Marketing Consultant RFP Issued for MicroMentor
MicroMentor is an initiative of the Mercy Corps Innovations Team. This online platform enables the world’s largest community of purpose-driven entrepreneurs and business mentors to create powerful connections to solve problems and build successful businesses together. At MicroMentor, our mission is to leverage the power of mentoring to help small businesses thrive. We strive to overcome geographical limitations and deliver business resources at scale to under-resourced communities around the globe, in one-to-many mentoring forums and meaningful one-on-one relationships.
Entrepreneurs matched with a mentor have shown significant results in terms of improved job creation, business survival, and revenue growth. Based on the findings from MicroMentor global annual impact evaluation, 94% of mentored entrepreneurs reported an increase in confidence in one or more business-related skills over time. The MicroMentor initiative in Ethiopia, specifically the Somali region is being implemented across two active projects, i.e. Resilience in Pastoral areas (RiPA) and Strengthening Socio-Economic Development and better Employment Opportunities for Refugees and host communities (STEDE).
Purpose
The Global MicroMentor platform was localized and launched in the Somali language during December 2020 to serve entrepreneurs and mentors primarily from Somali region of Ethiopia but also across Kenya and Somalia. Historically, Micro Mentor’s main channel to reach users has been through digital marketing (paid advertising through different channels such as Facebook, etc.). Based on our recent experience of producing localized content creation, entrepreneurs reach has improved slightly but number of female entrepreneurs is still very low. Thus to significantly increase female entrepreneurs outreach and engagement on the MM platform, we would like to utilize wide range of in person, printed materials and local media outreach and campaign services.
To enhance MicroMentor access and utilization in the Somali region, we are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic, and motivated Content Creation Consultant team/s that are capable of designing diverse modalities to engage more Somali-speaking female entrepreneurs and mentors from Ethiopia to join the MicroMentor community through the digital platform. To be successful in this role, the Content Creation Consultant team should have exceptional writing, storytelling, and research skills (in both English and Somali). The ideal Content Creation Consultant team is creative, proactive, organized, and someone who enjoys being in front of the camera. The activity will entirely be implemented across the Somali region of Ethiopia through identifying real-time and catching stories and practices among female and youth entrepreneurs.
Objective
Develop and localize new content through in person campaign/s across selected woreda based hubs, local media (cable TV,radio) outlets, and other feasible social media content, to expand promotional outreach methods to proactively engage female and youth entrepreneurs and mentors on the Somali MicroMentor platform
Scope of Work
The consultant will:
1. Organize tailor made interactive in person campaigns across eleven operational woredas in collaboration with potential government partners, public institutions, and financial service providers
2. Produce localized MicroMentor contents (brochures, flyers, banners, screen contents)and advertisements with text and images
3. Design, produce and implement social media campaigns using different graphic designs incluing motion graphics and visuals across eleven woredas which are tailored and intentionally targeting female entrepreneurs
4. Develop content, undertake production, and implement local and/or regional TV advertisements, billboards, which have an excellent outreach among the wider Somali community and specifically women entrepreneurs across the Somali Region
5. Create and edit original copy that is accurate, well researched and when relevat and appropriate with realted with religoius, cultural, busienss related events and meets MicroMentor deadlines, including videos, advertisement copy, select images, brochures, and other materials.
6. Conduct interviews with MicroMentor team members, female and male users, and other stakeholders to gather relevant information to clearly indicate and send a message on how women, youth male, and female respond to new entrepreneurship opportunities
7. Gather and write success stories, quotes, and select images that will be used for digital marketing campaigns and other purposes, both in English and Somali.
8. Learn and research the audience with special attention to female entrepreneurs and successful channels in the Somali region to create and develop the most impactful messaging.
9. Assist in other aspects of the creative writing or research processes to develop cohesive and accurate content.
10. Understands and thoughtfully considers the cultural context and gender dynamics while creating content to ensure the translation is appropriate and acceptable by the user community.
11. Collaborate with potential government stakeholders like Regional and Woreda level bureaus and officers of innovation and techonology, women and youth affairs Bureau, women associations and micrifinace instituions.
12. Initiate and engage on conversation with social media followers to respond to potential users queries
The consultant will:
1. Register 1500 entrepreneurs on the MicroMentor platform of which 65% need to be female entrepreneurs
2. Ensure that at least 550 mentoring connections are created between mentors and entrepreneurs by proactively engaging at woreda level registration and orientation of entrepreneurs
3. Provide written weekly updates to Mercy Corps’ Country and HQ team
Submission
Detailed technical and financial proposal (separately) should be sent to Mercy corps Addis Ababa office located at Hayahulet near Gollagul Square, in front of Shola Taxi station, Afro House, Tel No. 011-1110777, P.O. Box: 14319, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia OR by et-tender-questions@mercycorps.org till 7th Feb.2022 5:00 PM;
Relevant agencies to consider include MWWPR and Zeno Group.
