The Fundamentals: Build a measurement plan from scratch that evaluates the business impact of internal and external communications program

Monday, May 20

9:00-9:30 a.m.
Kick-off Knowledge Burst

How measurement can position communicators to stay relevant with executives, associates and customers

Data drives every aspect of business today and it’s no different for communicators. Demonstrating the business impact and reach of communications is critical for success, and can shift your organization’s view of public relations from nice to have to must have. Data insights can help associates do their jobs better, attract and retain talent, and encourage clients to share powerful stories about your company’s brand. This session will highlight how measurement can help you make better business decisions and position company leaders, associates and clients for success. Cara Knox will share insights and practical strategies on why numbers can be a communicator’s best and trusted ally.

Cara Knox
Marketing director, reputation management
Edward Jones
Read bio
9:30-10:00 a.m.

Networking Break

10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Application Lab

Build an internal communication assessment that demonstrates business impact

So often employee communicators jump into tactics or solutions before conducting a communications assessment. Without that, though, it’s nearly impossible to measure the success of an employee communications program, let alone demonstrate your strategic abilities. That’s why we designed this Application Lab, where you’ll build an assessment program that reveals to executives the tangible successes of your internal communication programs and your chops as a strategic communicator. This interactive Lab will show you:

  • Why it’s crucial for internal communicators to take time to conduct a communications assessment and understand business needs
  • What formal and informal communications assessment tools and tactics fit your time and budget
  • How to use your findings to create a solid employee communication strategy and plan
  • What lessons you can learn from real-world internal communications assessments conducted for multiple leading organizations
  • How to effectively communicate your assessment findings
Julie Baron
Affiliate Consultant
RCG
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Noon-1:00 p.m.

Networking lunch

1:00–3:30 p.m.
Application Lab

Build a social media PR measurement plan with a one-two punch that impresses executives and activates employees as brand advocates

You’ll put your lab coats back on as you immerse yourself in constructing an effective measurement plan that reveals a compelling ROI story: quantifiable revenue generated from your organization’s social media interaction with your customers’ digital presence. Plus, you’ll learn how your measurement efforts can build a cadre of employee advocates and storytellers. The fun doesn’t stop there. Once you’ve built your plan, you’ll learn what it takes to present your social media measurement data to executives with finesse, confidence and above all, no bull.

Participate in learning activities that demonstrate how to:

  • Increase net new reach of the brand
  • Conduct a Facebook page audit (You’ll do this live as a group)
  • Use new metrics when measuring competitive share of voice
  • Define the ROI of live video and stories content across channels, including Instagram and Snapchat
  • Measure influencer marketing campaigns
  • Strategies for engaging employees as brand advocates
  • Craft a pitch to executives for increasing your communication budget, using measurement data that demonstrates the ROI of your social media efforts—without the fluff or bull
Carlos Gil
Bestselling Author, "The End of Marketing"; Social Media Consultant
RCG
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3:30–4:30 p.m.

Boardroom Pitch Tank—Ask executives to increase your communication budgets

It’s one of the communicator’s hardest and scariest skills to master: convincing management to increase your internal and external communication budget. That’s why we’ve designed our version of “Shark Tank,” where you can practice this critical presentation skill before a group of measurement experts and communication leaders. They’ll hear the budget increase pitches that you’ve built in the day’s Application Labs, provide feedback for improvement and hand out prizes for the best in the class.

This learning simulation will allow you to:

  • Pitch your budget increase request to a mock management team of measurement experts and senior communication leaders
  • Answer the management team’s hard-hitting questions
  • Sell the benefits of why they should increase your communication budget using measurement data

Members of “The Boardroom”

Julie Baron
Affiliate Consultant
RCG
Read bio
Carlos Gil
Bestselling Author, "The End of Marketing"; Social Media Consultant
RCG
Read bio
Andrew Bates
Andrew Bates
Enterprise Data Strategy Director
AARP
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4:30–5:00 p.m.

Graduation ceremony

We’ll celebrate the completion of your learning experience with the right amount of pomp and circumstance. You’ll receive your Measurement for Communicators Academy Certificate, some parting words from the Academy’s Dean and a farewell toast for continued success in future ROI assessment endeavors.

REGISTER NOW

The Advanced Course: Construct a measurement plan that uses data analytics to assess communication programs

Tuesday, May 21

9:00–9:30 a.m.
Kick-Off Knowledge Burst

What will communication measurement look like in 2025? Pure awesomeness

This opening session sets the stage for the day by taking a leap into the future, and it’s going to be awesome. The reason? The advances that will shape future data collection and reporting tools are going to make your job easier. Artificial intelligence will analyze and create assessments of your programs quicker than ever before. Data analytics will give you information with such accuracy that your business decisions regarding messaging and target marketing will demonstrate clear-eyed value and ROI to executives. You’ll be able to monitor your organization’s reputation in real time, making it easier for you to control your brand narrative, especially during a crisis or when you’re taking a hit on social media. These and other awesome developments await you in this kickoff session.

Carlos Gil
Bestselling Author, "The End of Marketing"; Social Media Consultant
RCG
Read bio
9:30–10:00 a.m.

Networking break

10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Application Lab

Become a data scientist without creating a second job—and talk the talk of executives

In this Application Lab, you will learn that data analytics isn’t scary and doesn’t require a full-time data scientist. Instead, you’ll learn the analytical skills and tools you must have as a communicator to craft valuable insights for enhancing your PR and marketing strategies. Through interactive, hands-on exercises, you’ll discover how to maximize your resources by understanding when you need to dive into the data to gain the context required to develop actionable analysis. By the time you put your lab coats away, you’ll learn to stop shying away from data and making decisions based on anecdotal information. You’ll learn:

  • Where to find the data you need
  • How to uncover the KPIs that fuel your PR and marketing machine
  • How to craft reports that combine data with meaningful analysis
  • How to avoid the “nice to know” facts that get you a “so what?” response
  • How to start with intent so you have the necessary context to create valuable insights
  • How to put it on paper and craft your presentation
  • How to prepare for a meeting with the top brass by translating data into human language
Andrew Bates
Andrew Bates
Enterprise Data Strategy Director
AARP
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12:00–1:00 p.m.

Networking lunch

1:00-1:30 p.m.
Knowledge Burst for Employee Communicators

Get more out of internal email: Analytic lessons from 200 million emails

Advanced email measurement can provide insights far beyond open rates. For proof, look no further than PoliteMail’s recent analysis of anonymous data from millions of Outlook users. From this data, PoliteMail will provide insights on which email strategies work—and which don’t. In this knowledge burst, PoliteMail founder Michael DesRochers will show you how email measurement can transform your internal email strategy and improve your internal communications overall.

You’ll learn:

  • What really makes an email more likely to be opened
  • How much content people actually read—and how to optimize yours
  • How to modify distribution size and timing to boost email engagement
  • Easy techniques to skyrocket your email click-thru rates
  • More effective ways to measure email results at your own organization
  • How to apply these findings to improve your overall internal communication strategy
Melissa Katski-Berry
Director of Strategic Accounts
PoliteMail
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1:30–3:30 p.m.
Application Lab

How to use data intelligence to craft the right pitches that deliver results

The value of PR goes far beyond tracking campaign metrics. PR professionals are rolling up their sleeves to experience, capture and evaluate the raw data and understand how and why a hands-on approach matters. With data intelligence at your fingertips, you’ll learn firsthand how to use data to inform, shape and create more PR opportunities.

This lab is divided into two segments. The first part focuses on an exercise in brand messaging in which professionals can match their own talking points to market expectations and to how their audiences experience their brands. The second part of the lab covers how you can use SEO, authority and backlinks to pitch better stories and be more creative in your messaging approach.

In this hands-on lab, you will learn to:

  • Assess quickly, and in a snapshot, whether the market understands your brand messaging
  • Evaluate and correct the miscommunication that exists in the market around brand messaging
  • Develop stories that resonate with the people who matter
  • Learn how and why some media coverage doesn’t carry the same weight as others
  • Take advantage of creative pitching opportunities with online media outlets and blogs that have authority and raise your credibility
  • Measure with an SEO mindset
Deirdre Breakenridge
Chief executive officer
Pure Performance Communications
Read bio
3:30–4:30 p.m.

Boardroom Pitch Tank: Ask executives to increase your communication budgets

It’s one of the communicator’s hardest and scariest skills to master: convincing management to increase your communication budget. That’s why we’ve designed our version of “Shark Tank,” where you can practice this crucial presentation skill before a group of measurement experts and communication leaders. They’ll hear the budget increase pitches that you’ve built in the day’s Application Labs, provide feedback for improvement and hand out prizes for the best in the class.

This learning simulation will allow you to:

  • Pitch your budget increase request to a mock management team of measurement experts and senior communication leaders
  • Answer the management team’s hard-hitting questions
  • Sell the benefits of why they should increase your PR and social media budget using measurement data

Members of “The Boardroom”

Deirdre Breakenridge
Chief executive officer
Pure Performance Communications
Read bio
Andrew Bates
Andrew Bates
Enterprise Data Strategy Director
AARP
Read bio
4:30–5:00 p.m.

Graduation ceremony

We’ll celebrate the completion of your learning experience with the right amount of pomp and circumstance. You’ll receive your Measurement for Communicators Academy Certificate, some parting words from the academy’s dean and a farewell toast for continued success in future ROI assessment endeavors.

REGISTER NOW