Blog Post

How To Build Your Brand Globally

Genie Ng • February 22, 2022

Since the pandemic started, Malaysian SMEs have adapted to different marketing strategies and tactics online to increase sales. However, most companies have neglected the importance of branding. 


According to research, the brands with established reputations offer 31% higher returns. Strong brands have more engaged employees who can help their company grow profits 3x faster than their competitors. 


Therefore, branding is pretty much the starting point. Now, let us find out those things you need to know to build your brand globally!

What is brand building?


Brand building is about creating awareness, establishing and promoting a company using strategies and tactics. It is also an art to define who you are and how you can build an impression of your business in your customers’ hearts and minds. 


In brand building, you would also gradually need to apply your core values to your entire business. For example, these can be your online presence, marketing initiatives, and direct communication with consumers.


However, a lot of companies confuse marketing and branding. Marketing is the processes, strategies and tactics you actively use to promote your product, service and company. Branding is the marketing practice of actively shaping your brand. 


So, marketing and branding, which is more important? The answer is BOTH, but branding comes first, marketing comes second. Once you have your customer’s attention, all you need is something that is going to KEEP that attention. 


That is where branding comes in.

Why is branding important in the global market?

Branding is crucial, as it represents how you establish a reputation among your target audience. When you build a brand, customers are more likely to buy from you because they know what you stand for. 

If you are wondering about the value of branding, then the answer is it is priceless. If you invest the effort to create and nurture your brand, your company will have a successful long term relationship with your customers that will last generations.  This will inevitably shield and protect you and your company from the risks and uncertainties of the local market and worldwide economies.

4 main pillars to building a strong global brand in 2022


1.Consider Brand Personality & Identity


Brand personality is just like human characteristics: it defines how prospects perceive you as a brand, whether you are a trustworthy, sustainable or high-quality products provider. Brands without personality are just boring. 


Nowadays, people want to do business with brands that represent them, and the brands they believe in. A company brand’s personality often stands out through the messages they deliver - brand images and marketing activities. Besides, customers are also concerned with a brand’s logos, jingles, packaging, or colours.


Brand logos play an important role in branding as it captures your audience’s imagination. The logo needs to match your established corporate colours and remain professional in any formal communication. An effective logo is a visual shorthand that encapsulates what a company wants to say about itself in a single image.


2. Leverage your company brand for branding


Every brand should have a unique selling point (USP) to stand out from the crowd. Brands should give customers a reason to skip all other competitors’ brands and choose their preferred brand. To achieve that, here are the questions that every brand needs to know.


  • What products and services are your competitors offering? 
  • How can you improve upon their products?
  • How is your product's pricing structure compared to your competitors?
  • What are the marketing activities that your competitors are doing that help them to reach their customers easily?
  • What are the extra values your competitors provide to customers that attract them?

Once you identify this information, you will find your unique selling point compared to your competitors.


3. Learn about your target audience


A successful and effective brand building revolves around understanding what your audience wants, who your audience is and how you can approach them at where they are.


Undertake one market research, and find out the following:

 

  • Who is your target demographic? 
  • What is the economic status of your target audience? 
  • How does your audience wish to be approached?
  • Which platform do they use? How to approach them?
  • What are the aesthetics and visuals that grab your audience’s attention?
  • What is the buying journey of your target audience?
  • What are the pain points your audience experiences?

Understanding your target audience helps you to market your products at the right place and at the right time.


4. Study & Analyze Your Brand 


You will need to create a short slogan to associate with your business, so that people keep your brand in mind when they hear or see your brand anywhere online. Especially, if you are advertising your brand on social media, podcasts or billboards.


Marketing drives sales, branding drives recognition and loyalty. Branding can be considered a long term activity for most companies. Therefore, you need to keep tweaking your branding strategies, implement new branding strategies over time and evaluate weak areas to improve.


You will also need to set a budget as to how you will promote your business. You may wish to consider bringing in a third party, for instance, a marketing agency such as PanPages Trinity. 


Connect with us today and we will get your business ready to start building your brand overseas! Whether near or far, PanPages Trinity is your solution provider for global trading beyond borders.

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