Putting academic researchers and scientists in charge of communicating their research.
Researchers are now required to demonstrate the impact of their research and how it contributes it to solving problems for the benefit of industry, government and the community more broadly.
With this comes the pressing need to begin engaging with stakeholders and research end-users and making their work more accessible and easily understood by the people who stand to benefit most.
Effective communication is vital to optimising the engagement process.
While universities and research institutions are well placed to provide researchers with some assistance, there is an expectation that researchers roll up their sleeves and get involved.
Parker Public Relations has developed TWO workshop/coaching packages which are designed to put researchers in charge of building their online presence and actively promoting their research:
- Build your Personal (Researcher) Brand – by getting the basics right!
- Taking Personal (Researcher) Branding to the Next Level!
Each package comprises a group workshop which is followed by individual feedback and coaching.
These packages can be tailored to the needs of the institution and workshop participants.
They are also best suited to early and mid-career researchers starting out on their branding and communications’ journeys. However, they can be modified to suit the needs of associate professors and professors.
Workshops are ideally run in-person, with feedback and coaching managed via Zoom or Teams.
For workshops to operate optimally, participant numbers should not exceed 10.
Packages in detail
Build a Powerful Personal (Researcher) Brand – by Getting the Basics Right!
This package is designed to help researchers grow their profile and presence on social media and build relationships with stakeholders critical to the future success of their work.
During this highly interactive 6-hour workshop, participants will:
- Be provided with an introduction to personal (researcher) branding and its benefits.
- Be provided with examples of leading exemplars from their discipline or field and how they are communicating their research on social media (and elsewhere).
- Develop their branding strategy. This will help researchers clarify their research, their communications’ goals, key audience/s (including the media) and the relevant channels and tactics for communicating their research.
- Develop their branding collateral – this includes their visual identity, branding or impact statement, brand story and social media profiles.
- Understand how to integrate their branding collateral into their social media profiles, email signature, content and elsewhere.
- Learn how to engage with authority and insight on social media.
- Understand what stories to tell about their research on social media.
- Create a research narrative and content plan.
- Understand how to include storytelling in their social media profiles and content.
Participants will be required to develop/make a start on developing their strategy, branding or impact statement, brand story and social media profiles during the workshop.
These will be reviewed after the workshop with constructive feedback provided.
Taking Personal (researcher) Branding to the Next Level
This package is available to early and mid-career researchers who have completed the basics package and would like to add additional tactics to their communications arsenal.
The workshop is best suited to no more than 10 participants.
The package will include a 6-hour group workshop plus two hours of individual feedback and coaching.
2-3 options can be selected from the list below for the workshop.
How to network effectively at conferences or industry events
Workshop participants will learn how to:
- Prepare an elevator pitch in readiness for the event.
- Follow up after the initial meeting.
- Develop a follow-up note/s for use on social media and elsewhere.
Secure media coverage in mainstream and/or industry media.
Workshop participants will learn:
- How to identify relevant media
- What constitutes a great media story.
- How to find the story hook/s in their research.
- How to create a story pitch.
- How to reach out to the media.
- How to develop a media release and/or fact sheet.
- How to prepare for an interview
- How to amplify their story on social media
Seek out and prepare for public speaking opportunities.
Workshop participants will learn how to:
- How to identify relevant public speaking opportunities.
- Pitch an idea to event or conference organisers.
- Develop a talk abstract.
During the workshop participants will be required to develop their elevator pitch and follow up note for networking opportunities. They will also be required to create a media list, identify one or several story hooks about their current research, create a media pitch and media release and/or fact sheet. They will also be required create a list of speaking opportunities and create a talk abstract.
These materials will be reviewed after the workshop with constructive feedback provided.
Call us on 0422 694 503 or email: wendy@parkerpublicrelations.com.au