I've talked many times about how important great communication is with your clients. But... it's too easy to forget that it's EXTREMELY important with your team members, too! That includes contractors, subs, assistants, architects and anyone else working on the project with you. One miscommunication can literally stop your fab project in its tracks! (UGH!) So here are some tips for successful communication!

1. Set a Schedule

Set a schedule for yourself - and any team members in your office - for when you will reach out to clients, contractors, and others on the project. You want to email them consistently with updates, but also schedule regular in-person meetings. Having a schedule helps you stay on track with updates and keeps everyone on the same page. 

2. Communicate Changes ASAP

Changes happen - it's just a part of our job. They key is that everyone on the project needs to know about the changes as soon as possible. There's nothing worse than finding out the painter didn't get the memo about the client's preference for a lighter version of the paint he actually used. YIKES! Keep everyone on the same page with change notifications. And if you use project binders, be absolutely sure you update ALL of the binders at the same time.

3. Write It Down

We all have those on-the-fly meetings - sometimes by text. And while that can move things along, those sorts of quick decisions and discussions can muddle up communication. It can create BIG misunderstandings about what was actually said. So be sure you write down everything that's agreed to on the phone or in a text. Send an email update with those notes to everyone who needs it. That way you have a record later of what was said and what was changed.

4. Be Consistent

You want to be sure that you are consistent with your communication plan - on every single project! Get a process in place and stick to it. If you can do that, it will soon just come naturally to you. Consistency also means that you should always do what you say you're going to. You want all of your team members to be able to trust your leadership and know that when they ask for something from you, it will get done!

To help me stay on top of communications with my team, I use the ROI Team Meeting Notes, which you can download for FREE! And again, as soon as I have these notes ready, they get distributed to EVERYONE on the team. It keeps us on track and headed for success!