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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This infographic shows how adults are using the Internet for news, shopping, social networking, personal business and finance.

Flowtown - Social Media Marketing Application

"People on talk shows are entertainers. They couldn't govern their way out of a paper sack," says former Sen. Alan Simpson, (R-Wyo), cochair of the Deficit Reduction Commission and one of several elected officials interviewed.

The most encouraging part of the film describes several organizations that are trying to enfranchise moderates via the Internet. 

The website Ruck.Us is a forum for like-minded people to come together over an interest in shared issues.

Americans Elect is working to eliminate partisan primaries where any candidate would have to win support from a broad swath of voters.

Vote411.org, sponsored by the League of Women Voters, gives nonpartisan information by state about registering to vote with links to information about issues and candidates.

My favorite was nolabels.org - an organization that is working to hold Congress more accountable by demanding these changes:

--Pay for Performance - Congress would not get paid if they don't pass bills

-- Longer work week in Washington (more than the typical 3 days)

-- Speaker of the House would need votes of 60% of members, not a simple majority, requiring candidates to attract votes from opposing party

-- Repealing the technical filibuster in the Senate, where a Senator can block legislation by placing a hold; Senators would actually have to filibuster on the floor for hours to stymie legislation.

I attended the screening as a fund-raiser for the Denver League of Women Voters, which cosponsored a panel discussion.  I urge readers to seek this movie out when it reaches general distribution.

"Let the people know the facts and we will be safe."  Thomas Jefferson

People flagged at risk of stroke in a community stroke screening are more likely to see a doctor within three months if they get a personalized pep talk via phone, including advice on how to get to a doctor's office,  than those who received standard information on risk factors but no motivational help.

This study in the July-August 2011 issue of the Journal of Stroke and Cerebrovascular Diseases continues to refine work I was involved in during the 1990s as a PR consultant to the National Stroke Association.

Behavior change-- especially in health -- can require a five step process:

* Creating awareness of a issue

* Generating interest to learn more

* A triggering event that makes it personally relevant

* Follow-up to provide motivation

* Action to address the health risk.

Getting someone to attend a stroke screening requires the individual to be aware of stroke risk and the event where they can be assessed.  The blood pressure and health history checks at a stroke screening make it possible to have a "teachable moment" when a health care professional can say to that person, "you have double the risk of stroke because of your blood pressure."  Unfortunately, studies show that even when people in screenings are told they are at high risk of stroke, they rarely go to a doctor for care.

We know that fear of acute stroke can be immobilizing. Doctors at the University of Michigan, who conducted the new study, used a brief phone call, known as the Health Belief Model, to offer specific health advice and discuss barriers to seeing a primary care physician.  These patients were twice as likely (56%)  to visit their primary care physician and discuss stroke screening results as the group that did not get a call (38%).

An effective behavior change campaign has multiple steps -- including education, an interpersonal component (if practical) and follow-up to make sure the person has the tools and resources  to get the medical help they need.

The spirit behind Entrepreneur's content is "Innovation and creativity meets the economy and culture."  Cosper's criteria for a successful pitch: tell what the story is and who the people are behind the innovation.

The magazine uses long-form journalism to lead the way on content branding. But the website, with 6-8 million visitors per month, makes money with sponsorships and online ads.  "We're big on experimentation and being playful,"  Cosper added. As an example, a regular column, "As the Esquire Guy" is adding animation online.

Using the Twitter handle, @riotcleanup and hashtag #riotcleanup, authorities are encouraging residents to BYOB - Bring Your Own Broom -- to help clean up the mess.

Tourism experts say how a government and the community respond to a riot can have greater effect than the crisis itself on a country's long-term attractiveness as a tourist destination.

According to theworld.org, residents are helping those cleaning up with tea and cakes, adding a festive atmosphere to their can-do approach.  Hail Brittania!