SE2

Support lines work, but could they work better? SE2 Principal Brandon Zelasko explains in our blog that support lines could lower barriers and increase usage by anticipating potential users' questions or concerns.

"We are accustomed to subscriptions that are hard to cancel, services that overpromise and underdeliver, hidden fees, and systems that escalate our commitment once we enter them. So, when users encounter a support line, they assume it comes with strings attached or hard-to-spot fine print or catches."

Is this free? Is it confidential? Who answers. Is it a real person? What happens after I start? Can I get out of it? Will this create unintended consequences?

"When people can see what the first interaction looks like, engagement increases. When expectations are clear, perceived risk drops," he writes.

The Barrier to Support Line Use Isn’t Just Stigma – It’s Our Tendency to Over-Sanitize the Experience - SE2 Support line hesitation may be driven more by uncertainty than stigma. Clarity, transparency, and realistic expectations can increase engagement and help people take the first step.

We love our office suite on the second floor of the Sudler Building, just north of the Colorado Capitol, and grabbing coffee and spilling the tea at Blue Sparrow on the first floor. It's a hub of activity, especially when the legislature is in session. We're always up for an IRL meeting there if you plan to be in the neighborhood. Fun fact: Our office suite as a turntable and vinyl.

This past weekend, we helped turn out the crowd — bringing people together in Pueblo around an issue that affects their community and their future. The result? A community ready to take action. This is what effective community engagement looks like.