What I like about PR…

Hi there, Heather Platisha here – Account Executive and newest member of the LCI team…

When I was asked to put together a blog entry for the company blog, a lot of different topics went through my mind, but the one that stuck out the most was…ME!  Since I am still fairly new to LCI, I thought I would take this opportunity to tell you a little about myself.  Don’t worry; I won’t get too personal…

I grew up, for the most part, in Minnesota – this is where I graduated high school and went to two years of college.  I quickly realized that the Midwest just wasn’t for me, so I made the switch and moved to California.  I had big dreams of becoming one of those famous publicists that represented high-profile movie stars like Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts and Justin Timberlake.  I interviewed at every entertainment public relations agency before I realized that I wasn’t meant to be part of the Hollywood scene – my Midwest upbringing just didn’t fit with the superficial attitudes that I encountered.

Yes, the beginning of my career in PR started at a small agency that specialized in automotive clients, but what a great lesson in client services and media relations!  Following my first year I decided that automotive was too limiting and so I switched to healthcare/medical devices. Working in that industry was an education in itself – I knew more about spinal cord conditions than I even thought possible and even witnessed a live spine surgery! The one key take away from my position, however, was the relationships I developed with my clients, which is the main motivation to continue to work in PR.

When interviewing here at LCI, someone asked me what I like the most about public relations and which industry I find most appealing.  Well, the honest answer is that I really like the client relations aspect and it doesn’t matter what industry the client represents.  Sure, I have worked with some interesting folks who have made my job a lot harder – but when you work with a client who really values PR and understands our job, to me, that is the most rewarding aspect of PR.  So, don’t be surprised if I don’t want to rush off the phone when talking to a client.  I feel that developing that relationship is vital to the success of the account and may, in turn, sustain the business.

That said, I would encourage everyone to take that extra minute or so to get to know the client (no, I am not talking about becoming their best friend) and understand what they have on their plate and how we can better service them.  This will lead to a successful relationship and in turn lead to better results.

So, now you know why I love PR…next time, maybe I will go into what my favorite food is and why…

My list of five Buzzworthy places in San Francisco

·         Dolores Park

·         The Farmers Market at The Ferry Building

·         Muir Woods

·         Puerto Alegre – The best quesadilla suiza…and don’t forget the margaritas

·         Saha – Arabic/Fusion cuisine; owned by my friend Mohammed