Cohousing-L Mailing List: Example of good newsletter: Heartwood Commons - Tulsa

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

I don’t receive newsletters from cohousing communities generally so this is a 
recommendation based on monthly newsletter of all kinds that I receive. This 
newsletter from a yet to be moved in community, Heartwood Commons Tulsa, 
surprises me every month. It is long with lots of pictures and covers many 
topics. I can’t say enough about it. And Suzy Sharp who writes the newsletter 
is rather nonplussed that I rave over it — asking what her experience with 
newsletters is and how she solicits all the info. (The hardest thing is often 
getting people to send you information.)

Every month it comes a long updating me descriptions of the units, aspects of 
cohousing, construction updates, events past present and future, how to sign up 
for a site tour, how to visit the site, introductions to new members, notes 
from pets (My name is Cricket. I’m a Tibetan Terrier..), announcement of the 
downsizing yard sale, and an invitation with a picture of a smiling Suzy asking 
you to reach out to her.

Their newsletters are on the website which is hosted at Hubspot. Sometimes I 
can see it there and sometimes not. To avoid having another password to record 
and remember I use my Google acct sign in. Some days Hubspot says I don’t exist 
— so go to the home page (no sign in) if the newsletter link doesn’t work. The 
newsletters are under Get Involved in the navigation menu at the top.

https://www.heartwoodcommonstulsa.com/

https://www.heartwoodcommonstulsa.com/copy-of-newsletter

Lots of wonderful pictures including a masked array of members in a meeting on 
Zoom.

TIP #2. Never use stock photos on your website. They are always too good to be 
true. It is so easy to take pictures with smart phones that there is no excuse 
for photoshopped staged photos of people with perfect teeth (a dead give away). 
If you can’t get everyone in one place to take a photo and don’t have 
construction plans yet, ask if you can borrow from another community and lable 
the photo as such. “This is YZO community’s summer BBQ that is typical of 
cohousing communities,” or “This is what we are planning for ourselves.” Lots 
of possibilities here. 

Sharon
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Sharon Villines, Washington DC
"Reality is something you rise above." Liza Minnelli