In today’s cash strapped economy, it is even more important to make every marketing dollar count. Being equipped with the skill set to develop a practical and strategic PR plan will make the difference in delivering effective results-oriented programmes, in line with the company’s goals.

• What are the considerations when developing a plan that is strategic?
• How do you effectively structure the communications initiatives and programmes to achieve measurable results?
• Do you need to account for the returns of investment for the communications budget?
• Can you quantify communications?

This course is tailored to incorporate a step-by-step approach in building the PR plan. Whether you are in the B2B or B2C business or not-for-profit organisation, participants will gain the practical knowledge to formulate an effective PR plan. The two-day course includes case studies for group discussion and hands-on participation to work on a real-case scenario.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand corporate and communications goals
• Understand stakeholder engagement
• Identify opportunities and challenges
• Identify issues
• Develop a strategic PR plan
• Manage internal and external expectations

Course Outline:

Introducing Strategic Communication

• Understanding strategic communications
• Difference between strategy and tactics

Defining stakeholders

• Establish list of stakeholders key to the organisation – stakeholders include government, NGO, influencer, investor, supplier, partner, media and employee.

Scanning macro and micro-environments

• Analysing the factors that would have an impact to the organisation and hence influence the messages that need to be conveyed.

Analysing target markets and needs/issues

• Understanding the needs of the target markets to better tailor the messages to speak to them. Similarly, understanding critical issues would also provide the platform to communicate appropriate messages to address the concerns.

Setting objectives

• Setting measurable objectives would set the stage for quantifying communications and accounting for return of investments for the communications budget.

Formulating positioning

• Structuring the messaging framework across the ‘R’s.

Developing communications strategies and integrated programmes

• Establishing the tactical plan to deliver the desired outcome set out in the objectives.

Establishing timeline and evaluation matrix

• Plan the communications programmes across the year and set up evaluation to measure the effectiveness of the programmes.

Reviewing budgets and resources

• Identify the need for increased resources (if any) by reviewing the amount of budget required to execute the PR plan and evaluate the adequacy of current resources to support the plan.

Who Will Benefit?

Corporate communications, marketing communications and public relations professionals, and anyone seeking to optimise limited resources to deliver better results for communications initiatives.