Last month the DC Metro chapter of IABC (International Association of Business Communicators) was surprised and delighted by an enormous increase in the number of people attending its monthly meeting.  The topic:  Strategic Planning.

After innumerable programs about social media from all the communications professional societies over the past few years it was a reminder of the importance of developing a strong overall plan as opposed to focusing solely on tactics and tools.  The questions from the 100 or so attendees showed a hunger for specifics on creating, presenting and gaining support for a communications plan.

Happily, the Public Relations Society of American (PRSA) National Capital Chapter is about to supply some of those specifics.  On Wednesday, March 20 from 8:00a.m. to 10:00a.m. their “How to Write a PR Plan” program promises a hands-on workshop from which participants will walk away with a plan outlining goals, objectives, strategies, tactics and measurement metrics.

Erica Hiar of the Merritt Group will moderate as Mitchell Marovitz, an adjunct professor from the University of Maryland University College, and Lauren Lawson-Zilai, of Goodwill Industries International, explain building plans for an array of applications and creating a road map to achieve consensus and support from decision makers.

Details are on the PRSA-NCC website.

(Erica Hiar, Mitchell Marovitz, Lauren Lawson-Zillai)