprise Program focuses on developing the presence of minority and women-owned businesses in the many aspects and opportunities available in the City of Charleston.

Step Ahead Inc., which works with many clients in the Charleston and surrounding area, has staff in both Charleston and in Indianapolis, Ind. By participating in the program, Step Ahead will become part of a preferred group of women-owned businesses for City of Charleston-related assignments.

“We are proud to be a woman-owned business who employs several Charleston-area women, as well,” says Mettler, owner and president of the company. “We are excited that now we will be given preferred consideration in Charleston by companies looking to work with women-owned businesses in the field of social media and public relations.”

About Step Ahead Inc.
Step Ahead, Inc. combines the best of traditional public relations with results-oriented social media campaigns to help maximize visibility for clients both online and off. The company’s clients include Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, the Lowcountry Housing Trust, Greenwood Communities & Resorts, the Dine With Sal restaurant group, SpiritLine Cruises and others. The company has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur magazine and on MSNBC.com and SmartMoney.com. Visit www.stepaheadinc.com or call 843-606-0226 for more information.

About Step Ahead Inc.

Step Ahead, Inc. is a Charleston, S.C.-based company with an Indianapolis, Ind., office that combines the best of traditional public relations with social media and Internet marketing to help maximize visibility for clients both online and off. The company’s clients include Spirit Telecom, Myrtle Beach National resorts, Charming Inns of Charleston, Charleston Parks Conservancy, Golf Island of Hilton Head, SpiritLine Cruises, the Berkeley Hotel in Richmond, Va., and others. The company has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur magazine and the Associated Press, and on MSNBC.com and SmartMoney.com. Visit www.stepaheadinc.com or call (317) 721-8660 for more information.

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CHARLESTON, S.C. –  Regulars of the Mustard Seed, Boulevard Diner and other Dine With Sal Charleston-area restaurants can get ready to tweet, “like” and “check  in.” The popular restaurant group, who owns nine local restaurants, has engaged Step Ahead, Inc., a local firm that specializes in social media marketing, to launch a social media campaign.

The campaign will include a Dine With Sal Facebook page, Twitter account and Foursquare profile. Foursquare is a smart phone application that lets users “check in” at different locations to win points and see where their friends are. Users who frequent a particular spot more than anyone else in a given week become the mayor, and users also have the opportunity to earn fun “badges” for various activities. Locals can soon look for specials for those who “check in” on Foursquare and for “mayors” of the group’s restaurants.

“We’ve noticed our customers are becoming more active on their smart phones, ‘tweeting,’ checking in on Foursquare and other activities,” says Sal Parco, owner of Dine With Sal Restaurant Group. “We decided it’s time to reach out to them through tools they enjoy using and feel like this is a very powerful way to directly connect with our customers and encourage new and repeat visits. We’re really excited to see the response to this campaign!”

Dine With Sal is a local restaurant group owned and operated by Sal Parco. Restaurants include: Mustard Seed (with locations in Summerville, Mount Pleasant and James Island), Boulevard Diner (with locations in James Island and Mount Pleasant), and Sette, Uno Mas, Long Point Grill and the Village Bakery – all located in Mount Pleasant. For more information, visit www.dinewithsal.com.

About Step Ahead Inc.
Step Ahead, Inc. is a Charleston, S.C.-based company that combines the best of traditional public relations with social media and Internet marketing to help maximize visibility for clients both online and off. The company’s clients include Spirit Telecom of Columbia, Myrtle Beach National resorts, Charming Inns of Charleston, Charleston Parks Conservancy, Golf Island of Hilton Head, Sunset Rentals of Hilton Head, SpiritLine Cruises, Dine With Sal restaurant group and others. The company has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and Entrepreneur magazine, as well as on MSNBC.com and SmartMoney.com. Visit www.stepaheadinc.com or call (843) 606-0226 for more information.

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Additional articles of interest:

Inc. Magazine: How to Make Money on Foursquare

New York Times: Linking Customer Loyalty With Social Networking

CHARLESTON, S.C. –  It’s hip to be square – at least around the offices of Step Ahead, Inc., a local marketing firm that offers social media management. The company is celebrating Foursquare Day, April 16, in an effort to promote the use of the popular location-based smart phone application, Foursquare.

From 5:30-7:30 p.m., locals are invited to the company’s offices at the Charleston Digital Corridor Flagship, 475-A East Bay Street, for a “square up” and a chance to win an iPod touch. There, guests can learn about Foursquare, get help signing up for the free service, or mingle with others who are regular Foursquare users while enjoying free drinks and appetizers.

Foursquare lets users “check in” at different locations to win points and see where their friends are. Users who frequent a particular spot more than anyone else in a particular week become the mayor, and users also have the opportunity to earn fun “badges” for various activities. Step Ahead, Inc., which creates and manages innovative social media campaigns for businesses, recently added Foursquare management to its line-up of services.

For every place an attendee to the event has “checked in” using Foursquare that day (up to five) they will be entered to win a new iPod  Touch. Everyone gets one entry just for attending, so even those who have never used Foursquare can still win. Step Ahead will also be giving away some fun awards, such as the Mayor of the Most Charleston Locations and Who Frequents Starbucks the Most, etc.

“I believe Foursquare and similar location-based services are the next big thing in social media,” says Lyn Mettler, founder and co-owner of Step Ahead. “As this continues to grow in popularity, it’s going to have huge implications for businesses, many of whom are starting to offer discounts and specials if you ‘check in’ at their establishment or are the mayor. It’s a very powerful way to directly connect to your consumer and encourage repeat visits.”

Foursquare Day (4/16), so chosen because 4 squared = 16, is a national initiative to promote the use of Foursquare. Step Ahead is also encouraging local businesses to offer a Foursquare Day special to Foursquare users. For more information about the free event, visit www.stepaheadinc.com or call (843) 606-0226.

About Step Ahead Inc.
Step Ahead, Inc. is a Charleston, S.C.-based company that combines the best of traditional public relations with social media and Internet marketing to help maximize visibility for clients both online and off. The company’s clients include Spirit Telecom of Columbia, Myrtle Beach National resorts, Charming Inns of Charleston, Charleston Parks Conservancy, Golf Island of Hilton Head, Sunset Rentals of Hilton Head, SpiritLine Cruises and others. The company has been featured in the Wall Street Journal and Entrepreneur magazine, as well as on MSNBC.com and SmartMoney.com. Visit www.stepaheadinc.com or call (843) 606-0226 for more information.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Step Ahead, Inc., a local company that works with businesses to provide social media campaigns, traditional public relations and Internet marketing, is expanding with the hire of two staff members and the promotion of another. Melissa Di Maggio and Leslie Bogstad have been named account managers, and Laura Angermeier has been promoted to trainer/project manager.

Di Maggio and Bogstad will be overseeing client accounts for the company and serving as the primary client liaison. Di Maggio has worked extensively in traditional and online marketing in the hospitality and travel industries. Prior to joining Step Ahead, she was director of marketing for Charming Inns of Charleston for seven years. Bogstad brings a background in graphic design, strategic advertising and event planning. She previously owned Mostly Graphics, a design and promotional marketing company, where she developed and executed marketing campaigns for local Charleston organizations.

Angermeier, who started with the company two years ago, manages social media tools for Step Ahead clients, including Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, blogs, YouTube channels and more. By adding trainer to her title, she will now be responsible for keeping Step Ahead employees and clients up to date on the latest social media tools and trends, as well as training new employees on the company’s approach and processes.

MT. PLEASANT, S.C. – Step Ahead Inc. has been recognized by two national organizations for its creative public relations and social media marketing work.

The Squeaky Clean blog, which Step Ahead designed and maintains for Castle Keepers, a Charleston-area cleaning company, recently received a Gold Award from the MarCom Awards, an international competition for marketing and communication professionals.

Additionally, the Society for New Communications Research recognized Step Ahead with a Commendation of Merit for the Twitter Beach Bash it hosted earlier this spring for MyrtleBeachHotels.com, a group of oceanfront hotels and condos in Myrtle Beach. The Twitter Beach Bash was a two-hour event in which Twitter followers were invited to answer trivia questions via Twitter for a chance to win prizes at the Myrtle Beach resorts.

The Society honors innovative organizations that are pioneering the use of social media, ICT, mobile media, online communities and collaborative technologies in the areas of media, marketing, public relations, advertising, entertainment, education, politics and social initiatives.

About Step Ahead Inc.
Step Ahead, Inc. is a Mt. Pleasant, S.C.-based company that combines the best of traditional public relations with social media and Internet marketing campaigns to help maximize visibility for clients both online and off. The company’s clients include Spirit Telecom of Columbia, the Charleston Breast Center, Myrtle Beach National resorts, Charming Inns of Charleston, Charleston Parks Conservancy, Golf Island of Hilton Head, SpiritLine Cruises and others. The company has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur magazine and the Associated Press and on MSNBC.com. Visit www.stepaheadinc.com or call (843) 606-0226 for more information.

MT. PLEASANT, S.C.—Being a mom and working in social media are two of Lyn Mettler’s biggest passions, so her recent selection as a featured contributor to TwitterMoms.com, a social network of highly influential and “networked” moms who are very active bloggers and Twitterers, is a perfect match. Mettler, who is president of Step Ahead, Inc., a Mt Pleasant-based company that combines the best of traditional public relations with social media campaigns to maximize visibility for clients, was one of 15 featured contributors chosen from some 250 applicants. She will blog weekly about social media marketing within the community that currently boasts 5800 members.

Her first post discusses the much-talked about “phishing” and spamming episode on Twitter, which happened earlier in the week affecting many users, including some celebrity Twitterers. She offers tips for how to avoid such scams and what to do if you were affected. Twitter is an online service that allows individuals to converse socially within the confines of 140 characters per comment.

“I hope that I can create some interesting content that will engage this group of very Internet savvy moms,” says Mettler. “I know I’m in great company and I look forward to further sharing my love for all things social media.”

Step Ahead, Inc. is a Mt Pleasant-based company that combines the best of traditional public relations with social media campaigns that engage blogs, social networks, online video, Podcasting and more to help maximize visibility for companies and their products both online and off. To date, the company has worked with the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Charming Inns of Charleston, ClassifiedFlyerAds.com, Tiger Lily florist, Charleston Parks Conservancy, Golf Island, Myrtle Beach National, Coco’s Café, POSITUS consulting and others.

Step Ahead executives regularly speak about social media across the state, including events and luncheons for the South Carolina Public Relations Society of America state conference, Columbia chapter and Lowcountry chapter; Center for Women; Charleston Digital Corridor; Charleston Trident Association of Realtors and more. The company has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, on MSNBC.com and in numerous local publications. Visit www.stepaheadwebstrategies.com or call (843) 388-8376 for more information.

MT. PLEASANT, S.C.— In the world of Web 2.0, there’s no denying Twitter, a microblogging service, is the industry darling of the moment, with new statistics from Nielson Online deeming it the fastest growing online social network in the past year. Step Ahead Web Strategies, a Mt Pleasant-based company that helps businesses strategically engage Web 2.0 tools and manage them on a day-to-day basis, is stepping up to the plate to make sure Charlestonians take advantage of Twitter with a seminar on the topic and a list for Lowcountry Twitterers.

The “Using Twitter for Business” seminar will be held Nov. 18, from Noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Francis Marion Hotel, 375 King St. for a cost of $50, including a box lunch and drink. The seminar will cover the basics for people new to Twitter, discuss the benefits, the etiquette, the most useful applications, as well as how to fit it into your schedule, what to say, who to say it to and lots more. Register at www.stepaheadwebstrategies.com.

“As a PR professional, Twitter is one of the best PR and marketing tools I’ve come across in a long time,” says Lyn Mettler, president of Step Ahead Web Strategies. “It’s helped me personally to get new business, media coverage, increased Web site hits and more, and we hope to share that insight with others. It’s a free tool, and in this economy, it’s a great way to expand awareness about your business for only the cost of your time.”

The company also recently developed the Lowcountry Twitter list, a place for Twitterers from Hilton Head to Charleston to register their “handle” or username so others can “follow” them. Locals can view the list and sign up at www.stepaheadwebstrategies.com.

“While it’s easy to make contact with those in your field, or with similar interests, on Twitter, it can be kind of tricky to find those geographically close to you,” says Simon Ashton, vice president of technology for Step Ahead Web Strategies. “So we developed the Lowcountry Twitter list to help those in our area connect. If you’re looking to make local contacts and network, this is a great resource.”

About Step Ahead Web Strategies
Step Ahead Web Strategies is a Mt Pleasant-based company that helps businesses and organizations strategically engage and manage the latest and most innovative technologies, including online video, social networking, search engine optimization, blogs, Podcasting and more, to reach their target audiences with the right message. To date, the company has worked with the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Charming Inns of Charleston, ClassifiedFlyerAds.com, Tiger Lily florist, Charleston Parks Conservancy, Golf Island, Myrtle Beach National, Coco’s Café, POSITUS consulting and others.

Step Ahead Web Strategies executives regularly speak about social media across the state, including events and luncheons for the South Carolina Public Relations Society of America state conference, Columbia chapter and Lowcountry chapter; Center for Women; Charleston Digital Corridor; Charleston Trident Association of Realtors and more. The company has also been featured in the Wall Street Journal, on MSNBC.com and numerous local publications. Visit www.stepaheadwebstrategies.com or call (843) 388-8376 for more information.

Share Your Favorite Social Media Tools Via Video

MT PLEASANT, S.C.—From Facebook to Flickr and from MySpace to YouTube, almost everyone these days uses social media as part of either their work or personal lives. Step Ahead Web Strategies, a Mt Pleasant-based company that works with organizations to creatively engage Web 2.0 tools, is inviting the public to submit a video describing their favorite social media tool and why as part of a fun summer initiative.

The company has already gathered a handful of videos from folks in a variety of industries offering up their favorites, including Pandora, Facebook, Twitter, Jott, blogging and more.

“Whether you blog about your favorite celebrity, share family photos on Flickr or keep up with your friends and colleagues via Facebook, almost everyone has their favorite social media tool that’s made a difference in their lives,” says Lyn Mettler, president of Step Ahead Web Strategies. “In true Web 2.0 style, we’ve invited the public to take a break from work or the kids and share their favorites by submitting a fun video on YouTube. Who knows? Maybe we’ll all learn about some great new tools out there.”

People who would like to submit a video should visit the company’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/lynmettler. They can then post a video response to any of the existing videos or simply upload their video and tag it “stepahead”. The company will edit the best responses into a video to be posted on their Web site this fall. Visit www.stepaheadwebstrategies.com for complete details and information on the summer initiative.

About Step Ahead Web Strategies
Step Ahead Web Strategies offers clients a comprehensive online strategy from a public relations and marketing perspective. The company helps businesses and organizations expand their Web presence beyond their Web site, engaging the latest and most innovative technologies, including online video, social networking, search engine optimization, blogs, Podcasting and more, to reach their target audiences with the right message. To date, the company has worked with European tour company Breakaway Adventures, the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Golf Island, Sunset Rentals, Charming Inns of Charleston, Positus Consulting and Decorum, LLC. Visit www.stepaheadwebstrategies.com or call (843) 388-8376 for more information.