Media Training at the Press Association

Developing and planning a PR strategy

Who should attend: This course is aimed at press officers, marketing specialists and those are expected to deal with the press on a regular basis. It’s also aimed at people running small to medium businesses and organisations without a full-time press office.

What will you gain from the course: This comprehensive course will give you a much greater understanding of how to effectively use the media to promote your business or organisation. It will give delegates a better grasp of the media landscape and address the key issues surrounding public relations including strategies, costs, campaign effectiveness and measurement. It will outline the many different types of public relations and identify the strengths and weaknesses of each one.

The Background

• The public relations business – how it works and what it does.
• An overview of the media landscape – Newspapers, TV, radio and the web.
• The media explosion – the challenges and opportunities.
• What is PR – definitions and discussion.
• The difference between PR and advertising.
• The value of press coverage versus other marketing channels.

Why PR? What's right for you?

• Different types of PR – from B2B and consumer PR to media relations and public affairs.
• Anatomy of a campaign – case studies from the past.
• Issues to consider when deciding which PR to choose.
• PR agencies – the good, the bad and the ugly.
• Planning ahead – avoiding one-hit wonders and sustaining the message.

 The Strategy

• Identifying the objectives.
• Assessing the options – how do you reach your audience?
• Budgeting and finance – calculating the real cost of your strategy.
• Identifying the messages – do they match reality?
• The need to match external and internal communication – do your colleagues understand what you are trying to do?

Press Campaign

• The building blocks for your campaign.
• What is your audience? Who are you trying to reach?
• PR as part of the marketing mix.
• How to make news for your market.
• How to create and develop your story.
• Press release or photocall? Phone call or fax machine? Delivery channels – strengths and weaknesses.

Assessment and evaluation

• Media monitoring – the options for checking results
• How PR people calculate the value.
• How to do the calculations yourself.
• What next – how to build on a successful campaign.

Course Length: Two days.