Strategic Communication

Introduction
ALARDI Africa envisions that to effectively navigate the challenges and opportunities of an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) external environment, organisations must undertake a fundamental re-evaluation of their communication tools and strategies to better influence change.

Objectives
Participants will gain by acquiring:

• A deeper understanding of organisational strategy and strategic communications
• Knowledge on how to categorise stakeholders and plan for engagement
• A greater understanding of how to plan, execute and evaluate communication
• Self-awareness of one’s communication style
• Advanced skills in presenting, questioning, listening and observing
• Greater confidence in delivering communications

Training Methodology
This Strategic Communication: Thinking, Planning and Execution training course uses various proven adult learning techniques to ensure effective assimilation and retention of the information presented. This highly interactive training course will prompt delegates to reflect on their thinking, communication style and practice. The Trainer will guide and facilitate learning using a wide variety of methods, including direct input, video, discussions, case studies and group and individual exercises to focus on the themes of the course, practice skills and receive feedback.

Organisational Impact
The organization will benefit through:

• Increased relevance of the communications effort to realising the corporate strategy
• More robust measurable objectives and KPIs
• Increased dialogue between the communications team and business units
• More focused internal and customer communication
• Greater attention to data and external trends in defining comms plans

Personal Impact
The participants will benefit through:

• Greater confidence in handling strategic communications
• Improved ability to plan specific stakeholder groups
• A greater understanding of strategy and how to research and develop it
• Enhanced understanding of the ways to look for over-the-horizon events
• A vast repertoire of strategic and tactical planning skills

Who Should Attend?
This ALARDI Africa course is suitable for a wide range of professionals but will significantly benefit:

• Communications professionals
• Directors with communications responsibility
• Corporate Communications Practitioners / Managers
• Public Relations Officers / Managers
• Public Affairs Practitioners
• Marketing Officers / Managers

Course Outline

Day One: Why is Strategic Communication Important?

• Why is communication important – and what is ‘strategic’?
• It starts with the corporate strategy
• Exploring corporate strategy to define your role
• The place of business and communications plans
• Structures for Communications strategies and plans
• Applying these insights to your organisation

Day Two: Researching Strategy

• The big picture – analysing trends
• Using SWOT, PEST and PESTLE
• Analysing Opportunities and Threats
• Over the horizon events – early warnings
• Research skills
• Research sources

Day Three: Stakeholder Communications

• Mapping your regular stakeholders
• Identifying ‘situational stakeholders’ by project and issue
• Planning stakeholder communication activities
• Recognising the need for campaigns
• The skills of negotiation and persuasion
• Stakeholder narrative and messaging

Day Four: Communications Strategy

• Vision, mission, values and strategy
• Account management and business communications strategies
• SMART objectives
• Creating KPIs and CSFs
• Developing your communications plans
• Consulting on your draft strategy

Day Five: Evaluation

• Communication – what can be measured
• Gathering and using data
• Making your data gathering plan
• Acquiring the tools – your ‘tech stack’
• Making strategy happen
• Reporting to the C Suite
• Training Evaluation and Course Closure

Certificate
On successful completion of this training course, the ALARDI Africa Certificate will be issued to the participants.

Venue:
Uganda-Kampala – Cost USD 1800
Thailand-Bangkok – Cost USD 2200

Date: 7th – 11th September 2026