Successful HOA leadership requires effective HOA meetings. Sadly, these meetings are often poorly attended. According to iProperty Management, only 10% of HOA residents regularly attend meetings.
This is unfortunate, as some of the best homeowner association tips and insights come from engaging with the local community. By listening to people's concerns, wishes, and priorities, you can make better decisions and run a more transparent organization.
Are you interested in learning some tried and tested HOA management strategies to get more people to attend your meetings? Read on to learn more about this crucial aspect of HOA management.
Create the Right Atmosphere
Before you start thinking about the technicalities of effective meeting practices, you should focus on creating a welcoming and inviting atmosphere. Ensure that everyone attending a meeting for the first time is properly introduced to the HOA board and that they feel their presence is valued.
Don't push people away by making things too formal. Instead, keep things casual and engaging. Consider doing things like:
- Providing refreshments for meeting attendees
- Encouraging resident input
- Keeping meetings concise and accessible
- Get residents involved with Q and A sessions, polls, and other interactive elements
By encouraging the right atmosphere, you'll attract residents to your meetings and encourage them to come back.
Communicate With Residents Effectively
You can also encourage residents to attend meetings by improving your communication strategy. Often, residents don't attend because they simply don't know when and where HOA meetings are taking place. Usually, this is because the HOA announces the details on a single platform.
For example, if you only communicate about key local events on the HOA Facebook account, people who don't use social media will be left out. Of course, there's no single platform or medium that'll reach everyone. The only way to reach the whole community is to take a multichannel approach.
When sending out messages, make sure you highlight the important topics that will be discussed. When residents feel meetings are relevant to them, they're more likely to attend.
Make it Easy to Attend and Participate
Sometimes, people want to attend meetings, but they're not able to. For example, some residents might have other obligations during meetings. Consider making it easier to join meetings and participate by updating your community meeting guidelines.
For example, you could:
- Offer virtual attendance options via online platforms like Zoom or Microsoft Teams
- Keep meetings concise and stick to the meeting agenda
- Schedule meetings that are compatible with people's work schedules
- Talk to residents and figure out the most convenient times to host meetings
Boost Attendance at Your HOA Meetings
While it may not be realistic to have your entire neighborhood attending HOA meetings, it's certainly possible to boost attendance. By creating a welcoming atmosphere, communicating effectively, and making it easy to participate, you'll likely attract more Rockville residents to your meetings.
Are you seeking help with effective HOA management in Rockville, MD? Here at PMI Maryland Solutions, we have unparalleled experience helping HOAs operate at peak effectiveness. We'll do a comprehensive review of your management approach and suggest workable adjustments to boost resident satisfaction.
Contact us today and let's discuss your HOA.
