Reputation Management and Strategic Communication

Introduction:

Strategic communication and reputation management are essential for the success and long-term survival of organizations in today's interconnected world. This strategic communication and reputation management course is designed to equip participants with the necessary skills and tools to seamlessly manage crises, foster corporate communications, and further strengthen strategic reputation management.

Organizations with strong reputations tend to excel financially, attract and retain top talent more easily, enjoy lower capital costs, and receive greater stakeholder support. However, neglecting one’s brand risks having it defined by competitors, critics, or external forces. In essence, reputation reflects how an organization is collectively perceived by its stakeholders.

This course offers a highly engaging five-day training session on strategic communication and reputation management, demonstrating how managing your company's identity can integrate strategy, operations, marketing, human resource development, public relations, and customer care. Participants will also learn how to align an organization's goals, values, and behaviors to build credibility among its stakeholders.

Objectives:

By the end of this course on Strategic Communication & Reputation Management, participants will be able to:

• Precisely identify the strategic impacts of communications on organizational reputations.
• Measure social media sentiment along with stakeholder perceptions.
• Create a comprehensive communications plan for protecting against reputational damage while promoting enhancement.
• Develop a defensible model for assessing organizational reputation.
• Achieve business excellence through aligning organizational practices with reputation objectives.

Training Methodology:

• Lectures with audience interaction
• Global case study discussions
• Small-group activities
• Role plays
• Media analysis
• Scenario-based simulations:
• Expert-led sessions
• Immediate feedback provided
• Group decision-making

Course Outline:

Unit 1: Building a World-Class Reputation Management Culture

• Understanding the nature and value of reputation
• Characteristics that distinguish world-class organizations
• Reputation audits and their insights
• SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis, and their relevance to reputation
• Strategic drivers of reputation
• Mapping the desired reputation for your organization

Unit 2: Organizational Alignment

• Inventory of stakeholder interests
• Measuring opinions with ongoing monitoring
• Developing comprehensive stakeholder maps
• Identifying crucial touchpoints and truth moments
• Ensuring internal alignment within the organization
• Testing organizational alignment against reputational goals

Unit 3: From Organizational to Communications Strategy

• Defining strategic objectives and development purposes
• Outlining strategic communication elements for your plan
• Tailoring strategy to meet tactical needs
• Effectively using appropriate communication channels
• Matching stakeholders with the right channels
• Safeguarding control messages aligned with organizational objectives

Unit 4: The Reputation Toolkit

• Identifying current reputational levers
• Recognizing specific CSR practices
• Techniques for issue management and environmental scanning
• Defending the organization's image during crises, including selecting effective spokespeople
• Business/reputation recovery strategies
• Establishing and maintaining influencer connections

Unit 5: From Planning to Successful Practice

• The importance of process mapping and control in planning
• Integrating key components into a successful communication plan
• Constructing and critiquing your strategic communication plan
• Developing effective persuasive presentation skills
• Convincing senior decision-makers of the merits of your strategic plans