An HOA newsletter is a great way to communicate with homeowners and create the desired atmosphere for your neighborhood. Keeping homeowners up-to-date on association plans, events, and actions also builds openness and connectivity between homeowners and board members. That’s why, this week, we’re sharing tips for making the most effective newsletter possible.

Planning the Newsletter Project

First, you need to decide who will create the newsletter. While some associations have newsletter committees to write and design the neighborhood communication, in other associations, board members will work together to write the community newsletter.

Next, determine how often you would like to publish this newsletter. Two-page quarterly newsletters are often effective, but if you don’t have much news to share, you can publish semi-annually.

Writing the Articles

Now that the project plan is in place, it’s time to actually get the articles down on paper! Before you even start writing, make sure you have a clear idea of your goal: are you attempting to simply inform homeowners of an upcoming policy change? Or, are you trying to persuade them to drive more carefully in the neighborhood? Keeping your goal in mind as you write will help you stay on topic and keep the communication as short and concise as possible; every sentence should help develop this goal.

Tips for Newsletter Layout

When arranging the articles on the newsletter layout, put the most important article first, and continue adding written pieces in order of importance. You may end your newsletter with a list of community contacts, such as the number for the waste management company or association office.

You can clearly separate individual articles by using borders or semi-transparent backgrounds. Sometimes, using one column instead of two is the simplest fix for confusing layouts. Within each article, check that paragraphs aren’t broken between pages, and that single words don’t occupy their own lines.

Designing with Style

Simplicity is key when designing your newsletter. A minimalist design will keep readers focused on what’s written and make reading the newsletter more pleasurable. Don’t let a complex design distract from your message.

When choosing text size, staying between 10 and 12 points for body text will ensure that the articles are legible. Titles can be larger, usually between 14 and 18 points. Your newsletter title and headings can also be set in more artistic typefaces because these are more easily read when applied to larger, title text than smaller, body text.

A Note on Publication

Color schemes also go hand-in-hand with your publication method. Because colored inks are more expensive than black ink, a black-and-white newspaper would be less expensive to print than a multicolored one. You might also need to consider mailing costs when publishing hard copies of your newsletter. However, if you plan to publish online, through an email blast and the association website, you can use as many pages and colors as needed without worrying about paper and ink costs.

Related: HOA Fees and How to Determine Them

Publishing an association newsletter can be a time-consuming project, but by dividing the work and keeping the articles short and to the point, you can create a worthwhile read for all homeowners. A newsletter can spread awareness of important, upcoming changes and events and create a stronger sense of community in your association.

For additional questions regarding HOA management best practices, contact Spectrum Association Management today.