British Airways gets dinged by pilots strike; Target offers loyalty program; 'Soft skills' dominate the modern workplace; and more

MORNING SCOOP

Target announces loyalty program, ‘soft skills’ are most crucial, and Spirit Airlines offers bigger seats

Also: Wendy’s is serving up breakfast and jobs, British Airways strike brings PR woes, and FDA letter fuels Juul’s PR crisis.

CONTENT MARKETING

8 steps for building an effective content calendar

Formats, frequency, flexibility and follow-up are all essential to engaging your audience and meeting all your other content marketing objectives.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

How Cigna’s Andrew Jayne uses chai and email to conquer the day

We asked Cigna’s senior content manager what helps him navigate his workload. His answers reveal an undimmable positive outlook.

INFOGRAPHICS

Infographic: Tips to leave your work—and worries—at the door

Don’t just sit, stew and stare at your phone. Write down what’s bugging you, find an enjoyable distraction, and jot down a daily exit list.

RAGAN AWARDS

Announcing Ragan’s inaugural Top Women in Communications Awards

Nominate the game-changing women you work with—or nominate yourself—by Nov. 8. The class of inspirational women will be recognized at an awards gala in March 2020.

OP-ED

Too early for the Tylenol playbook to work for Boeing’s 737 Max

J&J’s exemplary response to the product tampering was twofold: fixing a problem not of its own making, and restoring consumer trust. Boeing has systemic flaws to address, first and foremost.

PR

Why you don’t need a bigger training budget

See how even the smallest comms teams are getting robust training without breaking the bank.

PR DAILY AWARDS

How PR pros can find new audiences through podcasts

Washington Media Group found success with Flack Pack, seeing audience growth and a raft of other business benefits—and winning PR Daily’s award for best podcast.

MORNING SCOOP

CVS and Walgreens join anti-gun trend, Forbes admits gender bias in innovators list, and why many employees criticize your brand

Also: Nissan’s CEO resigns, Starbucks steps up internal mental health efforts, White Claw demand outpaces supplies, and media correction doozies.

THE CONSULTANT IS IN

5 common missteps in crisis communication

It’s bound to happen at some point: A data breach will occur, or perhaps some other calamity. Heed these warnings so you’re not caught flatfooted.

VISUAL & VIDEO COMMUNICATIONS

5 tips for producing professional-caliber DIY videos

Video content is all the rage online, but video production can be expensive and time-consuming. Here are some tips to help you produce your own videos cheaply.

PR INDUSTRY

A mix of skills—new and old—that PR pros must master

PR pros must adapt to new tools and trends, but some tactics never go out of style. Here are four skills every PR pro should cultivate.

RESEARCH SNAPSHOT

Influencers drop in popularity, but remain effective

Fewer content marketers used influencers in 2019 than they did in 2018, but those that did take advantage of influencer marketing were pleased with the results.

RAGAN AWARDS

What makes a workplace amazing?

Show us by entering the new “Amazing Workplaces” category—or any of the more than 50 categories—of Ragan’s Employee Communications Awards. Deadline for entries is Oct. 4.