Many people think the GCC is a small market. I used to hear that a lot. But honestly… it's not small, it's just connected. In places like Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, everything works like a community. People know each other, news spreads fast, and reputation spreads even faster. If you do something good, people will talk. If you do something bad… that also travels very fast.
Marketing is about trust, not budgets
That's why marketing here is not about big budgets, it's about trust. You don't need to reach lakhs of people, you just need to reach the right people. Especially in expat markets, communities are very specific — some from South India, some from North India, some from particular professions. If you understand this properly, targeting becomes very easy.
Foundation over tactics
But the real game is not marketing, it's foundation. Right product, right team, right intention. Team building in the GCC is also different. You need people who understand people, not just skills, because here relationships drive business. And now with AI, things are changing fast. Small teams can do big things, if they use it properly.
The India strategy trap
One mistake I see often: people try to apply India strategies here. It doesn't work. GCC is a trust market, not a volume market. If you build trust, you grow. Very simple.
GCC is a trust market, not a volume market. If you build trust, you grow. Very simple.
That's been my learning.