Leven #3 The must for a PR practitioner

1 month after I joined Alpha Platform PR (AP), I realised there are a lot of things which called essential in the PR industry.

Ever since the first week, the executive in-charged of interns Miss Zurina (as pix) had constantly introducing us new conventional business terminology. She asked us to check the meanings of every unfamiliar business term that we came across during daily task and did a report to hand in to her. Just from there I only knew what is the meaning of IPO, BLR, a premium of, ETF Fund, Private Banking, Offshore Banking and such. Even as a undergraduate that took "commerce" subject before, I found out that what i learned of those "bull-bear market, remiser, conventional and Islamic banking" are far not enough for today PR industry. This is because as PR practitioner, our clients are those involve in ever-growing business world. Update ourselves mean we can bring better services to them.


In relation to above, another senior Miss Aishah also told us to read and monitor media that our clients would read. For examples cross-nation corporate CEO will read Asia Wall street Journal, Asia CNBC or Bloomberg TV. Government-linked companies, on the other hand, would pay attention to the local news agency Bernama TV. Besides, magazines such as The Edge, Personal Money and The Financial Daily are a must for reading. As we produce press release, the client would very much like their release to be published on such media.

From that day on I started to visit those media outlets as frequent as possible, plus a click to The Australian and Sdyney Morning Herald website to know what is ongoing in Australia, and New York Times to read the world trend.

An intern life in real PR field also gain me several new concept of PR. When flipping through the files, I noticed AP used the phrase of "covert and overt PR" quite often. This is because AP's clients are mostly giant corporate, which benefits and privilege involve multi-layers of politics and privacy. Therefore, AP will use this PR concept to apply both invisible and open hands to help achieve the client's key message. Besides, in their business proposal, they also try to eliminate unfamiliar PR terms, for instance "two-way symmetrical model". Instead, they use simple and understandable concept to picth their clients what they are going to do. For that I think they had created these terms such as "mesra rakyat PR" (pro-people PR), "short and sharp offensive strategy", "message orchestration". Haha... I think those terms are cool. As a real PR practitioner, why not we creating the new term to define our industry?

My first month therefore ended with a lot of excitement. I am looking forward to the next month now.

Leven #4 Being a successful PR agency

Not too long after i start my internship life in Alpha Platform (AP), some executive came and told us in a meeting that: "Alpha Platform is one of the top five PR agency in Malaysia."

I was stunt a little bit, cause i really can't understand why a small agency that only have 22 people inside will claim themselves the top 5. But sooner, i discovered why.


(Alpha senior Mr Razak, Miss Aishah and Miss Tham. At the back is the managing director Mr Z)

AP positioned their agency very well using marketing segmentation theory. They know clients are divided to two kinds, first- small organisation which cases are easy to handle but pay little, and big corporate that having tough cases but pay handsomely. However, only big corporate can drive a PR agency to shine over their peers or to the top in PR industry. Small organisation won't help an agency to get too much fame. Therefore, AP segmentise themselves well- only accept clients from big corporate background.

Over the first month i stayed in AP, all the clients i heard are those listed in Malaysia Stock Exchange or those we heard since young: Time dotCom (streamyx company), CIMB bank, Proton Automobile, East Coast Economic Region (ECER), Dayang Carigali and etc..

In order to serve these companies well, AP is sharpen one of their key weapons- communication.

1. They talk politely and present themselves very professionaly in front of client. In AP, everyone even the office boy also need to wear neck tie. One day in week 3 i forgot to bring my tie to office, immediately after they see it they ordered to go and buy one in nearby shopping center. Because, according to them, "you never know when client will suddenly drop off our office. How should you present yourself like this?"
2. Keep in touch with several key figures. Being with big tycoon means they must mingle around with those key players in the industry from time to time. In AP, they had lunch, dinner with the "big bosses". Besides, during some special days, they will simply call those figures to congratulate them and hoo-ha with them. It doesn't matter whether those people are their ongoing clients, because somehow they might be potential clients.

3. Never scold a staff. Although i don't really see much interaction across the staffs, but I observe that in AP, the top seniors consultants never really scold the juniors. They will use serious tone and heavy emphasising if they want to voice their dissasitifaction. For instance: "if you don'f finish your part last week, WHAT IS THE POINT I AM WASTING MY OWN WEEKEND TO HELP YOU?" Perhaps being a PR consultant has rooted a good temper inside them, thus they never use harsh words although they really feel pissed off. This helps, in a way that although the juniors feel the anger from the seniors, they wont get hurt from any harsh word until they feel like quiting.

4. Big corporate always have internal communication problem. Sometimes Chief A will call AP to say this this, Chief B will call again later to say that that. Being in the middle, AP however don't spread rumuors around and involve themselves in their internal conflicts. They will answer the call like:" oh, is it? I see I see. I understand what you feel.. I see i see." -which is comforting but not revealing anything.

5. They always act like a thought leader in the PR industry. They will have their so called "current solution" announce to the world every now and then. For instance, they published an article titled "CEO grapple with tough times" in their official website. In that article they explain how economic recession force government to seek out investment from private sector, therefore those corporate which establish a good relationship with the government now will get a distinction later. This makes them different than the other agency.

I ended my internship with the realisation that becoming a successful PR agency must contains some critireas, such as correct market position, excellent communication skills and different Unique Selling Proposition. It certainly makes me improve steps further toward becoming a professional PR practitioner.

Leven # 2 Image building and mistake making

Public relations is mainly about relationship building and image building. Last time during the classes i always remember lecturers saying:" when PR person go out for an event, we represent the company..."

In fact, what we do, say, behave is really crucial when a normal human being named Leven (my name) suddenly turn to become a PR person in Alpha Platform PR agency.

I experienced it by myself through an incident happened recently.

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It was a fine morning when all the juniors and interns are assign to update our media list. All interns are supervised by their juniors and works will be divided by them to us. I had a short conversation with my leader Ms A and i got to know i am doing updating for lifestyle magazine, newspaper lifestyle section and lifestyle tv program.

When i about to start, the whole group leader at large (leader of the update project) Ms N suddenly call every interns to the meeting room. In her speech she taught us when to call journalist and how to acquire the information we want, for instance we should not call after 12pm because all the journalists will be busy then bla bla bla...

so we got out from the room with an impression to call journalist....


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The next day, we start updating. I did my calling according the list. From Cosmopolitan Malaysia to FHM to Marie Claire, it was smooth and nice. Most of the journalist or front desk person actually entertain me with a pleasant voice. I thought i am safe...

Suddenly i reach this magazine called Mdm Chair. It is a magazine under government-affiliated media groups. The whole group of them is inside one building and they produced like 3 newspaper and 20+ magazines. My list shown me the contact person named Mr Hisham.So I just called like normal to the front desk and asked to reconfirm the chief editor whether is Mr Hisham.

The front desk doesn't get to know what i want clearly so they keep on transferring the line to some newsroom.

"Hello, is it front desk, can i confirm with you some information regarding magazine Mdn Chair?"
"Hello, is it Mdn Chair? May i know is Mr Hisham still there in the office?"

"Hello, is the journalist of Mdn Chair? Is Hisham...?"
"Hello, So can u help me answering the question whether Mr Hisham is still...?"

I repeated "Mr Hisham" for at least 3,4 times. I noticed the ladyboss' face of my company suddenly turn black. She looked at me with a fierce glance...

After i got off that call, she ordered all the intern to stop everything we do and go to her office.
She asked us with a serious tone
"WHO in the earth that ask your guys to call?"

We were like "what... is Ms N"

"Ok, even if you have to call. Can you please use some logic to perform the update. Who in the earth will call to Airasia and ask whether the CEO is Tonny Fernandes?"

"But" i said. "I thought we just read the names out from the list."

"Ok. eventhough you are saying it out from the list. But the way you guys say it is so unprofessional. Just now i heard what leven said, he called a person and asked 'Is hisham still the chief editor in your company?' What is that? its like you are asking whether the person has got fired!!"

"And do you know who is Hisham? He is the chief editor for the whole NST group (the government-link media company name). If he knows Alpha Platform PR calls to him and asks such question, he will call us and scold at our boss right away!"

I was seriously has no idea who is Hisham although i read newspaper everyday. But when she mentioned its the NST group boss, i shocked and realised how serious mistake i did.

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The next day we all are stopped from calling outside anymore, only the juniors now can do it.

And only by then the juniors told us- Now the government is in transition. The current PM is going out soon and new PM will swear in. By that time he is defitely going to change all the man of top position in NST group according to his favorite. So now those chief editor in NST group will be worry whether he will got replaced soon.

If we now calling them, and even speak to them asking whether they are still in the position. First, it's impolite. Second, they will doubt if we know somehting that they dont. These will cause the our company a lot of troubles..

We are numbed. As we know sometimes a simple thing can makes all the people fury.
Especially PR is the agent between peoples, this seems to be even crucial of what we say.

Image needed for a company forever, so does PR company.

I learnt from my mistake.

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)