Getting homeowners to attend HOA meetings can feel like a tug of war and it's not uncommon if you are struggling to fill your seats at HOA meetings. Boosting attendance can seem like an impossible task, but with the right approach and a few strategies under your belt you can make your HOA more enticing than ever.
Short and Sweeet
No one wants to spend hours trapped in a meeting, especially when they could be binge-watching their favorite Netflix series. Keep your meetings concise and to the point. Aim for around one hour for regular meetings and no more than two hours for annual meetings. Lastly, stick to the agenda like glue to ensure things run smoothly and efficiently.Give Plenty of Advanced Notice
Send out email blasts! For monthly meetings, one or two blasts should be enough. For annual meetings, we recommend sending several blasts starting 2 months before the meeting.A few other things you can do to make sure you are communicating with your community:
- Post a sign/poster about the meeting if your HOA has a public area and include an agenda with the notice.
- Also, photos or graphics make it look less boring.
- The agenda should be interesting so it encourages attendance; avoid stuffing too many boring items.
- Highlight the agenda items that will interest homeowners the most.
You can automate your email blasts with our software, HOA GuruTM Schedule A Demo to find out how.
Offer Refreshments at Meetings
People love free food and not many will turn down free food and drink (especially in this economy)! And not just lousy coffee and donuts. If it is in your HOA's budget, have the meeting catered. If you offer refreshments, keep that part of the meeting short or encourage munching during the meeting so it doesn't interfere with business.Give 'em Some Eye Candy
This can be a video or PowerPoint presentation. For an annual meeting, it can contain highlights of the HOA's accomplishments over the past year, a lot of the information can be taken from your Annual Report.
You could include background music, display the agenda, create a slideshow of community events or community updates. Use your imagination.
Door Prizes/Raffle
Everybody loves a good giveaway? Consider giving out door prizes or organizing a raffle with good and services from local businesses. If prizes aren't in your HOA budget, you can ask if any local business to donate some prizes in return for some advertisement to your homeowners.
Guest Speaker/Presenter
Have a guest speaker or presentation that would interest a large number of homeowners. The topic could be something having to do with HOAs or utilize your community network and find a "local celebrity" that could draw a crowd.Listen Up
If homeowners know the board is listening, they will be much more likely to attend an HOA meeting. Make homeowners feel valued by actively seeking their opinions and input. They want to feel like they have a say in the HOA business dealings and are not wasting their time by attending a meeting. The board doesn't need to agree with all the homeowner's comments or requests, but their opinions should be discussed and not ignored.This process should start way before the actual meeting. Send out one or more surveys during the year to gather feedback and suggestions from your homeowners.
Some good questions to ask your homeowners:
What day/time is the best for a meeting?
What would make you attend more meetings?
Are there any specific topics you would like covered at HOA meetings?
Would you attend meetings if we offered incentives?
Are you more likely to attend if there were childcare options available?
These questions help gather valuable feedback and insights to tailor meeting schedules, topics, covered, and incentives to better meet the needs and preferences of homeowners.
Committees
Invite residents to join committees focused on areas such as landscaping, social events, or neighborhood watch. This allows them to get involved without having to fully commit to becoming a Board member. Encouraging community involvement through committees and volunteer opportunities can foster a sense of ownership and accountability among homeowners. So, by actively involving homeowners in HOA initiatives, you can cultivate a stronger sense of community pride and cooperation, leading to increased attendance and engagement at meetings.
Board Member Buddy
Encourage board members to bring a homeowner friend along to the meeting. Offering a ride and a friendly introduction can make attendance more appealing and less intimidating for newcomers.Post Minutes of Past Meetings
Posting meeting minutes for your homeowners will help them understand the importance of these meetings and hopefully encourage them to get involved.Minutes of meetings are usually best posted on your website. You may want to have the minutes and other important documents password-protected so only homeowners can access this info. Our HOA Guru software includes a document management system that can handle all of this for you. Schedule A Demo to find out how.
Make it Convenient
Hire a teenager or get a volunteer to entertain the kiddos at meetings to eliminate the "I don't have anyone to watch my children" problem. And make sure the meeting location is convenient for homeowners, is big enough for attendees, and that there is ample parking.Ask for Help
Ask for some volunteers ahead of time to help out at a meeting. Cash in those favors from your neighbor friends to help to handle refreshments, hand out papers, or whatever else needs to be done. Don't ask a board member, they have enough to manage to prepare for the meeting.Boosting attendance at HOA meetings will likely always be a bit of a challenge, but with a little creativity, strategic planning, and the right tools, you can make your meetings more engaging and purposeful for homeowners. HOA Guru's HOA management software offers solutions to streamline your HOA operations, from communications to event planning. By leveraging our user-friendly platform, you can boost attendance, foster community involvement, and ensure that your meetings are both informative and enjoyable. Ready to transform your HOA meetings? Discover how HOA GuruTM can help you get more homeowners to your meetings today!
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