Corporate Communications and Public Relations Course

Public Relations and Corporate Communications are at the heart of business performance. Modern methods, tools and channels have greatly increased the speed in which communications can be experienced, from local to global.

Who Should Attend?

• Public Relations professionals
• Other key personnel in the organisation whose work involves contact and interaction with internal / external public
• Also beneficial to personnel professionals who wish to learn how to use communication more effectively – possibly in the areas of personnel, marketing, sales, training and administration

Course Objectives

• Set Corporate Affairs in its strategic anticipatory and effective context
• Develop an understanding of stakeholder programmes for regular, focused communication activities
• Examine the development of Corporate Affairs tools
• Understand how to develop and coordinate strategy, plans and tactics
• Evaluate the use of research.

Course Outline

Day 1: Power of Communication

• Welcome and Introductions
• Programme overview, design and options
• Opening Exercise: goal setting
• The Big Picture: overview and PR strategy
• When Public Relations should be used
• Corporate Identity and Image: establishing a positive image and identity
• Becoming a Neighbour of Choice: external reputation management
• Leaders’ Role in Managing Communications

Day 2: Understanding organisation

• The expectations of employees and employers
• Understanding audiences
• Plotting the stakeholder communication journey
• Getting the message out to audiences
• Storytelling
• Empowering employees through social media
• Steps for creating clear content that has impact
• Developing trust and credibility with senior leaders

Day 3: Corporate Communications

• Media Relations best practices
• Effective event management
• Developing a crisis management toolkit
• Hosting VIP visits
• Protocol in practice
• Financial PR activities and roles
• Multinational and global communication challenges

Day 4: Risks and Threats

• Planning for the unexpected
• Using communication activities to manage risk to reputation
• Repairing a damaged reputation
• Identifying opinion formers and influencers
• Engaging with key decision makers
• Principles for building sustainable relationships with decision makers and influencers
• VIP and political contact programmes
• Monitoring political activities

Day 5: Powerful and Persuasive Planning

• 10 stages of PR planning
• Using market research to plan PR activities
• Developing measurable objectives for activities
• Identifying core messages
• Developing practical communication toolkits
• Creating a schedule of PR activities
• Measuring outputs, outcomes and value