Social media must play a role in any business’s marketing plan. But when it comes to insurance companies, it can be tricky to figure out how social media fits with your brand’s voice. Here are a few quick tips to help make your insurance company relevant on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social platforms.

Although women make up half the population, many companies still treat them as a niche in the marketing industry. In the second episode of J&See: Views on Marketing, Meg Goodman sits down with Patti Minglin. Patti is the founder and CEO of Go Girl Communications, a marketing agency that specializes in helping clients reach female customers. Patti and Meg discuss how to successfully market to (or as Patti would say, with) women — and the common mistakes you should avoid. Read on for a few excerpts from her insightful interview. And of course, make sure to subscribe to J&See: Views on Marketing to hear a compelling conversation like this once a month.

There are books that serve as guides for every life decision. Some people turn to Dickens for fortitude, to Wilde for a good laugh, to Poe for a scare. Marketers, too, can learn a great deal from the life stories of certain characters in fiction. Here are four lessons I’ve picked up from some of my favorite novels and how they can improve your social CRM.

I remember a time when Facebook, one of the early pioneers of social media, was exclusive to college students. But it didn’t take long for the company to realize its global influence and addictive pull. The students-only policy soon changed to include everyone: small and large businesses, community groups, your parents (gasp!) and even advertisers.

It is no longer unusual for companies to be on social platforms to connect with online communities. Social Customer Relationship Management (SCRM) is a rapidly growing tool to continue business growth. Several active companies are using social to introduce products and ideas, contribute to industry-related conversations and communicate with customers. It is fairly simple to be involved, but more challenging to gain viral attention.

Social media has become a critical channel for marketers. Three out of four marketers say that they are using social media. Social media has become a productive B2B channel for many marketers, with 43% of companies saying they have found a customer through LinkedIn.