Want Your Tech & Marketing Team to Speak the Same Language?

Have you ever been in a meeting and felt like the other team was speaking a different language? Here’s how to make sure your technical and marketing teams understand each other. 

Key Takeaways:

• Technical and marketing teams can get inside each other’s heads with the right support. 
• Establish a shared language by creating a glossary of commonly used terms.
• Nurture communication by creating a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and feedback.
• Promote collaboration by setting clear expectations, providing resources, and encouraging regular check-ins and feedback.
• Embrace diversity to leverage unique experiences and skill sets that can help address challenges from multiple angles.

Do you ever feel like your technical and marketing teams are speaking different languages? Bridging the gap between these two groups can be challenging, but you’ll risk being left in the dark if you don’t. After all, marketing and technology go hand-in-hand. Where would we be without martech or technical marketing? 

Imagine you're in a meeting and the technical team starts discussing API integrations, databases, and server-side rendering. That might feel like a foreign language to many non-technical professionals, but there’s plenty you can do to facilitate communication between your marketing and technical teams. For starters, encouraging team members to ask questions gives you a peek into what matters to them. That helps you understand them, which helps you communicate effectively. 

That’s far from the only change you can (and should) make to bring your teams together, though.  Your goal is to find ways to understand each other, and it all starts with speaking the same language. 

4 ways to bridge the gap between technical and non-technical teams

Helping your teams communicate more efficiently is easier than you think. Here are four tips to help bridge any jargon gaps and increase productive interactions. 

Establish a shared language

Your first step should be to establish a common language. Technical jargon can be overwhelming for non-technical team members, and marketing lingo can be equally perplexing for those on the technical side.

Start by creating a glossary of commonly used terms to make sure everyone is on the same page. This glossary should be easily accessible to all team members and include simple, clear definitions of any technical terms that might be used. A shared language enables your team to more efficiently communicate and work together. It's a simple but really important step.

Foster communication

Now that you understand each other, it's time to nurture that line of communication between your technical and non-technical teams. This means creating a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and asking questions. Here are some quick tips:

• Provide opportunities for discussion. Weekly team meetings or one-on-one check-ins can allow team members to voice their concerns, ideas, and feedback in a supportive environment. 
• Then, actively encourage team members to share ideas and feedback. 
• Create a purposeful, communicative environment where everyone's input is valued so you begin to foster a culture of innovation and creativity.

Remember, communication is a two-way street. Ensure you're not only providing opportunities for your team members to speak up, but also actively hearing what they have to say and responding to their concerns. This encourages trust and openness, which is the only way you can truly collaborate effectively. 

Promote collaboration

No project can be successful without collaboration, so set clear expectations for each project. Here are some ideas to assist you as you get started:

• Assign roles and responsibilities based on each team member's expertise and strengths, giving everyone a clear understanding of what's expected of them and how they fit into the overall project.
• Next, provide resources that can help team members better understand their roles and how they fit into the bigger picture. For instance, you can create a project roadmap or a shared document that outlines the project's goals, timelines, and deliverables. This can help everyone stay on track and aligned with the project's objectives.
• Lastly, make sure your teams are communicating well. Regular check-ins can help keep everyone on the same page and provide an opportunity to discuss issues or concerns. Encourage team members to share ideas and provide feedback, and make sure everyone feels heard and valued.

Remember, collaboration is not just a buzzword. By promoting it within your teams, you're fostering a positive work culture as well as ensuring that your projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest standard.

Embrace diversity

Ah, diversity – the spice of life. It's what makes us all unique, brings new perspectives to the table, and ultimately makes us stronger as a team. It comes in many forms, too, including cultural, linguistic, educational, socioeconomic, neurodiversity, and more. Embracing these differences opens us up to a world of possibilities. Each team member brings a unique set of experiences and skills that can be leveraged to address challenges from multiple angles.

Picture this: You're working on a project with a diverse team of individuals. You've got a whiz with numbers, a creative genius, and a master of organization. Now, imagine trying to tackle that same project with a team full of people who all have the same skill set. It would be like trying to cook a gourmet meal with only one ingredient. 

Celebrate diversity within teams by recognizing individual contributions and successes together. When we take the time to appreciate what makes each team member unique, we create a sense of belonging and inclusivity that is a big part of a positive work environment.

Bridge the gap with better communication

Here’s a pro tip: The right internal communications go a long way toward helping your teams understand each other. It’s a lot easier for everyone in tech and all your marketing staff to come together and speak the same language if they are also armed with your company’s perspective. In other words, it’s all about aligning your mission with your team. 

That’s where ContentBacon comes in. We’ve got teams of pro writers, editors, and strategists standing by to craft the perfect branded internal copy to support your team and help them communicate more effectively. Whatever you need, we’ll whip it up and serve it up – still sizzling – on a silver platter! 

Let’s talk about how the right content can support your team’s communication. Schedule a call with us today!