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

Are your orgainzation's public affairs professionals using up-to-date media campaigns? Are they using social media sites and the Internet to full advantage? Do you have a crisis communications plan in effect? Are all of your personnel ready for media interviews?  

This Workshop is tailored for your organization's specific needs.

This two-day Workshop addresses some of the most important challenges faced by public affairs professionals. Because this program is tailored for the attendees, we can discuss organization-specific topics, including:

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

• The interplay between offline and online content

• The strategic use of social media

• How to determine what you are missing through analytics and tracking

• "Feeding the beast" - how to sustain your online presence  

• Coordinating and preparing for interviews

• Preparing for and handling a crisis

During this two-day Workshop, all attendees participate in challenging group exercises and simulations.

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

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More Information
Agenda	When	Where	Related Training	Policies

 

The leadership competencies for this Workshop include:

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

This sponsored course is tailored for your group's specific needs.

The program fee for sponsored courses includes program development, faculty, and course materials, presented in the DC area at your location, for up to 20 attendees. *  We will contact you after we receive your registration to finalize details.

See the FAQs About Sponsored Courses for more information.  

Government agencies: please see the GSA Schedule for our GSA contract pricing.

TheCapitol.Net, Inc.
Contract GS02F0192X  

Bring this course to your location. This course and any combination of its topics are available as custom on-site training for your organization. We can tailor this course for your agency, association, business, or NGO. For more information about how this training can help your members and staff, please contact our client liaison. Not enough people for a sponsored or custom course? See these Capital Learning Audio CoursesTM Capitol Learning Media Training Courses Maximizing the Internet for the Public Affairs Professional Media Relations: Capitalizing on Your Resources, Your Office, and the Media Media Relations: Merging Policy and Media Strategies Media Relations for the Public Affairs Professional, A Seven Course Series

 

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

Sample 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 Digital 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 This Workshop is also available as a custom, on-site training program anywhere in the United States.   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: 202-678-1600.
Time and Dates	8:30 am to 4:00 pm both days This Sponsored Course requires two (2) days
Location	This Workshop can be presented at your location in Washington, DC, or at a location in Washington, DC, that we provide.  *  For a map with a brief list of hotels near the Capitol, click here. When we arrange space, we use 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.
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 can be approved for 1.2 CEUs from George Mason University.
Related Training	Preparing and Delivering Congressional Testimony Speechwriting: Preparing Speeches and Oral Presentations Writing for Government and Business: Critical Thinking and Writing Writing To Persuade
Policies	See https://www.thecapitol.net/PublicPrograms/CoursePolicies_Sponsored.html 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 sponsored courses including suggested attire.
Program Fee and Registration	$22,500 - for up to 20 attendees *  The program fee includes program development, faculty, and course materials and presentation at your DC-area location for up to 20 attendees (sponsor provides classroom space, AV, and any breaks and lunch). For an additional fee, we can also provide classroom space in the DC area for up to 20 attendees, AV, breaks and lunch. We will contact you after we receive your registration to finalize details.  Registration and payment at least 3 weeks before the Workshop is required so the program can be customized for your specific needs. For more information see FAQs About Our Sponsored Courses.  * = This Workshop can be also presented outside the DC area. Contact us for details.     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 202-688-2424.    Mail the completed form to us at TheCapitol.Net, Inc., PO Box 25706, Alexandria, VA  22313-5706
Available as custom, on-site training?	Yes.  This program can be tailored for on-site agency, association and corporate training.  Please call 202-678-1600 for information. Government agencies: please see the GSA Schedule for our GSA contract pricing. TheCapitol.Net, Inc. Contract GS02F0192X
Need more information?	Phone: 202-678-1600 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.

URLs: www.TheCapitol.Net/PublicPrograms/mediaII.html
TCNAMR.com
 

This Sponsored Course Requires Two Days
8:30 am to 4:00 pm

   
Approved for 1.2 CEUs from George Mason University.

All of our courses and workshops include extensive interaction with our faculty, making our courses and workshops both educational and mini-consulting sessions with substantive experts.

Rave Reviews

"This training has been incredibly helpful." 
-- Public Affairs Officer

"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

"Terrific course. It exceeded my expectations."  
-- Course Attendee

"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.

Joseph Della Vedova

Mark Feldstein

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Kent Jenkins, Jr.

Steven Keller

Peter Loge

William Noxon

David Rehr