It’s March! With the first real warm rays of spring about to caress our faces, our thoughts turn to the warm days of summer and once again enjoying the outdoors!

Now is the time to get things approved to ensure your condo community can benefit THIS YEAR from the investments you make! At your upcoming Board Meeting, create a plan to discuss your outdoor landscapes. What provided enjoyment over the past year(s)?  Are there any spaces that could benefit from a “refresh”? Is there a larger project, that by pre-planning now, could experience a successful start for enjoyment in 2023? Are there areas that provide safety concerns for unit owners? 

Here are some ideas to consider now in the expectancy of warmer days ahead.

Turf Enhancements. 

The best defense against weeds and unwanted pests is a healthy lawn.  While many annual landscape maintenance contracts include regular fertilizer applications, this is often where turf care stops for condo boards. Regular, proactive care relating to your turf can save thousands of dollars in the long term. Consider adding regular weed treatments, core aeration, topdressing and seeding to your regular care. Many properties have turf areas that are heavily shaded and/or where there is high foot traffic; grass just won’t grow. Consider amending these areas by replacing the compacted earth with mulch and/or stepping stones.

Mulching your Garden Beds. 

Mulching is one of the best things you can do for your gardens.  You have likely seen the positive impact that is immediately evident following an application of fresh mulch.  Not only does mulch provide a barrier for weed growth, mulch also helps your garden retain the needed moisture allowing plants and shrubs to thrive.  Mulch will help prevent rainwater from washing away your soil. Furthermore, if you use an organic mulch (shredded pine bark mulch is recommended), it will release valuable nutrients in the soil as it naturally decomposes.  

Rejuvenate Shrubs and Garden Beds. 

Over time the existing garden beds and shrubs on your property can really start to show their age. Depending on the amount of maintenance they receive in an ongoing manner throughout the year, a rejuvenation is a fantastic way to provide an immediate improvement that will be evident to all owners.  A rejuvenation involves horticultural pruning to shrubs such that new, fresh growth is encouraged.  The early days of spring are optimal to have this service provided! Not only will this provide a fresh, new look, it is also very healthy for the plant material. 

Enhance Entrance Signage. 

How is your complex distinguishable from others in the neighbourhood? Are the name and address visible?  Adding (or enhancing) your entrance sign will provide a positive focal point for visitors and potential buyers. Adding some lighting will provide for year-round interest as you enter and leave your complex. From a safety perspective, a well-placed and visible sign is a beacon in times of emergency for first responders.

Corrective Drainage Solutions.

Spring run-off and melting snow accentuates the wet, soggy areas of condo properties; we all know where the wet spots are on our properties! Given the high density of the building projects in recent years, there is less surface area for spring runoff and rain water to be absorbed into the ground. Pooling of water can also occur in areas where the ground has been saturated. A corrective measure, while not providing an impact that can be seen, will solve an annual nuisance and provide enjoyment for years to come.

Create a Place for Community. 

Do you have an area that is frequented by many of your unit owners? Is there an underutilized common area? Consider the impact that adding a community garden might have. Permanent benches added in common areas give the message “stay a while”.

The coming weeks can provide a great opportunity for planning to ensure success in the coming warm season of 2022.  We all know the intensity that spring provides: spring clean-ups, scheduled walk-arounds, etc. Moreover, your service provider’s capacities will be most stretched in the busy days of May and June. Proactive planning in March and April allows for project scheduling so your ideas can be implemented in a timeframe that works for you. There is no better way to jettison the ugly memories of grey snow piles than to anticipate the arrival of spring.

Make it an agenda item for your April board meeting!

Andrew Westrik, Sales Manager/Landscape Sales
www.wpn.ca

Social media is an ever-evolving beast. Once you get comfortable with one algorithm, there have since been five updates, and a new sub-app that everyone is telling you to use. It’s understandable that most find themselves wanting to pull their hair out once tasked with social media managing. This can be especially frustrating if you are already overwhelmed should anyone utter “social media” around you. 

Where do you start? How do you map out your KPIs? What’s keeping all this from becoming too overwhelming and getting away from you?

It’s clear that social media is key to your continued success, and understanding how to utilize this tool will make marketing much less intimidating.

  Understanding the Importance of Marketing Your Condominium or Company

At its core, marketing your condominium, your management company, or your business can be simplified to one word: connection. 

Engaging with your audience, whether occupant, potential buyer, or industry network, is crucial to building a strong, positive reputation. People are in constant search of connection, and if you can strategize a way to appeal to your masses in a way that is more personable rather than robotic, you are on the right track.

Given how we are as a society, it’s important to understand one key thing: anyone who has never heard of you will look up your social media.

Anyone. Everyone. Staying relevant, consistent, and approachable online will help when it comes to first and lasting impressions.

The first thing you need to do is choose your preferred social media platform. You do not need to be on every single main platform, but you should be utilizing at least two. Take the time to get to know the platforms, and ensure that those platforms are where your audiences will likely spend their time.

Once you narrow down which social media apps your audience uses, and which ones you feel confident using, the rest will fall into place.

  Measuring Your Social Media Success

It’s not always about the number of likes a post gets. Though we all like to see that count rise, and get a little giddy when we see higher double and triple digits, there is more to measuring than meets the eye. 

Reach. Engagement. Total follows. Those are three areas where you always want to see in the green. Making sure your content goes out at the right time, on the right day, will ensure you hit those first two targets. The followers, will follow. 

Monitoring Your Social Media 

Social media is both simple and complicated. It can get away from you easily, and pile up under a mountain of updates and missed insights. 

If we circle back to your online reputation, there is one area of social media that you absolutely do not want to ignore. 

Reviews. 

By a show of hands, how many of us can say we monitor our online reviews, regularly? How many of us can say we know how to handle negative reviews or online disputes? 

Monitoring your tone online is a difficult task, and is especially difficult when you’re handling uncomfortable situations. And even more so, if the person handling the situation is already frustrated. 

The key to handling negative reviews is to deal with them ASAP. Since we’re now in the habit of checking our reviews regularly, it’ll become much easier to regulate your online presence. 

If you come across a negative note or comment, here are some quick steps to handling it: 

• Read the comment carefully. 
  • Ensure you understand exactly what the commenter is talking about, and if not, reach out to your team to see if anyone was involved with the interaction. 
• Respond to them promptly. 
  • Take the time to give them a thoughtful response. Acknowledge their experience, apologize for the circumstances, and invite them to discuss the matter privately whether through direct message or phone call. 
• Once resolved, ensure you update the review/comment. You can encourage the original poster to do so, but there is no harm with replying to the public comment with an update (i.e., we have touched base with Ms. Doe about X issue and are happy to announce that we have found a resolution. We thank everyone who has taken the time to share their feedback.). 
• There is no harm in asking for support from your condo board or marketing team. Reach out if you feel unsure of how to handle any social media-related situation. 

Social media is a great tool. Being able to connect with your audiences regularly will allow you to stay at the top of their list.

Using your platforms wisely, understanding your KPIs, and managing public reviews will have you running like a well-oiled machine. 

This is no easy feat. Working with a social media professional, or an online marketing professional can take some of the digital weight off your shoulders. 

Luckily, there is a plethora of information and resources out there in regards to social media and your digital presence. Stay tuned for our upcoming pieces as we discuss monitoring Facebook Groups, and understanding how “brand” affects you. 

Maggie Matian, Theresa Place Media
www.theresaplace.ca