LUCT LEVEN what i learn from the first day

Hi everyone out there, Happy Chinese New Year (Gong Xi Gong Xi) and Happy Valentine Day in advance. My name is Leven Woon from Limkokwing Kuala Lumpur and this is my first entry kicking off here. Well, I just get to know that there is no freedom of speech over here as “sometime” it might “monitored” by some mastermind, so I decided to keep it low profile :P

I have been joining Alpha Platform, an external PR agency since 2 January 2009. Alpha Platform (AP) is one of the top 5 PR agency in Malaysia (they self-claimed lah!), specializing in media relations. AP is very particular in term of its self-image and company portfolio.

I remember on the first day of work one of the senior consultants told me: “In AP we don’t do event, we don’t do whatever one-time launch, we are focusing on media and our business is on media.” How true this sentence is! I realized in the next couple of weeks that AP’s clients are mainly those listed in BSKL (KL Stock Exchange) or those premiers in their particular firms. Therefore, everything carried out involve strategic thinking, forecasting, message-tailoring, and media relations.

I think I fast-forward the time too much. Okok, I slow down a little bit, rewind, rewind.

I still remember on the fist day, the first thing that really impress me is that all colleagues will come to greet me (this low-rank, new and inexperience) automatically. They will introduce me themselves and their positions. Even those that are not around, once they are back they will lead me to see them as well. This is very strange because throughout my life of working countless part-time, never have a time that is senior come and greet junior; it’s always being me approach and shake their hands and give my smiles like a nerdy Japanese office rookie. So I am surprised and happy to encounter this!~

My second thought realized this is essential in any of the PR firms. We have been taught that for a PR person image is very important. Its even more crucial due to the fact that PR serves a the linkage between organization and stakeholders. So how can an PR organization draw itself a fullest image if the internal solidarity is not there? If the core valued is not shared? If the philosophy of the company is not clearly understand by everyone? This company certainly knows this trick of the tricks.

Another thing that impress is the enthusiasm toward professionalism. In AP I learn how to think one step further from the ground of our client. We do not just sit passively waiting for everything to come, but we do action to get what we want. For instance, one of our clients is an economic corridor council currently undergoing by MalaysiaMalaysia is having 5 corridors now and each of them cover different states. There is an East Coast Corridor cover 3 state in east coast, North Coast Corridor cover 3 states in Northen regions and Iskandar Development Region cover large part of southern state Johore), so when we do media monitoring, we do not just collect those new release we sent, however we collect news from other corridors to see what they are doing, collect regional papers to see what those papers are saying and collect related news which can be generated as the story ideas. government

I even witnessed one time how a small successful entrepreneur story can be closely-linked to our Econimic Corridor Council and become one glory achievement inside newspaper. This is just amazing!

So at the end of the day I learn the secret behind a successful PR firm is nothing---- but to work harder, think further, on the right direction. I think this philosophy applicable to everything, include getting your dreamgirl.

That’s all for now, take care pals and see you soon!!

Cheers and Lau Sang!

Leven (actually written on 12 feb 2009)