Mastering Media & Storytelling: Insights from Zeena Zalamea

Can you share a bit about your career journey? What drew you to storytelling and media, and how has your experience shaped the way you approach communications today?

My profession, broadcasting, is all about telling powerful stories, something I’ve been passionate about on and off air. For over a decade, being deeply embedded in this field, I’ve always found ways to get better at crafting and delivering them.

The importance of engaging storytelling goes a long way - at work, it draws the audience and keeps them tuned in. In my personal life, it improves my relationships with people I care about.

Over the years, it’s what’s helped me achieve my goals in school, at work, and in my personal life.

What are the key elements of an effective brand story, and how can small businesses use storytelling to build trust and attract customers?

An effective story - whether it’s your brand or founder story- needs to be relevant, informative and impactful. They’ll take an interest if they feel they can connect with you. Bonus points if you, the storyteller, are charismatic and media-savvy.

What affordable media or communication strategies can startups and SMEs use to get noticed by their target audience and media outlets?

Before you reach out to the media, make sure you’re ready to share your story in an engaging way. That’s what media training is for!

We journalists and producers receive hundreds of pitches every day, and your story has to stand out if you want to get noticed. Whether it’s a cold LinkedIn DM, an email, or a phone call, make sure you have a solid pitch and you’re able to articulate it succinctly.

Many founders have an online presence and a strong personal brand, which helps a lot - it tells us that you are confident enough to engage with the public and willing to share your insights on topics in your industry.

How should a business handle negative press or a PR crisis, and what steps can founders take to protect their brand reputation?

It really depends. When it’s a listed company, its communications and legal teams put their heads together and decide on the best approach to respond. Startup founders tend to be more proactive and forthcoming with information, and we appreciate their promptness.

Either way, authenticity and honesty are key when responding to a crisis - the response should always be guided by facts, an apology needs to be sincere, and a promise to correct the situation needs to be followed by swift action.

What type of content should founders prioritize creating to position themselves as thought leaders and differentiate their brand in a competitive market?

Industry insights! Founders should know their industry inside and out and share valuable insights. It’s not just about knowing key facts and figures but also about finding a way to decode them so that they mean something to the general public.

A solid, unique founder story. Every startup founder has one, and it takes a lot of reflection and strategic thinking to craft a compelling story that will attract an audience who will follow their journey. Some are too formulaic: “I came to Dubai with AED500 in my pocket, and now I own a million-dirham company”, or “I dropped out of college and built an app in my parents’ garage”. Ask yourself - what makes your journey unique and interesting, and how can you turn that into a powerful story?

A personality. Radio, TV, and podcasts are for those who stand out in the crowd. Air time is precious, and so is people’s attention - don’t waste it by being mediocre during interviews. Show some personality, make us laugh, make us cry, give us a reason to keep tuning in.

What advice would you give to SMEs operating in a multicultural region like the Middle East when it comes to tailoring their messaging to different audiences?

Cultural sensitivity is so important in any part of the world. Get to know the culture in the UAE and the Middle East and find out what makes this market interesting and unique. To truly get to know your audience, don’t try to decode the culture as an outsider; embrace it.

And of course, a powerful story is universal - so nail your storytelling to win everyone over.