COMMUNICATION IS KEY!
In order to communicate with the staff, I have used GroupMe for the last 3 years. It is essentially a messaging app and you can create groups. I recommend making a group with everybody, a group with top editors, a group with top and section editors, and a group with advisor and top editors. For every deadline, there also needs to be a group of every team. Make sure that the EIC and top editors are included in all the team group chats so they know what is happening or what needs to get done. Communication is key, and after trying several different things, I think that GroupMe works best.
Over the last 3 years, there have been several miscommunications that could have easily been avoided. People changed spread design without telling the designer. editing copy that was not done which only resulted in wasted time, etc. The key to a successful staff, successful book, and meeting deadlines, is communication. Having open communication with everybody on staff and making sure that they feel comfortable communicating with you is really important. At the beginning of the year, get every staff member's phone number and email address so that if something happens or it is deadline and you need their content, you have a way to communicate with them other than GroupMe.
Encourage people to like the messages on GroupMe so that the sender knows that their message has been read and acknowledged. It is also important that everyone reads GroupMe frequently and has the notifications ON!! Go through a tutorial at the beginning of the year of how to turn notifications on for the app and make sure that everyone follows along. This being said, people do not want to get a million notifications. Make sure what you are saying is important and not just pictures or puppies, no matter how cute they may be. Remember, you do not want to turn the staff away from using the app as a communication device, you want to encourage it and let them know it is there and someone will reply asap.
Over the last 3 years, there have been several miscommunications that could have easily been avoided. People changed spread design without telling the designer. editing copy that was not done which only resulted in wasted time, etc. The key to a successful staff, successful book, and meeting deadlines, is communication. Having open communication with everybody on staff and making sure that they feel comfortable communicating with you is really important. At the beginning of the year, get every staff member's phone number and email address so that if something happens or it is deadline and you need their content, you have a way to communicate with them other than GroupMe.
Encourage people to like the messages on GroupMe so that the sender knows that their message has been read and acknowledged. It is also important that everyone reads GroupMe frequently and has the notifications ON!! Go through a tutorial at the beginning of the year of how to turn notifications on for the app and make sure that everyone follows along. This being said, people do not want to get a million notifications. Make sure what you are saying is important and not just pictures or puppies, no matter how cute they may be. Remember, you do not want to turn the staff away from using the app as a communication device, you want to encourage it and let them know it is there and someone will reply asap.