Aircover Communications' PR consultant Caroline James discusses the role networking and becoming a board member of PRSA Silicon Valley played in her career journey following her job loss in 2020. "The past year was a bumpy road, but the community, care, leadership and counsel from PR colleagues ... helped keep me on track, leading to new adventures and eventually helping me land my current role."

Individuals charged with blog content can turn their social media communications channels into a revenue generator by converting readers into subscribers, and then clients, offering paid services and tools such as a mini forum to address individual questions or a mini-site where other related individuals can sell their goods and expertise, suggests blogger Enstine Muki. "Begin with a small idea and then take it to a higher level."

PAN Communications highlights steps in this infographic to establish an employee advocacy program that includes eliciting staff buy-in, establishing a structured approach to social sharing and demonstrating the benefits for the business and the individual. A robust internal culture with marketing and human resources collaborating to advance the employee program can broaden the customer base, boost revenues, shorten sales cycles and yield lower acquisition costs, according to PAN Communications.

Amy Houston explores how brands such as Spotify, Calm, Starbucks and Google are using GIFs on social media to playfully engage with audiences by telling stories and even showcasing products and events. "Standing out from the crowd, being consistent and showing products in a modern way are all factors brands need to consider in their social strategy -- and GIFs can be an excellent way to encompass that," Houston writes.

High-quality content is the most critical element of a successful email newsletter, and business-to-business marketers should focus on long-term strategy rather than tactics such as clickbait headlines that give quick wins but destroy trust, writes 1440 Media's Pierre Lipton. Lipton explains how to scale email newsletters and use them as a foundation for other content marketing, such as podcasts and YouTube videos.

Thought leadership is a powerful way for business-to-business companies to not only raise awareness, but to become top-of-mind for trusted information, writes Atlas Renewable Energy's Diana Castellanos. B2B brands looking to attain the title of thought leader must also become societal and industry leaders through corporate social responsibility, the sharing of best practices and demonstrating "an extreme generosity of spirit," Castellanos writes.

Audiences want to hear something that will stick in their memory, which might not necessarily be the most technical explanation or the most precise form of data, Jezra Kaye writes. Kaye offers examples that retain the accuracy of the larger point while keeping the audience focused.

Informal leaders are trustworthy and generous while engaging across titles, departments and responsibilities to develop allies everywhere, Art Petty writes. "The X factor for individuals who lead successfully between the lines and across boundaries is their unique ability to see the opportunities or problems others are blind to or, at least, ignore," Petty writes.

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