11 minute read
New Affiliate Members
serving your communities
CACM members further their success in the industry and benefit by partnering with colleagues to share new ideas and best practices. Please join us in welcoming these new members from the fourth quarter of 2015!
A Quality Pest Control
Laguna Hills | (949) 463-0263 www.aqualitypestcontrol.com
The Professional Tree Care Company
Berkeley | (510) 549-3954 www.professionaltreecare.com
Barcode Automation, Inc.
Winter Springs | (407) 327-2177 www.barcode-automation.com
Silicon Beach Insurance
Los Angeles | (310) 745-0191 www.siliconbeachinsurance.net
Behr Paint
Santa Ana | (714) 545-7101 www.behr.com
South Coast Restoration, Inc.
Laguna Hills | (949) 951-3637 www.southcoastrestoration.com
Bozzuto & Associates Insurance Services, Inc.
Campbell | (408) 680-0216 www.dbinsurance.com
Southern Cross Property Consultants
San Diego | (619) 655-7934 www.southerncrosspc.com
California Arborist Companies
Los Angeles | (562) 689-3280 www.californiaarborist.com
Vasin Sign & Design
Laguna Hills | (949) 382-6366 www.vasininc.com
Corwell-Cansler Insurance Agency
San Mateo | (650) 763-8844 www.farmersinsurancesanmateo.com
Flexground Surfaces Inc.
Roseville | (916) 474-5431 www.flexground.com
Fornesi Insurance Agency Farmers Insurance
Burlingame | (650) 343-6521 www.farmersagent.com/bfornesi
Green Vine Landscaping, Inc.
Santa Rosa | (707) 217-7507 www.greenvinelandscaping.com
Just Smart Business Technologies, Inc.
Murrieta | (951) 968-7066 www.justsb.com
To Be or Not to Be …
Continued from page 40 that may be poorly worded, ambiguous or simply vague. Examples you may have seen include: • A member of the board of directors uses his or her authority to engage the services of a vendor that is owned by a relative or a business in which they have a financial interest. • A board of directors wishes to waive its member’s assessment payments in exchange for services provided. • A board or individual board member wish to take action to enforce the governing documents or rules without engaging in due process or takes action which is directly contrary to the governing documents. • A board member that incites other members of the community to support their position by divulging privileged board conversations or matters discussed in executive session. • A resident or board member that spreads defamatory gossip or innuendo maligning or slandering another resident or board member. • A manager uses his influence to obtain special services from vendors.
All of these situations easily border on discrimination, defamation, slander, harassment and other potential legal problems. While it is well beyond the scope of this article and my ability to determine the reasons why we do things, the fact is that our motivation and actions are as varied as we are as people. Each of us has multiple reactions to stimuli and situations depending on our circumstances, education, timing, age, experience, etc.
Within this complicated context called human nature, what’s the bottom line? I believe it is important for each of us to strive to ennoble our character through any manner we believe to be effective and viable. Develop a personal “moral compass” and you will simply be able to look into the mirror and know intuitively whether you have done something that isn’t “quite” right. Professionally, it is necessary that we both work with, and adhere to, a code of ethics. It is critical that we have a standard of conduct which we as an industry espouse and live by. Fortunately, we have access to industry guidelines and existing codes of ethics that have been developed not only for us as practicing professionals, but also for the boards for whom we work. Part of our function as effective managers should be to become familiar with the tenets of our Manager Code of Professional Ethics and Standards of Practice and to encourage boards to adopt and use the policy that is applicable to them. If your board does not have one, CACM’s Manager Toolkit contains a sample Board Member Code of Ethics. We have the guidance and tools to maintain a high level of professionalism in our industry. Now it is up to each of us to do the work of holding ourselves and our boards accountable.
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By Keven Hempel & Sabrina Franklin
BRIDGING THE COMMUNICATION GAP WITH VIDEO
Effective communication is one of the best tools available for building a strong, vibrant community – communication that is clear, concise and engaging ... communication that cuts through the clutter. Unfortunately, that’s often easier said than done, especially when we rely solely on traditional communication methods and channels.
We exist in an age of online noise and social distraction that has reduced our attention span. Traditional text readers are quickly evolving into tech-savvy video viewers who prefer the medium of visual content to digest information and new ideas. Video is the ideal medium to deliver communication to your audience, as it naturally commands attention and promotes engagement in this age of information overload.
THE POWER OF DIGITAL STORYTELLING
Whether you are trying to communicate a vision, sell a solution or provide an explanation, digital storytelling through video is a powerful business tool and a constantly expanding medium that can’t be ignored. Video is appealing to both sight and sound and leverages the art of effective communications where less is always more. Video leaves a memorable impression that is easy to recall and share with others. Video is the fastest growing method of online communication and shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, Cisco predicts that by the year 2017, video will account for 69 percent of all consumer internet traffic.
Continued on page 46
Bridging the Communication Gap
Continued from page 45
Incorporate video into the communication plan
Although the technology behind video media is evolving day by day, the technique and best practices behind good storytelling has largely remained the same: a welltold story is one of value and personal transparency. Just like every other piece of content you create to promote your brand or community, you should start with a written communication strategy and storyboard that clearly outlines the video production process, from preparation to promotion of a finished product. Below is a list of key considerations to factor into your communications strategy before your start filming:
Ask yourself why you are creating the video
Are you looking to spotlight the members of your team? Capture board testimonials endorsing your services? Maybe you are considering using mobile devices to record site inspections and vendor walks that can be shared with people who cannot
attend? Perhaps your organization can benefit from developing educational videos that explain basic practices and procedures that govern HOA living? Or, maybe your goal is to share your corporate values and company culture in a transparent fashion? In all cases, you want to have a clear communication and distribution strategy that will carry the mission behind your message.
Decide what audience you want to reach Good video is relevant to the viewers’ interests and needs. Brainstorming a persona
of the audience for whom you are creating your videos is essential in the early stages of video planning. Will it be a simple smartphone video to send to a service provider about a repair that needs to be made or will you require a professional production video that will require editing? Whichever the case, being clear on who your target audience is and what pain points you are solving for them via your video will (1) assist you in setting the scope of production skill needed and (2) point you towards the platform best suited to deliver your content. Video content can easily be integrated into company and community websites, email marketing blasts and social media platforms.
Set the scene
When and where you capture your video is a key factor in how well your audience will receive and respond to your message. When selecting a filming location, avoid background environments that are distracting and take into consideration quality of lighting, sound clarity and the appearance of the speaker who will be featured on camera. One of the many benefits of shooting video is that you have the ability to review and refine your delivery with multiple takes until you feel comfortable with the performance.
Capture authenticity and transparency
Whatever information you would like to convey to your audience, do so with an authentic voice that is personal and that emphasizes the desire to connect on a meaningful level. Don’t fear truth or transparency. Remember vulnerability creates value and builds trust from your viewership. Identify the central issue relevant to your topic and viewers and work to offer insights and solutions that can add value to your clientele.
Share it!
Not everyone is a natural their first time on camera and not every video you produce will receive viral viewership or wide acclaim. And that’s Okay! Like any other craft, practice will lead to a more polished product in time. The best course of action is to publish a video with which you feel comfortable and solicit feedback so you can continually refine your approach.
Scalable Solutions
Creating you own video messaging in-house is more accessible than ever. The rapid advancement of technology has brought a multitude of video production tools and resources into the marketplace that now empower the average person to tell a story with the use of a smartphone or basic digital camera. To invest in a more polished production that will be used by your company as a core media asset, enlist the services of a professional
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To illustrate the power of video storytelling, Sabrina Franklin of Momentum Marketing produced a series of videotape interviews with more than a dozen CACM members at the Northern California Law Seminar & Expo. All of those interviews are now available on YouTube.
Christian Ellingson, CCAM with Smith Ranch Homes, explains how CCAM certification has helped him advance in community management.
Laura Ravazza, CCAM with Homeowners Management Company, explains how CACM has helped her career growth.
Robin Romo, MCAM-HR with CitiScape Property Management Group, talks about how CACM has helped her rise through the ranks and achieve success in the community management industry.
Jacqueline Dynes, CCAM with DyneNamic CID Management, talks about the value of certification.
Bruce Ratliff, CCAM-HR with Eugene Burger Management Corporation, explains why a specialty designation has been important to him.
Crystal Ridge of Common Interest Management Services talks about her career journey in community management.
Brittany Montoya-Taylor, CCAM talks about the unique value proposition that CACM offers.
See these video interviews and more at http://bit. ly/1MEEkF0 videographer who can help you develop a video marketing strategy and enhance the video quality by incorporating additional lighting and sound technology as well as advanced editing services for a professional finish.
Time to rise up and start your video storytelling
As a society that carries the ability to instantly communicate and connect to one another, everyone has the capability to become a digital storyteller. Don’t be afraid to share your story, because that is what ultimately builds the bridge, stimulates meaningful interaction and strengthens our ties within our community. If you’re not yet using video to inform and engage your target audience, now is the time to start integrating this medium into your communication strategy.
“If a picture is worth a thousand words – video is priceless.” John McAuliffe
Sabrina Franklin is the Principal Strategist at Momentum Marketing in Walnut Creek. Keven R. Hempel is the Founder of True North Services Inc. in Livermore.
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