The COVID-19 pandemic has been far from easy. For many businesses, it’s been the biggest challenge they’ve ever faced.

Getting in front of your customers is more challenging than ever. Many are not in a position to purchase, and the future remains uncertain. Not exactly the marketers’ dream.

But while we should not minimise the impact of the pandemic, it’s hugely important that we allow ourselves to seek out positives, wherever they may arise.

No doubt coronavirus has changed the way we operate – but that’s not always a bad thing. This year’s CMO Survey by the

So, if the past year has left you feeling a little pessimistic – and who could blame you – here are five ways to engage with your audience and build a platform for growth.

1. Go digital

Your audience is online like never before. Unsurprisingly, 97% of businesses have seen fewer in-person customer engagements this year. But that doesn’t mean there’s no interest in your offering.

Now is the time to spend on digital ads. Not only is it an incredibly effective way to get in front of your audience, right now, it is often the only way.

And remember, you can play the long game here. Consumers may not be ready or able to spend, and that’s fine. The name of the game is keeping your brand in their thoughts until such time that they can.

2. Create stronger relationships



Continuing that theme, now is a great time to build trust with your audience. Your focus should be on getting in contact and nurturing the relationship over weeks, or even months.

Over two-thirds of consumers have a lower likelihood to buy during the pandemic. So, forget about quick wins and one-off transactions. Offer them something of value, for free, to help them through this challenging time, building trust and fostering loyalty.

3. Give away your knowledge

So, what can you give your audience that’s of real value without losing money? The answer is your knowledge.

Why not create a series of educational and how-to style guides that can improve the lives of current and potential customers. This could be a guide on how to get the best out of one of your products or just general advice to help solve a common problem.

This keeps your audience within your ecosystem. It encourages them to view you as trusted and knowledgeable, so when the time comes that they need services that you offer, yours is the first name that comes to mind.

4. Expand your horizons

Coronavirus changed the way we work almost overnight. Millions of businesses, and their employees, had to rapidly adapt to remote working.

This enforced migration has shown many what’s possible when you look beyond the horizons of the physical office or shopfront. Many of those that were traditionally reluctant to embrace such flexibility are now planning to continue with it for the long term.

With so many more of us now comfortable engaging and trading in virtual environments, there’s no limit on where your next customers could be.

Check your web traffic and Google Analytics data to see who is searching for your offering. If you’re receiving reasonable traffic from certain countries, create local content and campaigns just for them.

5. Build new partnerships

Now is the perfect time to expand your offering and add more value to your customers.

There are plenty of businesses out there right now that could do with some support. Reach out to them to build strong, mutually beneficial partnerships. You could find businesses that offer complementary services to your own or any other services you think would benefit your audience.

Building partnerships is one of the fastest and inexpensive ways to drive revenues and growth, offering a perfect solution to all parties.

Want to grow in the UAE?

Whether you own a business based elsewhere, work as a freelancer, or are yet to start your own enterprise, there’s no better place to grow than the UAE.

With a low tax rate, world-class infrastructure, and incredible trading links with every corner of the globe, the Emirates is one of the world’s most complete business destinations.

And, with the right support, doing business out here is easy. Of course, any new license or visa application does require a level of prior knowledge of the process. What’s more, it is important to note that the application process is only straightforward if your license application is complete at the time of submission and free from errors.

To help you ensure that this is the case, it’s a good idea to work with a company formation specialist such as Set Hub when establishing a new company in the UAE.

We are a team of company registration professionals who are passionate about bringing the dreams of aspiring entrepreneurs and SMEs to life.

As well as handling your license application, Set Hub can assist with much more. We’ll help you choose a company name, outline your business activities, find you the perfect free zone, and help open your corporate bank accounts and advise on the most appropriate financial institution to suit your specific needs.

We also offer visa and immigration services and can handle all government formalities, permissions, work permits and visa applications that are required to trade in the UAE.

In short, our experts can establish your company on your behalf, make your license and visa applications, and take care of all the necessary admin – leaving you free to get on with running your business.