Building a Foundational Communications Strategy

Building a Foundational Communications Strategy:

A Step-by-Step Guide

Building a Foundational Communications Strategy
$199
Enroll Now
Non-member pricing
Building a Foundational Communications Strategy
$119
Enroll Now
Member Exclusive Pricing

Who is This Course For?

While this course is best suited to those who do not have a background in communications, beginner and intermediate communicators will find value in the frameworks and methodologies described.

Course Focus

This course explores how people think, and how that can create challenges for communications. Marliss and Randy from Parados Communications will show you the solution to that challenge by taking you through a five-step process to create a foundational communications strategy:

  1.  What’s Your Point? This is where you’ll dig down to your values as an organization, so you can truly understand what motivates you, what change you want to see in the world, and why.
  2. Who Cares? Here you’ll identify the values of the many audiences you will be sharing your message with. You’ll work to understand both your champions and your opponents.
  3. Where Are They? You’ll figure out where these audiences have conversations of importance, and when and where they have discussions that are connecting deeply with their values.
  4. Go There. You’ll select the best ways to get your message out to the world, and the people you need to reach.
  5. Listen. Communication is a two-way street. Here you’ll learn about how important it is to make sure the ‘street’ that leads back to you is open, clear and inviting.

Build your Communications Strategy,

You’ll be provided with a worksheet that will become the framework for your foundational communications strategy; a document that you will complete as you go through the course. By the end of the course, you will have built a foundational communications strategy for your organization that is intended to guide all of your communications going forward.

Course Breakdown

This on-demand, self-guided course consists of eight online chapters that you can complete at any time once you register. Each chapter includes lessons that are provided as videos, slides, and/or written content. As you move through the chapters, you will add to your worksheet, building your foundational communications strategy as you go.

The course is estimated to take a minimum of 10 hours to complete. The course syllabus is provided below.

Effective communications is essential for the success of any organization. This on demand, self-guided course will help you build a functional, foundational communications strategy that is tailored to your organization.  So enroll now!

Building a Foundational Communications Strategy: A Step-by-Step Guide

Chapter One: Introduction

  1. Welcome to the Course!
  2. The Fundamental Challenge

Chapter Two: Understanding the Challenge

  1. How People Think
  2. Getting Down to Values

Chapter Three: What's Your Point?

  1. Vision, Mission, Values — What, How and Why
  2. Your Foundational Communications Strategy Worksheet
  3. Thinking Big
  4. Questions to Guide Your Work
  5. Values: Your "Why"
  6. Add Your Values to Your Worksheet
  7. Vision: Your "What"
  8. Add your Sticky-Note Statement to Your Worksheet
  9. Mission: Your "How"
  10. Key Messages
  11. Add Your Key Messages to Your Worksheet

Chapter Four: Who Cares?

  1. Who is Your Audience?
  2. Your Audience Spectrum
  3. How to Use Your Audience Spectrum
  4. Add People to Your Audience Spectrum
  5. Personas
  6. Building Your Own Personas

Chapter Five: Where Are They?

  1. Beware the Content Monster!
  2. Finding Your Audience
  3. Fill in 'Finding Your Audience' on Your Worksheet
  4. Priorities & Time Management

Chapter Six: Go There

  1. Persuasion, One Step at a Time
  2. Fill in Your Translated Key Messages on Your Worksheet
  3. Touching on Tactics
  4. Important Tools
  5. Resource Management

Chapter Seven: Listen

  1. Communications is a Two-Way Street
  2. Planning Response Time
  3. Managing Expectations
  4. The Importance of Listening

Chapter Eight: Conclusion

  1. Now What?
  2. Campaign-Specific Planning
  3. Ongoing Communications
  4. Congratulations!
  5. Your Feedback is Important
  6. Additional Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

This course is on-demand so it starts anytime you want it to!

We love referrals, but that probably isn’t what you are asking. We are an Alberta charity and the fees we charge for our courses are used for the creation and maintenance of the programs and services that we provide. To keep costs low for everyone, we encourage each individual to create their own account and purchase their own course. Thank you for your support!

How does lifetime access sound? After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you’d like.

If you would like to arrange for offline payment, group payment, or pay on behalf of someone else, please email us at training@ecvo.ca.

Of course! Please contact us at training@ecvo.ca so we can discuss some of the details.

There are a lot of great programs available to support you.

We would recommend you start by checking out the bursaries provided by the Muttart Foundation https://www.muttart.org/granting-programs.

The ECVO offers bursaries for small-scale Edmonton-based organizations that provide human services, or who serve ethno-cultural or

newcomer communities. For more information, please contact training@ecvo.ca.

We would never want you to be unhappy! If you are dissatisfied with your purchase, contact us within 30 days of purchasing the course and we will provide a full refund. To request a refund, please email training@ecvo.ca.

If you have any questions regarding this program, please email us at training@ecvo.ca.