Public Relations and Communication Skills Training

The programme

Programme overview

Public Relations and Communications sit at the core of organisational performance. Today’s expanded mix of channels, tools and data gives PR unprecedented reach—if it’s planned and executed well. This lively, hands-on programme builds the skills and confidence to practise PR and communications effectively in real organisational settings. You’ll learn to design campaigns that drive strategic change, shape internal and public perception, and strengthen reputation. When aligned to core priorities, well-crafted PR and communications are a cost-effective way to grow stakeholder value and reinforce the organisation’s vision, values and strategy.

Who should attend

Who is this programme for?

• PR Officers / Practitioners
• Communications Managers / Specialists
• Media Relations Officers
• Corporate Affairs / Reputation Managers
• Marketing & Brand Managers
• Spokespersons and Executives with communications oversight
• New entrants to PR, media or communications roles

Learning outcomes

What you will learn

By the end of this highly interactive Public Relations and Communication Skills training programme, delegates will be able to:

• Design, plan, write, cost, deliver and evaluate multi-channel PR and communications campaigns.
• Apply core PR and communications management skills and show clear value to the organisation.
• Use current tools and techniques across paid, earned, shared and owned media.
• Align campaigns and messages to business objectives and stakeholder needs.
• Analyse successful campaigns and translate lessons into measurable improvements.

Explore the programme

Detailed programme outline

Module 1 – Public Relations and Communication Skills

Key Topics:

• The role of PR and communications in business today
• Mapping stakeholders and managing expectations
• What effective campaigns get right (and wrong): case examples
• Social and digital channels and how they are transforming PR
• A simple framework for designing a PR communications campaign

Module 2 – From Theory to Successful Practice

• PR/Comms models that work in practice (e.g., RPIE, AIDA, PESO) and their impact on persuasion and presentation
• Translating organisational values into clear messages
• Taking and interrogating the management brief
• “The medium is the message”: matching channels to stakeholders
• Setting SMART objectives, outcomes and success indicators

Module 3 – Planning and Costing PR and Communication Campaigns

• Building a workback schedule and content calendar
• Budgeting and cost control for campaigns
• Coordinating campaign elements across stakeholder groups
• Measurement and evaluation: KPIs, dashboards, media and sentiment tracking
• Practice case-studies with feedback

Module 4 – Crisis PR and Communications

• Crisis communication and reputation protection
• Handling media queries and deadlines under pressure
• Identifying and preparing in-house players (spokesperson training, briefs, holding statements)
• Roles and responsibilities (clear ownership and escalation paths)
• Practice crisis simulations and debriefs

Module 5 – Implementing PR and Communications to Impact Culture and Reputation

• How PR creates value and impacts performance—making it tangible
• Internal communications and employee/stakeholder engagement methods
• What PR practitioners must know about governance, ethics and approvals
• Partnering with management to convert strategies into results
• Frequent PR/Comms errors—and how to avoid them

Learning approach

How you will learn

Our diverse instructional approaches ensure effective learning:

– Lectures & Presentations: Engage with expert-driven, stimulating content.– Course Material: Access well-crafted supporting resources.– Group Work: Collaborate on discussions and case studies for practical insights.– Workshops & Role-Play: Participate in immersive, scenario-based activities.– Practical Application: Focus on applying theoretical knowledge in real situations.– Post-Training Support: Receive extensive support after training for skill implementation.

Discuss your requirements

Dates, duration & arrangements

Contact Ratomac to confirm dates, duration, delivery format, entry requirements and any applicable assessment or certification before booking.