To be fair, I'm not a pet lover. We have one. She is a beautiful little Cavoodle, aptly named Boo. Boo because she was so black and tiny when we first bought her home in the car, she was hard to see. I'm not her favourite, that would be Willow, who adores her ceaselessly. But, Boo does faithfully sits next to me when we watch TV at night time and first thing in the morning when the house is still waking up, even though I don't deserve the favouritism.

Boo was 8 weeks old when we picked her up 5 years ago. We went to a breeder on the Sunshine Coast who had lots of puppies to choose from. We bundled the kids into the car and made the drive to pick out a puppy that we 'might' take home. There was Boo, the only black cavoodle, off playing by herself, not seeking attention and clearly smaller than her brothers and sisters. If I were to choose a pet then low attention seeking would be high on the list of suitable characteristics. Boo won over the hearts of the kids very quickly and after a brief discussion on pro's and cons of black vs red, playful vs quiet, Boo won out and was wisked away to the Jeffrey family and has been melting hearts ever since.

I tell you this story because I know it makes you feel something. You learn a little about me, feel a sense of connection and identify with your own experience of pets in your household. Through the power of a story our relationship grows a little.

I tell you this story because telling stories about your residents and introducing new residents to your community is so important to building community. It's something you should do ceaselessly again and again because your community only benefits.

One of the most popular types of news posts is the ‘welcome to a new resident’ post. This simple yet effective post attracts a high level of engagement from residents again and again and delivers exceptional community building value with minimal effort. I’m going to unpack the keys to this type of article and explain why you should be using them in your community.

Why Welcome Articles Are Crucial:

A personalized welcome article for new residents is more than just a nice gesture—it’s a powerful tool for community building. These articles introduce new members to the whole community, fostering a welcoming atmosphere and encouraging early engagement. It does this in a few ways, 

1. It helps build relationships by educating residents about the person or people moving in. 

2. It gives existing residents a couple of topic ideas to start their first conversation.

3. It reinforces the names, address and characteristics of the new residents, which make it easier for residents to remember them. 

4. All of the comments and replies to the news post reinforce a value in the community that we make new people welcome

Effective Structure for Welcome Articles:

Follow this simple structure for your news post. Don’t forget to take a photo of the residents 

1. Warm Introduction: Start with an engaging, friendly greeting that reflects the community’s spirit.

2. Spotlight on New Residents: Feature a brief biography of the newcomers, focusing on their life story, interests, and hopes for their new home. Ensuring privacy and consent, these spotlights can be crafted easily through our secure Pluss Communities platform.

3. A Note from Management: Include a welcoming note from yourself and a welcome on behalf of the whole community. Include a comment about looking forward to getting to know the new residents more as we interact in one of the many community activities and events. This shows the approachability and responsiveness of the management, and the lifestyle program

Organising Regular Posts:

If you want to write a welcome to new residents article on a regular basis, it's important to get organised. Here are a few tips:

1. Set aside a specific time each week to write the article. This will help you to stay on track and make sure that the articles get written regularly.

2. Create a template. This will make it easier to write the articles and ensure that they have a consistent structure.

3. Gather information about the new residents. This could include information about their interests, hobbies, and backgrounds.

4. Proofread the article before publishing it. This will help to ensure that there are no errors. Workflow your article through to someone else to check.

5. Consistent Schedule: Use our app to set a recurring publication date, ensuring regular updates that keep the community informed and engaged.

6. Make the process part of the onboarding of a new resident: When new residents are moving in, let them know that you like to write a short article to introduce them to the wider community and that you will be back in touch when they are settled. 

Utilising welcome articles transforms a simple introduction into a significant opportunity for community building. As the existing residents comment and welcome the new residents, a cascading sense of good will evolves, reinforcing important community values. Each article helps knit your community closer, ensuring every resident—not just the newcomers—feels valued and connected. Don’t just put your welcome article into a printed newsletter, put it into a Pluss Communities app to get the most community building benefit.