Your Guide to Starting a Small Business: Communication is Key

Efficient communication is crucial to the success of a business. Without effective communication, time is wasted, money is lost, and frustration ensues.

There are two major components of effective communication: Personal ability and the medium used to get the message across. Since we’re not exactly in the business of communication skills, we’ll focus on the communication medium for today. There are so many different communication tools available, it’s just a matter of finding the right ones for your business. Take a look at some of our favorites and see if any of these have a place within your business.

Inter-Company Communications

Your go-to communication tools will vary slightly depending on the set-up of your company and the nature of your business. For example, if you run a business where everyone works remotely, Skype can be a very useful tool. But, if everyone’s working from the same office, you could just as easily walk down the hall for that face-to-face chat. You’ll also find that each tool serves a different purpose, so a solid communication plan will probably incorporate a couple of tools into the mix.

You’ve Got Mail!

I can’t imagine a company getting very far without e-mail. Don’t ask me how they got by without it 20 years ago. E-mail has changed the way we communicate for the better. If used correctly, it allows for fast communication and documentation of what was said in the exchange. How often do you get off the phone and wish you had jotted down a few notes, as you try to recall certain details of the conversation? E-mail solves that problem. Plus, it allows you to send and share files quickly.

Unfortunately, e-mail is only as effective as you make it. By that I mean, it only works if all parties agree to respond promptly. There’s nothing efficient about being hung up on this one component of a project just because you’re waiting for your co-worker to e-mail you back with their contribution or feedback.

What’s Your Screen Name?

Although I wouldn’t recommend sticking with your original AIM screen name (chickmagnet99 just isn’t very professional), instant message does have a place in the office of today. Instant message is perfect for quick conversations that don’t require a lot of detail. Just be clear with your staff about usage guidelines. If used recreationally while on the clock, instant message could turn into an efficiency killer.

There are a couple of great chat clients out there. My favorite is Adium (http://adium NULL.im/about/), which is a very simplified application and it’s just for the Mac. Campfire (http://campfirenow NULL.com/) has more to offer in terms of functionality, including a great group chat feature, I believe they call that a chat room? Anyway, the group chat feature is nice when you’re collaborating on a project with a couple people. And unlike the chat rooms of old, this one is password protected, so you don’t have to worry about unwanted creepy stalkers.

Wanna Skype?

With a remote set-up like the one we work with at Perception, Skype is a great way to stay connected as a team. Skype offers tons of cool features (http://www NULL.skype NULL.com/intl/en-us/features/), but our favorites are the video calling and group video calling features. We use Skype video chat to discuss new projects and sometimes even for client meetings. Often our clients reside in other parts of the country, and Skype allows us to meet “face-to-face” without even boarding a plane.

Client Communications

When working with a new client, one of the first things we like to discuss is the mode of communication that works best for everyone. For some projects, it’s just not feasible to engage in hour-long phone conversations every time the client has a request. Our recommended client communication tool is the project management system, and here’s why.

Project Management Tools

Don’t get me wrong, there’s definitely a time and a place when the best thing to do is to pick up the phone and call someone. However, the nature of an entrepreneur’s schedule doesn’t always allow for lengthy phone conversations. That’s why project management systems are so handy. The client can give feedback and ask questions whenever it’s convenient for them. And we can respond as soon as we have a moment to spare.

Think of a project management system as a private website solely dedicated to communication about a project. We are partial to the project management application called Open Atrium (http://openatrium NULL.com/about). It allows group members to write blog posts, make comments, and share to-do lists. Everything is documented in one place and it grants participants the luxury to go back and refer to the notes written about the project. It’s a great way to give and receive feedback when collaborating on a project.

Another popular project management tool is BaseCamp (http://basecamphq NULL.com/?cohort=Best%20Value%20/%20Best%20Value,Basic%20prices%20/%2034,No%20CC%20Upfront4%20/%20No-CC&utm_custom[Best_Value]=Best%20Value&utm_custom[No_CC%20Upfront4]=No-CC). For each project you work on you can upload files, send messages, and keep a group calendar. It also has a time-tracking component built in. The only downside is that it isn’t free, but they do offer a few different pricing options to choose from.

No matter what communication medium you settle on, it’s important that all parties involved are comfortable with it, otherwise communication simply will not happen smoothly. Communication within your company and between you and your clients is vital for the survival of your business, why not find the most efficient and effective tools for the job?