Condo Living

September 9, 2024 Published by Toronto and Area Chapter - By Matthew Biswas

Condo Communication: Elevating it Beyond the Elevator!

From the Summer 2024 issue of CCI Toronto Condovoice Magazine.

Gone are the days of relying on bulletin boards and newsletters to disseminate information to residents and unit owners

Most condo corporations have switched to digital channels such as websites, mobile apps, Facebook groups, email newsletters, text messages, Instagram stories and digital displays to keep owners and residents informed.

Despite these tools, it often seems that vital information about upcoming events, maintenance, regulation changes, and community initiatives, still seem to be a surprise to some residents.

At the early stages of most advertising and communication projects, our clients at The Mkt Dept insist we find a way to “level up” the engagement between themselves and their community. That’s a tall order. Everyday North Americans view thousands of ads, emails, promotions, pitches, etc. that they’re remotely interested in. What’s going to make your condo’s message be part of the less than half of one percent of messages they choose to engage with? The answer is participation. Today there are many simple, easy, and mostly free digital tools can encourage your resident and owners to participate.

Sounds too easy? It can be! Here are few ideas that top tier organizations are using to encourage their communities to participate.

1. Online Surveys:

Deploying online survey tools enables condominium corporations to gather feedback on a wide range of topics, such as community amenities, maintenance and construction, and proposed initiatives. By designing brief user-friendly surveys, condominium corporations can capture valuable insights and make insight- driven decisions, which will have resident participation. Once complete, you can post the results, online, email it to the residents or post your results on your condo’s Facebook group.

Tools to check out: Survey Monkey, Google Forms, JotForm, etc.

2. Town Hall Meetings:

Hosting virtual town hall meetings provides residents with a forum to voice their opinions, ask questions, and engage in constructive dialogue with board members and management. Digital town hall meetings eliminate most excuses to participate e.g. I just put the baby down and can’t get away, I’m traveling for work, under the weather, etc., etc. Tech tools for a digital town hall meeting also provide other valuable features, the ability to take polls/vote, move to breakout rooms, digital white boards and “sticky” notes for collaboration and sign in/proxy features as well. Lastly, meetings can be recorded and forwarded to those who couldn’t attend. Tools to check out: Zoom, Livestorm, AllHands, etc.

3. User-Generated Content (UGC):

UGC is today’s premier tool for building community spirit and fostering engagement. Condo corporations can encourage residents to share photos, stories, videos, and experiences on social media platforms using specific hashtags or tagging the condo’s official accounts. This not only creates a sense of camaraderie among residents but also showcases the unique aspects of your community to potential buyers and visitors. Chances are your building is already featured on several social media platforms by local realtors, contractors, etc. Why not harness the work they have started to encourage your residents to participate #CondoLiving.

Tools to check out: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter)

Bonus item: Social Messaging Apps are the new texting.

Bulk text messages have become the new frontier for spammers so your text messages can be overlooked, and participation obstructed. Tools like WhatsApp and Slack have elevated text/SMS type communication, allowing for higher levels of security, the ability to segment messages to smaller groups e.g. committees, volunteers, staff members, contractors, etc. Plus, there are desktop applications as well which makes it easy to share documents, work on a larger screen, share files from other platforms, etc. Social Messaging Apps are a “no brainer.”

The success and sustainability of your condominium community can depend on the participation levels of the many different people inside it. By leveraging digital tools, social media platforms, and other technologies available, condominium corporations can foster engagement with their residents, and cultivate a vibrant and connected condominium community, while they wait for the elevator.

Matthew Biswas
The Mkt Dept is a Toronto based ad agency that provides strategic and creative services to businesses and organizations who are looking for great ideas and excellent results. Matthew can be contacted at matthew@themktdept.ca, LinkedIn / matthewbiswas or Instagram / @themktdept.