Use technology to create an HOA newsletter homeowners will love

How is living in an HOA community different from living in any other kind of neighborhood? This is an important question for any board member to ask, because the answer to this question is key to attracting homeowners.

One potential answer is that the HOA community is defined by its sense of internal identity. From shared, well-maintained amenities to community events in common areas, some elements of the neighborhood are specially curated for homeowners. Emphasizing these perks can boost the appeal of living in an HOA area.

Promoting these aspects of HOA community living is valuable as a way to attract new homeowners. Once homeowners move in, it’s a good practice to keep them in the loop about the happenings going on around them. This can help them feel deeply engaged with their neighbors and the HOA board members.

An HOA newsletter is the perfect medium to deliver updates and keep in touch with community members. With that said, this newsletter can’t have its maximum impact if it’s simply printed on paper. A digital newsletter is the ideal medium to reach each and every homeowner.

What’s the impact of an HOA newsletter?

A community newsletter represents a direct line between the HOA and homeowners in a community. Rather than forcing homeowners to keep in touch with the community association on various social media platforms, the HOA can directly send out its most important and timely updates to homeowners, keeping them in the loop.

When there are community events coming up, it’s worth promoting these gatherings in the newsletter. This makes sure homeowners don’t miss out on opportunities to have fun and connect with their neighbors, while also giving them a heads-up if a common area is going to be in use during a specific time.

Newsletters can also spread important information about essential pieces of community business. For instance, these publications can give updates about work being done in the neighborhood, such as construction or seasonal landscaping and clean-up work.

The community newsletter can even have an impact when it’s time to get people directly involved in the HOA. An upcoming event such as an HOA board member election or other vote in the community can receive attention in the newsletter.

Perhaps more than delivering any one kind of message, a newsletter may prove most useful as a way to make readers feel connected to the HOA. When each homeowner can see running updates on programs and services offered by the HOA, it’s easier to see the benefits of continuing to live in an HOA community and pay HOA dues.

To have the maximum impact in this regard, a newsletter should carry branding. This means that rather than a generic document, the newsletter should show off the visual identity of the community and its management company. This allows the HOA to be less anonymous and step up its presence in homeowners’ lives.

Launching an HOA newsletter doesn’t have to be a difficult undertaking, and the rewards in terms of improved communication are worth it. When HOA board members and their management company are equipped with up-to-date technology, it’s especially easy to get started with a newsletter — the same community management platform can act as a host for the new mailing.

Why release an HOA newsletter on a digital platform?

What makes issuing an HOA newsletter on a community management platform so much more effective than simply mailing a printed newsletter, or posting announcements directly on conventional social media accounts such as Facebook? There are a few advantages, all of which add up to ideal homeowner communication:

• A direct line to all homeowners: HOAs and management companies using a community management platform can use a direct inbox system to connect with all homeowners. They can also dispatch reminders via email or text message, just to make sure everyone gets each message.
• Branded templates and design elements: Working with HOA software purpose-built for community management means gaining access to purpose-built features such as branded templates. These enable visually appealing communication without time-consuming extra work.
• Mobile support and anywhere access: Community management software platforms allow HOAs to connect with their homeowners through both web portals and mobile applications. This easy access to information, newsletters included, enables homeowners to keep in touch with the HOA, even if they’re on the go.
• Easy links to other resources: Releasing a newsletter through an online homeowner communication portal means when readers access the information, they’re just one click away from other important resources. It’s simple to check the community calendar, file a maintenance request or reserve an amenity, all in the same system.

Today’s homeowners are increasingly millennials. This means they’ve grown up with the internet, and are used to companies making information highly accessible and available through digital means. HOAs and management companies that release their HOA newsletters digitally are simply meeting the expectations of today’s homeowners.

How do community management platforms connect HOAs and homeowners?

A newsletter is just one of the many important resources that HOA board memberes and their management companies can share with homeowners and each other through a community management software platform.

Having this technological framework at the center of an HOA community enables positive, easy experiences for homeowners, HOA board members, community managers and anyone else who needs timely access to information. Governing documents, a real-time calendar, a homeowner and services directory and much more are all in one place.

Communities powered by advanced software platforms can also offer functionality such as accounting and bill payment, all on a branded site and app, and never requiring users to visit any other web page. This modern, interconnected approach to homeowner communication is a sign that an HOA is ready to deal with homeowners in an ideally convenient format — and management companies that want to attract more HOA clients can tout their technological prowess as a selling point.

If you’re ready to unlock a new and more effective way to send HOA newsletters and other communications, request a demo of FRONTSTEPS’ fully featured HOA community management software platform.