We admit that communication is surprisingly tough in our industry. That’s why from the first day that we started Sideways8 we focused on great communication. For a long time, our motto at networking meetings was, “the company that will actually answer the phone, or call back quickly.” It’s a little sad that this motto made us stand out from the crowd, but it did.

Our focus on communication happens on several levels. The first kind of communication we focus on is internal communication. We work as a virtual team, spread out all over Metro Atlanta and beyond. Because of this, we have to be very intentional and specific as we communicate. We would argue that being virtual has given us an advantage in this area, communicating well in person is one thing, but having to communicate just as clearly over chat or email is something different. Fortunately, we are great at both in person and digital communication because we have intentionally developed the communication skills our team needs to make it work.

The next area where communication really matters is with our clients. Again, because we work remotely and communicate with clients that way as well, there has to be a method and intentionality to all communication. To communicate with clients well we set up meeting rhythms and communications protocols (like using our project management system for all project communication) to make sure that everything is covered and everyone is on the same page.

The last area where communication matters is in our work. The entire point of digital marketing is to communicate well. If we can’t create websites, PPC campaigns, SEO work, marketing automation, etc. that communicates well on behalf of our clients to their clients, then we may as well not be in business. It’s true, anyone can create a website, but very few people can create a website that communicates the perfect message to a customer. That’s our goal every time.

Photo by Jonathan Chng on Unsplash