In the 2000s, the first question my new business contacts in the Arab Gulf would ask when I arrived and called to confirm a meeting was, “Where are you staying?” This wasn’t just out of curiosity. In reality, the question translated to “How serious are you?”
When traveling across the Arab Gulf in the 2000s, we deliberately chose the most luxurious hotels to make a strong first impression. If traveling in a group on a tight budget, we opted for the cheapest rooms in those best hotels, sometimes squeezing three people into a single room with extra beds. Back then, appearance and self-presentation were everything. Those who looked the part, knew how to connect with people at events, and actively pitched their ideas had the upper hand.
2010s: Whatsapp and digital profiles are on the rise while cars and hotels still matter
Then, in the 2010s, social media emerged. I vividly recall a trip to Saudi Arabia in 2012 when a contact arranging my visa asked me to send documents via WhatsApp. I asked, “What is WhatsApp?” His response was, “That’s our e-government.” This marked the transition from a purely face-to-face business culture to an increasingly digital one. While the “Where are you staying?” question remained common, my contacts also began evaluating digital profiles, websites, and product presentations.
Face-to-face meetings were still essential, especially for initial interactions. My business back then revolved around facilitating these meetings between clients and potential partners, ensuring communication continued via WhatsApp or email. In the late 2010s, nearly all my consulting friends in Dubai traveled to Saudi Arabia every Sunday for work, returning on Thursdays to spend weekends with their families. Despite the bulk of their work consisting of document reviews, Excel sheets, and report creation, they justified the frequent travel as a necessity due to Saudi Arabia’s cultural business norms.
2020s: save on travel while investing in digital
Then came COVID-19, a true game-changer. As people were confined to their homes, professionals in consulting and other industries realized that face-to-face meetings were no longer essential. A digital profile could reveal far more about a person than their business suit, watch, car or hotel choice. Many consultants from top firms stopped traveling to Saudi Arabia and switched to remote work. In 2020, a friend of mine from one of the Big 4 consulting firms revealed to me that he and his colleagues received record annual bonuses because their firm had saved millions on travel expenses.
My own experience with the UAE and Saudi Arabia confirmed this irreversible shift toward digital success. In 2021, I signed my first B2B client in the UAE without even a video call. It was a cold lead from LinkedIn, someone who had never heard of us before and with whom we had no mutual connections. In 2022, I organized my first business trip to Saudi Arabia for a client without traveling with them. Everything was arranged remotely. They had 11 meetings, four contacts requested commercial proposals, and one signed a contract.
CEOs and Chairmen are on social media too
I wasn’t alone in these digital successes. Many of my clients seeking advice about UAE and Saudi Arabia had already secured remote clients from the region. Yet, despite this, most still believed that physical meetings with high-level decision-makers were crucial to establishing business relationships.
Many B2B professionals, both inside and outside the region, assume that digital tools only work for B2C and lower-cost B2B products. My recent experience has disproved this belief. In one of our 2024 lead generation campaigns, we connected with a highly influential leader in Saudi Arabia’s healthcare industry. He left his mobile number and private email in our webinar’s lead generation form, accompanied by a simple message: “Let’s discuss advisory services.”
The entire world, including the Arab Gulf, has irreversibly shifted toward digital tools. Today, anyone with the right product, compelling content, and a strong value proposition can win ideal clients in the region—something that, just a decade ago, even multiple business trips could not guarantee.
