Communication plays a big role in managing a homeowners association. Having the right platforms helps you effectively distribute essential information to all of your members. It also encourages all members to participate in discussions and show up at important events. This article discusses the many ways to help you achieve this.
Use the Right Communication Platforms
When communicating important homeowners association announcements or information to the residents, it’s important to use the right medium for it. Moreover, you need to also maximize available resources for communicating events, announcements, upcoming board meetings, and other important information you need to get across.
Apart from reaching the residents one by one, post all announcements and other important information at all common areas. As much as possible, use a full-color poster for this. While it’s helpful to communicate these individually, some homeowners may forget them, too, especially when they get too busy. You can remind them by putting up posters or flyers and making them available for everyone.
Unless the announcement is urgent, we suggest a weekly newsletter sent to their emails. You can post updates, upcoming events and meetings, and other things that homeowners need to know. Remember, being organized is also key. Gather all information first and distribute them at the same time every week so the homeowners know when to expect them.
For urgent announcements, consider sending them through text messages or emails. HOA managers can even set up a Facebook Group for all residents, and you can post any updates there. During the meeting, tell the homeowners to enable alerts to receive information about the association. Tell them it’s important, so they are well informed of what’s happening and if there are things they need to know.
Develop and Implement a Social Media Policy
Today, almost everyone has a social media profile. Facebook is by far the most popular social media platform. However, some older couples may not really use this platform. In this case, you may tell them to use Messenger for updates.
Ensure that you have a Facebook Page for your association and ask the members to follow your page for important announcements and updates that they need to be aware of. Post all your updates on your Facebook Group, too, so the members can all see them. If you have future announcements or events, consider organizing your posts and include reminders too. You can also invite them to events, so the members get an instant reminder. Social media can be a good platform if you know how to use all the available resources such as sending Invites for group events or taking advantage of group messaging.
As much as possible, include all the details in your Facebook post and encourage the homeowners to engage if they have questions or clarifications. Ensure that you always address concerns or comments so they know that you care about the association.
If you know how to make online posters, you can also post them on your Facebook group account or Instagram for reference. In case the homeowners want to clarify something about an important announcement or update.
Ask for Assistance
Self-managing an HOA can be stressful and overwhelming, but you don’t have to do everything yourself. Consider having different committees and ask for assistance from them. If you have a group of people helping you post upcoming events, ask them to create posters for these and post them on your social media platforms. Appoint leaders for each committee and give them access to your social media. Unless the announcement is urgent, it’s best to have scheduled posts, so your members know when to expect them. This is just a suggestion — you can always try other strategies that work for your association.
To get the word out, you may also encourage all members to inform other members when they can. You don’t have to tell them one by one; include them in the post. Post it as a gentle reminder to ensure that everyone is aware of an important announcement. For example, you can add a P.S such as, “Don’t forget to spread the word.” Try also not to sound too serious; a little humor can go a long way. Be creative with your posts, so the members don’t get bored.
Acquire/Update All Contact Information
Before disseminating information, make sure that you have your members updated contacts. It’s always possible that they are too busy they won’t have time to read their emails — so texting them may be a good idea too. For emails, there is software that lets you know whether the recipient has read the emails you sent — consider having these, so you know everyone has read the email. Otherwise, you may send text messages or perhaps notifications if your homeowners association has an app.
During board meetings, ask all members to update you if they have suddenly changed their phone numbers or no longer using a certain email address so you can remove it from your database.
Ask Help From Professionals
Apart from asking assistance from your committees, it can also significantly help your association when you hire a professional to develop a management package suitable to your association’s needs. An HOA management company is an expert in effectively helping HOA manage its homeowners association. They are equipped with the right skills, experience, and resources to utilize for your organization. As much as possible, get help from them to relieve you from the stress and hassle of running an organization all by yourself.
Contact Silvercreek Association Management
Are you struggling with managing your homeowner’s association? We can help! Our team of professionals is committed to helping HOA managers effectively and efficiently manage their associations by providing Regulation Support, Community Letters, Board Meetings & Information Packages, and Properly Inspections. You can rely on us to get the right message across to all of your members. Get in touch with us today!
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