Every aspect of running a business is tough.
But since we’re all about communications here at Spin Sucks, I decided to zone in on that specific aspect for this week’s #SpinSucksQuestion.
On Monday, I asked:
From a communications standpoint, what’s the toughest challenge you face in your job?
And because the Spin Sucks Community is the bee’s knees, I received a range of responses with great insights into the various problems we face.
I mean, just because we’re all in the communications industry, doesn’t mean we all have the same communications issues.
Let’s get started.
Wait…You Guys Do That?
Chris Williams from Planet Magpie said this:
A perennial problem for us is communicating all of our services to customers, without annoyance/disengagement. We have so many IT services that customers tend to forget about half of them, even after working with us for months. Trouble is, different customers forget different halves! So we’re balancing reminders about services (when pertinent) with trying not to bug our customers too much. Constantly.
I’ve Got 99 Problems and Analytics is All of Them
Jono Smith wants better analytics platforms:
Measurement. All the analytics platforms are horrible.
Just Say No
Greg Brooks thinks the key is learning to consistently say no:
Business leadership is about saying no—to vendors, to staff, to clients, to prospects. There’s no shortage of ideas or input most of the time; the leadership function is about filtering.
Saying no is hard for some folks, easy for others. But saying no with consistency of mission and vision? That’s tough for any leader.
Standards? We Don’t Need No Stinking Standards (Except We Do)
Ed Katz blames the lack of standardization in the industry:
Lack of standardization in the industry is what bothers me. It feels like comparing apples and oranges all the time.
A Balancing Act
As PR changes, it’s normal to expect more people to be involved with the process, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
Lindsay Paulson is experiencing those growing pains right now:
Involving all the right people, internally, in our owned stories has become a big challenge. As PR has become more visible, more people want to be part of the process, so we’re trying to balance that, without slowing down our process/momentum, so we stay on track.
Evolution of the Communications Industry
With the way the communications industry is changing, it’s no wonder it’s an area everyone seems to struggle with from time to time.
There are only so many hours in the day, and sometimes it’s not enough to keep up.
No matter what your challenge is, now’s not the time to throw up your hands and scream, “Just forget it!”
It can feel that way. (I’ve done it myself a few times only to come back to the issue later, because I’m a brat and can’t stand to feel like I lost some imaginary competition.)
Use what you know.
Trust your instincts.
You didn’t make it this far for some pesky little problem to keep you from your goal, did you?
(I feel like a coach giving a pep talk before a big game. I would like to point out that, no, I do not want a giant cooler of Gatorade poured on my head. Gross.)
And if you don’t know the answer, just ask. Ask the Spin Sucks community (if you’re not in there, what are you waiting for? It’s awesome and free!)
Talk with a mentor.
Collaborate with a colleague.
But don’t do that yet. I mean, if you’re already here reading this, why not give your own answer in the comments?
I can promise you’re probably not the only one with the same challenge.
