We communicate with people each and every day. Whether you're speaking in person, over the phone or through an email, it's important to know how to effectively convey your message and get people the information they need. This is especially true in a community association, but it doesn't stop there. As a member of a community association board, you need to also ensure that your message will stay in tact while making its way around the association.

It's kind of like the telephone game you may have played as a kid. You sit in a circle and whisper something into the ear of the person next to you. This continues with everyone whispering the message into the ear of the person next to them until the last person is reached and then says what he heard aloud. The message he hears is often not the same message originally whispered. When you send out a message to an association, it moves from member to member and it's your responsibility to make sure the message stays clear the whole way through.

So how do you effectively communicate with your association and residents?  Here are some Homeowner Association Communication Tips:

1. Be clear: Make sure your putting messages in terms that everyone understands. Communicate clear and effectively so that you convey the right message.
2. Hold meetings: Holding meetings is great for communication among residents and community boards. It offers a place for people to meet others and discuss as a group.
3. Send out newsletters: Use newsletters to send out to association members and residents about anything they need to know about. Put information on your website and promote it through newsletters. It's  important to make it easy for people to find the information they want, and the easiest way to do this is by sending it to them directly.
4. Listen: Communication is a two-way street, so you need to be listening to. Ask questions, send out surveys and listen to what people has to say. Knowing what others want will help you make decisions and do what's best for everyone.

It is absolutely essential to foster communication in any community. It's your responsibility to keep residents and community association board members informed so that they know what's going on around them. Communication is key when it comes to association living, so it's important to make sure you're communicating effectively.