Within the world of graphic design, one of the hardest elements to get down is communication: that actual exchange of words, information and prices that happens when you’re signing a new client or discussing a new project. When you’re new to the game, it can be damn near impossible to make sure that you’re covering all the communication bases. So follow our various methods to improve your communication.
- Email: Use email like your bread and butter. We can’t describe how many emails we send a day, but if we had to, it would be measured in biblical proportions. You’ll find a lot of people that prefer to talk by phone, but for the most part, emailing is simply more convenient. Using email you can answer when you want, and in exactly as many words as you want. It’s no less easy to communicate than by phone, and you don’t have to be free to exchange information. There’s a reason email is as popular as it is, and we encourage you to use it for any and all communication purposes.
- Video Conferencing: Occasionally we’ll get a design client that involves several other people besides just their primary representatives. For these bigger needs, we like to use video conferencing tools like Skype, Facetime, or even Google+ Huddles. This makes it incredibly easy for us to get everyone in the same room, and without the need to meet at a local coffee shop or drive long distance to arrive late to a meeting.
- Google: And lastly, use Google as much as you can for the heftier communication items. What we mean is this: Use the Google Calendar, Google Drive, and Google Documents applications to share items that need to be shared with a lot of people, or items that are commonly changed on a frequent basis. Using email or any other form of message sending for these purposes can get difficult and tiresome. Why bother with any of them when Google, one of the largest and most trusted names in the business, has provided us with a clean and well-trimmed cloud-based option? In our eyes, it’s really a no-brainer, and one we encourage you to look into.