Best Practices for Handling Communication with Owners in a Condo Association

Communication is one of the most important roles for association board members, but it can be tricky to find the right balance. Too much communication can overwhelm owners and may cause them to disregard future messages altogether. Not enough information could lead to distrust of the board as it may seem like they are hiding something.

Keep everyone informed and out of the dark by implementing these best practices for communicating with your condo association community.

• Find the right frequency – It’s important to stay top-of-mind with unit owners, but you don’t want to become just more noise in their inbox. Stay in regular contact with members of your association without bombarding them daily – and when you do send a communication, make sure you have something meaningful to say.

• Hold regular meetings – Meetings are one of the best forums for reaching your membership. It allows owners a chance to hear in person important topics and issues facing the association and understand how their association assessments are being put to work. Meeting notices must be posted in advance of all meetings, and an association management company can assist with the distribution of meeting documents and notices.

• Leverage multiple communication channels – Communication should come in multiple forms. Post important notices in common areas as well as send emails, make phone calls or share information online or via text. Not everyone is eager to pick up the phone, but they might quickly respond to a text message, so leveraging multiple communication channels can be an effective way to reach unit owners.

• Encourage dialogue – Lastly, keep in mind that communication is a two-way street. You should provide opportunities for owners to ask questions and engage during meetings or contact their association’s management company if they have questions. Tuning into their concerns will make your communication more effective.

Effectively communicating with your condo association is an important board member responsibility, but it can be time-consuming. Our team at First Community Management is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our full-service management solutions for Chicago condo associations.