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Marketing and Communication. Communication and Marketing. Two very different entities that are often inseparable in the world of high-level business.

Without good communication, how do you interact, relay a message, design, implement and ultimately succeed? I imagine it would be as close to impossible as one can reach.

Even though “bad communicators” can happily exist within an organization, they are usually only facilitated by the “good communicators” that prop them up — particularly in marketing.

What is good communication? I believe it to be the art and the ability to succinctly, effectively and clearly write, speak and visually transfer a message of any kind through media of any kind.

Not an easy feat by any means. Each aspect of communication should be honed and crafted to reach a near-state of perfection so that your audience — in business or otherwise — is never confused or left unnecessarily questioning but always wanting more.

How do you become a better communicator? I can offer tips but unfortunately fool-proof methodology does not exist!

Practice until you’re sick of it. Then come back and learn to appreciate it. This is applicable for both written and oral communication. The more you write, the more aware you become of yourself as a writer. The more you speak, not colloquially but rather conscientiously, the greater understanding you will obtain about your vocabulary and command of a language.

To facilitate this, befriend someone — coworker, existing friend, family member, peer, mentor — whom you know can write and speak well. This step is vital because one can practice endlessly but never actually reach their potential without the right guidance and criticism.

Be willing to be criticized. As someone who continuously works on becoming a better writer, I am wholeheartedly prepared to displace my ego for the betterment of my craft. As difficult as it may be, know that improvement is always possible.

Educational courses and groups. I, myself, am considering venturing into the Toastmasters organization to improve my public speaking abilities. There are numerous writing and speech courses that one can take in order to enhance the foundation that ultimately leads to effective communication. Grammar, spelling, vocabulary — all necessary cogs.

Ultimately, take the time to understand how you communicate and how you can make it better. Making an effort is a great place to start. Studying those who do it well is also advantageous. And never forget that at the heart of a good marketer is a great communicator.

Some people are the idea generators, others are the doers or the leaders or a mix of them all — any business behavioural course will take you through the measures of the different types of people and, ultimately, what makes the best team.

I envy those that are able to achieve a utopian-like mix of different personalities and workers that effectively complement each other in a professional setting.

One role or one type is certainly not better than the next but a fact remains that some are better listeners than others.

I have always been an advocate of listening — likely because I fall into the leader–doer category mix. I opt to pay attention, absorb all ideas and suggestions and then analyze and determine the best course of action.

It comes naturally to me and may not to others, but that does not mean that we should not make an informed and conscious effort to take the time and listen — to our peers, colleagues, supervisors and all others with a voice.

In Marketing, is is as critical as it is in any department or at any hierarchical level within the organization. If we as marketers choose not to listen, we are most certainly doomed to fail.

The moment we ignore or devalue the voices around us — from our target market to those we work with — we lose connectivity with those who matter most and foster a lack of communication, which is at the heart of any good marketing strategy in my opinion.

My advice is simple: Stop and Listen. I guarantee it will be beyond appreciated. It will make you a better leader. And it will ensure that you never risk alienating the environment in which you work and the market that you serve.

Day 1: This is a personal challenge. Write 1 blog everyday for 7 days. So far, I’m winning.

Capitalizing on the plethora of media (i.e. formats) available to your run-of-the-mill, bumbling marketing department can be quite the challenge. As you may know by now, I love challenges!

YouTube started an interesting revolution in sharing videos for free (self-made, legal and otherwise) based on a simple platform. The video format extends even farther back then the good ol’ VHS. Beta, anyone?

However, the power of a 30 second spot or a 5 minute profile has only magnified as our attention spans have shortened. Consider graphics, text, animation, voice and the all the other cool effects I know not the names of.

I like the idea of using video, viral or scripted and deliberate, as a marketing tool that extrapolates a product, a person, a company, and ultimately “sells” without shoving it down the viewers’s throat.

The best thing to do is to not attempt this in-house — unless you’re one of those departments with unlimited resources and a master video producer on staff, if only. Seek out the video geniuses tucked away in the internet’s dusty corners. If you’re not up for the task of spring cleaning, ask around because I guarantee someone knows someone else who once recommended this really great company.

Visual impact. A picture is supposedly worth a thousand words. So, is it worth more if it moves?