HOA Strategic

by PR Pro I've answered thousands of questions from reporters, some of them extremely irritating. But you learn to work through tough questions and to work with tough-minded reporters. If you ask why, I'll bend your ear about engaging with reporters so you or some other someone can tell your company's or your organization's side of the story, share perspectives on issues and maybe build knowledge and understanding. That is, of course, if someone's available, prepared and ready when reporters call. But unfortunately, more than usual now, we're seeing 'No comment' in stories rather than a response to questions posed by reporters. Spokespersons aren't speaking that much, they aren't returning reporters' calls, they can't be reached, they're not available for comment. You could see this coming years ago when commentary was encroaching more on the news, creeping and seeping into it. Maybe because plain old news just wasn't compell...

Problems cost time and money. It's better to avoid them by anticipating them before they occur, so you can figure out how to go about addressing them. And if you have to say something about a misunderstanding or a problem, having something stored on the shelf to say can be nice, kind of like having flashlights with fresh batteries when the power goes out at home. Even saying something as general as, We're aware of the situation and we're looking into it , might help. Or saying, Thanks for your inquiry. Addressing matters in an objective manner is the board's goal .

In this article , there's the word -- stewardship . What a good word for people on HOA boards. Because, according to Merriam-Webster, stewardship is "the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care." That's a word to live by when you're managing all your HOA neighbors' money. Isn't it?

You're phone rings. It's a reporter asking questions about a problem at your HOA. And you have no idea what to say. Stay calm. Listen to what the reporter is saying. Buy some time, if you can, so you can touch base with your property manager or HOA attorney. Ask if you can get back to the reporter. You may not be able to buy a lot of time, since reporters work on deadline. But a little something is better than nothing. And mention the reporter's deadline to whoever you reach out to for help. (There's more about this in At Least Some PR available through Amazon Books, or contact HOA Strategic -- hoastrategic@gmail.com.)