Create Newsletters That Owners Want to Read By Lisa Olson

Producing a newsletter that people

look forward to reading is easier than you think. Just follow these simple guidelines to increase readership and build community.

MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS!

Well planned newsletters use information and education to direct everyone’s attention to the benefits of being a part of your HOA by supporting clear lines of communication, building trust, and creating predictability in the community. The result: a contribution to community spirit that makes owners feel positive overall. Well-read newsletters help owners stay informed and supports other communication activities that, combined, causes owners to be more likely to participate in association issues and activities. The bonus… governance and business operations become less problematic for the board and management.

OTHER IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS

Relevant content – Make the content personal to the owner. State obvious benefits and demonstrate how the point applies to the reader. Get personal – use “you,” “your,” and to bring people

together use, “us,” “we,” and “our.”

Short and sweet - Get to the “why” the topic is important to them as quickly as possible. Bullet points work well. Use of a photo with quick caption and a short paragraph may be all you need.

Visual appeal – Colorful photos, white space, type size appropriate for the age of the readers, easy to read headlines and, clean graphics.

Benefit-oriented headlines – A “Desert Landscaping Coming” headline becomes, “Desert Landscaping Adds Color and Saves Money Too.”

TOPICS MADE EASY

“How do I come up with a topic?,” is the question I am asked most often. Actually, it’s not as difficult as it sounds. Just keep your eyes and ears open for stories.Approvals, decisions, changes – Meeting minutes are chuck full of great topics. People naturally want to know what is happening before it happens. This provides a sense of security, calms owners’ fears of the unknown, and helps them feel part of the community.Plans and follow-ups – Announce what is happening, explain why it is happening, and what result/ benefit owners can expect.

In a future newsletter, show owners the progress and/or results of projects. Tip: Before and after photos can be very effective with a caption stating the benefits of the project.Owners themselves – What are owners talking about around the pool, at social events and in committee meetings? What do they comment on or have questions about during the homeowner’s forum?Where does the money go? Pull out the financial statements and a calculator. Break it down into digestible numbers. For instance, take the monthly assessment and show how much money goes to each category of expense in meaningful dollars and cents. Better yet, include a colorful pie chart.Little known facts – These make great topics. For instance, owners are not aware of an HOA benefit like common area exterminator service and the discount given by this vendor to owners for service for their own property. Add a photo of the exterminator spraying.

"Well planned newsletters use information and education to direct everyone’s attention to the benefits of being a part of your HOA by supporting clear lines of communication, building trust, and creating predictability in the community."

Industry Professionals - CAI has articles that you can use for FREE both nationally and through CAI-CV. Look through these for topics and articles. Remember to edit so it is directly relevant to YOUR reader.Vendors – Remodelers, insurance agents, bankers, security companies, dog sitters, etc. can all provide great information and advice. Want to keep owners up to date on the real estate market in your HOA? Many vendors are willing to write a specific article for a mention of their name and contact information at the bottom. Just remember to tie it back to YOUR reader’s specific interests.

Lisa Olson is five-year veteran board member of Mountain Villas HOA. She is on the board of the Desert Cities HOA Council and is an active member of CAI-CV’s Homeowner Leader Committee. Lisa has more than 30 years’ experience in the marketing communications industry. She can be reached at (503) 539-4963 or by email at lisaomtvillas@gmail.com.