NEW: WPNT SOCIAL MEDIA COURSES
In response to client request, WPNT’s Chicago office offers a new program, Building Stakeholder Equity Thru Social Media. This half-day workshop is for human resources, quality, corporate communications, customer service and other professionals seeking to understand the realities and possibilities of social media and Web 2.0 to support business goals. For more information, contact the Chicago office at 847-784-1949 or chicago@wpntworld.com.
Focusing specifically on conducting media interviews that bridge both traditional and social media outlets, WPNT’s Houston office offers Social Media Training. While ‘opinion elites’ still overwhelmingly turn to traditional news media outlets for business information, social media are gaining traction and credibility. This course provides insights and guidelines for effective online engagement. If you’re interested in learning more, send the Houston office an email, at socialmediatraining@wpntworld.com.
During the first quarter of 2009, many clients revisited their business continuity and crisis communications plans. Others placed a premium on daily communications with stakeholders to maximize operational effectiveness during these unprecedented times. Highlights of the first quarter include:
- In February, WPNT provided Executive Media Training for marketing professionals, technical experts and media relations representatives from a high-profile client involved in a nationwide product launch. The team was seeking media coverage among trade reporters and bloggers in support of a national advertising and promotional campaign.
- In preparation for his first, CNBC Squawk Box interview following this Fortune 25’s quarterly earnings release, this newly appointed CFO participated in a WPNT Advanced Media Training program. The session was conducted in the Midwest and included a West coast-based WPNT Press Corps member focusing exclusively on the satellite interview.
- One of Washington’s most influential trade associations tapped WPNT to help its senior leaders enhance their communications skills regarding public policy issues being addressed by the Obama Administration. The organization is seeking workable solutions with a wide array of stakeholders including the Administration, Congress, NGOs, academia, and industry.
- Accelerating business recovery was the theme of a WPNT Crisis Communications Training program for professionals at corporate headquarters and at the seven properties of this leading gaming company. A tabletop scenario, created specifically for this program centered on work place violence and was implemented by three, WPNT Press Corps members. The program, conducted in St. Louis also addressed communicating layoffs and the effects of social media in crisis.
- Five members of this global airline’s C-suite and senior leadership team participated in private, one-on-one Executive Media Training sessions. The programs were conducted by WPNT in tandem with PulsePoint Group. To compliment these skill building programs, a workshop titled, ‘Leveraging Media to Drive Business Results’ was conducted for more than two dozen communications and marketing professionals who came from across the U.S., Tokyo, London and South Africa. The workshop was aimed at standardizing the preparation and coaching process when working with their executives.
- We spent a week in Calgary providing Advanced Presentation Skills training to senior leaders from a prominent Canadian company. The company is launching a stakeholder engagement effort that involves meetings with community associations, business organizations, academic institutions, and religious groups.
- A well-known industry watchdog group brought in WPNT for a customized Media Training Workshop in San Francisco for its executive director, advocacy leaders, and media representatives. Helping this special interest group strategize on its stakeholder engagement process provides our WPNT trainers with unique insights and understanding.
- With increased emphasis on maintaining employee morale and motivation during these unprecedented times, this worldwide airline’s human resources vice president participated in a WPNT Executive Presentation Skills Training program in Texas. The program focused on communicating with colleagues during management meetings.
- A two-day Crisis Communications Training program helped 13 communications professionals strengthen their critical thinking and communications skills. The program was designed to help the high-tech company accelerate the development of crisis communications planning and business continuity both internally and externally.
- WPNT’s Ray Thompson moderated a panel titled, "Hurricane Ike: Lessons Learned from the Front Lines," at The Best of the Southwest Communicators Conference. Presented by the Texas Public Relations Association and the Public Relations Society of America in Dallas and Fort Worth, the panel outlined best practices in crisis communications by a hospital system, an electric utility, a national service organization, and a firm specializing in web-based stakeholder engagement.