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Social Buttons    A Joyful LifeMay 12th, 2013 4:12pm
On Mother's Day 2013, I'm remembering my sweet Mother, Jerry Odell, who left us in September 2011. She loved family, the Lord, and music and lived a life of service. I try to follow her example. She had a generous heart; I can never remember her saying a negative word about anyone. Her unconditional love gave me the confidence I could do anything. Even when we were teens, she and my Dad, Earl, treated their children with respect, listening to our opinions. Our friends all felt welcome in our home. She lived a rich life, full of joy -- always seeing the glass half full. After my father died, she spoke of gratitude for a long marriage and three children. She was in her church choir for more than 50 years. It was an honor and thrill to sing among the altos she sang with at Alamo Heights United Methodist the special music my brother commissioned in their memory, "O Clap Your Hands." Her deep faith and active service contributed to her serene outlook as she passed 90 and her world became increasingly more limited. Happy Mother's Day Mom. I miss you. Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Communicating During a Global Crisis - Then & NowFebruary 11th, 2013 12:15pm
Is your organization facing a crisis with global implications? In the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, communications played a central role with the public and major players -- on a totally different time scale. A PBS documentary with interviews and mushroom cloud video provides key insights into the role of communications during the time the US came closest to global thermonuclear war. When the US first discovered the missiles in Cuba, President Kennedy said nothing for several days. When JFK publically announced a talk to the nation at 7 PM, Khrushchev said to his aides: "they must have found the missiles."
Clearly the Kennedy administration had a luxury of time not available to today's leaders of nations and international companies.
3) Castro realized the USSR and the US were communicating without including him. He sent a letter to Khrushchev saying they were willing to be sacrificed, thinking this would strengthen his resolve to keep the missiles in Cuba. The letter had the opposite effect. Khrushchev--who saw horrors in World War II -- told his aides: "Castro is insane." The gambit backfired. Our 24/7 media culture makes crisis response ever more complicated and immediate. The attack on the US embassy in Behghazi continues to reverberate from public statements made on TV talk shows several days after the event. All organizations who interact with the media should have a crisis communications plan. When the crisis hits, there is no time to develop key messages or agreement with your leadership on the steps to be taken. The organization needs to develop "what-if" scenarios and rehearse them with top management if the company, government or organization is to avoid lasting damage. Posted in: Crisis CommunicationsView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Saving Children Through Concerted Media AttentionNovember 19th, 2012 11:48am - Posted By: Peggy Gonder
Can traditional media still drive public conversation and outrage, resulting in system change in our fractured media landscape? I hope so. The Denver Post and 9News launched an 8 day blitz of news stories to shine a harsh light on Colorado's failed child protection system. "Failed to Death" chronicles the systemic shortcomings that led more than 70 children to die AFTER they were referred to the child protection system. Researched over 6 months, The Post ran extensive daily stories and 9News - Denver's NBC affiliate -- aired stories on at least two newscasts every day. The series ends with an editorial in the Sunday, Nov. 11 Denver Post pointing to several reasons for the continuing tragedies -- including a lack of funding for more caseworkers and a failure of political will. On 9News, investigative reporter Jace Larson interviewed State Sen. Linda Newell, vice-chair of Health and Human Services on the need for a statewide hotline, recommended in past years, but still not enacted. Gov. Hickenlooper was asked about the hotline as well. Both outlets amplified their coverage through social media. Denver Post reporter Jennifer Brown (@JBrownDPost) tweeted links to Post stories and invited followers to live chats on Facebook and Live Google Hangout. Brown and reporter Jordan Steffen also gave highlights of the series on a Denver Post videocast, denverpost.com/dptv where they pledged to continue following the story in coming months, putting questions to legislators and other elected officials. Larson of 9News promoted the series on his Twitter Feed and the station's Facebook page as well as the investigative page of 9news.com. Viewers engaged through lively comments and a sad story of another child's suffering. Although today's media landscape is much more fractured, getting the word out through traditional and social media -- and combining resources and cross-promotion from Denver's only daily newspaper and the top-rated TV station-- may help build public pressure and political will to make the changes needed to save lives. For the sake of at-risk children, let's hope this major media effort yields fruit. Posted in: Building public support, Journalism, Behavior changeView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Remembering Why Veterans ServedNovember 12th, 2012 9:20am
On Veterans Day 2012, I am thinking about all the soldiers who have sacrificed -- in the United States and around the world -- for our freedom to speak out, follow our choice of religion and gather in groups without fear of reprisal. It is a time to thank especially those who gave the ultimate sacrifice:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: This verse that is read on Veterans Day in Britain and in much of the British Commonwealth is part of a poem that is largely unknown in the United States. The poet was Laurence Binyon, who wrote it in Cornwall, England after reading of troop losses on the Western Front.
At right, four U.S. soldiers pose in France in November 1918 (AP). Full story of WWI poetry at npr.org. Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +The Law No One Knows AboutOctober 6th, 2012 1:45pm
More than 43 states have passed Move Over laws, which require motorists to move over and change lanes (when possible) or reduce their speed by 20 mph below the speed limit when a law officer or first responder has another motorist pulled over on the shoulder. Posted in: Media Relations, Building public supportView / Add Comment | 4 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Handling Threats to Health and ReputationSeptember 24th, 2012 5:00pm - Posted By: Peggy Gonder
Disease outbreaks and contamination can be a threat to any organization, whether a hotel or a cruise line. It can be especially damaging to the reputation of a hospital. I was recently contacted by the New Hampshire Business Review to comment on a Hepatitis C outbreak in a local hospital and how they responded to the situation. I responded with my perspective based on a similar situation three years ago in Denver. I also offered to send them my eight rules for any organization responding to a crisis, which they published: 1. Respond to media inquiries early , even if just to say you are investigating the problem. Otherwise, media reports and social media chatter will define the crisis for you. 2. Express concern for those harmed in terms of your values. Example: “The health of our patients is our highest priority.” 3. Don’t speculate. Initial reports during an event are often wrong. 4. Keep employees informed , so they know how to respond to formal and informal inquiries. Even though they may not speak to the press, their opinions and comments carry weight with family, friends and neighbors. Employees want and deserve news first. 5. Have a crisis plan in place. That way, you can vet certain statements and steps with your legal counsel out of the heat of a crisis. There are certain crises that are predictable. For a healthcare organization, it can be equipment contamination. All companies can have issues with employees (embezzlement, drug use). 6. Commit to ongoing communications with your organization’s publics, including former patients, doctors with admitting privileges, employees and neighbors to your facilities. 7. Support the community in tangible ways. Companies can sponsor fund-raising and other events that demonstrate their core values. 8. Be responsive to media requests. A reputation for open-ness can affect how the news media covers your institution. It is human nature to be suspicious of an organization with a track record of secretiveness. It makes a difference if the institution was the cause of the problem. Jensen Farms in Colorado caused the cantaloupe listeria tragedy, but hospitals with drug-using employees are also victims. This should not be part of the institution’s response, but it does play a role in how the public views the crisis. Posted in: Crisis Communications, Healthcare, ReputationView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Journalists Want Images and Searchable InfoAugust 21st, 2012 5:02pm
Media outlets and journalists in 2012 are looking for images and infographics in online newsrooms, according to a survey by PRESSFeed. Nearly all journalists use search for information, underscoring the need to have search-optimized news releases. The same survey found that corprate newsrooms were very likely to have images. However, only 54 % of PR pros said they had the resources to produce images, infographics and video. Highlights include: -- 98% of journalists use search to find information and sources -- 52% of the media said it was "very important" to have access to images -- 28% of journalists say it is important to have access to images -- 75% of journalists wanted access to video -- Less than 15% on online news releases are optimized for search Key fundings are summarized in the attached infographic. Posted in: Media Relations, Online communicationsView / Add Comment | 2 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +How Not to Respond to a ReporterJuly 5th, 2012 4:26pm
Public officials and candidates running for office can make a mis-statement that they regret later. They also may say something in a meeting that they don't want made broadly available. It is important to own up to a mis-statement quickly if the person in the limelight wants the controversy to die down. But it is important to make the apology sincere and believable. Sen. Mike Coffman made statesments that questioned President Obama's patriotism in a campaign appearance. He compounded his self-induced crisis by refusing to respond to the media. TV Reporter Kyle Clark intercepted Sen. Coffman downtown and the raw video of the encounter was posted on the Internet. Clark apologized for ambushing the senator, but said his staff did not return his calls. Coffman said virtually the same statement five times. This is a mis-understanding of staying on-message and put him in an extremely bad light. Watch the interview above. Lessons Drawn: * If you make a mistake, own up to it quickly via a written statement. * Have your staff get back to reporters. Stonewalling does not work. * Elaborate if your initial statement leaves the reporter and viewers dissatisfied. The campaign appearance gaffe was magnified by the way this elected official chose to handle media interest. It is far better to come clean quickly so you can move on to a more positive message.
Posted in: NoneView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Using Social Media StrategicallyJune 11th, 2012 2:36pm
Social media provides powerful new tools for engaging with your target audiences and building your brand. One-fourth of "search engine results are content generated by users," Internet Buzz examiner Joshua McIntyre told those attending a West Glen Communications seminar in Denver. "Be sure your brand has a place in the marketplace." But it can take lots of staff time to maintain blogs and updates, so it is important to develop a strategic approach to social media. These tips can save time and help avoid mistakes.1. Target your audiences and engage where they are gathered. Use google alerts and technorati.com to search for your organization's name to find where your target audiences hang out. 2. Listen first because social media is all about building relationships. Read a blogger before sending a pitch. As with traditional media, it's important to target a story pitch to the blogger's specialty. The message should reference a blog post so the writer knows you've read his or her blog. 3. When you engage, set parameters that your organization can fulfill. Frontier Airlines, for example, didn't have the staff to respond to all Tweets from passengers with questions. Instead spokesman Steve Snyder told a BusinessWire panel that they took a segmented approach to Twitter to engage with specific audiences by setting up two Twitter accounts -- one for fare sales and another for storm information that can disrupt flights. Persons who Tweet about specific situations are redirected to toll-free numbers and other resources.
4. Seek ways to stimulate two-way communications. Frontier ran a contest on Facebook for the best stories about flights that brought people together. Fans of the airlines posted their stories on the site, and other fans voted for their favorite stories. The top vote-getting stories won free round-trip tickets, creating buzz and engaging many fans. 5. Reach out to key supporters. A Facebook page is an ideal way for professional organizations to connect with members and for non-profits to engage with donors and volunteers. 6. Share information. Social media is not just about promoting a company, its products or an organization. The way to build credibility and thought leadership is through sharing information. Sharing useful links is a particularly good way to build followers on Twitter. 7. Match the content to the medium. Twitter is a tool to provide thought leadership and let your followers know timely updates on a daily or weekly basis. Facebook can be a portal to share information also sent to traditional news media where your "fans" are more likely to see it. Bloggers can be evangelists for your brand if you engage carefully in a way that shows you've done your homework.
8. Learn more and jump in. There are tutorials on social media on www.mashable.com. You can set up a personal Twitter account and see how the community operates. Set up a personal page on Facebook before making one for your organization. Posted in: Social MediaView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Standing Together for the Common GoodApril 26th, 2012 2:59pm
Leaders from Protestant, Catholic and Jewish traditions spoke of how their faith called them to speak out for the poor and those struggling with foreclosure, failing schools and lack of access to health insurance. We pledged to work to create a Land of Opportunity for all Coloradans. Included was a goal to register 8,000 new voters and contact a total of 40,000 voters before the November election. A big message was that your vote can make a difference. Colorado Together, formerly Metro Organizations for People (MOP), is part of the national PICO network. The April 24 event was one of 10 occurring across the US in late April and early May.
The ASSET Bill -- that would have allowed the students affordable tuition, was killed in the House Finance Committee the next day. Find more information here on Together Colorado. Posted in: Building public support, Special EventsView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Communications as PerformanceMarch 27th, 2012 3:46pm - Posted By: Peggy Gonder
You can ramp up communications by taking some lessons from show biz, whether Rob Biesenbach, a PR exec who is also an actor, presented tips to the PRSA Western District Conference in Denver. For attention-getting, memorable communications: * Tell stories, with a character and a challenge. * Tap into emotion. Logic does not sway people. * Less is more. Keep message focused. * Show, don’t tell. Use props, video to bring message to life. * Stand up and stand out. Don’t be afraid to act. Biesenbach has written an excellent book, Act Like You Mean Business, based on his training with Second City and his work incorporating drama into his communications. Posted in: Writing Tips, PresentationsView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Measuring What MattersFebruary 3rd, 2012 12:49pm - Posted By: Peggy Gonder
Engagement is not how many "likes" your company has on Facebook. It is a continuum, ranging from click-throughs on the low end to advocacy on the high end, measurement guru K.D. Paine told members of PRSA and Mile High Social Media Club in Colorado. Return on Investment may be efficiency, not sales: finding the relevant people to engage with and building long-term relationships. Another mistake is to select a measurement tool (such as media monitoring) before deciding on the goal. As examples, a metric for reputation/relationships could be a percentage increase in recommendations, while a sales goal might be an increase in qualified leads. Six Steps to Measurement Success 1. Define the "R" in Return on Investment (ROI) 2. Connect the dots between organizational goals and PR programs 3. Establish benchmarks to reach the goal 4. Define the metrics to measure progress 5. Pick a measurement tool 6. Figure out what it means, make changes and measure again. Posted in: PR Measurement, Social MediaView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Building Relationships with BloggersJanuary 18th, 2012 3:19pm
Bloggers differ from traditional journalists in several ways, according to an expert panel at PRSA Colorado. A traditional journalist will "let go" of a bad pitch. But a blogger may share it with their blogger friends, giving the PR person a bad reputation with more than one media outlet. Erica Napolitano, blogger for Red Head Writing; Elaine Ellis, social media and marketing manager for Trada; and Merredith Branscombe, founder of Leap Public Relations; offered these tips for success with bloggers: * Don't pitch first, comment (on the blog), then pitch. * Search Twitter streams and most recent blog posts to discover the blogger's interest, tone and writing style. * Leave something out of the pitch, so they'll want to talk to your clients. * Check their Klout.com score to identify the fields where a blogger has influence. * Niche conferences are also a great place to meet bloggers and begin a relationship. "Understanding SEO is one of the most important things for anyone in social media," advised Elaine Ellis. Posted in: Media Relations, BloggersView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +Seeking Health Information Online vs. OfflineDecember 15th, 2011 3:23pm
What characteristics differentiate those who seek health information online and elsewhere? According to the Pew Research Center, level of education is a major determinant. College graduates are overwhelmingly online (94%) and 89% gather health information there. Of those who have less than a high school education, only 42 percent use the Internet and about two-thirds of those seek health information online. About one in six adults do Not seek health information online. The obvious take-way for those planning health information campaigns is to plan strategies through multiple venues, including online links but also interpersonal contacts and printed communications. Those wishing to reach low-income individuals and those with a less than high school education need to enlist trusted individuals or organizations to get the word out. Churches are often an effective way of reaching members of the African American and Latino communities. Another is to hire promotadoras -- Spanish speaking advocates with credibility in the community -- to deliver the prevention and other healthcare messages. Posted in: Healthcare, Online communications, MarketingView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google +What are People Doing Online?November 23rd, 2011 2:00pm
Not very many are using Twitter, according to Pew Research. Facebook and Linked In are far more popular. Three fourths of us research product information online and 8 out of 10 seek medical information. This infographic shows how adults are using the Internet for news, shopping, social networking, personal business and finance.
Posted in: Social Media, MarketingView / Add Comment | 0 Comment(s) | Rating: 0 of 5 | Share: Twitter, Facebook, Google + |
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Veterans Day was originally Armistice Day, commemorating Nov. 11, 1918 when guns fell silent ending World War I. It was renamed Veterans Day in 1954 to honor veterans of all wars.
I've been discouraged by the vicious tone in our public life the last few years. So it was inspiring to be part of the launch of Together Colorado, a gathering of 1,200 faith and community leaders who pledged to work for the Common Good. 
One of the most moving presentations was by a group of students from Aurora Central High and Bruce Randolph in Denver. They asked if the audience could tell which of the 12 was undocumented. Then nine of the 12 stepped forward bound by a chain. They spoke of a three year delay considering a girl's documents and a boy who had contemplated suicide. All had lived in Colorado many years and did not make the decision to enter the US without papers.
your project is a speech, an email, a blog or a video. 