“How much do you charge to write an article and publish it in the newspapers?” A prospective Client asked me. “Well, to write the article it is just Rs. 15,000/= but to get it published, no charge” I responded. When he showed surprise I went on to explain that Newspapers would publish an article that is interesting and has value to the reader. Paying under the table to get an article published is, in fact, an insult to my strategic writing skills.

Your customer does not wake up in the morning dying to know what new thing you have done on the day before. In fact, you may not be anywhere in his or her radar. They flip through the pages of a newspaper or magazine to figure out the news or browse the web to see what is new. So tell me, who would get goosebumps to hear that your company has got an award? or get excited to hear that you have opened a new store in town, apart from you? How would that change your customer’s life?

The simple fact of the matter is that people will read your article if it is interesting and full of information. If the article is interesting the Editor of the Magazine or Newspaper would thank me and publish the article. So why should I charge you for publishing the article?

So this PR business is all about relating stories that help to either establish or strengthen relationships with your target publics.

If you have a story to tell that is similar to a “Starwars” Saga or a “James Bond” movie, people would read to find out how your product or service could solve a problem.

Or if your story is somewhat like “Watership Down” or “Pilgrim’s Progress”, Readers would want to know how your company could achieve their goals.

If you allow me to write your PR articles sounding like “Wizard of Oz”, or “Gulliver’s Travels” I could make the audience feel that using your product or service would change their lifestyle.

Well, I could give your story another different spin. How about making it sound like Bidget Jones Diary? Then I am sure the article I write would project your product as having the ability to overcome a definite common problem that consumers face today.

If you want to make it really personal, I could make your PR article sound like Hamlet or West Side Story… making them feel that their personal shortcomings could be overcome by using your product or service.

If you want to talk about what new dimension or better lifestyle your product or service could create for the User, I could write a Snow White type story for you. Or if you wish to make the reader feel “Hey this product will make me richer” I could give your PR story a Cinderella spin to it.

At the end of the day, your PR story must create value for the reader. It is only then that an Editor of the print medium would consider publishing it.

So let me write a story that your audience would read. It will cost you Rs. 15,000/=  … to get it published, no extra charge.

Working at Marga Institute as its Chief Executive Officer has given me new opportunities.

We developed the (Technical and Vocational Education and Training )TVET strategy for the Colombo Trincomalee Economic Corridor. The Assignment was given to us by Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training.

The Team working on the strategy consisted of Kithsiri Wijesundera, Dharshan Cooray and myself.

The Colombo Trincomalee Economic Corridor plans were developed by the Asian Development Bank.

The door opened for me to work with Grand Miss Sri Lanka and Mr International Contestants and train them on basic communication skills.

I had a fun time teaching them how to tell their story in a compelling manner.

I believe we Sri Lankans have a story to tell the rest of the world. Who we are and what we achieve in life will depend on how well we communicate with others. Life can be grand with great friends and if we are better communicators we will have good friends around us.

However, we have to be good people inside. Beauty and smart looks on the outside will not last long but your inner beauty is eternal.

The world will tell you that if you believe in yourself you could achieve anything…

… But that is not true.

You have to believe in something bigger than yourself to achieve your dreams

Work on the inner man and what comes out of your mouth will be sweet to anyone’s ears.

It was a privilege to work with the Civil Society Committee to Review Provincial Council Election System during July and August of 2018. The Committee consisted of the following: –

1. Professor Sudantha Liyanage, Dean, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura
2. Dr Sujata Gamage, Senior Research Fellow, LIRNEasia
3. Mr Rohana Hettiarachchi, Executive Director of PAFFREL
4. Mrs Kumudini  Samuel, Researcher and Social Activist, Women and Media Collective
5. Mr Luwie Ganeshathasan, Attorney At Law, Researcher
6. Mr Manjula Gajanayake, National Coordinator of CMEV
7. Mr S. Medawewa, President, Election Professionals Association and a retired Civil Servant
8. Mr P. M. Siriwardhane, former Additional Commissioner of Elections
9. Mr Amar Gunatilleke, Chief Executive Officer, Marga Institute

The Committee met several times to discuss to review and discuss the current Provincial Councils Elections (Amendment) Act No17 of 2017, and identified issues and came up with several proposals. In addition to the changes to the Provincial Councils election system, the committee considered several others issues as being important to protect representative democracy in Sri Lanka. The other issues that were identified were:

1. Campaign financing
2. Internal party democracy
3. Candidate selection
4. Preventing crossovers

Our proposals were:-

1. Give a Bonus of four seats to the Party receiving the highest number of votes in the case of Provincial Councils with less than 50
2. Give a Bonus of five seats to the Party receiving the highest number of votes in the case of Provincial Councils with 50 or more members.
3. Make selection method for Party Lists more democratic and make the process public.
4. Pre-rank the District List, but give Political Parties the flexibility to appoint 1/3^rd of their District Member entitlement from among the candidates who did not win in FPP electorates.
5. Give the Secretary of the Party the flexibility to nominate persons for the bonus seats referred to in 3 above from the District List or from among those not elected in the FPP electorates.
6. Increase the mandatory nomination for women in the FPP electorate list from one sixth to one fifth so that more women get a chance to contest.
7. Zip the Pre-ranked District List by alternating the names of women and men. The list should start with the name of a woman.
8. If Parliament decides to revert to the preferential vote system of the past it is crucial to bring in a mandatory provision of twenty-five per cent nominations of women

Well, it expanded my horizons and broadened my experience.

Apartment complexes are coming up all over Colombo like mushrooms. I wonder how are roads would look like in a couple of years time. Property developers are focussed on selling a location but I hope the authorities are concerned about providing basic facilities such as transport, health, education etc., to the citizens of Colombo. Now at this point of time, one can put up a house in 3 perches, even a highrise building in 15 to 20 perches and house 100 to even 1000 people. There is legal provision for that. 600 new apartment complexes are coming up in the Colombo district alone. What will this do to the city of Colombo I wonder? Well, people are talking about it but I am not sure whether anything serious is even considered about it by those who can make the changes.

From a marketing point of view, the first step to sell an apartment complex is to come up with a brand name. So that is when these property developers ask my Associate to first come up with a name. Specifications, location advantage, etc., etc., is handed over as if it is God’s gift to people of Sri Lanka. As I happen to be the “Ghostwriter” of my Associate, my initial step is to come up with a concept for the new apartment. After getting the concept approved I suggest 2 or maybe 3 brand names that suit my concept.

Now, this is when the irritation starts. “We don’t like it, can you come up with some more options” is the invariable message I get. I guess it is some sort of self-importance that Clients over here in Sri Lanka love to exercise, and they feel that it is their fundamental right to make all their service providers work their butt off for the peanuts they throw compared to the money they make by selling concrete boxes. So the exchange of documents goes back and forth. Since I have put my hand in it I cannot afford ask my Associate to tell his Client to stick something up his anus so deep so that he would be able to taste it. Well in the service industry we are paid to be humble, so justification is done diplomatically.

I go to great lengths to explain that the acceptance of a brand name by a target audience depends on how well it is positioned and marketed. I am sure brands like Nike, Coke, BMW, Peugeot, would have never dreamt of changing their name because of some moron in some corner of the globe who didn’t like the sound of it.

However the inevitable happens 90% of the time. Ultimately the very first name that was suggested by me is accepted by the Client.

Oh it is so great to be a “Ghostwriter”

I am never invited for the Christening or for birthdays but money is credited to my account. As for the baby becoming great… it is their baby after all. I work on the branding, write copy for brochures, print ads, electronic ads, PR articles, and the script for the walkthrough documentary. My job is to make sure that people come to see the baby.

It is the Client’s job to convince people to take over the baby, feed him and change the diapers. All I do is to sit in front of my computer and jot down my ideas.

15 years ago when I started Avanke`I decided to keep it small always. It was more than a company… it was a philosophy that I clung to right through a difficult journey. I believed that honest communication works and wins at the end and I still do. However, I knew that on this journey I would have to travel alone. I knew that I will not have Clients lined up near the gate. I couldn’t afford to hire people and go after big fish. After all, I am a small fish with a limited capacity. I have to act within my capabilities. The pond is small and all of us will die if I had taken on big fish into this pond of mine.

Did I have big dreams back then? Well yes, I did. I decided to dream big but stay small and that has been possible during this last 15 years

The Inspiration did not come from within and like all dreams I cannot take credit for it.

I knew the day would come where my dreams would come but until then I decided to stay under the radar. I decided my family was my biggest Client. I took on assignments that I could handle and whenever the job was bigger I did not hesitate to call in the experts, work together and share the profits. I was able to spend time at wildlife resorts, go overseas and work in Bahrain, travel all around Sri Lanka, meet so many interesting people, work with diverse organizations;- work with Private Sector, Public Sector, Civil Society, Industry Associations, Educational Institutions, Politicians, International Clients, Government of Bahrain (Through Third Wave International), NGO’s and religious organizations.The Pond became bigger and big fish did come and yet I remained small.

I even managed to complete my degree during this time at the ripe old age of 55.

I have moved on from advertising to internal communication, public relations and research.

From building the idea- “Avanke” now as the CEO of Marga Institute I am involved in strengthening a center of development studies, a civil society initiative, and a research organization.

Actually, I have been able to live my dream all this while.

I couldn’t have done this without almighty God and lesser gods and mortal beings that life had bestowed upon my life.

My dear loving wife who always believed in me and loved me unconditionally.

My Sons -Gehan, Malik, and Yohann for giving me a reason to fight this battle of life,

My parents who supported what I believed in,

My Brother Nimal, my two sisters Delaine and Neliya,

My in-laws, Lalit, Felix, Manik, Susirith, Rony, Nelun, Dilip, and Harin,

And my dear friends, associates, and believers

My partners who helped me to achieve big things- Adrian, Aubrey, Chamin, Dilip, Kasun, Neel, Nimantha, Niranga, Ravi, and Thiru

And finally, thank you to all my clients for giving me an opportunity to work with you.

Most of all I am happy I stayed small because I can still play with my toys.