The Fundamentals of Public Relations and Communication Skills

Course Overview

Public relations professionals are employed in a wide diversity of settings in business, government and different organizations. Every individual or entity operating in the public eye faces the spread of information about them or their practices to the public. Their role is to absorb information, process how it may impact a company's image, and how to externally communicate to shift this image. While public relations is an industry unto itself, any attempt to portray oneself in a certain way to others can be considered a form of public relations. The goal of this course is to develop the creative skills to manage strategies of communication and public relations.

Course Objectives:

At the end of this course, the participants will be able to:

Understand and analyze public relations and other forms of business communication.
Design and manage the image, publicity, and every other aspect of business communication.
Design and employ public relations and media programs and/or campaigns.
Learn how to be familiar with the global trends and the international standards that govern the industries of both public relations and media.
Manage the image, publicity, and every other aspect of business communication.

Course Coverage:

Topic 1: The Nature of PR and how it Intersects with Media and Journalism:

An overview of business communication and public relations.
The six points model of public relations planning
How media and journalism fit into public relations.
Managing traditional media and electronic media relations.
Understanding the importance of the audience.
Establishing objective communication efforts.
Budget - staff, time, material and money.
Evaluating the communication program's success.

Topic 2: Press Release and News Release, International Standards:

Media handling
Press release VS news release
The art of writing a press release using the 6 C's of communication
The journalism code of truth
Public relations society in America and its norms
PRSA code of ethics and public relations industry ethics.
Trading between PR international norms and own interest.
Society of Professional Journalism (SPJ) international standards.
Public opinion and how to measure it.
Propaganda models of communication
Media handling during the process of crisis management

Topic 3: Business Communication and Public Relations as a Part of It:

Corporate communication and public relations
Marketing communication VS public relations
The internal audience and employees relations
Consumer relations and effective customer relations management
Multicultural community relations.
Government Relations
International relations

Topic 4: Globalization and Its Effect on Public Relations:

The environment's complexity, globalization, and the effect of technology.
Social media platforms, and how to handle them effectively.
Multimedia age of business communication.
Events as part of your public relations.
The importance of events, types, venues and purposes.
Employing events to serve the overall organizational message
Corporate social responsibility and how it serves the message.
Building a supportive community for your core message.

Topic 5: Designing a United Campaign Theme, Bringing it All Together:

Understanding the core messages
Assessing the need for PR efforts and researching your audience.
Planning the campaign/program with standards of quality and theme.
Choosing the best strategy to deliver your message.
Implementing the campaign/program.
Evaluating the campaign/program's effect on the audience.
Keeping the core message in each stage.

Virtual campaign design based on participant capacities and professional background.

Topic 6: Introduction to Corporate Social Responsibility:

Preliminary definitions of corporate social responsibility.
Concepts of corporate citizenship.
Criticism of the corporate actions within its social responsibility.
Historical perspective.
Advanced ideas about CSR.
Define the four parts of “Caroll”.

Topic 7: Why CSR is Important?

The theory of people, planet, and profits.
Two perspectives of CSR.
Should companies participate in social responsibility?
The proofs of the supporters and opponents of CSR.

Topic 8: Corporate Social Responsibility and Professional Ethics:

Definitions and Relationships.
The developments of business ethics.
How the companies integrate business ethics? Which ways?
Participation in the Global Convention on Business Ethics.
Making decisions on ethical issues.

Topic 9: Evolution of Corporate Social Responsibility:

Evolution and deterioration of corporate social responsibility.
Corporate Social Responsibility Failure: The Three Mistakes.
Looking Toward the Future: The Five Principles.
Evolution in Corporate Social Responsibility (from CSR1.0 to CSR2.0).

Topic 10: The Rules of Communication for the Principle of CSR:

Characteristics of CSR information.
Rule 1: Take action and talk later.
Rule 2: What and Why?
Rule 3: Be ready.
Rule 4: Social responsibility must be a priority of the company's board of directors.
Rule 5: Enhance staff participation.
Rule 6: Make the message clear.
Rule 7: Everyone has a unique character and needs.
Rule 8: Encourage dialogues and discussions.
Rule 9: Be an example of good practice.
Rule 10: Responsible Trademarks.

Topic 11: The Challenges of Corporate Social Responsibility:

Friedman VS Russell.
Dimensions of Corporate Social Responsibility.
Models of corporate social responsibility.
Features of different forms of CSR.
Corporate Social Responsibility in developing countries.
CSR catalysts in developing countries.
Corporate Social Responsibility Implementation Framework.
Common mistakes in applying CSR practices.
Factors to be taken into consideration in applying CSR practices

Targeted Participants:

PR Managers
PR Professionals
HR Professionals
Marketing Professionals
Persons who want to extend and improve their skills