MEMBERSHIP & COMMUNICATIONS
GOAL:
Expand DSA’s diverse base of informed and engaged members and key stakeholders
Strategic Planning Initiative
2010/11 HIGHLIGHTS: Member Participation DSA members – as diverse as the community we serve – provided an important voice on economic development, public policy and destination marketing. Last year, representatives from 190 member organizations played an active role by serving on the Board of Trustees or on one or more of DSA’s standing committees and task forces. In addition, representatives from more than half of our member organizations participated in a DSA-hosted event, forum or issue-oriented discussion group.
Downtown Resident Engagement Conducted presentations to residents of Downtown condominiums and apartments, including two Downtown Neighborhood Resident’s Forums – one focused on public safety issues, and one focused on Downtown parks. The presentations provided residents with information about DSA/MID and other Downtown services, while inviting participation in DSA’s public policy advocacy efforts. DSA also introduced a new membership category for Downtown residents, and will establish a Downtown Residents’ Advisory Council in the coming year to forge closer ties and to better respond to the needs of this important, growing segment of the Downtown community.
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Embarked on a strategic plan to build on the community’s unique assets and respond to Downtown’s economic, environmental and social needs. By inviting public dialogue – reflecting a diversity of perspectives – priorities and strategies were identified for Downtown’s future and for evolving DSA to better meet the needs of the community today and tomorrow, together. With input from nearly 500 community stakeholders, the strategic plan was launched at the 2011 DSA Annual Meeting.
Two-Way Member Communications Initiated frequent two-way communication with members to stay even closer and responsive to their individual and collective needs – including monthly President’s Roundtable small group discussions; ongoing one-on-one meetings with DSA member companies; and more than a dozen sector advisory groups convened to identify sector-by-sector issues critical in the development of DSA’s strategic plan.
DSA also launched a Downtown neighborhood blog, Let’s Talk Downtown, to invite conversation about issues important to Downtown and its 58,000 residents, in addition to a growing presence on social networking sites LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, which have collectively garnered more than 7,000 followers. In June, the DSA and MID redesigned and launched their shared website – DowntownSeattle.com – offering visitors a new look, easier navigation and several new features including city council vote tracking, expanded resource library, event and happy hour listings, blog functionality and so much more.
MEMBERSHIP & COMMUNICATIONS
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