Making positive touch points in your homeowners association is an important job of HOA board members. It helps foster relationships with residents in the community so that if an issue arises – either positive or negative – they feel comfortable and confident that they can bring it to the attention of the Board.

There are many different ways to make these positive touch points. A newsletter, whether written or electronic, is a great way to communicate with each member of the Association.

Below are 8 rules to follow when creating effective newsletters.

Posted by: ECHO

8 Rules to Follow When Creating Effective Newsletters

With an effective newsletter that reaches each member of an HOA, boards of directors and association managers have the opportunity to enhance the sense of “community” in their community association. Newsletters spark interest in the community, increasing member involvement and making management a bit easier. When everyone is aware of problems and concerns, there’s a better chance of everyone working together to fix them, which will in turn help the HOA achieve its primary function: to sustain and improve property values. This article looks at eight key elements of association newsletters that, when done correctly, will help achieve these results.

Creating a newsletter that HOA residents will read can be a challenge to both the writer and editor. These eight rules will help you master the art of newsletters:

1. Know your readership.
2. Attract that readership.
3. Write well, simply, accurately, and avoid jargon.
4. Be direct. Use strong and simple verbs, avoid the passive voice, and be specific.
5. Be informative. Give readers information that will be useful to them.
6. Don’t hassle homeowners.
7. Remember, names make news.
8. Add to readability with graphics and photos.

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Is there a disconnect between the Board and homeowners in your association? Sometimes, the hardest part is getting homeowners association members to just open and read the communications sent to them. The tips above will help your newsletter look and sound appealing to members so they will want to open it and learn about what’s happening in the community.

It’s the responsibility of the HOA board to protect, maintain and enhance the Association. A newsletter that is done well can not only enhance communication with members by making a positive touch point, but also spark interest about what’s going on so that they will also want to get actively involved.

If you’d like help putting together a newsletter for your homeowners association, consider hiring a property management company.