Community Communication Corner
by Bob Gourley, MyEZCondo Founder, Member of CAI CT Board of Directors

Play Ball at The CAI-CT Trade Show!

It is time to tell all of your community association friends, managers, and vendors to rally the team. The most important day of the year for members of community associations all across CT is fast approaching. The Annual CAI-CT Trade Show will be held Saturday, March 7, 2009 at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Cromwell. As someone who owns, manages, does business with or lives in a community association, you need education, business contacts, and professional advice. One day of “Spring Training”, this year’s Trade Show theme, will allow you to accomplish all that and more.

I can’t think of a better place to get your skills in shape and warm up that pitching arm as you get to knock another season of community association living challenges out of the park. Last year’s show was a “home run” with an exciting exhibit hall, special member’s only breakfasts, and four exciting and interesting education sessions, one of which I had the honor to present. The day wrapped up with exciting raffle prizes and our ever-popular “Ask The Experts” session with 4 attorneys specializing in association law. More than 70 vendors displayed their goods and services at the show, ready to assist community associations with all of their needs. Visit the Virtual Trade Show online at http://www.caict.org/virtual_trade.htm for a refresher. This year’s show is sure to be a “grand slam”, so if you haven’t already marked your calendar for March 7, 2009, this is the time to do so. See you there!

The Attack of the Community Blogs!

If you are a regular internet user, chances are you are familiar with term “blog”. For the rest of my readers, I offer the following definition from our friends at Wikipedia:
A blog (a contraction of the term "Web log") is a web site, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order. "Blog" can also be used as a verb, meaning to maintain or add content to a blog. A “blogger” is someone who maintains or contributes to a blog.
For better or for worse, more and more communities are finding that blogs are becoming a part of their modern communication efforts. Like any form of dialogue there are pros and cons to this modern day equivalent of a front porch conversation. While the information is distributed quickly and efficiently, accuracy and intent are often questionable. Since blogs generally fall under the purview of free speech, there is very little one can do to dissuade a blogger from posting whatever suits his or her fancy. Consider the following advantages and disadvantages as you decide how best a blog can help your community.

Advantages of blogs:

1. All parties involved - unit owners, residents, property managers, and even outside vendors  - are potentially better informed about items of interest to the community.
2. Blogs have the potential to help the community develop stronger relationships and civic pride with its unit owners, residents, property managers, and outside vendors as they interact with each other via the blog.
3. Blogs can be a positive way of getting community member feedback, and keeping your finger on the pulse, as readers react to certain pieces, suggest story ideas, etc.
4. Blogs can build the profile of the community, showcasing its leadership and stewardship.

The disadvantages of blogs are:

1. Many people don’t have very much to say that’s interesting, and/or are unable to write down their ideas in a compelling and clear manner.
2. It has been said that the people who have the most time to write have the least to say, and the people who have the most to say don’t have enough time to write it.
3. Blogs are easy to start and a challenge to maintain. Writing coherently can be difficult and time-consuming for many to undertake. While blogs outwardly appear to be inexpensive, their true cost is that they eat up time. As a result, many blogs may not be updated regularly, thus damaging rather than enhancing the reputation of the community and/or its leaders.
4. A poorly maintained blog can make an otherwise well-run community appear to be anything but. Whoever assumes the duty of maintaining the blog on behalf of the community is, in fact, becoming the voice of the community to the bloggers that make the blog their home.

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