Event Co-ordination, the many levels.

Hi again!

In March, i was given the task of arranging and gathering all the neccessary contacts and information needed to plan an event for the company that would be held at the end of the year. From my previous experience, the people here would rather spend months planning and ensuring the right information, target audience and media relations are there for your event, than rushing it and gaining no attention at all.

So, i began my first step in formulating what kind of event i wanted and the important stakeholders that need to be present at this event. For this, i quickly thought back to PR 201 and PR Media where we learnt about stakeholders and how to formulate and event timesheet. It was so crucial i understood all my stakeholders firstly because at even'ts like this my company needs the attention and awareness about their products and services and if i did not get it right the first time, i will be putting the company's reputation at stake.

It was also crucial i understood the many levels of authority i had to get passed in order to get my invitations and media releases passed on to the right person. The level goes as follows:-

1. Send an enquiry to the organization
2. Call the supervisor or general manager
3. Set up a business proposal meeting
4. Discuss and propose why they should attend your event and what benefits they will recieve
5. Confirm Attendance.

I learnt that sending an invitaiton doesn't always guarentee attendance, sometimes we have to set up meeting and dinners to attract their attendence and it was very normal in Asia to have business meetings such as these to show how willing and how much effort we are willing to put in to get the money, awareness or sponsorships for our events.

Thanks for reading, more to come!

Jun

A challenge in a different country - PR in Asia

Hi all!

I am Jun and i started my internship at a new Automotive company called M&H Elegant Auto Care in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was a company founded by an entrepreneur and a business partner who had over 15 years of experience in the industry. The business was founded to provide the best auto care service like no other in an industry already dominated by hundreds of similar companies.

Being in Asia, the world of PR is vastly different than what we have learnt during the course of our education in Curtin. When i first started my first day i was quite excited and motivated to just get through this semester and internship with the best of my abilities. Little did i know that my enthusiasm and energy was not well accepted in such a hostile environment. From what i knew, my co-workers were quite shocked and taken aback to my forwardness and my interactions with them. I slowly learnt day by day that getting to know them took time and effort and being friendly doesn't guarentee their loyalty and friendship either. People in the company and also in the industry definitely needed time to get to know me and to show my abilities and what i can do for them before they accepted me as one of their own.

It was a culture shock and a lesson i learnt that was so essential when i was given the task to communicate and provide media releases to news corporations and events companies because if i were to approach them the way did on my first day, i do not believe i would achieved anything for my supervisor. The world of PR in malaysia is more conservative and strict compared to Australia and there are many guidelines to follow if one was to be a successful PR practioner in Malaysia.

My journey continues!

Jun
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