The SME Rise Collective is now well into its second month of being and shows no signs of slowing down. The UAE based initiative is aimed at supporting the SME community to enable recovery and economic growth across the region by offering marketing support to those brands that need it most.
Since its inception the SME Rise Collective has been inundated with applications from SMEs for Support, but the remarkable thing about month two has been the growth of the Collective members. Initially set up by two SME PR and digital marketing agencies, TIshTash and Fox and Hound Communications, the participating agencies has grown to now include more than 30 licensed freelancers and independent agencies ranging from Creative to SEO, full-service marketing, media buying and much more.
One success story of incredible agency support comes from Digitalina, a Social Media Advertising agency that has offered their results driven Facebook advertising course for less than half price, with all course fees going back into the SME Rise Collective, in order to help even more community SMEs.
This initiative, plus continued support from sponsors in the community and agencies and freelancers giving some additional spare time has in turn allowed the SME Rise Collective to allocate a significant number of new marketing packages, taking the number of SMEs now supported to 40!
Some of the newest SMEs supported and partnering agencies/freelancers include:
Posh Paws a Dubai kennels and cattery will be supported by Jansen Harris
Anavisio Data Solutions will be supported by Market Buzz
Pure European Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Centre is to be supported by Digitalina
Beach Seventy Six is partnered with Empyre Communications
KetocoachDXB is also being supported by Jansen Harris
The Lucidity Coach is receiving PR services from freelancer Jenny.
Master Elliot and Baby Sensory are receiving support from freelancer Rebecca H.
Katie Jane received branding support from Vida Branding
Stuck on You is partnered with s3 Cubed
Decluttr Me and Eli’s Boots are both being supported with marketing by freelancer Rebecca W.
Strings and Beads is being supported by Sneha Mathew.
The Party has received copywriting and PR support from TishTash PR
The Maker’s Guild will be supported with marketing from Kellie Whitehead
Small Print Dubai has received VA services from Laura Hilmi
All recipients will work with The SME Rise Collective for a three-month period to ensure a strong marketing activation plan, with lasting results.
However, it is not just marketing and communications professionals that have offered their services, some of the region’s top publishers, retailers and OOH specialists have also come on board to offer advertising space, e-commerce vendor space and more for free to the SMEs of the region.
Natasha Hatherall, founder of TishTash and The SME Rise Collective says “When we founded the SME Rise Collective our aim was to support those SMEs in the best way we knew how. As the list of applicants grew it was heartbreaking to know we couldn’t help everyone who needed it. But over the last few weeks we have seen such an outpouring of support from other agencies in the market who want to get involved and use their expertise to support the SMEs. The sense of community we have felt and witnessed since The SME Rise Collective began has been astounding and where in the first month or so the majority of our support came from other SME workers and owners, we are now starting to see much larger organizations getting involved which we believe will be a real step change for the initiative. ”
However, the SME Rise Collective also relies on companies and individuals to sponsor packages and offer monetary support. Sponsoring a marketing package is incredibly easy with The SME Rise Collective. Whether you are an individual or a corporation, the SME Rise Collective platform allows you to support for as little as 100 AED.
Thank you to those who have pledged their support recently including Purple Swan Cosmetics, Steam Vision, Freddie's Teddies Keepsakes Dubai, Shop Retold and BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associate LLP who also act as legal partner for the initiative.
To apply or support the SME Rise Collective or to just follow this amazing journey, head over to www.smerisecollective.com and @smerisecollective
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