What was your New Year’s resolution?

By Heather Platisha
I make it a point to never set New Year’s resolutions. I find that the longer the term of the goal, the likelihood that I will accomplish it becomes null and void. That’s why I choose to work on short- term goals, so I can evaluate my progress at the end of each month. It’s very similar to the way I work with my clients when setting the right expectations and delivering the results.
Whenever I start to work with a new client or begin a new campaign, the question is, “What is the desired end result?” A lot of the time the client’s response is either “Get me in The Wall Street Journal” or “How about Oprah?” As PR professionals, we have to take those requests, evaluate them and then manage the expectation.
I compare this exercise to developing New Year’s resolutions, because often times we think big because we want to see big results. However, I think this is why the gyms are packed on January 1st and why by February people have gone back to their old habits. Now, if you were to set realistic goals and expectations, the chances of continuing to workout and lose those last 10 pounds might still exist. Similarly, when conducting media outreach on behalf of a client, sometimes it is more important to think smaller before attempting the Oprah shows of the world. It also depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Which might mean that Oprah will NEVER be an appropriate outlet. This is why I say that the most important tasks at the outset are setting appropriate expectations and never making a promise you can’t deliver.
So what are you trying to accomplish?
A lot of the work we do as PR professionals is trying to place our clients in front of the right audiences. Sometimes it’s a national audience and sometimes the goal is to reach the local/regional audience. Whatever the case may be and however you approach those audiences, it is imperative that as the PR professional, you work with your client to determine the best strategy for the team, stick to the plan and achieve realistic goals.
For myself, I set a realistic goal and have managed to workout at least 10 times in January, so for February, the goal is to double that. Wish me luck!
Buzz Worthy Events:
It’s the Year of the Ox:
The Ox is the second sign of the Chinese zodiac. Like its predecessor and complement, the Rat, it signifies new beginnings. The main difference is the Ox is associated with building to last as well as slow but sure action. Even more so than last year, we all have to make good choices. That which is begun now is likely to have long-term consequences.
Chinese New Year Events:
Wing Lee Dim Sum (try the Siu Mai, a pork dumpling, which is to die for)
503 Clement St
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 668-9481
Chinese New Year Parade
Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade
Saturday, February 7, 2009 beginning at 5:15PM
Market and Second Street to Kearny and Jackson
Location of bleachers: Kearny Street (between Sacramento & California and between Pine & Bush)
415 986-1370 or 415 982-3071
www.chineseparade.com
Chinatown Community Street Fair
Saturday, February 7, 2009
10am-4:30pm
Sunday, February 8, 2009
9am-5pm
Become immersed in the sights and sounds of Chinatown. The Chinatown Community Street Fair takes place the weekend of the Chinese New Year Parade and is an opportunity for attendees to experience Chinese cultural arts such as lantern and kite making, calligraphy, fine arts demonstrations, folk dance, and puppet shows. There will be traditional and modern entertainment performances on the main stage throughout each day. Enjoy colorful folk dance from throughout Asia, acrobats, lion dancing, and magic demonstrations. Attendance at the two day fair is about 500,000. Come be a part of all the fun and magic as well as the incredible “Block of Fortune”.
www.sanfranciscochinatown.com/events/communityfair.html