Communication is an area that requires continuous improvement. In fact, many issues arise from a lack of it so implementing the right HOA communication tools is crucial. Otherwise, your community will deal with constant misunderstandings and frustration. Understanding which channels and devices are best for your community can be a tough task. There are so many options and providers in the market that it can easily get overwhelming.
This post will cover the best HOA communication tools along with best practices to use them. On top of that, it will also teach you how to develop a communication strategy for your HOA.
Ready to learn more?
What is an HOA communication tool?
Put simply, an HOA communication tool is a digital solution that facilitates communication between homeowners, board members, and other stakeholders. These tools are usually featured in apps, software, or online portals.
What are the benefits of using different communication channels?
Long gone are the days when posting a notice on a noticeboard was sufficient to inform all of your residents. Maybe it was never enough. But nowadays, people have different lifestyles. Some people barely check the notice board or don’t live in the community. So communities need to change their strategies to stay in touch with residents. Since different generations may live in the same HOA, residents have different preferences when it comes to where they receive information.
All residents have the right to be informed about what is going on in their community. The role of the board of directors is to ensure that. The use of different HOA communication tools makes this task easier.
Here is a list of some benefits that come from using several HOA communication tools:
- Well informed homeowners
- Increased engagement
- Improved transparency and trust
- Higher HOA meeting quorum
- A balanced workload for homeowners or community association managers
What are the risks of poor communication in an HOA?
According to a recent survey we conducted, 91% of community leaders agreed that communication is an issue in their association. Far too often, board members don’t realize that this issue exists. They deal with conflict and tensions and don’t fully grasp where it comes from. Here is a list of potential harm that comes from poor communication:
- A toxic work environment for board members and community association managers
- Unnecessary conflict and misunderstandings
- Lack of accountability
- Residents mistrust the board
- Unmet expectations
How can I choose the best HOA communication tools for my community?
As mentioned above, communicating via different channels is essential to keep all residents informed. That doesn’t mean your HOA needs to implement every tool available. You need to make an assessment and pick those who make more sense and fit your community’s needs.
1 HOA Newsletter
Whether you print your HOA newsletter, keep it digital, or both, it’s a unique tool that fosters engagement and a sense of community. It’s the perfect balance between casual and important information. A creative HOA newsletter full of updates and activities tips is truly something homeowners look forward to receiving.
It’s a great way to keep the whole community in the loop and to feel connected to their neighbors. A newsletter is also a great place to include resident contributions so that it becomes a community project. It is more complete and more entertaining than other communication tools.
2 HOA email
HOA email communication is becoming the new favorite among community associations. Nowadays, practically everyone has an email address so by using this convenient tool, there is a big chance your message will reach a large audience. It allows you to deliver messages instantly without too much effort and without being invasive.
It’s a more formal channel, where the board or manager informs residents of news or events.
3 Text Messages
This medium is also quick and immediate. Usually, text messages are assimilated with high-priority information so that is perfect for sharing important updates such as HOA maintenance activities or safety issues.
Bear in mind
Keep in mind that texting is not recommended for long communications, emails are more appropriate in this case. Texts are great to let residents know about unexpected changes, such as the water being cut or a meeting location being changed.
4 Smart calls
Unlike regular phone calls, smart calls are automated voice messages that you can send to any mobile or landline phone. Smart calls are extremely useful and necessary in emergencies. As 99.99% of people have phone numbers, you can easily warn and inform all your residents with this tool.
As our client Rachel, from Riverwoods Plantation said:
I only use the text and phone notices if there’s a major emergency. So that’s the biggest thing that we really have grown to appreciate with Vinteum. I don’t want to see any hurricanes! But in the event of a hurricane or a tropical storm. It’s an excellent tool for us. And with COVID it has been great to have that because we were able to get information out. Because, as you know, things are changing rapidly, especially at the beginning of the whole pandemic. It was a great tool for us.
5 HOA website
An HOA website is a powerful instrument that showcases your community to potential homebuyers. It is also a great place where residents can find relevant information and can access governing documents. In some states, some community associations are even required by law to have a website, such as in Florida. This law was implemented to increase transparency, showing how valuable having a website can be.
What to include on your HOA’s website
Your website is the ideal place to showcase your community association to potential buyers and to post key information about your community. This could include office hours, renting the clubhouse, or founding documents. It is important to remember that your website is completely public, so don’t post confidential information.
What a Neigbrs by Vinteum website gives you + examples
Creating a website with Neigbrs by Vinteum gives you a modern, easy-to-use website without needing to know any code in just a few minutes.
Share key news and documents with residents, and let potential buyers see what makes your community so special and unique in a single page that transmits your community’s personality.
Examples:
6 HOA social media
Built with the intent to foster connections among people, social media is the best place for informal discussions such as yard sales or community events. Facebook and NextDoor are usually the favorite for HOAs but other social networks can be a great fit.
Social media is the space for residents to interact and share information, so it’s important to have clear guidelines and policies for what isn’t allowed. Some HOA platforms, such as Neigbrs by Vinteum, provide more private social networks to engage your residents.
7 HOA documents
HOA governing documents contain important pieces of information. Those need to be easily accessible to residents and future homeowners. Storing your HOA documents online makes it easier for the board to upload these files and for residents to access them whenever they want.
Tip
Posting your HOA’s documents on a cloud-based platform increases transparency, and saves time. Before posting, the board should consider who will have access to what documents and how documents will be organized.
8 HOA survey
HOA surveys and polls are the best way to assess the satisfaction and needs of homeowners. For example, you can ask them where they prefer to receive information. The results will definitely help you choose which communication tools to invest in. By asking for your members’ opinions and taking them into account, you’re including them more meaningfully in the decision-making process.
9 Virtual Meetings
Physical distancing and the growing trend of working from home have increased the need for virtual meetings. Having virtual meetings will encourage people that are geographically not present to attend, such as snowbirds. It also allows people that are very busy or have mobility issues to participate from the comfort of their homes.
Bonus
If your State allows for online voting, holding virtual or hybrid meetings can help improve quorum, which many communities struggle with.
10 HOA events calendar
With an HOA events calendar, you prevent people from forgetting about deadlines, important commitments, and community gatherings. Community members can easily see everything that is going on in their HOA. This tool will definitely help you increase HOA meeting quorum and participation in events.
11 HOA communication apps
HOA communication apps are great because you use them on your smartphone so you can communicate while on the go. This is perfect for residents who are always on the go. Besides, you can agree to receive notifications to make sure you don’t miss any important information.
12 HOA software / HOA app
An HOA software is a purpose-built solution that seamlessly integrates with a large number of communication tools. This powerful platform allows you to centralize all of your HOA communication and management in one place. Normally you are able to use this portal on your smartphone. In that case, it is called an HOA app.
What happens after implementing these tools? Will communication improve instantly in my HOA?
Unfortunately, implementing HOA communication tools alone is not enough to ensure seamless communication. There are a few extra things that you need to consider such as polishing your communication skills. Here are a few tips that can help you:
1 HOA communication strategy
Even though community associations are non-profit organizations, it is important to set goals and monitor them. Especially when it comes to communication. Obviously, your main objective is to have informed residents. But, you can have other ones. Maybe you would like to increase participation rates for some classes your HOA offers. Or you wish to reduce HOA violations. Once you define clear objectives, you can create a plan on how to achieve them. Developing an HOA communication strategy will help your communication be more concise and targeted. Even better, it will help you select the right HOA communication tools.
At the end of the year, you can look back at these objectives and see if you managed to attain them. Presenting these results to residents during an HOA meeting is also a good way to show that the board is taking action to make its community better.
2 Implement policies
Implementing policies is also very important. These are procedures that board members and residents must follow to ensure proper usage of communication means. Here are some examples:
- Who is in charge of communicating on behalf of the community?
- What is the frequency of interaction?
- How should residents reach out to the board?
- Who are the administrators of the communication platform?
- What types of messages are allowed and prohibited
Giving your community guidelines for handling information will help you avoid issues. Especially when it comes to social networks. As you probably know, there are many risks associated with these platforms. Here are a few examples:
- Defamatory or offensive remarks
- Harassment
- Leaking of personal or confidential information
So setting an HOA social media policy is crucial to avoid abuse and potential lawsuits. Allowing your residents to engage and create connections is one thing. But without effective rules, it can quickly become a nightmare.
3 HOA communication best practices
Effective communication requires a certain skill set. When you wish to convey a message always keep in mind the 7Cs of Communications. This is a list of principles that will help you get your message across.
- Clear
- Concise
- Concrete
- Correct
- Coherent
- Complete
- Courteous
Another great tip to become a better communicator is to be an active listener. As a board member, you probably deal with complaints or concerns from residents on a regular basis. Only by paying attention and listening carefully, will you be able to articulate a good response or find a solution to whatever problem.
A lot of the time, community leaders struggle with responding promptly. But you should know that a good communicator is a responsive one. When homeowners have quick answers to their questions, they will feel heard.
However, it is a difficult task when you don’t have the proper tools at your disposal.
If you follow these HOA communication best practices and you implement the right tools then you will not have much to worry about.
4 Be patient
Something you should be aware of is that change doesn’t come overnight. It is a process and it takes time. Sometimes, board members invest in solutions and expect to see an improvement right away. Then, they are disappointed when it doesn’t happen immediately. There is a lot of convincing to do to get people to change old habits. Even when they are bad habits. When it comes to a digital transition it is even more tricky. Especially with the aging HOA residents who may not be tech-savvy. This doesn’t mean you need to give up, you just need to remind everyone that there is an adaptation time. The graph below illustrates it perfectly.
Stage 1 – Denial
In this stage, you should share information with your residents or teammates. Explain why you are implementing this particular communication tool. Help them understand the value of it.
Stage 2 – Anger
Here, homeowners may not have adopted this new solution yet and they may feel angry. Give them support. Your solution provider probably offers onboarding sessions, so encourage your colleagues to participate. The more the board centralizes communication in one place, the more effective that platform will be.
Stage 3 – Exploring
In this stage, they are starting to adapt and they are exploring these new tools. When they see the benefits, and that the board is regularly using it they will follow. Make sure to give them directions. Again, your solution provider probably offers free training videos that explain how to perform a specific task step-by-step.
Stage 4 – Acceptance
Here, they finally accepted the change. That doesn’t mean your work ends here. You should continue to encourage them by showing them successful results. You also constantly need to spread the word as new residents move in.
Key takeaways from HOA Communication Tools
Keeping residents always in the loop is a difficult task. By not equipping your team with the right HOA communication tools it becomes a real challenge. By sending messages through different mediums, you won’t have to wonder who got the information and who didn’t anymore.
Make sure to carefully select the right platform for your association. There are many free HOA software out there that won’t do you any good.
Improving the frequency and quality of interactions with residents is an important aspect of HOA management. So don’t forget to create a strategy and apply best practices.
Communication is at the heart of everything Neigbrs by Vinteum, and our goal is to make communicating easy. Whether it’s working in step with you to best serve your needs, or providing solutions that bring communities together, we let you focus on the important conversations that really matter. Book your free demo to find out how we can help you help your community.
