Public Relations Strategies for the Oil and Gas Industry

Introduction

This course is designed specifically for public relations in the oil and gas industry to help your organization effectively tell its story, fostering understanding and building relationships with local communities, national governments, campaigners, and the media, while enhancing your brand reputation.

As a critical sector for daily life and the global economy, the energy industry often comes under scrutiny from the media and other stakeholders. However, sustained PR efforts are essential for driving strategic organizational change, shaping public opinion, and enhancing your reputation with key stakeholders.

This training program adopts an impactful approach, featuring a problem-solving format that aligns messaging with organizational strategy through core business priorities (AIMS).

Objectives

By successfully completing this public relations course for the oil and gas industry, participants will be able to:

• Adopt a problem-solving approach to align PR strategy with corporate aims and select the most suitable channels for achieving desired outcomes.
• Explore various Public Relations tools and techniques to determine their suitability for specific goals.
• Design objective-focused PR campaigns aimed at changing behaviors while delivering measurable results.
• Assess potential risks and develop effective plans to mitigate them.
• Master the skills to generate stories that ensure consistent and positive media coverage.

Training Methodology

• Media simulations
• Case study analysis
• Interactive presentations
• Collaborative exercises
• Media simulations
• Scenario-based planning
• Role-playing scenarios

Course Outline

Unit 1: The Complete PR/Communications Professional

• The role of Communications and PR in the oil and gas industries
• Overview of challenges facing the industry regarding its image/reputation
• Reputation managers – building and defending your brand
• Identifying & classifying stakeholders from the local community to regulators
• Target public/audience identification
• Engaging & marshalling your supply chain – from exploration to retail

Unit 2: Telling Your Story – and Getting it Heard

• Setting SMART objectives for your business
• The psychology of persuasion
• Building your message house with the power of storytelling
• POEM: Which channels to use to reach your target audience
• Persuading and building relationships with the media
• The strengths of social media

Unit 3: The Power of Community – CSR in Action

• Identifying resonant issues – sentiment mining
• Involving pressure groups and NGOs
• Choosing causes for PR crisis defense
• CSR & branding for cause-related development
• Engaging and encouraging staff, suppliers, & customers
• Socially responsible reporting

Unit 4: Crisis Avoidance and Crisis Management

• Environmental scanning using SWOT/PEST analyses and scenarios
• Advanced issue management
• Building your crisis management plan with a toolkit, including ‘dark’ websites
• Identifying & training media spokespeople
• Planning & conducting media interviews; briefing interviewees
• Crisis handling & business recovery

Unit 5: Putting it All Together

• Media relations; traditional media reputation vs. digital
• Planning effective releases for writing and distribution
• Developing communication strategies
• Informing, consulting & working with the C-suite
• Using measurement to improve performance