Advanced Media Relations Workshop, from TheCapitol.Net,

Courses > Course Schedule

Advanced Media Relations Workshop
Best practices for using social media, preparing for interviews, and improving communication strategies

Agenda

Client Testimonials

When

Where

Tuition

Policies

Related Resources

As a public affairs professional, you need to continually assess your communications strategies. Have you updated your media campaigns? Are you using social media sites and the Internet to their full advantage? Do you have a crisis communications plan in effect? Are you--and your principal--ready for interviews?

This two-day Workshop will address some of the most important challenges faced by public affairs professionals. Our faculty will discuss:

How to balance limited resources with the need to update a communications strategy

Figuring out where you are on the Internet adoption curve and adjusting your message and methods of communication accordingly

The strategic use of social media

Analytics and tracking

Coordinating and preparing for interviews

Preparing for and handling a crisis

Our Advanced Media Relations Workshop is geared toward practicing public relations professionals with at least three years' experience.

The leadership competencies for this Workshop include:

Creativity & Innovation
External Awareness
Flexibility
Written Communication
Interpersonal Skills
Strategic Thinking
Technology Management
Partnering
Political Savvy

This is an elective course for the Certificate in Communication and Advocacy.

Also see

Media Relations for Public Affairs Professionals

Bring this course to your site.

This Workshop and any combination of its topics are available as custom on-site training for your organization. We have tailored this course for agencies, associations, think tanks, military, and others. For more information about how this training can help your members and staff, please contact our client liaison.

Space is limited.

If you get a "Wait List Only" message when registering, please select the next available date.
Click this link to add this program to your Google calendar (opens current month in new window or tab).

Next Course
May 4-5, 2011:
For location in Washington, DC, see below.
$995

If you get a "Wait List Only" message when registering, please select the next available date.

Approved for .7 CEUs from George Mason University.

Media Training
Communication and Advocacy

For a printable course description, agenda with dates, and registration form, click here. PDF

Course materials include

Course materials include the Training Edition of Media Relations Handbook for Agencies, Associations, Nonprofits and Congress by Bradford Fitch

Course Details

Agenda

Advanced Media Relations Workshop

8:30 am - 4:00 pm both days
(networking lunch at approximately noon both days, breaks taken in morning and afternoon)

DAY ONE

Welcome and Introductions

Advanced Media Relations: Balancing Your Resources, Your Office, and the Media

Take another look at what you're doing for your organization's communications strategies in a competitive environment.

Targeting the right audience

Capitalizing on your web strategy

Using tracking, monitoring, and evaluating to build on your success

The benefits and values of tracking, monitoring, and evaluating

The Evolving Internet: What This Means for the Public Affairs Professional

The Internet is the console to all communications in the digital age. Learn how public affairs professionals must adopt new ways of thinking, talking, and acting. Effective communication requires you to evaluate where your colleagues, clients, and competitors are on the Internet adoption curve, and to adjust your messages and methods of communication accordingly. During this session, find out where you stand as an Internet user.

The Public Affairs Professional's Toolkit

Strategic use of social media

Finding your audience

Selecting platforms

Blogging and buzz

Web videos

Creating social network content

Retrofitting your organization

Analytics and tracking

Attendee Best Practices Session

Attendees share communications strategies and efforts that have worked for their organizations.

DAY TWO

Coordinating and Preparing for Interviews: How to Deal with the Media Hog and the Media Mouse

Different types of interviews and how to prepare your Principal for them (whether he/she is a "hog" or a "mouse").

Tools and tips for TV, print, radio, and online interviews

Steps to take in the interview

How federal agencies should handle the investigative reporter

Using resources at your disposal

Preparing for the Crisis: The Crisis Communications Plan

Conduct a vulnerability audit-what can go wrong and who is best prepared to deal with it

Determine what is within your organization's control and what's not

Sell your idea for a crisis plan to your organization and principal

Get an agreement in advance on what assets and personnel can be utilized during a crisis

Who should be on your crisis communications team and what procedures should be enacted?

How you'll develop your message

Emergency response materials: information brochures, fact sheets, explanations of complicated technical systems or in-house procedures

Emergency response drills

Selecting the Right Media Spokesperson

How to select and train the right media spokespersons

Lawyers

Prepare answers/key points in plain language

Selecting a Media Center

Placement of the media center: distance it from the offices of the crisis communications team

Determine the locations for interviews and press briefings

Don't change the way you deal with the media during the crisis

Treat all media equally

What to Do When a Crisis Occurs

Communicate immediately in order to control events; tell the truth; don't overreach or speculate; and provide factual information

Don't hide behind "no comment"

Your first news release should include at a minimum the who, what, when, and where of the situation

Types of Communications Crises in Public Affairs and How to Handle Them

Systemic

Facilities

Consumer

Employee

Adversarial

Image

Simulation Exercise

Attendees will have an opportunity to prepare a communications plan for one of the following crisis situations:

Web attack

Embarrassed executive

Criminal indictment

Natural disaster

For a printable course description, agenda with dates, and registration form, click here. PDF

This Workshop is also available as a custom program.

Do you need a training course we don't offer or coverage of an additional topic in this course?

If you have suggestions for courses or topics you would like to see us offer, please contact us or complete our online suggestion form.

Suggested Prerequisites

3 years of experience or Media Relations for Public Affairs Professionals.

If you need help deciding which courses you should take based on your work experience or training, please contact us via email or phone: 703-739-3790.

Rave Reviews

"Very practical / useful information"

"I would strongly encourage my colleagues to take this course. Gave me more information in one day than I could've gotten in a year on my own. This course gave me new tools to help me focus my agency's messages."
-- Course Attendee, DSCA

"It was an eye opener."
-- Public Affairs Specialist, USDA

"Very informative, interesting and helpful."
-- Course Attendee

"Well worth my time."
-- Director of Education, national association

"Gave me practical information I can use."

"It was valuable across the board. The strategy aspects of each speaker's presentation were particularly helpful. I will better be able to anticipate issues and develop communication plans."
-- Course Attendee, DoD/DSCA

See more testimonials about this course.
These include testimonials about our 1/2 day media relations course, which was the precursor to this full-day course.

Time and Dates

8:30 am to 4:00 pm both days

W-Th, May 4-5, 2011

If you get a "Wait List Only" message when registering, please select the next available date.

Location

May 4-5, 2011: Location in Washington, DC will be announced before Workshop.

Other dates: Location in Washington, DC will be announced before Workshop. Our courses are held at these Washington, DC, locations.

Course Materials

Course materials include the Training Edition of "Media Relations Handbook for Agencies, Associations, Nonprofits and Congress," by Bradford Fitch.

Tuition

$995

If you get a "Wait List Only" message when registering, please select the next available date.

Certificate of Training
and
CEUs

A Certificate of Training is available for this Workshop. To get a Certificate of Training, your registration fee must be paid in full, and you must attend the entire course.

This course is approved for .7 CEUs from George Mason University.

This is an elective course for the Certificate in Communication and Advocacy.

Policies

For this course, substitutions, cancellations, and transfers must be submitted in writing to us. Our transfer and cancellation fees are outlined below.

Transfer and Cancellation Fee
Time Before Course	Substitutions Allowed	Transfer Fee	Cancellation Fee
More than 4 weeks	Yes, in writing	None	None
2 to 4 weeks	Yes, in writing	25% of tuition	50% of tuition
3 days to 2 weeks	Yes, in writing	50% of tuition	75% of tuition
1 to 2 days	Yes, in writing	75% of tuition	100% of tuition
day of program (no refunds to no-shows)	Yes, in writing	100% of tuition	100% of tuition

No refunds for no shows. We reserve the right to change this fee and time period.

TCN reserves the right to cancel any course in the event of insufficient registrations.

All statements and discussion at all of our courses, workshops and seminars, public and custom, are off the record and not for attribution, unless specified otherwise. The resulting confidentiality ensures a frank and free exchange of views.

FAQs

FAQs about our training including suggested attire.

Register

Payment methods we accept include checks, EFT/ACH, and Intuit Payment Network (IPN).

If you get a "Wait List Only" message when registering, please select the next available date.

For a printable course description, agenda with dates, and registration form, click here. PDF

Fax or Mail: Print out and complete the registration form (in Adobe pdf). The completed form should include your method of payment.
Fax the completed form to us at 703-739-1195.
Mail the completed form to us at TheCapitol.Net, Inc., PO Box 25706, Alexandria, VA 22313-5706

Related Training

Related Resources

Educational Tracks

Available as custom, on-site training?

Yes. This program can be tailored for on-site agency, association and corporate training. Please call 703-739-3790 for information.

Need more information?

Phone: 703-739-3790
Email: registrar -at- TheCapitol.Net
Complete our online information request.

Non-Partisan

TheCapitol.Net is a non-partisan firm, and the opinions of its faculty, authors, clients and the owners and operators of its vendors are their own and do not represent those of TheCapitol.Net.