Public Relations Consulting

All public relations professionals are counselors requiring business and management expertise, whether they head up their own consultancies, are employed by public relations firms, or by a corporation, government or non-profit organization. This course will focus on the building and/or enhancing of a consultancy business by acquiring competencies and attitudes leading to long-term, mutually productive relationships with clients desiring high caliber communications and media-related services. Financial and contractual arrangements (from fee-for-service to retainer) will be explored, with emphasis on the development of negotiating skills. Students will be introduced to budgeting and management principles that are the foundation of a successful consulting enterprise. Successful counselors will conduct case history sessions whereby students can benefit from others' experiences in the complexities of attracting and retaining clients. The importance of educating clients in the nuances and intricacies of public relations will be discussed so that realistic objectives and expectations can be established. Quality and ethics issues will be explored, as will the responsibilities involved in the dissemination of information to the media and other publics. Segments of this course will be devoted to client services: the building of writing skills via the development of press materials, brochures and/or websites, and the know-how to create media, marketing and communications strategies. By semester's end, students will produce (individually or in teams) a complete, public relations agency-caliber presentation to gain a particular public relations project from a client. The presentation will include an in-depth media and/or communications strategy that will be presented to and be critiqued by the class and instructor.