Press Officer Training - (5/10 CPD points)

Offered as e-learning via video conferencing or socially-distanced in-person training

The relationship between journalists and press officers is critical, but very often what the press team want from their promoted story and what the journalist is after, are two different things.

Mentor's Press Officer course will support your press team in understanding what makes a journalist 'tick', when you want to work with the media to promote a story or raise awareness of an issue.

Using Mentor's tried and tested coaching tips and easily digestible techniques, we'll demonstrate what news is and how to create and identify a story that will whet a journalist's appetite. 

We can run our workshops in a group, 'open' style course, or to meet your specific needs.

The event covers the following:

• How to write a press release which will grab the journalist’s attention
• Grabbing a journalist's attention using digital tools
• Contacting the newsroom or journalists, to promote a story and how to follow up
• The news cycle – when to call and when not to
• How to triage incoming media enquiries, including handling media calls in a crisis
• Crisis planning and how to create a simple plan which works
• Distinguishing between different interview types; press, broadcast and convergence of all three
• The soundbite interview compared with a live interview
• Messaging, bridging and impactful language
• Identifying your key spokespeople in good times and a crisis
• Preparing a spokesperson for a positive media story
• Preparing your representative in times of crisis
• Coaching your spokespeople in how to stay in control
• Avoiding journalists' bear traps
• How to set up, manage and handle a press conference
• Press conference rehearsals

Who should attend;

Junior to mid-level press officers and media relations managers

Press teams looking to further their CPD cycle for the year. Each course contains 5-10 points.

Press officers who require a degree of 'up-skilling' to handle crisis communications

Press officers who may be dealing with an issue which may require sensitive press handling

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