A successful Home Owners Association (HOA) knows the importance of communication for tenants. There are multiple ways to communicate with the members of your community, but what is the best HOA communication tool known to be fast and easily adoptable? Simple, it’s mass text messaging!
In this article, we’ll cover why mass text messaging is the best HOA communication tool, how HOA members can use it effectively, and message examples for HOA communication.
▫️ Discover: SMS marketing 101 - tips and best practices
Why is a mass text messaging the necessary HOA communication tool?
There are three reasons to use mass text messaging to improve your HOA communication:
Mass text messages are fast
Mass text messaging is easy
SMS has larger outreach than any other HOA communication tools
Let’s delve deeper into the details of these reasons for using SMS as an HOA communication tool.
1. Mass text messaging is fast
Maybe you use HOA communication tools like voice calls, email, social media, or a website. These tools can be helpful for monthly updates or other non-crucial communications. But what about more urgent information like a missing pet or a guest vehicle parked in a reserved lot?
Calling every resident in a short time is not possible. Uploading the info to the website or social media takes time, and you won’t know if residents will even see these postings in a timely manner. Send an email? Emails, on average, are opened 6 hours and 24 minutes after they are sent.
None of the above options are helpful during a critical moment. On the other hand, text messages, on average, are opened within 3 minutes of being sent. That’s why mass text messaging is the most efficient way to reach all residents in your HOA. Additionally, 98% of mass text messages are opened, while emails have only a 20% open rate.
We compared the efficiency of SMS and email in detail at 3 reasons why SMS marketing wins over email marketing every time.
2. Mass text messaging is easy
Unlike other HOA communication tools, mass text messaging is quite convenient for anyone. Your HOA can instantly send bulk SMS to all residents in just three steps:
Sign up from here.
Buy texting credits. (Check out our affordable pricing at SMS marketing pricing.)
Start texting!
Yes, it’s that easy to reach all residents within seconds. No need to learn any complicated program or no need to design anything fancy.
Of course, you need to have user permission to send them messages. If you don’t have opt-ins yet, here are 3 ways to collect SMS opt-ins.
3. SMS has larger outreach
Does your HOA include just young residents? Do you have senior residents as well?
According to the Census, there are more than 54.1M senior citizens in the US. Do you think all of your mature residents in your condo association regularly check your website, social media, or emails? The answer is likely no.
However, 67% of people over 55 have a mobile phone, and most of them are used to communicating via text messages. So, mass text messaging has larger outreach than potentially any other HOA communication tool.
It’s also important to note that a smartphone is not necessary for a recipient to receive text messages. SMS text messaging is adaptable for older mobile phones as well as your newest smartphone devices, making it the most accessible means of communication.
If you want to learn more about the power of mass text messaging, check out our article on Top 13 SMS marketing statistics.
4 ways to use SMS as an HOA communication tool, and example messages
As an excellent HOA communication tool, mass text messaging can be used to notify residents about:
Emergencies
Warnings
Reminders
General Informing
Let’s see examples of cases and text messages for each notification type.
1. Emergencies
Instant notification is crucial in emergencies to take action immediately. HOAs can use mass text messaging to notify dwellers about missing pets, roadblocks, fires, floods, wrong parking issues, etc.
Emergency text message examples for HOAs
“Emergency: Searching for a missing dog named Dexter. Last seen in an around {address}. If you see him, please contact us on {number}. - {HOA name} - Reply STOP to opt out.”
“Emergency alert: A fire started at {address}, please keep your children and vulnerable family members away from the fire area.- {HOA name} - Reply STOP to opt out.”
2. Warnings
It is necessary to immediately warn residents of impending problems that will affect their lives at the borders of the HOA. Hence, mass text messaging can be used as an HOA communication tool to warn residents about water cuts, power cuts, elevator maintenance, disinfestation, and so on.
For example, if there will be a water outage, residents would want to know that way before the cut. If you send them an SMS, they will definitely be informed about the water being cut because, remember, SMSs are opened in 3 minutes with a 98% of open rate.
But what happens if you try to inform people via other HOA communication tools such as emails? They will maybe open the email after 2 weeks, maybe never. And when the water stops, it will be too late. Residents will be unsatisfied with HOA communication, even if you send an email to inform them.
Warning text message examples for HOAs
“Attention: There will be a water outage on Sept 17 between 12-2 pm due to maintenance. Apartments to be affected: {address}. Sorry for the inconvenience. - {HOA name} - Reply STOP to opt out.”
“Warning: There will be disinfestation for harmful pests at 8 pm around the neighborhood. Please lock your windows to avoid being affected by pesticides. - {HOA name} - Reply STOP to opt out.”
3. Reminders
Even if the plans were made a year ago, and even if everything is clear, we-people tend to forget the dates. 🤷♂️ That’s where HOA board members can use mass text messaging to send reminder messages about meetings, payments, garbage collection days, election days, etc.
Reminder text message examples for HOAs
“Hey, we just want to remind you of the upcoming monthly meeting date. It’s next Wednesday at 7 pm in {address}. We’ll discuss the {topics}. - {HOA name} - Reply STOP to opt out.”
“Reminder: Hi {first name} 🙌. This is a kindly reminder of the last payment date of fees, which is on Sep 28. You can pay online from {website link}, or manually at {address}. - {HOA name} - Reply STOP to opt out.”
4. General Informing
In addition to emergencies, warnings, and reminders, bulk SMS can be used as an HOA communication tool to inform residents every day to deliver every kind of information. For instance, the HOA policies can be delivered via SMS to newly moved residents or those who keep violating policies.
Also, HOA board members can use mass text messaging to share the website link, social media accounts, and contact information of the HOAs with residents.
General informing text message examples for HOAs
“Hey {first name} welcome to our neighborhood 🥳We just want to share the policies of this HOA: {website link}. Please feel free to contact us for any of your questions or suggestions. {number}, {address}. - {HOA name} - Reply STOP to opt out.”
“Hi {first name} 🙌. You can follow the announcements and rules about our HOA from our social accounts easily {account link}- {HOA name} - Reply STOP to opt out.”
In a nutshell, SMS is the best HOA communication tool
In this article, we explained why mass text messaging is the most effective communication tool for HOAs. It’s fast, easy, and powerful. If you want to try, you can just sign up and start with 100 bonus text message credits ➡ sending bulk text messages free.
Happy Texting 🤍
The Pony Express HQ Team
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Related article: How has SMS text marketing become indispensable for social clubs?
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