Get online professional development from IABC On Demand

The PESO Model® is the operating system that accelerates marketing effectiveness by unifying siloed teams and efforts under a single integrated framework. Spin Sucks and IABC are joining forces to offer the PESO Model Certification to IABC members at a reduced cost to help them align their goals across Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned (PESO) channels.  Join us for our quarterly town hall series, where the Spin Sucks and IABC leadership teams will discuss the most effective ways you can use PESO to support your marketing goals.   What We’ll Cover: What communicators need to know about visibility, credibility, and trust in today’s AI-influenced landscape Why traditional channel-first planning no longer works—and what to use instead How the PESO Model® integrates paid, earned, shared, and owned media into one strategic system Real-world examples of PESO in action (and where most teams go wrong) How to move from disconnected tactics to coordinated, measurable communications programs How the PESO Model® supports both individual contributors and senior leaders Practical ways IABC members can apply PESO immediately—regardless of team size or budget Who This is For: Communications professionals managing multiple channels and stakeholders Practitioners who feel stuck in execution mode and want to be more strategic Leaders responsible for proving the impact of communications work IABC members looking for modern frameworks that actually scale Read more

How do communicators balance the inside and outside worlds of a crisis – keeping employees informed, engaged and aligned while managing external audiences, including media and stakeholders? This session will unpack what “inside-out” really looks like in practice, how trust and consistency are built under pressure, and how internal choices can shape an organization’s external response. We are delighted to welcome Alison Arnot – a seasoned communication consultant, trainer and author – as our guest speaker. Her recently released book, Internal Communication in Times of Crisis: How to Secure Employee Trust, Support and Advocacy in Crisis Situations, offers valuable insights that will provide a strong foundation for our conversation. Discussion questions 1.     How can communicators ensure internal messages prepare and empower employees before external announcements are made? 2.     What happens when internal and external narratives drift apart – and how can that misalignment be repaired? 3.     How do organizations strike the right tone and timing when employees and the public learn about a crisis simultaneously? 4.     What practical approaches help leaders maintain trust, morale and authenticity inside while managing reputation outside? We look forward to another candid, interactive discussion as we continue building a global SIG community of crisis communication professionals.   Live Sessions:  The live one hour sessions will take place at 11:00 AM CT on 22 January 2026.  Read more

Visibility has arguably become the ultimate currency for entrepreneurs. But with countless opportunities to gain “exposure” in exchange for your time, talent, or services—often without compensation—how do you distinguish between strategic brand building and being taken advantage of? Join us as we welcome Priya Bates, an award-winning communication strategist and IABC Fellow, for a practical session that will transform how you evaluate visibility opportunities. With more than 20 years of experience leading communications for major organizations including Loblaw Companies Limited and HP Canada, Priya brings both strategic insight and real-world expertise to help you navigate these complex decisions. As one of the first Certified Communication Management Professionals (CMP) in the world and a Master Communicator (MC), she understands the delicate balance between building your profile and protecting your worth. In this session, Priya will help you: Identify the difference between strategic visibility and exploitation, Recognize red flags in “exposure” opportunities before you commit, Assess the true value of visibility requests, Confidently say yes or no while protecting your brand and boundaries. In short: learn how to grow your entrepreneurial profile without selling yourself short. Read more

When change initiatives fail, it is often due to poor communication strategy and tactics.  In this new IABC Master Class, understand why major change initiatives may fail and how employee trust is eroded during poorly managed transitions.​ Explore how open, honest, and consistent organizational messaging rebuilds credibility and stabilizes teams.​ Use proven methodologies and structured communication plans to lead recovery and minimize future risk.​  Discuss techniques to rebuild trust through consistent leadership behavior, clear corrective actions, and frequent employee engagement.​ Learn practical steps for repairing organizational image and stakeholder confidence, including supportive internal and external communication and visible improvements in management processes.​ Key Learning Objectives Identify factors that turn change initiatives into crises, including communication missteps and lack of leadership alignment.​ Develop communication plans that acknowledge failure, explain corrective actions, and signal a commitment to returning stability and reliability to the organization.​ Restore trust by strengthening feedback mechanisms, listening to affected employees, and maintaining long-term, honest dialogue.​ Implement brand and reputation recovery strategies that build confidence among internal teams and external stakeholders.​ Apply case studies and roleplays simulating high-stake situations to give participants actionable frameworks and talking points that can be adapted to their real-world contexts.​ Read more

You’re already using AI. The question is whether it’s helping you think better—or just helping you publish faster. In this advanced masterclass, journalist and thought-leadership expert Rhea Wessel shows communication professionals how to use AI as a strategic partner in thought leadership—helping them identify stronger ideas, sharpen their positioning, and build repeatable systems for high-quality content. This 2.0 masterclass focuses on how to use AI to analyze thought-leadership landscapes, identify gaps in the conversation, research audience pain points, and develop counterintuitive story angles that differentiate true thought leadership from marketing content. Participants will learn how to work with AI while maintaining strong editorial judgment, ethical guardrails, and a distinctly human point of view—so their ideas gain credibility, not just visibility. This masterclass is ideal for communication professionals who already use AI for writing or ideation and now want to use it more intentionally, strategically, and responsibly. You’ll learn how to: Identify gaps in a thought-leadership landscape (what’s being said—and what isn’t) Define and sharpen a personal or organizational thought-leadership niche Research the deepest internal and external pain points of your audience Generate strong, counterintuitive story ideas using AI Build a scalable thought-leadership engine without diluting voice or credibility Read more

In this course, you will learn what IABC specifically looks for in evaluating award entries allowing for consistent application and interpretation of criteria across our large number of evaluators.  As an evaluator, you are not setting the standards or criteria for the awards. You are scoring entries based on the criteria in the Evaluating Excellence Guide and providing feedback to entrants using your expertise. While this course is designed for the evaluation of IABC Gold Quill awards, it can be used to train evaluators for all types of IABC awards. Read more