Strategic Communication

Course Description

Looking to influence behavior or raise awareness about an issue to advance your conservation efforts? The Strategic Communication Online Course can help you communicate effectively to reach your conservation goal! This training features hands-on exercises, tips and resources, and quizzes to test your understanding of the material. We’ve demystified strategic communication and simplified the planning process so you can work on your own project as you learn.

Note: This course is a series of webpages with instructional videos, worksheets, and quizzes. This format does not include a course completion certificate.

Course Outline

Introduction (10 minutes) – To develop a successful communication strategy or plan, a series of strategic decisions need to be made. In this online guide, we will walk through key decisions points, prompting you to ask the right questions that will lead to the right answers for your project.

Goal and Objectives (40 minutes) – The first step in the strategic planning process is to establish a strong, clear goal that defines your vision so you know where you want to go. Then you define the objectives – the steps for how you are going to get there.

Context (30 minutes) – Assess your resources and assets, clarify what conversations are happening about your issue or topic, identify potential opportunities or road blocks, and identify places where you can leverage opportunities and mitigate challenges.

Audience (45 minutes) – Define your target audience(s), identify their core values and concerns, and list any connections you may have with them.

Messages (1 hour) – Develop key messages to influence the attitudes and affect the behaviors, or simply increase the knowledge, of your target audiences.

Messengers and Tactics (1 hour) – Identify how you are going to deliver your message to your audience.

Measures (30 minutes) – Evaluation will show you whether you need to make changes or adjustments to achieve your goal and when (or if) you’ve reached your objective.

Creating a Summary Plan (45 minutes) – A written plan will help you focus your efforts and stay on course, and make it easier to engage others in your project.