Blogging? It’s not personal; it’s business

Tabassum Farooq

Tabassum has nine years of experience in business process improvement and client management at an international level, as well as 3 years of managerial experience as a PR consultant in the Middle East. She brings comprehensive knowledge of a variety of sectors and cultural backgrounds to her role as account manager for C&B’s consumer, automotive, technology, financial and corporate clients.

Tabassum began her career in client servicing in 2001 as an account manager with Propmart Technologies Limited, a global real estate solutions provider that catered to high net-worth individual consumers and corporate entities. In 2003, she seized an opportunity to work for Fidelity International - an international provider of financial services and investment solutions, and the world's largest independent fund management organisation – where she managed customer loyalty programmes and was regularly recognised for her high level of client retention. In 2005, she on took new levels of responsibility working as a senior manager for IQ Resource - a strategic, a global business process outsourcer that builds customized solutions for clients in the US, UK and Europe – where she managed 6 major processes for PR Newswire, Prism Media, Canada Newswire, Thomas Media, CMP Media and United Business Media (UBM Group). Specializing in media research, her objective was to accelerate the return on client investment by improving customer relationships, identifying and creating new revenue streams, and streamlining procedures for customer interaction.

Having started her career in the business development and marketing environment, Tabassum gleaned invaluable experience in corporate and business processes, service improvement, client communication and relationship management. Strategy development, operational implementation of communications plans and media analyses are key areas of her expertise, and she remains continuously updated on global media trends.

Tabassum speaks and writes English and Hindi fluently, and enjoys travelling and learning new things.

Blogging? It’s not personal; it’s business

Blogging, How to, Public Relations No Responses »

Apr 242012

Long gone are the days when blogging was a personal matter. First generation bloggers were thrilled just to have the space to write about whatever interested them, and if anyone out there on the World Wide Web read the blog, then that was just the icing on the cake. But that was never the aim. It was about being personal, saying what was on your mind and just having your own opinion.

That however, has changed. And if you talk to any blogger today, they will tell you flat out that getting more followers and maximising clicks is the goal. You hear about klout and followers more than you hear about the satisfaction of being heard of.
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Client – PR relationship is like…

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Apr 042012

When you work in a PR agency, one of the most important things that you learn how to deal with is clients, and that can be one or ten. Whether you enjoy working on the account or it literally becomes a task, depends on the relationship between you and your clients.

A statement that I recently read online best describes the ideal relationship, “Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction”.
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David Ogilvy quotes that will help you become a better blogger

Blogging, Public Relations, Uncategorized No Responses »

Mar 202012

Ever since we started the C&B blog, it has not just changed the way I write but even what I read. I never imagined myself writing a blog or anything that looked like a blog. Just like any starter, my first question was ‘What is a blog’? The answer will remain confusing till you start writing one. An important thing when you are writing a blog is to know what to write about. To begin with, I always look for topics and things that I find interesting and hope that others will like it too. You make a few mistakes, like I did when I wrote my first blog (obviously that didn’t see the light of the day) and you keep getting better once you get the hang of it.

Like I said, one way to improve how you write is to read what others have to say. An interesting piece that I read recently was a blog post by Darren Rowse, ‘10 David Ogilvy Quotes that Could Revolutionize Your Blogging’ that caught my attention, a must read for bloggers, marketers or anyone for that matter.
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Google: Can I get some privacy?

Public Relations, Social Media No Responses »

Mar 062012

We’ve heard about the new Google Privacy Policy, but turns out not many of us have actually read it. Sure it pops up every now and again, but who can be bothered to read it?

And if you haven’t read it already, too bad, it’s already in effect. (If only we could turn back time and clear our browsing history)
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Have you heard about Pinterest yet?

Advertising Vs. PR, How to, Public Relations, Social Media No Responses »

Feb 202012

Have you heard about the newest kid on the block building up a storm on the social media scene? It is Pinterest, the next big social media phenomenon and some are even saying that ‘pinning may be more engaging than tweeting’.

What is it?
Pinterest is a board-style photo sharing tool that allows online users to create and manage theme-based image collections. The platform is still in beta mode (testing mode) so you need to request an invitation to get access to the tool (but don’t worry, you’ll probably get one).
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Tracking what people see on your Facebook profile

How to, Public Relations, Social Media No Responses »

Feb 132012

Quick question: If you could have one supernatural power, what would it be? If you’re in the marketing biz today, it would be the ability to see what people look at, more specifically – what peaks their interests.

Imagine the possibilities. If people responded to red, we’d make everything red. If people responded to questions, we’d ask you what you thought about everything.
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In what language do people think?

Blogging, How to, Public Relations No Responses »

Jan 292012

I’d have to guess English, since that’s what I speak.

Seems like this logic is lost on some PR professionals – working in the Middle East – who choose to ignore the importance of the local language. On several occasions I’ve sat across the table with clients who share their past experience with agencies that have had to rely on translators, and even worse, on Google.
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Are you trained to handle crisis?

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Jan 082012

You’ve seen my earlier posts about how television interviews can make even the experts sweat. They can be tough; especially with the media sharks circling their prey – wishing and waiting for the CEOs to mess-up as they give their sound-bites. It’s like blood, and the first scent of it can result in media frenzy.
Sometimes it’s not just the clients who mess up; sometimes it’s the sharks themselves that end up being, ‘What’s for lunch?’

Peter Sisson learned that the hard way after being chastised in the media for wearing red as he announced the Queen Mother’s death.
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PR stunt gets a little fishy in 2011

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Dec 132011

PR is an interesting game of moves and counter moves. Where genius publicity stunts have generated brand value and free publicity worth several millions, there have also been disastrous attempts that taint the industry. The latest addition to the PR hall of shame is the case of the Australian PR firm sending dead fish to media.

The idea – that was meant to use the gold fish as a promo gift to encourage media agencies to promote South Australia – ended with several dead fish and a very foul smell.

Advantage SA and its co-brand Advantage Adelaide delivered 55 goldfish in a bowl with the text: “Be the big fish in a small pond and come test the water,” as a promo gift to encourage media agencies to promote South Australia. Continue reading »

Is this how you report the news, or isn’t it?

Do's and Don'ts, Media, Public Relations No Responses »

Nov 292011

Is it me or is every country in the world going through the same thing at the very same time? First it was the financial crisis, then who had the best fireworks and now mass protests seem to be the order of the day. Without getting too into the nitty gritty of it all, could it be the way we report?

Is it just a coincidence or are we going back to being primates, imitating what we see? Maybe the answer lies in this very interesting explanation by Charlie Brooker, and his special dose of humour.