Female entrepreneurs are being given a boost to their businesses – at a time when they need it most – in the form of online advertising to the value of R1 million. The partnership between Adbot and Future Females will see 1000 small businesses empowered to expand their access to markets.
Hardest hit by the economic downturn
Female entrepreneurs face a myriad of challenges their male counterparts don’t encounter, and research has shown that they’ve been disproportionately affected by the global pandemic.
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Almost 60% of women-owned businesses are in sectors that were the worst affected by the economic downturn brought on by Covid-19. These include sectors such as retail, restaurants, food shops and domestic services. The impact on these businesses was so severe that two-thirds of female employers were forced to take pay cuts, and more than 80% saw revenues fall. This has been the experience of many entrepreneurs affiliated with Future Females.
“We are very excited to be partnering with Adbot, especially at this crucial time of year when we know entrepreneurs are facing challenges due to lack of time, and wanting to capitalise on the gift giving period. This partnership allows us to support the entrepreneurs within the Future Females network by leveraging the user friendly Adbot platform in order to bypass the somewhat complex world of Google Ads – making it easier for female entrepreneurs to create their ads, AND increase their sales during this time of year, at no extra cost to themselves,” says Flora Fontes, Future Females’ Head Of Marketing Operations.
Future Females is a movement to inspire more female entrepreneurs and better support their success. This support is something women entrepreneurs are in dire need of. According to the Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs, South Africa’s progress in encouraging entrepreneurship has been low compared to other countries. Locally, women account for only 19.4% of business owners.
South Africa ranks 23rd globally on the 2020 Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs Index, which tracks female entrepreneurs’ ability to capitalise on opportunities
Empowering entrepreneurs to access markets
The lack of growth of female entrepreneurship is due to numerous reasons. Women are facing more regulatory barriers than their male counterparts and have less access to funding.
Even in the age of technology, women face barriers to one of the most accessible forms of marketing – online advertising.
“Big brands with big budgets often dominate the online advertising space. But smaller businesses can benefit enormously from harnessing the potential of online advertising. This is why partnerships with companies that understand the challenges faced by entrepreneurs are essential for stimulating business growth. Getting more people to your website immediately increases your access to market,” explains Adbot chief executive Michelle Geere.
Adbot provides online advertising solutions for owners of small and medium-sized enterprises, supporting entrepreneurs contributing directly to economic growth and job creation.
“Our commitment is to help those businesses that have been hardest hit by the pandemic and economic downturn, which is why we’ve partnered with Future Females to give women entrepreneurs, like ourselves, an opportunity to flourish.”
To apply, go to https://promo.adbot.co.za/future-females.
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Featured image: fizkes from Adobe Stock
