Public Relations Management Training Course

Duration 10 days 18 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Public Relations Officer, Communications Manager and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-PRC-034

Before you join: Participants should have basic workplace writing ability and some exposure to organisational communication, marketing, customer communication, media liaison or stakeholder engagement.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Public relations teams are expected to earn attention, protect reputation and support organisational priorities while working with limited time, competing stakeholder demands and intense public scrutiny. Effective work requires more than media contacts or polished writing. Practitioners need to diagnose issues, identify audiences, set measurable objectives, develop credible messages and select channels that suit the situation. They must also advise leaders, manage sensitive information and respond quickly when an issue becomes public.

This course develops the practical disciplines used by public relations professionals in corporate, government, financial services, NGO and multinational settings. Participants build a communications strategy using stakeholder mapping, audience segmentation, message architecture, media relations planning, PESO channel selection and AMEC measurement principles. The course addresses news releases, media briefings, executive communications, employee communication, community relations, digital content, public affairs, issues management and crisis response. Attention is given to ethics, approval processes, legal risks and reputation governance.

Teaching combines instructor briefings, analysis of realistic cases, writing clinics, group planning, media interview simulations and structured peer review. Participants apply each method to a selected organisational issue or opportunity from the first week, building their work through the course. They leave with a complete public relations campaign plan, including audience insight, objectives, messages, channel activity, risk controls, budget assumptions and evaluation measures. The course is delivered over 10 instructor-led days, 08:30–16:30, in classrooms in 50+ cities or live online, and includes a certificate of completion.

The course suits communications practitioners moving into broader public relations responsibility, as well as managers whose roles require regular contact with media, communities, employees, regulators or senior leaders.

What you will be able to do

  • Diagnose reputation issues using stakeholder mapping, issue analysis and risk prioritisation
  • Develop measurable public relations objectives using the RACE planning model
  • Construct message architectures tailored to priority audiences, channels and spokespersons
  • Prepare media relations materials including news releases, pitches, briefing notes and Q&As
  • Plan PESO channel activity that connects earned, owned, shared and paid communications
  • Manage issues and crises using escalation criteria, holding statements and response protocols
  • Evaluate communication results using AMEC Integrated Evaluation Framework measures
  • Present a complete public relations campaign plan with budget, timetable and governance

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Produces credible public relations plans for promotion, reputation and stakeholder priorities
  • Writes faster under pressure using tested formats for releases, briefs and responses
  • Gains confidence advising executives before interviews, announcements and sensitive decisions
  • Builds a portfolio-quality campaign plan suitable for internal review or job applications
  • Uses measurement evidence to explain communication results and defend resource requests

For your organisation

  • Improves consistency between business priorities, public messages and stakeholder communications
  • Reduces avoidable reputation risk through clearer issue escalation and approval procedures
  • Strengthens media readiness with better briefing materials, spokesperson preparation and response lines
  • Produces measurable communication activity rather than isolated publicity outputs
  • Creates reusable planning templates for campaigns, crises, executive communication and reporting

Course modules

18 modules over 10 days

Participants can define public relations responsibilities and connect communication activity to reputation priorities.

  • Public relations remit: reputation, relationships, influence and organisational legitimacy
  • Distinguishing public relations from advertising, marketing, journalism and public affairs
  • Reputation drivers assessed through performance, behaviour, communication and stakeholder expectations
  • Corporate narrative links between purpose, strategy, conduct and public perception
  • Mapping communication responsibilities across leadership, legal, marketing and operational teams
  • Professional roles: adviser, planner, writer, media liaison and issues manager

Participants can prioritise audiences using evidence, influence assessment and communication needs.

  • Stakeholder maps classify power, interest, impact and relationship strength
  • Audience segmentation combines demographics, attitudes, behaviours and information needs
  • Salience analysis identifies groups with power, legitimacy and urgency
  • Research questions distinguish assumptions from decision-useful audience evidence
  • Listening methods include interviews, surveys, media analysis and social monitoring
  • Personas document audience goals, barriers, trusted sources and preferred channels

Participants can create a strategic public relations brief with measurable communication objectives.

  • RACE model structures research, action, communication and evaluation decisions
  • Situation analysis separates facts, implications, risks, opportunities and knowledge gaps
  • SMART objectives specify desired awareness, attitude, behaviour or relationship change
  • Communication goals aligned with organisational outcomes without claiming unsupported causation
  • Priority audience selection balances influence, vulnerability, reach and resource constraints
  • Strategic propositions state the change sought and reason it matters

Participants can build credible message systems for audiences, spokespeople and channels.

  • Message architecture defines core message, supporting proof and audience-specific relevance
  • Value propositions translate organisational activity into stakeholder benefits and consequences
  • Evidence banks organise facts, examples, data, third-party support and case stories
  • Narrative structure uses context, tension, action, proof and future direction
  • Message testing checks clarity, credibility, distinctiveness, relevance and possible misinterpretation
  • Talking points prepare consistent answers without scripted or evasive language

Participants can plan targeted media engagement that serves a clear communication purpose.

  • Media mapping identifies outlets, journalists, formats, deadlines and audience relevance
  • News values assessed through timeliness, impact, conflict, novelty, proximity and prominence
  • Pitch angles convert organisational information into credible editorial propositions
  • Media lists maintained with beat, contact preferences, past coverage and relationship notes
  • Embargoes, exclusives and briefings selected against objectives and disclosure risks
  • Relationship management respects journalists' independence, deadlines and editorial judgement

Participants can prepare accurate, usable media materials for planned announcements.

  • News release structure leads with news, significance, evidence and contact details
  • Inverted pyramid writing places essential facts before supporting background information
  • Headlines, quotes and boilerplate written for accuracy, attribution and reuse
  • Fact sheets summarise figures, timelines, services, policies and frequently asked questions
  • Media briefing packs combine background, messages, biographies, visuals and logistics
  • Approval workflows verify facts, permissions, legal review and spokesperson sign-off

Participants can select coordinated earned, owned, shared and paid channel activity.

  • PESO model distinguishes paid, earned, shared and owned communication channels
  • Channel selection matches audience behaviour, message complexity, credibility and timing
  • Content pillars organise recurring themes around stakeholder needs and organisational priorities
  • Editorial calendars assign stories, owners, formats, deadlines, approvals and distribution
  • Repurposing plans adapt core content without duplicating unsuitable material
  • Landing pages and calls to action connect attention with measurable responses

Participants can manage digital communication and online engagement with appropriate controls.

  • Social listening tracks conversation themes, sentiment signals, misinformation and emerging issues
  • Community management protocols define response times, tone, escalation and moderation rules
  • Platform-native formats match audience expectations, accessibility requirements and content purpose
  • Influencer assessment reviews relevance, audience quality, disclosure and reputational fit
  • Digital publishing checklists cover links, alt text, captions, approvals and archiving
  • Online response decisions distinguish questions, criticism, abuse, misinformation and media enquiries

Participants can plan two-way engagement with affected communities and strategic stakeholders.

  • Engagement objectives distinguish informing, consulting, involving, collaborating and responding
  • Stakeholder contact plans specify purpose, participants, format, timing and follow-up
  • Consultation design identifies affected groups, barriers to participation and feedback routes
  • Meeting briefs prepare context, interests, sensitivities, decisions and agreed boundaries
  • Feedback logs record commitments, owners, deadlines, responses and unresolved concerns
  • Trust-building communication demonstrates listening, transparency, consistency and corrective action

Participants can plan internal communication that supports understanding and manager action.

  • Employee audiences segmented by role, location, access, language and change impact
  • Cascade communication equips line managers with messages, FAQs and feedback routes
  • Town halls designed around leadership visibility, dialogue and difficult questions
  • Change narratives explain rationale, implications, choices, support and expected behaviours
  • Internal channels compared for speed, reach, dialogue, confidentiality and recordkeeping
  • Pulse feedback identifies confusion, resistance, rumours and implementation obstacles

Participants can support leaders with credible communication materials and public positioning.

  • Executive positioning identifies expertise, audience value, evidence and reputational boundaries
  • Speech briefs structure audience context, key messages, examples and desired action
  • Ghostwriting preserves executive voice while improving clarity, structure and accuracy
  • Panel preparation anticipates likely questions, competing views and difficult challenges
  • LinkedIn thought leadership balances informed opinion, evidence, disclosure and organisational policy
  • Spokesperson selection considers authority, credibility, availability, empathy and technical knowledge

Participants can identify emerging issues and recommend proportionate communication responses.

  • Issue scanning combines stakeholder feedback, media coverage, policy signals and operational data
  • Issue registers record triggers, affected groups, likelihood, impact and accountable owners
  • Materiality assessment ranks issues by stakeholder concern and organisational consequence
  • Scenario planning examines plausible developments, decision points and communication implications
  • Escalation thresholds distinguish routine complaints, sensitive issues and potential crises
  • Issues briefs present facts, uncertainty, stakeholder positions, options and recommendations

Participants can prepare crisis communication arrangements and respond during early escalation.

  • Crisis team roles cover command, facts, approvals, spokespeople and stakeholder liaison
  • Holding statements acknowledge known facts, concern, action and update commitments
  • Crisis Q&As address likely allegations, uncertainty, accountability and operational response
  • Message discipline maintains accuracy while avoiding speculation, blame and false reassurance
  • Media interview preparation uses bridging, flagging, acknowledgement and concise responses
  • First-hour actions prioritise people, facts, notifications, channels and monitoring

Participants can plan ethical communication with policy stakeholders and regulatory audiences.

  • Policy stakeholder mapping identifies decision-makers, influencers, opponents and affected groups
  • Consultation responses combine evidence, operational insight, public interest and clear recommendations
  • Advocacy messages distinguish organisational positions from factual public information
  • Coalition communication aligns shared objectives, roles, evidence and approval boundaries
  • Legislative tracking records consultations, hearings, decisions, deadlines and responsible teams
  • Public affairs ethics address transparency, declarations, access and conflicts of interest

Participants can create evaluation plans that connect communication outputs to meaningful outcomes.

  • AMEC Integrated Evaluation Framework links objectives, inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes
  • Barcelona Principles 3.0 guide valid, transparent and audience-centred evaluation
  • Measurement plans define baselines, indicators, methods, frequency, owners and reporting audiences
  • Output measures track coverage, reach, content quality, participation and channel activity
  • Outcome measures test awareness, understanding, trust, preference, intent and behaviour
  • Dashboard narratives explain findings, limitations, decisions and recommended adjustments

Participants can apply ethical judgement and governance controls to public relations decisions.

  • Ethical decision tests examine truthfulness, harm, fairness, consent and public interest
  • Defamation risks assessed before publishing allegations, criticism or third-party claims
  • Privacy checks protect personal data, confidential information and vulnerable individuals
  • Copyright permissions cover photographs, music, quotations, graphics and commissioned content
  • Disclosure rules address sponsorships, paid partnerships, conflicts and material interests
  • Governance matrices assign drafting, factual review, legal review and final approval

Participants can organise campaign delivery with realistic resources, controls and accountabilities.

  • Workback schedules sequence research, production, approvals, launch, monitoring and reporting
  • Budget categories include research, content, events, media, production and contingency
  • RACI matrices clarify responsible, accountable, consulted and informed campaign roles
  • Agency briefs define objectives, audiences, deliverables, budget, timetable and evaluation
  • Supplier selection compares relevant experience, proposed approach, cost and conflicts
  • Risk registers assign mitigation actions, owners, triggers and review dates

Participants can build, review and present a complete public relations campaign plan for a selected organisational priority.

  • Campaign brief defines business context, communication problem, scope and assumptions
  • Stakeholder insight prioritises audiences, needs, barriers, influences and relationship objectives
  • Strategy section connects SMART objectives, message architecture and PESO channel choices
  • Activity plan schedules media, content, stakeholder engagement, executives and internal communication
  • Crisis and governance sections specify risks, escalation routes, approvals and spokespersons
  • Evaluation dashboard sets baselines, indicators, collection methods, reporting dates and decisions
  • Peer review tests strategic logic, credibility, feasibility, ethics and measurement quality

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Public relations campaign plan template
  2. Stakeholder mapping and prioritisation matrix
  3. Message architecture and evidence bank
  4. Media release and briefing pack templates
  5. Crisis communication response checklist
  6. AMEC-aligned measurement dashboard

Who should attend

  • Public Relations Officer — needs structured planning and stronger media, stakeholder and reputation skills
  • Communications Manager — needs to lead integrated communication programmes and advise senior leaders
  • Corporate Affairs Executive — needs consistent methods for issues, public affairs and stakeholder engagement
  • Marketing Communications Specialist — needs earned-media and reputation skills beyond promotional campaigns
  • Government Communications Officer — needs credible public information, media handling and crisis procedures
  • NGO Communications Manager — needs to build support among donors, communities, media and partners

Skills and tools covered

Stakeholder mappingMedia relationsMessage developmentCrisis communicationCampaign planningCommunication measurement

Tools and standards

RACE model, PESO model, AMEC Integrated Evaluation Framework, Barcelona Principles 3.0

How the course runs

Training methodology

Instructor briefings introduce methods, examples and decision criteria before participants apply them to realistic corporate, public-sector and NGO cases. Short writing tasks develop releases, messages, briefing notes and issue responses. Group work tests audience choices, channel decisions and stakeholder trade-offs. Media interview and crisis simulations build judgement under scrutiny, followed by structured feedback. Participants progressively develop an individual public relations campaign plan, using peer review and instructor coaching to refine its logic, evidence, risks and measures.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have basic workplace writing ability and some exposure to organisational communication, marketing, customer communication, media liaison or stakeholder engagement. They should be comfortable discussing a real organisational issue, service, policy or campaign opportunity. Prior experience in a dedicated public relations role is helpful but not essential. No journalism qualification, media contact list, design software expertise, prior crisis management experience or formal communications degree is required. Participants may bring existing plans, media materials or stakeholder information if organisational policy permits.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants need basic workplace writing ability and some familiarity with organisational communication, marketing or stakeholder contact. Previous employment as a public relations specialist is not required.

Bring a real communication issue, planned announcement, reputation concern or campaign opportunity where possible. Existing plans, reports or media materials are useful if they may be shared under organisational policy.

It is designed for public relations officers, communications managers, corporate affairs staff, government communicators and marketing communications professionals. It also suits managers who must brief media, communities, regulators or employees.

Marketing communications commonly concentrates on customer demand, promotion and campaign conversion. This course gives greater attention to reputation, earned media, stakeholders, issues, executive communication, public affairs and crisis response.

Participants develop a public relations campaign plan based on a selected work issue or realistic case. The templates for stakeholder analysis, messages, media materials, crisis preparation and measurement can be adapted immediately.

Each day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. The first week establishes strategy, audiences, messages and channels; the second week develops issues, crises, measurement, governance and the final campaign presentation.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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