How to increase tenant engagement
with printed newsletters.
How can housing associations increase tenant engagement with newsletters?
Combine printed tenant magazines with personalised content, clear CTAs and digital follow-up. Tailoring by region and reinforcing messages across channels drives higher engagement and response.
Are printed tenant newsletters still effective?
Yes, often more effective than digital alone.
A strong printed tenant magazine should cut through digital noise, provide a trusted, tangible format and support wider tenant comms. Print isn’t outdated, it’s underutilised.
How can tenant magazines re-engage residents?
When content is local and relevant, tenant magazines help reconnect disengaged residents.
A regionally personalised approach allows you to:
- Promote local services and events
- Share area-specific updates
- Introduce housing officers
This improves engagement and helps reduce unnecessary contact centre calls.
Example: Ongo tailored content across carrier sheets and magazine content, improving relevance and engagement.
Read more here.
How does personalisation improve engagement?
Personalisation makes your customer magazine immediately relevant.
Focus on:
- Personalised carrier sheets
- Location-based messaging
- Content that reflects community needs
This shifts communications from generic to targeted and actionable.
What makes a newsletter drive action?
Strong design turns content into results.
- Use one clear CTA per message
- Integrate CTAs into the design
- Make next steps simple
Your printed newsletter should inform and drive action.
Why use an omni-channel approach?
Print works best when supported by digital.
- Introduce messages in print
- Follow up via email or SMS
- Reinforce with reminders
This multi-channel approach improves reach, recall and response.
How can tenant workshops improve communications?
Tenant consultation workshops help you understand what drives engagement.
They provide insight into:
- Channel preferences
- Magazine content and design
- Engagement barriers
We use these insights to refine content, design, CTAs and channel strategy, ensuring your communications continuously improve.
Example: We supported North Star Housing Association to improve their customer newsletter and this all started by consulting a tenant group, using the results of this to improve the design. Read more here.
How can tenant magazines be produced sustainably?
Printed newsletters can support sustainability when produced responsibly:
- FSC-certified paper
- Carbon balanced print
- Efficient formats to reduce waste
Including a note on sustainable production within your magazine also builds trust and engagement with tenants.
How to improve engagement, quick steps
- Gather tenant insight
- Personalise by region
- Use carrier sheets effectively
- Design with clear CTAs
- Follow up digitally
- Track and optimise
Bringing it together
Printed newsletters remain a powerful tool for tenant engagement.
With the right strategy, personalisation, design and omni-channel delivery, they can:
- Re-engage tenants
- Deliver relevant, localised content
- Drive action and reduce service pressure
From audience workshops to design, print and mail, a joined-up approach ensures your communications deliver real results.
We design, print and mail thousands of tenant magazines every year, and with 20+ years of experience in housing association communications, we know what drives engagement and results. If you’re looking to get more from your tenant newsletters, drop us a note to speak to our experts about how we can help improve your communications strategy.