Going Strategic: The Essentials of Strategic Communications

How does “Strategic Communications” differ from what public relations professionals already do day to day? If our first move is to start thinking about tactics and messaging when we are called in to solve a problem or create an opportunity for our organization, we are not practicing “Strategic” Communications. 

Strategic Communications involves making sure we understand the underlying motivations of those stakeholders whose behaviors we need to change or reinforce.  Are you asking questions like:

• Why is this group behaving the way they are?
• What brought them to that point?
• What behaviors do we need from this cohort?
• Who is most likely to act first, and why?
• What will resonate best with early adopters (first to change) vs. laggards (typically last to change)?

It is the application of behavioral, social science and communication theory that guides a strategic approach to achieving change or reinforcing current actions.

This three-part virtual workshop will serve as a foundation to understanding the key steps that need to be taken in strategic communications. It will explore how other PR professionals have made a difference using these strategies. It will give you the opportunity to see it in action (and even try it out) with the use of a case study and actual workshop participants’ challenges that we will explore together in the workshop.