Destinations International staged the first day of its annual Advocacy Summit as a virtual event last week...and the early returns are two thumbs up.
There were a ton of takeaways during the day long idea-fest...but one resonated most with me.
Gary Sanchez, Director of Public Affairs for Visit Dallas, shared some of the trials and tribulations his organization endured after an external audit excoriated the agency last year, putting its contract in jeopardy with the City. While many of the findings merely showcased that the auditors didn't understand how Destination Sales and Marketing works, there was enough smoke to capture the attention of the City Council, some of whom were demanding a split with Visit Dallas.
How did it come to this? Gary said, "We sold Dallas...we never sold Visit Dallas."
And, ain't that the truth? We are often so busy doing our work that we forget to let our investors know what and how we do.
As we emerge from this tragic crisis, we must vow to never lose sight of the fact that we are in service to our communities. And, that means copious communication until we are sick of communicating.
Because, at that moment, we will have just cracked the surface.
Day Two of the Advocacy Summit is November 12th.
Amen, brother!
Posted by: Lee T | October 22, 2020 at 09:10