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Reading Room Articles
Set objectives What do you want the newsletter to accomplish? Inform your residents and future residents of events? Serve as a value-added source of community information? Help your residents more effectively use your fitness center, amenities and services? The most crucial step in creating a community newsletter that achieves results is to establish a limited number of objectives, then execute effectively. Visual appeal Use color, art, white space, and photographs to make your newsletter visually appealing. It should stand out among all the other communications your resident receive from your community. It should be fun, fast, informative easy to read. Reader-oriented content Focus on the information that your typical resident needs. The newsletter will be read more thoroughly and you will gain credibility and respect. With the use of the Internet developing content that your residents will be interested in becomes very easy. For example you can go to www.amazon.com and learn what the top ten books in your city are and provide them with book reviews. Do the majority of your residents own computers? Are they connected to the Internet? If so features or highlights of websites can be useful. Is your community on a sub metering system? If so you might add water conservation tips. New restaurants in the area and so on provide information that your residents will use. Keep it short Most of your readers are inundated with messages every day. No one has time to read everything. If your objectives require lengthy articles, be sure that they provide substantial reward to the reader for taking the time to read them or consider using a call out section to provide them with a quick summary. Distribute it regularly Consistency will enhance your community's reputation for reliability and frequency supports your community. Have a specific date each month, bi-monthly or quarterly that sends a very clear message to the readers. What is your newsletter distribution currently saying to them? Adapt for the Internet If you convert or post your community newsletter to the community website consider how the printed version will adapt to your on-line version. In other words color is practically free on the web, but 100K (Large) graphics are slow to load with regular connections and use up a reader's valuable time. Lighten up Your newsletter should give the reader a brain break with a lighter anecdote or article. That is add in some fun stuff! Seek contributions From your residents, the company president, supervisor, and the service department. Involvement creates commitment and support. It even massages a few egos in the case of your residents. From a marketing standpoint of view outsides that read and see that you have resident involvement can be very appealing. Proof, proof, proof Typos and poor grammar cause breakdowns in communications and weaken image. With a prior commitment to excellence, your newsletter can help you achieve some really great results and become one of the most effective tools in your communications arsenal. Use it wisely! 
As Chief Imagination Officer of The Sales & Marketing Magic Companies, Tami Siewruk shares more than 20 years of experience in multifamily housing, encompassing leasing, marketing, management, training, authoring, consulting, developing, and Brainstorming! For more information on Tami's newsletter, Sales & Marketing Magic for Apartment Managers; the latest Tools & Forms Catalogue; The Annual Multifamily Housing Brainstorming Sessions™; or to receive Tami's top ideas, FREE, via e-mail, please call 727-784-9469 or visit www.SMMOnline.com. |
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