professional development courses


  • Professional Development Courses


    Our courses are designed to deliver highly focussed, practical training on an open enrollement basis, covering all professionals, industries and regions.

  • Training by Regional and Sector


    Courses can either isolate regional or sector differences or celebrate them through both course delivery and trainee participation

  • It takes the best to train the best


    We employ the best trainers from unrivalled access to the world's leading minds in all industries and regional markets. Carefully selected for their mix of practical experience, consultative background in a broad range of companies and proven training delivery. You need the best, we insist on it!

  • Our training philosophy


    Our expert trainers combine with our cutting edge course content to focus on delivering content through expert facilitation and dynamic presentations with relevant and transferable practical case studies bringing the theory to life.

Strategic Planning and Management of Corporate Communications

Successful communications are increasingly central to the management of an organisation’s reputation. Commercial and/or organisational performance, corporate values and good governance are all critical to the more holistic perception of a company now demanded by investors, customers, the media, employees and those with the power to influence an organisation’s ‘licence to operate’. As a result, today’s heads of communication must operate at board level as well as on the ground. This course helps pave the way for that transition by developing a strategic approach to corporate communications planning and implementation.

Turning 'Theory' into 'Practice'?

With more than three decades experience operating at a senior level in both consultancy and in-house corporate communications roles in a wide variety of industries, our specialist trainer combines practical commercial experience along with an interactive training style. The result is a dynamic, intensive and enjoyable course relevant and applicable to the challenges faced by today’s senior corporate communicators. Including the latest marketing and PR theory and developments, the course draws on existing best practice, uses real-life case studies and generates thought provoking ideas and solutions that can be immediately applied by delegates in their own situations.

Who should attend?

Heads of communications departments, senior managers and marketing professionals taking responsibility for planning, managing and delivering integrated marketing, communications and PR strategies

Key areas to be covered in the programme and documentation

Setting the context - the big picture

• Definitions - reputation management and public relations
• Communication as a management process

Pre-strategy considerations
• Considering the business plan and how reputation and PR will contribute
• Considering outside forces and other changing dynamics using PEST and SWOT analysis
• Identifying the key issues and how to manage them
• Who sets the lead and creates the corporate culture?
• Becoming a pro-active organisation, not a reactive one

Stakeholder analysis
• The importance of stakeholder analysis on communication planning
• Defining brand vision and values
• Mapping stakeholders and their expectations
• Evaluating consumer perceptions and corporate reputation
• Conducting competitor, product and pricing analysis
• Creating ‘desired behaviour’
• Prioritising stakeholder requirements when structuring communication strategies

Establishing a Strategic Framework
• Planning according to budget and ROI
• Aligning communications, marketing and PR strategies
• Thinking globally but acting locally – strategies that result in a consistent message
• Considering risk and change management implications

Developing key messages
• The difference between the key messages(s) and ‘the story’
• Building the key message into a ‘story’
• Presenting ‘the story’ in a way that is appropriate, acceptable and entertaining
• Are the words appropriate for a multi-cultural audience?The communication matrix
• Creating a communications matrix
• Prioritising the work load and becoming personally more effective

Communication channels - selection and use
• Recognising how adults learn and react 
• What channels do you have (or could have) available?
• Best practices for different channels
• Matching the channel(s) to the message
• It’s not just about the media!

The big idea - brainstorming techniques and the development of a ‘big’ idea
• Using structured brainstorming to develop ideas
• Involving other departments
• Selling the ideas internally to your peers, the marketing people and the board

From Strategy to Tactics
• Developing strategic campaigns and themes 
• Gap analysis and resourcing
• Tactical roll-out, timeline and budgeting
• Articulating and delivering a programme
• Auditing resources – what should be in your PR toolkit?
• Managing relationships with external consultancies

Building effective and professional media relations
• Understanding the media
• The challenges of 24/7 news delivery
• The impact of social media on the news business
• Why are some stories news worthy and others are not
• Dealing with the media both proactively and reactively
• Measuring PR success – quantitatively and qualitatively

Crisis avoidance and crisis management
• Definition of crisis
• The risks of a badly managed crisis and how a badly handled crisis can put your organisation out of business
• Can you avoid a crisis? Or will you turn a drama into your crisis?
• What’s required; the importance of effective planning, identifying the right people to manage the crisis and the importance of the correct training and rehearsal
• Preparing the crisis manual – communication processes and procedures
• Knowing the difference between crisis handling and business continuity and ensuring the two groups liaise effectively
• Dealing with the media in a crisis

Community relations and corporate social responsibility (CSR)
• Community relations and CSR as an organisational model for sustainable business
• Building CSR into your PR strategy
• Assessing the boundaries of responsibility
• Incorporating environmental factors in risk assessment

Monitoring, evaluation and return on investment
• The importance of surveys and analysis as the foundation of your PR strategy
• What information is available?
• On-going evaluation for re-defining your strategy

Reviewing your strategy and budgeting
• Will it last – is it ‘long term’?
• Does it cover all the bases?
• Resources and budgets?

Benefits to you

• Enhancing your ability to develop a communications plans aligned with business strategy and goals
• Helping you establish a strategic framework for corporate communications and PR planning and strategy implementation
• Learning best practice tools, tips and techniques to apply in your organisation
• Realising the value of your brand(s) and corporate image through integrated communication channels
• Enhance your knowledge about incorporating best practice crisis management planning and CSR into all aspects of communications
• Helping you to achieve maximum return from PR tactics and relationships
• Benchmarking your own strategies, skill sets and experiences against those of your peers
• Enhancing the profile of the corporate communications and PR function and your own role in the organisation.

Companies already benefiting include:

Duration of Course

2 Day Course

Course details

This course is currently only available as an in-house option. For more information, and a quote, contact our team on +44 (0)20 3002 3057, or by email at ProfessionalTraining@iihc.org

Looking to train larger teams in this subject?

dzingim@marcusevansuk.comTailored in-house/in-company training courses and bespoke strategy workshops designed and delivered on-site throughout Europe according to your specific requirements.

All management, personal development and project management public courses featured in our Course Directory are also delivered on an In-Company basis.

Click Here for information on how this course can be delivered for you as an In-Company Training Solution

 


Quick Enquiry
Name*           
Email*           
Training need Input the below captcha code

Further information

UK Enquiries: +44 (0) 203 002 3057
or dzingim@marcusevansuk.com

Non-UK Enquiries: +420 (0)2 5570 7246
or training@marcusevanscz.com

North American Enquiries: +1 312 540 3000 X6714 or emilyj@marcusevansch.com

dzingim@marcusevansuk.com - Marketing Manager EMEA - Professional Training


UK Enquiries: +44 (0)20 7647 2383 : salesenquiries@marcusevansuk.com
European Enquiries: +420 (0)2 5570 7246 : training@marcusevanscz.com

Testimonials

"This course will allow my company to develop its existing strategies to a much greater and hopefully profitable level."

Managing Director, Tarmac