How branding can transform a business’s image
Have you ever thought about the dedicated entrepreneurs and skilled employees behind the creation of dental and surgical tools?
When you’re at the dentist or doctor, chances are they’re using tools made in just one city in Pakistan.
Around 70% of the world’s surgical and dental instruments are made in the Paksitani city of Sialkot. Yet the country doesn’t have a reputation for making high-quality precision instruments. People often think of places like Germany for that expertise.
And in fact, companies in Sialkot often sell their products to companies in Germany, where they are repackaged as a higher-end, more expensive product.
Part of the problem is that small businesses often don’t pay enough attention to branding and marketing.
‘People go into production and forget about branding,’ said Abdelbasset Boulelouah, a marketing expert at the International Trade Centre (ITC). ‘Sometimes they don’t have background in branding, or they don’t know how valuable it is.’
‘Having a strong brand image makes it easier to attract new customers, retain them and generate more revenue,’ he added.
In a country like Pakistan, effective branding and marketing can help overcome negative perceptions of the country. That means the companies can charge higher prices, and engage directly with global buyers.
ITC set out to work with 10 surgical instruments companies on branding and digital marketing, through the UK Trade Partnerships Programme (UKTP). The companies then went to major trade fairs in Düsseldorf and Dubai, where they saw how their new look attracted new customers.
Incisive Medical has several international certifications, showing that they meet key US and European standards. Their digital presence didn’t reflect that level of quality. By going through the programme, they upgraded their website and created professional photos and video to showcase their work. That paid off at the Medica trade fair last year, and at Arab Health this year, where they made more than 120 new business contacts.
Each participating company received an album of high-quality product photos and a short promotional video. By upgrading their digital presence, entrepreneurs can reach a wider prospective clientele.
‘Our specialties are forceps, scissors and retractors. We produce over 4,000 articles in these categories,’ says Zaka Ullah, managing director at Zaki Industries.
But Zaki’s logo and marketing materials didn’t reflect that expertise. Working with ITC experts, they modernized and simplified their logo. That look was then applied across their catalogues and website.
The results were soon obvious. At Arab Health, the sold more than enough stock to cover their $6,000 investment in their booth.
K.T Surgico and Technimen Agha were highly successful at Medica, emerging with at least 20 new business contacts each, from all over the world. For the six Pakistani surgical instruments companies that displayed their tools at Arab Health, they made a total of 1,048 new contacts.
Their success shows modern branding instills confidence among business partners. Effective digital marketing makes potential buyers feel like they’re dealing with professional companies who won’t disappoint.
‘You mustn't forget branding,’ said Boulelouah. ‘It’s a powerful tool that enables a company to grow and strengthen its presence in the market.’
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About the Programme
Since 2019, the United Kingdom Trade Partnerships (UKTP) Programme has aimed to boost trade from developing countries to the UK and EU by leveraging UK and EU Economic Partnership Agreements and the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme. Funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the programme collaborates with government agencies, private sector organizations, small businesses, and other stakeholders to enhance market access, provide advisory services, and strengthen business support organizations. It focuses on export-ready SMEs and complements UKTP initiatives in the Pacific.
