7 Tips for Communicating Effectively with Your Residents

After residents move in, how does your community stay in contact with them? Whether you’re letting your residents know about a new policy or inviting them to an upcoming event, communication is a key way to keep residents informed and engaged. But how you communicate matters, too.

To make your resident communications strategy more effective, make sure to follow these best practices. From following a regular cadence to taking advantage of the latest no-cost tools at your fingertips, you can successfully engage residents to keep them renewing longer.

1. Keep it consistent

How often do you contact residents? It’s helpful to maintain a regular schedule for updates, such as a monthly or weekly newsletter. This establishes a clear channel of communication and gives residents a reliable place to go to find the latest information.

When your community newsletter goes out every Monday or at the beginning of each month, residents will begin to know to look out for these updates on a weekly or monthly basis. A regular cadence can also help provide a framework for your property team to get the latest information out to residents.

A regular newsletter is a great place to share news about upcoming resident events, changes to community amenities, and seasonal policies.

Of course, there’s no need to wait if you have urgent updates to share, like an elevator outage, severe weather alert, or unexpected pool closure. Supplement your regular schedule with time-sensitive announcements as needed.

2. Use multiple channels

Not all residents want to receive emails, or texts, or phone calls — and some will always choose to opt out or ignore these channels. You can reach more residents by using a variety of channels to share important information. Popular options include:

• Email notifications and newsletters
• Text messages
• Phone calls and voicemails
• Flyers, posters, and digital displays in common areas
• Social media posts and events
• Announcements on your resident portal or app

Select the channels based on the importance of the information.

Text messages and phone calls may be appropriate for sharing critical and time-sensitive announcements like a temporary water shutoff — but they’re overkill for promoting your community’s upcoming karaoke night.

On the other hand, flyers and social media posts can be great ways to announce resident events for residents who might have missed the community newsletter.

3. Tailor your communications to your community

Gather feedback from your residents and use it to inform your strategy. How do residents in your community prefer to be communicated with, and what information do they care about most? You could send out a survey to find out this information or include a few questions in your move-in paperwork for new residents.

Keep a close eye on what residents respond to. Digital communications offer valuable data, such as the clicks from your email newsletter and the number of new followers on your social media channels. But it’s about more than just raw numbers. Engage in conversation with your residents, too. Find out what issues are top of mind for them, and make sure your communications reflect what matters to them.

4. Don’t reinvent the wheel

Writing and designing a newsletter, flyer, or email notification can be time-consuming. But there’s no need to waste your precious time creating these materials from scratch. If your property advertises on Apartments.com, you have access to a wealth of customizable materials.

The MyMedia library from Apartments.com includes hundreds of templates in English and Spanish. Whether you need an email newsletter, a flyer about a policy change, or a poster promoting an upcoming event, you’ll find it on MyMedia. You can easily customize these materials online and use them for print or digital purposes — no additional software or creative licenses needed. You can also track engagement directly through the platform.

MyMedia is complimentary for all properties that advertise on Apartments.com. These materials are designed for apartment communities like yours, and the library is continually refreshed with new topics and designs.

To get started with MyMedia, log in to your customer portal, and click on the MyMedia link.

5. Make it useful

Don’t spam your residents. Focus on what they want or need to know, and avoid filler content. Keep your communications short and to the point.

Not sure what your residents would find useful? Ask yourself: Does this help residents solve a problem, stay informed, or feel more connected to the community?

For example, helpful information can include:

• Amenities updates, such as pool closures or new gym equipment
• Local alerts, like upcoming road closures
• Maintenance reminders
• Policy changes, such as guest parking or package delivery
• How-to guides for submitting maintenance tickets or setting up Wi-Fi
• Upcoming events within the community or neighborhood
• Changes to the trash pickup schedule
• Evacuation routes in an emergency
• Seasonal tips, such as winter fire safety and A/C efficiency
• A spotlight on your newest onsite staff member

Make sure your messages inform and engage residents.  Instead of sending out a generic “Happy New Year!” email that is likely to be deleted, consider incorporating your holiday messaging into an email that includes useful tips, events, and events.

6. Keep it professional

Resident communications are part of your community’s brand identity. Keep your messages professional, always check your spelling and grammar, and stay consistent with your community’s brand standards. Send emails from your property’s official email address, and include your logo on printed materials. Not only does this reinforce your brand identity, it also makes your messages more likely to be taken seriously by your residents. 

7. Embrace your community’s personality

What makes your community unique? Whether it’s your property’s proximity to the beach or your residents’ enthusiasm for their pets, reflect your community in your communications. Include photos, stories, events, or news that will resonate with your community.

Is your community known for promoting an active lifestyle? Share the details about your upcoming pickleball tournament, and let your residents know that the nearby walking trail is going to be closed for maintenance. For communities with a focus on pets, consider featuring a furry friend in your newsletter and including discount codes to your neighborhood grooming salon.