J. Hampton Strategies, LLC

Communications 101 is a 10-week series that offers a foundational toolkit for professionals looking to strengthen their communication skills. This series covers the essentials—from crafting clear messages and understanding your audience to engaging the media, writing effectively, and staying on narrative. You'll also explore inclusive practices, visual storytelling, social media basics, and how to communicate clearly during times of uncertainty. Whether you're new to the field or refreshing your skills, this track sets the stage for confident, impactful communication.

1. The Power of the Message: What Are You Really Saying? Understand the building blocks of effective communication—tone, clarity, intent, and delivery. - January 13th, 2026
2. Know Your Audience, Shape Your Message How to tailor your language and format to reach internal teams, the public, press, or stakeholders. - January 20th
3. Media Basics: What to Say and What Not to Say Intro to speaking on record, off record, on background, and how to avoid rookie mistakes. - January 27th
4. How to Stay on Narrative Craft, hold, and repeat your core message—especially when the questions go off-script. - Feb. 3rd
5. Writing with Purpose: Press Releases, Statements & More Fundamentals of writing clear, concise, and strategic content for external communication. - Feb. 10th
6. Internal Communication That Works Email, memos, and talking points—how to align and engage your internal audiences. - Feb. 17th
7. Inclusive Communication 101: Say It So People Feel Seen Intro to language equity, accessibility, and culturally respectful messaging. - Feb. 24th
8. Visual Communication: Why How It Looks Matters Understanding brand consistency, visual storytelling, and graphic clarity. - March 3rd
9. Social Media for Communicators Tone, timing, engagement, and staying human in a digital world. - March 10th
10. Crisis Lite: Communicating When Things Go Sideways Intro-level strategies for addressing misinformation, tough questions, and tense moments. - March 17th

Series begins Tuesday, January 13th, 2026, for 10 straight Tuesdays, culminating on Tuesday, March 10th, 2026.