When you look at Obsidian’s client roster, you’ll see a list of reputable, recognizable regional and national names. But, what you won’t see is a list of talented business professionals at these organizations who we work with every day. So many of them make our job a breeze and are a true joy to work with.

Because the holiday season is a time for thankfulness and reflection, I asked our team to think about what qualities they appreciate most in our clients. Check out what some of our team had to say:

Good communication. I really appreciate it when clients practice good communication skills. If they let me know they don’t like an idea I propose before we get the ball rolling, it makes my job a lot easier. It’s always easier to brainstorm new ideas than to backtrack once an idea is already in place. – Murray Lace

Feedback! While we hope it’s always great, any feedback helps our team sharpen future efforts. Face time (and not the Apple type)! There’s nothing like having consistent interface with a client. That doesn’t always have to be in person, though. Any connection helps foster a solid relationship. Appreciation. Who doesn’t love to be appreciated?! Enthusiasm for what we do. You just can’t replace this. – Courtney Ellett

Preparedness. It helps us do our job when our clients are prepared for PR! When they have good photos and videos, we’re able to use that for great social campaigns or in our pitching efforts. When they have awesome stories to tell or new and exciting products to promote, that helps us get their brand and their name out to the public. – Gracie Lee

Understanding and trust. We always have regular check-ins with clients, but the best ones are more of an update meeting and finding out more about what’s going on than they are being told what we should do next. The best clients collaborate with us. They keep us in the loop on their end and accept guidance on ours. We work together as a team, not as one in charge and one doing the bidding. – Kelli Brignac

Being realistic. We all have big dreams and goals when making decisions on how to better promote a company’s brand. When a client understands the importance of setting realistic goals with manageable deadlines, it makes my job a little less hectic. – Taylor McKinney

Passion. When a client is passionate about his or her work, I immediately want to fall in line with their passion. Working with organizations that have a defined purpose, admirable goals and want to make a change is what makes me excited to get up and come to work every day. – Taylor Jolley

Organization. It’s extremely helpful when clients come to the table somewhat organized. If not, our time is spent getting things organized rather than producing results-driven work. It’s not only more efficient for us and for clients, but it’s also a better use of clients’ hours. – Lauren Hannaford