What is the one thing that practically every community association management company desires? Growth!

At least 75% of property managers plan to expand their portfolios in 2026, even though only 55% reported growth in 2025.

As with any business, association management requires a steady stream of new clients to achieve positive financial growth. But making it happen is the hard part.

The industry has always presented challenges, but with limited budgets, increasing costs and a scarcity of qualified association managers, achieving growth is becoming more challenging.  

The good news is that your company can still prosper. Here are 4 ways that the most successful community association management companies win and retain new business.

How community association management companies can win new business

1. Make sure HOAs can find you
2. Leverage modern technology solutions that go beyond task management
3. Ask happy clients to recommend you
4. Share your knowledge

1. Make sure HOAs can find you

Why it matters
Board members will look for a property management company in the same way they search for any other service or product: by searching online.

If your company doesn’t appear on the first page, there’s a very small chance that you’ll gain the visibility you need to grow.

A strong digital presence ensures your firm is top-of-mind when associations seek new management.

How to do it

This is a multistep process, but the outcome is worth the work.

Start with a website:

• You can build one yourself, or have an association management software company design one for you
• It’s crucial to optimize your online presence. Since there are so many companies out there, it’s no longer enough to add website copy without identifying important keywords
• Focus on the keywords that will help prospects find you, and implement them in your content, page titles, descriptions, links, and images. For example, if you offer full-service management to luxury HOAs in Florida, make sure that your website is discoverable for those keywords 

Make digital marketing a priority:

• Digital marketing extends your reach. Instead of relying on just the website, you leverage different online tools
• If you have time to maintain a blog, add one to your website. Address the current and developing challenges community associations face, and share how a management company can help solve them. A new article should be posted at least once a week
• Consider hiring a marketing specialist who can help you track leads. Or, get prospects to provide their email addresses in exchange for a monthly newsletter or new client offer
• Create a social media account for your company. Start with the platform you are more comfortable with. Share links to articles, company updates, tips for community associations, and more
• If the budget exists, pay for online search ads to improve your company’s visibility

2. Leverage modern technology solutions that go beyond task management

Why it matters

Community association management companies are constantly being asked to do more with less. Owners and board members want more answers and more transparency. Meanwhile, your staff are struggling to keep up.

Good software can make a huge difference when it comes to operational efficiencies, allowing your team to serve more clients without sacrificing quality of service.   

How to do it

Find a platform like HOA Central that caters to multiportfolio management. Leading platforms have already built AI into their solutions, which will further support your company’s output levels. Below are some other things to look for:

• End-to-end solutions that standardize operations while offering flexibility. This way, you can standardize operations while accommodating each community’s way of doing things
• AI and self-serve tools for board members and owners. These things are critical because they can resolve routine inquiries without involving your staff
• Unified accounting and payments so that there’s no switching between platforms
• Portfolio and property level KPIs and analytics so that you can measure progress and proactively forecast with confidence
• Branding options so you can market the software as your own

3. Ask happy clients to recommend you

Why it matters

Word-of-mouth remains the single most powerful driver of new business. 88% of consumers trust recommendations from people they know more than any other type of advertising.

Plus, it is the most cost-effective way to bring in new clients.

If a current client willingly recommends you to another community, chances are high that you will gain their trust and their business.

  How to do it

Ensure clients understand the changes your company has made to the community. You will need to get data at the very start of your relationship with the community, and track progress or changes annually, if not more frequently. Once your staff have built a strong relationship and they are confident that the community will provide a positive review, you should:

• Request a digital testimonial. Ask satisfied boards to share positive feedback through public review sites like Google Business
• Leverage referral campaigns. Create a simple referral program offering service discounts to the referring association
• Add the best reviews to your website

4. Share your knowledge

Why it matters

Your competitors might have the same experience as you, but you need to do something that makes prospects say, “I trust this company. They know what they’re doing.”

By sharing bits of expert knowledge for free, you can attract boards that are seeking professional guidance.

How to do it

Use digital platforms to reach more people. You can also network at in-person events, but this tends to be more time-consuming, and the focus isn’t always on you.  

• Use LinkedIn for professional management posts. This is the best platform to establish your company as an industry leader
•  Offer free educational webinars or guides through your website to attract leads. Boards will love this, and you can follow up with attendees after the webinar to see if they would be interested in hiring your company
• Participate in local events, trade shows, and industry associations (like CAI chapters) to network directly with board members

Conclusion

In today’s competitive association management landscape, growth depends on adaptability, innovation, and trust.

Companies that want to expand their portfolios must look beyond traditional strategies and incorporate modern, data-driven approaches.

By ensuring your business is easy to find online, investing in technology that caters to multiportfolio management, and maintaining a high level of service that is hard to replicate, you’ll stand out to boards that are actively seeking capable partners.

Winning new business isn’t about doing more; it’s about doing better. Communities are always searching for management partners they can rely on. Make sure your company is the one they find, trust, and recommend.