Read the updated interview HERE
Tell us more about what you do?
The Loop is a boutique marketing, communications and PR consultancy based in Dubai. Specialising in education, small business, and non-profit sectors, we offer a one-stop solution to help clients ‘close the loop’ on their marcomms requirements. Our services include strategy and planning, content creation, brand, PR and media management, media buying, creative design and copywriting. We provide bespoke solutions that are customised to our clients’ target audiences, business goals, timelines and budgets. Since our establishment in 2018, we have worked with five of Dubai’s leading international universities, and clients in IT, AI, wellness, design and corporate strategy sectors.
What made you set-up The Loop?
After decades as employees, we’d reached a point in our careers where we wanted to explore the opportunities of entrepreneurship, in particular, to work more flexibly and to choose who we collaborate with.
During our time as in-house marketing and communications professionals we discovered a gap in the market. We were often looking to outsource content, PR, media buying, design, digital and print projects to companies that could understand our brand, tone of voice and house style, deliver on time and to quality, and fit our budgets.
However, our choices came down to the big bucks agencies, or the solo marketers and designers – both presenting challenges – the high cost and less personalised service of the former, and the fragmented products and time-consuming nature of the latter.
We always talked about how great it would be to work with a single product and service provider, and with our different but complementary skillsets, we formed a natural partnership that became The Loop.
How do you help entrepreneurs and business leaders?
We provide support to entrepreneurs in launching their product or service by raising awareness of their new business through marketing, branding and PR – from establishing their brand identity and tone of voice to promoting them on relevant platforms.
For established organisations and business leaders, we provide help by building their profile as reputed experts in their field, through a range of communications and PR activities such as guesting on podcasts to thought leadership publications.
Which client projects have been a success?
Our success stories reflect our diverse range of clients. Most recently, we worked with a Dubai-based author to support the PR campaign for his book launch. The author has featured in a wide range of national news and regional publications and was interviewed for several podcasts and audio broadcasts, helping to significantly raise his profile during the launch of the new book.
On a different theme, we worked with a renowned international university in Dubai to re-vamp their entire website content to create a fresh feel while staying on brand. We worked with stakeholders across the University to review, update and re-write the content for the entire website within a four-week period.
What trends do you currently see in the MENA region for marketing/PR?
The number one trend is the growing importance of earned media, which is having a huge impact on buying intentions and customer conversion. Whether this is soft techniques, like building the profile of individuals to foster trust in their business, or more direct approach, such as influencer-led campaigns, consumers are more likely to react to a human interaction than an impersonal advertisement.
Another factor to consider in the digital marketing domain is the power of algorithms in controlling what content our audiences see. This trend is frequently changing course as content formats are ever-evolving. While the mantra is to keep everything bitesize, it is important to remember the importance of traditional long copy content, which is more engaging and shareable in a professional context, as well as being more SEO-friendly.
What are your THREE top tips for marketing/branding?
1.. Know and communicate your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) Every business will have at least one thing that makes them different from their competitors. This USP should be at the centre of all marketing and branding activities.
2. Make a human connection in your marketing Marketing is about asking your audience to put their trust in you. This trust comes when you make a human connection; tell your audience your story and how you will understand and address their needs.
3. Maximize the content you create Good content takes time to create but is often under-utilised. Most businesses will have audiences in different places, so when you produce or publish something new, make sure it’s shared across all platforms.
How can our readers find out more about you?
Visit: www.the-loop.me
https://www.linkedin.com/company/theloopdubai/
https://www.instagram.com/theloopdubai/
https://www.facebook.com/weclosetheloop/
