Melissa Chan

Anxiety can take many forms, and one of them is 𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒙𝒊𝒆𝒕𝒚. Did I believe it existed? Not at first. My journey began 15 years ago when I was 25, with just RM5k in my bank account and a laptop as my only companion. I launched my PR agency with no clients and no background in the field. Was it terrifying? Absolutely. I was overwhelmed with fear—fear of running out of resources, of not finding clients, of rejection. Would it mean I was a failure? The uncertainties were countless. But deep down, I knew I couldn’t give up. So, I took time to reflect and understand the roots of my fears. I focused on what I could control and learned to accept what I couldn’t. I started meditating, prioritising my goals, and adapting to the changes life threw at me, just like the pandemic. I took things one step at a time, at my own pace. And no matter how small the victories, I celebrated each one with gratitude. Remember to stay motivated and celebrate your progress. No matter how small, every step forward is a win. 𝐾𝑒𝑒𝑝 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑦 𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑! For more stories, follow #thatbespokeguy, XAVIER MAH. . . #PR #PRconsultant #PRstrategist #PublicRelations #BrandStrategist #Branding #Brandconsultant #entrepreneurship #entrepreneur

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Creating social media content has become a team-bonding exercise for Bridges M&C! Maintaining good relations between colleagues can be tough when many team members are working on a remote or hybrid basis. We temporarily gave up our physical Kuala Lumpur office when the pandemic descended upon us and ended up tossing it for good post-pandemic when Hyma Haridas had her second child, and Ramona Khanum, PhD reported having to battle a three-hour traffic jam to be in time for a meeting with a client during rush hour. More recently, Shah Rizal thought about upping our social media game to maintain SEO rankings so it would be easier for clients seeking specialist #medicalcommunications and #healthcarecommunications services to find us. With Yorick, our newly inducted skeleton mascot, we got our skulls together, and brainstormed for ideas that would showcase not only our expertise, but our brand of office and skeleton humour on social media. We gave everyone a chance to contribute to writing the scripts, and directing and acting in the skits. Creating social media content this way has enabled us to take ourselves less seriously and laugh at ourselves, regardless of viewership and engagement rates, even if they have been steadily climbing. I’d like to think this has enhanced #psychologicalsafety among teammates, where they can voice their ideas knowing they will be heard and considered, even if they might sound weird or silly. However, I have caveats about treating social media content generation as a team-bonding exercise: 1.          Social media content creation or any other form of team-bonding activities can only work to enhance a culture of inclusivity, transparency, trust, if those are already the underlying characteristics of an organisation. If an organisation has major issues such as high turnover, a lack of staff engagement and poor team communications, it probably needs more fundamental and systemic solutions. 2.          Social media content creation as a team-bonding exercise works best in a company or within a department which is not very hierarchical in nature, and where the members already trust and depend on each other to some extent to deliver output. It might be awkward for a junior to write a corny social media script for a director if they have had very little open and collaborative contact with each other on a day-to-day basis. What do you think? #publichealth #businessleader

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𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐬 Last year, I worked in a public relations role and had the privilege of writing the speech and emcee script for The Michelin Guide Kuala Lumpur and Penang 2024 Ceremony. Here is what I would recommend to craft a winning speech for your brand ceremony. 📌Consider the culture you are in; because the ceremony was honouring restaurants in Malaysia, I started the speech with a greeting in the local language. This makes the audience feel warm because now they know you care about a core part of who they are, and you are not just there to talk about your business. 📌In the body of the speech, include some honouring facts about the people or country that you are in. For instance, in the speech I wrote, I highlighted how Malaysia is known for its various cuisines that are passed down from one generation to the next and praised the listeners for their rich culinary history. 📌Discuss why the ceremony is important for people's lives, the environment, or the industry. 📌 Conclude the speech with a powerful statement about what your brand stands for and how those values complement the event. 📌Mention all dignitaries such as sponsors. Are you crafting any type of publicity speech or material soon? Follow me for more tips on presentation, scriptwriting, speech crafting and content creation. Also, let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Happy writing.

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Common media interview pitfalls 👇 1. Not setting the agenda 2. Showing up under-prepared 3. Using jargons 4. Not guiding the conversation toward the intended storyline 5. Talking too much about the competition 6. Not corroborating your statements with data 7. Talking off-the-record thinking it won't be reported 8. Avoiding uncomfortable questions The purpose of a media interview is to get a story published. You are responsible for helping the journalist see that story. Remember that the quality of your relationship goes down every time a journalist returns with no story. #PublicRelations #Marketing #StrategyVerse

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Topmix Posts RM2.8mil For Q4. Tap the link to read the full story: https://lnkd.in/gX3qXedf #TopmixBhd #TeoQuekSiang #TrendNewsandUpdates #InvestmentsandMarketTrends

💪🏻 “Who were you before moving into PR career, and how did you see your change after ?” My colleagues and I had this interesting discussion in PR WIP meeting. Sometimes, you have to look into yourself, and ask: Am I moving forward? Am I doing something that I enjoy? And, this is what I said: “I was someone that likes to share my own stories, showing myself to public and I was the talent. (I was a streamer before) 🫶🏻 “But when comes to PR, we are not the one that shares our own stories, instead, we are sharing others’ stories. There are many local talents out there, and you help to share their voices.” Why this seems a big change for me, as I have changed myself from a “storybook” to a “storyteller”. I’m looking forward to grab the previous opportunities to share more talents’ stories. To all hiring managers in #Singapore, are you looking for someone that is passionate on this? Feel free to reach out to me and I’d love to learn more about this! #OpentoWork #PR #story #socialmedia #contentcreator

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An increase of 130% in media attendance. My client had been attempting to invite the Malaysian media through DIY PR efforts. Unfortunately, their efforts fell short because no media attended. After partnering with me for professional PR services, the client saw a significant boost in media attendance on their event day. I managed to secure the attendance of 15 journalists from 13 different publications, far surpassing their initial goal. It is a 1-month campaign period, whereby I deliver the media invitations, monitor the attendance closely, and coordinate with the media on the event day. This allows my client to focus on: 🎯 Health: Enhanced brand visibility and reputation in the Malaysian market. 🎯 Wealth: Increased media coverage in Malaysia leading to higher potential business opportunities. 🎯 Relationships: Strengthened relationships with top and medium-tier media, establishing a foundation for future collaboration. 🎯 Time: Saved the client considerable time by handling all PR logistics, allowing them to focus on core business activities. I have prepared a strategic PR plan that includes personalised media outreach, crafting compelling press releases, and coordinating the media event. This ensures that the right journalists attend and feature the event, aligning with the client's objectives. In the end, 15 journalists from 13 publications from top and medium-tier attended my client’s event, providing widespread coverage and enhancing their brand visibility. #MelPR #PublicRelation #Media #Mediaevent #MediaAttendance

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I just told my team that media relations is one of the Strategic PR functions that AI can't replace. The next day, I saw the topic at one of the MarTech conferences. When it comes to Thai media, our connections with journalists or editors are key. Knowing who we're pitching to is vital. If we're not familiar with them, a phone call to introduce and sell our story is a necessity. Simply sending an email won't be enough when reaching out to an editor. Beyond the pitching story, a good relationship can help us survive a crisis. The spokesperson (not our client, but he is a partner of our client) revealed confidentiality in one case, and the journalist wrote the confidential story. I didn't sit in during that interview because it was a FAM trip in another country. The client requested that we tell the media to remove the story from the website. Oh my god. Hot taro in our hand. That's a super challenge in my working life. It's not about luck; we can ask the editor to take down the story. It is about our media relations; we always keep in touch with journalists and editors who help us survive. I hope I don't have to face the super challenge anymore.

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📹 Part II of our colleagues surprising our promotees! No matter which career level you are at, I think that staff recognition is really important. It keeps you going in good times and bad times. 🙆🏻‍♀️ Check out the genuine reactions of our people when their mentors and close colleagues expressed words of appreciation to them on the big screen when they thought it was just just a typical interview or meeting with HR🌟 (of course, not!) 🌻🌈 My favourite part is when the supervisor asked our fellow Swifties where's his friendship band haha! Great works from our EB Team, improving our content one step at a time, together❗ #teamworkmakesthedreamwork #TeamCPF #CPFBoard #EmployeeAppreciation #StaffRecognition #EmployerBrand #EmployerBranding

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My 60+ year old mother was handed this flyer at a market in Geylang and personally, I feel this isn't the best move.. To quote an article I wrote in 2017 on branding the higher education and CET arms separately to avoid brand dilution. "Leveraging on the existing brand means less time (and money) is required to build up authority and trust in the market. However, relying too much on the core brand might erode or break any existing associations with the brand and affect brand equity. In the '60s, Cadbury, which is famous for chocolate launched a successful mashed potato product. Despite the success of this new product, the company sold this segment off as it led to brand dilution and affected the association with Cadbury being a premium chocolate company." In this context, #JCUSingapore is a price leader in the private education institute segment with one of the highest tuition fees and has built itself up a more "premium" option as the only Australian institution with "university" status in Singapore. For those who don't know, the use of the word "university" is restricted in the PEI segment, so JCU being able to call itself a university is actually an anomaly and a great signal. So having a CET arm and calling it James Cook Institute already dilutes the brand and handing out Chinese language flyers in Geylang offering $60+ courses isn't great for the core university brand which I suppose brings in much more revenue. But my expertise isn't on branding, so I could be wrong. Let me know your thoughts in the comments. #branding #highered #highereducation #singapore #ccpn

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'Kelam Kabut' - a term we usually associate with being hectic, disorderly, and messy. Sometimes, you need that rush, especially when you realise that customers or clients want to see your website for legitimacy. Things suddenly becomes super urgent. I was in KL last week when I received this 'kelam kabut' text from a prospect. My usual procedure is to have them book a meeting a week in advance so I can learn about their business. But this one couldn't wait. He was scrambling to get his website up ASAP. I can’t help but smile. When I did followed up, kena ghost. 😅 So here’s the thing: gone are the days when I needed to explain the need for a website, but I guess you should know by now it’s your digital real estate for your business. No need for stamp duty, no levy or COV payments. Its an asset you prepare for ‘hari hujan’ (rainy days) Not something you scramble last minute. Start with a one-pager, then eventually build the rest of the pages. That's how you do it. Don’t know where to start? Visit Mulacan.com

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Over the past 12 years, we've redefined PR as a dynamic, two-way conversation. Gone are the days when PR meant just broadcasting messages. Today, it's about engaging in meaningful dialogues, listening, and responding to the public's feedback and concerns. In our journey, we've demonstrated that effective PR involves not only informing and persuading but also deeply understanding the needs, interests, and opinions of our audience. We utilize various tools and platforms to research, monitor, and analyze stakeholder sentiments. From social media interactions to community forums, we ensure every voice is heard and every concern is addressed. PR is not about talking at the public; it's about talking with them. We've built bridges, fostered trust, and created impactful relationships through open, transparent, and responsive communication. This commitment to two-way communication has been central to our success and the success of those we've served. #glasshouseprat12 #clearcommunication #wetellyourstory # #prmythbusters #pr #africa

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So, a certain local ice-cream brand made the news today. Inside Scoop had to withdraw its latest "pei pa koa" flavour following a directive from the Ministry of Health, a day after launching it. The reason? According to Free Malaysia Today, the Ministry of Health explained in a statement: "The preparation or sale of any adulterated food is prohibited under Section 13B(2) of the Food Act 1983." Just early this morning, a Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Specialist Children’s Hospital pharmacist was quoted in The Sun as saying, “Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa is a traditional herbal cough syrup used to alleviate minor throat irritations, but its use as a food ingredient is dangerous.” Hours later, the Ministry issued the withdrawal directive. Good or bad news for the brand? I have mixed thoughts. A friend in F & B made this comment which I roughly summarise as: Big brands (which Inside Scoop is since 65% of it was acquired by Farm Fresh for RM84 million) cannot simply anyhow do things because they are tied by rules and regulations. They cannot be too guerrilla in marketing warfare. Or go too wild with their products - in this case, associating ice-cream with a medicinal (?) product used to alleviate minor throat irritations. Very true. Big brands cannot afford to take big risks that smaller brands can because they have eyes on them all the time. On the other hand, this little controversy also put Inside Scoop back into my mind. Thanks to the pei pa koa brouhaha, I am super curious about the flavour now. In fact, I feel an itch to try my luck and see if they have any leftover stock ... The irony is I live near an Inside Scoop outlet and walk past it all the time but only today I feel this overwhelming urge to go. I see three principles at play here - The economics of scarcity - All humans have FOMO - There is no such thing as bad publicity. ...Now, to ice-cream or not to ice-cream? Alexandra Wong Your friendly armchair kaypochi Edit: no 4, most scandals/controversies/mistakes are survivable if your brand enjoys strong goodwill.

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I will always advocate for education Some view qualifications as overrated because nowadays, there are careers where one can flourish without education. I on the other hand will always advocate for people to get a qualification, because for some of us that is how we got our foot in the door! #LessonsFromMyCareerJourney

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In Public Relations we are taught if you cant manage the message, manage the messenger.This is something which is atleast happening with AQI reporting. AQI has crossed 1000 and only #Pioneer newspaper has reported it. 1000 and above AQI means inhaling poisonous gas. We all know what happens if you inhale poisonous gas.

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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗮𝗶𝘆𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 In the professional world, facing a job loss can feel like a devastating defeat. However, just as Goku and his Saiyan friends face the toughest challenges, we too can transform these difficulties into an opportunity to come back stronger than ever. When a Super Saiyan is cornered, they respond with a spectacular transformation, unlocking a new level of power. This can be a powerful metaphor for our professional growth. Here’s how we can handle job loss and return to the market stronger: Recognize Hidden Potential: Every challenge forces us to explore new skills and inner resources. Take the time to reflect on your abilities and discover new talents. Continuous Learning: Invest in yourself through courses, certifications, and workshops. Just as Saiyans constantly train to improve, you can expand your knowledge and skills. Build a Solid Network: Strong professional connections are essential. Attend networking events, join interest groups on LinkedIn, and stay in touch with former colleagues and mentors. Resilience and Determination: Never give up. The road may be tough, but every step brings you closer to your next milestone. Resilience is key to overcoming any obstacle. Adopt a Positive Mindset: Like a Super Saiyan, your strength comes from your mind. Maintain a positive attitude and view every challenge as an opportunity for growth. Remember, the end of a chapter is not the end of the book. It’s just the beginning of a new, exciting adventure. Every experience makes us stronger, wiser, and better prepared to face the future. If you find yourself at a professional crossroads, embrace your transformation and return to the market like a true Super Saiyan, ready to conquer new horizons. 🚀✨ 🌟 If you’ve experienced something similar, share your story in the comments. Together, we can inspire and support each other! 🌟 #CareerJourney #ProfessionalResilience #ProfessionalGrowth #CareerTransformation #JobSearchTips #CareerDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #ProfessionalNetworking #ResilientProfessionals #SkillsDevelopment #EmpoweredCareer

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Why Not You? Why wanna let your competition take the lead? Do you know ignoring PR isn’t just a missed chance? It is giving way to your competitors to outshine you. Do leverage in Malaysian media to elevate your brand, build trust and credibility to make an impact! So, why let others steal the spotlight when you can claim it yourself? 🌟 Feel free to follow me for more PR tips. #MelPR #PublicRelations #Credibility #Media #Branding

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