How to design a brand for your business: A step-by-step guide

Your brand is your identity... is it unique enough?

The brand is more than just a name or a logo, as many believe. It is the faces that customers recognize, the story it tells about your products and services, and the promise it offers them.

The brand is the impressions and feelings it evokes in customers' minds when they think about your company. Is it high quality, innovation, trust, or sincerity?

All these elements combined form your unique brand identity.

Why is branding so important for small and medium businesses?

The answer is simple: because it is the key to success and survival in a fiercely competitive market.

A strong brand not only attracts customers but also retains them, and helps you to:

• Stand out from competitors.

• Build trust and loyalty.

• Increase sales and the value of your products and services.

• Legal protection from imitation.

In this article, we will explore the importance of branding for small and medium businesses in the Saudi market in detail. We will also learn how to design a strong brand, and how the brand can help you achieve growth and expansion.

What is a brand?

It is the comprehensive strategic identity that expresses the essence of the company and defines its position and distinction in the market. It is an integrated mix of values, visual and auditory identity, marketing messages, and the experience it offers to your customers. Branding is not limited to merely formal aspects but goes beyond that to become a reflection of the complete experience customers live, including the level of quality, communication style, and the values the company promotes, making it a strategic tool aimed at building trust with customers and establishing a positive and sustainable mental image.

We point out that a strong brand is one that is capable of achieving distinction and uniqueness in the market, attracting customers and retaining their loyalty, and enhancing the company's competitive position and value, so that the business activity becomes more than just a provider of products or services, but an entity that carries a message and a story that inspires and influences the public, making it an integral part of their lives and experiences.

Here are some examples of strong brands from the Saudi market:

This classification reflects the strong presence of a variety of vital sectors in the Saudi economy, including telecommunications, banking, retail, food and beverages, and transport.

The leadership of digital services companies such as STC and Mada in the list indicates the significant shift towards digital transformation and a cashless society in the Kingdom. Also, the presence of brands in the retail, water, and health sectors highlights the importance of essential goods that form an integral part of consumers' daily spending.

This picture also reflects the diversity of the Saudi economy where sectors such as finance and technology coexist with traditional consumer goods to meet the needs of a population increasingly aware of technology and digitalization. For companies operating in the Saudi market, this classification indicates that aligning activities with the digital and financial economy systems in the Kingdom, in addition to meeting the daily needs of consumers, can achieve a significant impact and strengthen influence in the market.

How to design a brand? 5 secrets to building an unforgettable brand

What points should be considered when creating your brand? What are the steps for brand design? What distinguishes Apple, Microsoft, and Google from others?

These are questions on the mind of every founder, and many of them believe that the secret to the success of brands is time, but this is not true.

There are steps that must be followed when creating a distinctive brand in all places and times, the most important of which are:

1. Understanding the market and the target audience

The success of a brand is strongly linked to the brand's place in the market. Initially, you must clearly know the needs and preferences of the target audience and study customer behavior, needs, and aspirations, so that you can establish and solidify your brand in the most appropriate place for it.

Understanding the market and the audience involves knowing the age group, geographical location, interests, and the challenges they face. The more you know about the audience, the easier it is to present a brand that speaks directly to them.

In addition, competitors should be analyzed and what distinguishes them in the Saudi market should be understood so that you can understand what distinguishes your brand from them, and look for points that make you unique, whether it is product quality, distinguished service, or the values your company adopts.

2. Building the core values and principles of the brand

The company relies on a set of core values such as innovation, quality, and sustainability, for example, which play a key role in shaping its vision and mission. These values reflect the company's commitment to providing the best solutions to its customers while considering sustainability and continuous development.

When core values are clear and firmly established in business, they help build trust with the public and strengthen long-term relationships with them. Customers tend to choose brands that align with their personal values and meet their needs with high quality.

The story the brand tells directly expresses these values, and helps build an emotional connection between customers and the company. Strong and inspiring stories play a pivotal role in promoting brand loyalty and increasing public interaction with it. It is important that the message carried by the brand is clear and simple, so that the basic idea behind the products and services it offers can be conveyed, and how it adds real value to customers' lives.

How a famous Saudi brand like "Almarai" can achieve each of these elements:

• Name: Almarai chose a simple and easy-to-pronounce name that expresses the agricultural and vital values that distinguish its products. The name reflects the nature of the products based on fresh milk and agriculture.

• Qualities: Almarai is distinguished by the quality of its products and its commitment to high health standards. The quality trait is always associated with its brand.

• Brand Management: Almarai constantly invests in successful marketing campaigns and is keen to expand its brand across multiple product lines, such as dairy products, juices, and baked goods.

• Brand Positioning: Almarai has achieved a leading position in the Saudi market and is considered one of the reliable companies that consumers depend on, which enhances its market strength.

• Brand Voice: Almarai's voice reflects family values, quality, and attention to health, and it promotes its products in a calm and clear way that enhances trust with the public.

• Personality: Almarai's personality focuses on family and healthy nutrition, where the happy Saudi family that trusts its products always appears in its marketing campaigns.

• Brand Culture: Almarai's culture is based on innovation and sustainability, and it is keen to use the latest technologies in production, and maintain environmental standards.

• Brand Value: Almarai reflects the value of quality for money, as its products are considered high quality but at competitive prices that suit different segments of society.

• Vision: Almarai's vision is to provide reliable and healthy food products that are part of the daily life of the Saudi family, and it always seeks to expand regionally and internationally.

• Mental Associations: When consumers think of Almarai, they are mentally associated with quality, cleanliness, and fresh products. These associations contribute to solidifying the brand in their minds.

• Brand Awareness: Almarai uses continuous advertising on various media and social platforms, which enhances public awareness of the brand and makes it the first choice for many.

• Brand Message: Almarai's message always revolves around quality and trust, as it offers natural and healthy products that contribute to the well-being of society.

3. Visual Identity and Creative Elements

Designing a distinctive and expressive logo is one of the most important elements of building a brand identity. The logo, colors, and fonts must be consistent and attractive, as these visual elements help in creating a strong visual identity that contributes to distinguishing the brand and embedding it in the customers' minds. Therefore, colors and fonts must be chosen carefully to match the company's general message and reflect its values and vision effectively.

Unifying the visual identity across all communication platforms and channels is also necessary to ensure the brand's consistency. It is easy for customers to recognize the brand quickly when the visual identity is unified, which enhances trust and strengthens the relationship between the company and its audience.

In addition, it is important to prepare the basic visual tools such as business cards, promotional materials, and the website to ensure a complete and consistent presence of the brand in all aspects.

4. Voice and Tone in Communication

Defining how to communicate with the audience is an essential step in building the brand identity, as the tone can be formal, informal, or friendly depending on the nature of the brand and the target audience. Therefore, choosing the appropriate tone enhances effective communication and reflects the brand's values and personality in a way that expresses its vision and suits its audience.

Using classical Arabic while considering the local sense and Saudi heritage adds a distinctive character to the communication, which enhances proximity to the local audience and reflects the brand's commitment to Saudi culture and heritage. These subtle linguistic details contribute to creating an emotional connection with customers and enhancing confidence in the brand.

Interacting with customers plays a pivotal role in building a strong relationship with them. Listening to their needs and continuous interaction, whether on social media or through the customer experience in the store or online, contributes to promoting brand loyalty and helps improve the overall customer experience.

5. Adapting to Variables and Continuous Improvement

The ability to adapt to changes is one of the most prominent characteristics of strong brands. These brands remain flexible and respond quickly to changes in the market and the renewed needs of customers. Continuous innovation helps the brand to continue competing and remain relevant in the eyes of its target audience, which enhances its position in the market and ensures its long-term continuity.

Likewise, measuring performance and continuous improvement are an essential part of any brand's success strategy. Strengths and weaknesses in the identity can be identified and developed by monitoring customer response and interaction with the brand, and based on feedback from the market and customers, aspects of the identity are improved in a way that contributes to enhancing the overall customer experience and increases the brand's effectiveness in achieving its goals.

The importance of branding for business

Do you wonder why some brands fail and others succeed? Designing the brand identity is one of the most prominent reasons.

Companies can achieve sustainable growth and outperform competitors by building a strong brand. It is not just about selling a product or service, but about building an emotional relationship with the customer.

The customer becomes more loyal when they feel that there are common values between them and the brand. Encouraging customers to build a community and interact with each other around the brand creates a sense of belonging and participation.

Here are the most important points that make brands extremely important in the journey of establishing a business:

1. Enhancing trust and credibility in the market

The brand helps distinguish your company from competitors. It provides a clear and distinctive identity that makes it easy for customers to recognize your products or services and differentiate them from what others offer.

The brand must be honest and transparent in its dealings with customers, and it must also adhere to the promises it makes to its customers. If it says it provides a high-quality product, it must prove it.

A positive reputation can be built by providing excellent customer service, dealing professionally with any complaints, and encouraging customers to share their positive experiences.

2. Increasing the company's competitive value in the local and international market

A strong brand can help in expanding to new markets or introducing new products. A well-known name and brand can facilitate the process of entering new markets, as the customer already trusts the brand.

In addition, a strong brand increases the overall value of the company, making it more attractive to investors.

3. Attracting talent

A strong brand not only attracts customers but can also attract distinguished talent. Companies with a good reputation attract employees who want to work in a successful and influential environment.

4. Improving the marketing and advertising process

To maximize the benefit from marketing and advertising efforts, it is necessary to direct a clear and unified message to the target audience precisely. This requires integrated coordination of all marketing channels, such as email marketing, so that the message discussed is consistent and unified across all platforms.

There must also be a mechanism to continuously measure the performance of these campaigns, which allows us to evaluate the effectiveness of each channel and determine the areas that need improvement, thus ensuring the achievement of the best possible results.

In short, the brand is a valuable asset to the company that grows over time. Companies can achieve sustainable growth and outperform competitors by building a strong brand.

The importance of building a brand in the Saudi market

Building a strong brand is one of the most prominent strategies that can distinguish companies in the Saudi market. Branding goes beyond the logo or design; it embodies the customer experience and creates a sustainable relationship with the public, especially in light of the significant digital transformation the Saudi society is witnessing.

1. Moving towards the digital market

• The importance of digital presence in building brand identity in Saudi Arabia:

The Saudi market is witnessing a major transformation towards relying on technology and e-shopping, which makes the presence of companies online indispensable. Today, Saudi consumers rely heavily on the internet, whether to buy products or search for brands. Consequently, the company's lack of digital presence hinders its ability to communicate with a wide and growing audience of digital consumers.

• Digital presence as a basic interface:

Digital presence is the first point of contact between the brand and consumers. It is what determines the initial impression, which can significantly affect how customers perceive the brand. Through a well-designed website and a strong presence on social media, companies can build trust and increase awareness of their brand.

• User experience across digital channels:

User experience is one of the most important elements in the digital customer journey. Building an integrated digital identity requires developing easy-to-use and responsive websites and applications, with attention to being responsive to mobile devices. This experience contributes to enhancing customer loyalty and repeating their interaction with the brand.

• Using targeted ads:

Targeted digital ads allow for building precise strategies that accurately target the desired segments. By studying consumer behavior and preferences, companies can design marketing campaigns that increase brand awareness and contribute to attracting new customers. This method is considered one of the most effective ways to enhance the digital identity of the brand.

2. The role of e-commerce and social media

• The importance of e-commerce in enhancing commercial presence:

E-commerce has witnessed significant growth in Saudi Arabia, and has become a main gateway for small and medium businesses to reach larger segments of consumers, investors, and entrepreneurs. By providing a seamless and secure electronic shopping experience, companies can achieve great success and enhance their brand at the local and international levels.

• Customer interaction via social media:

Social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat play a pivotal role in brand building. These means are not limited to interacting with customers only, but also contribute to building a solid relationship with them, which increases the level of loyalty and interaction.

• Benefiting from digital influencers:

In Saudi Arabia, influencers on social media have a great impact on guiding consumer trends. By cooperating with these influencers, brands can convey their message to a wider audience and enhance their credibility in the market.

• Content marketing:

Valuable content is one of the most important tools in enhancing the brand. Blogs, promotional videos, and educational content contribute to increasing interaction and awareness of the brand. This type of marketing enhances the customers' connection with the company by providing content that helps them solve their problems or meet their needs.

• Rapid response to feedback:

Digital platforms provide the opportunity to analyze customer comments and respond to them quickly. This continuous interaction helps companies improve their services and products in line with customer expectations, and consequently enhances the brand image permanently.

3. Using culture and heritage in commercial identity

• Building a strong brand that reflects the local identity:

The Saudi market reflects a deep appreciation for its heritage and culture. From here, companies can exploit these values to build a strong local commercial identity that expresses Saudi culture and responds to the expectations of the local audience.

• Integrating cultural elements into the visual identity:

Companies can enhance their visual identity by using cultural elements inspired by Saudi heritage, such as traditional colors, ornaments, and heritage designs. This type of visual distinction contributes to making the brand unique, and enhances its connection with the public.

• Communicating with the local audience through shared values:

Many Saudi companies rely on social values such as generosity, family cohesion, and hospitality in their marketing campaigns. Companies can build a strong emotional connection with their customers by focusing on these values.

• Celebrating national and cultural events:

Participating in national and cultural celebrations such as the Saudi National Day is an effective way to enhance the brand's presence in society. By interacting with these occasions, companies can strengthen their connection with the public and strengthen their position in the market.

• Telling stories inspired by heritage:

Stories related to local heritage give the brand deeper dimensions. By integrating these stories into marketing campaigns, companies can convey messages that reflect their values and achieve a deeper interaction with the public.

• Promoting local products:

By focusing on products that reflect local heritage, Saudi companies can enhance their position among consumers who prefer traditional and local products, which contributes to supporting the brand's cultural identity and enhancing customer loyalty.

👈 Read also: The best marketing ideas for the Saudi National Day

Conclusion

The importance of building a comprehensive and strong brand cannot be ignored in achieving sustainable success for any company, whether nascent or established. The brand represents the identity that customers interact with, and directly influences their purchasing decisions.

If you are a company owner or considering launching your own project, now is the perfect time to analyze your brand identity and work to develop it to reflect your values and vision. Do not hesitate to invest effort and resources in designing a distinctive brand identity, as it will become the strongest weapon in strengthening your position in the market and attracting more customers.

Remember that building a strong brand is not an option, but a necessity in today's business world.