After years of hearing politicians talk about it, shout about it, and slap it on the side of buses, Brexit is finally here and about to become a reality in 2021.
No matter which side of the vote you’re on, we can all agree that trading and business in the UK is about to go through a massive shakeup, so it’s time we prepare to “Get Brexit Done” (not the catchiest slogan is it? We suggested “Bringing home the Brexit” and “We eat Brexit for breakfast” but the Prime Minister was unavailable for comment.)
So what can you do as a business to make sure you’re ready for the transition in 2021?
The UK government has put together a helpful list of practical information here, although it has a slight air of DOOM written all over it (the countdown clock really adds to this vibe), which isn’t the most inspiring message.
The team here at Catalyst decided that we should help break down what Brexit 2021 means for businesses, and provide some advice on how you can prepare and succeed, no matter what happens with the UK leaving the EU.
Secure Your Strategy
Your business strategy is the ground upon which you stand. It’s your foundation, your core and supports and influences all aspects of how your business operates.
It’s an absolutely essential piece of work for businesses to undertake and there’s no shortcut or magic wand for getting it done.
What we can say is that after years of helping businesses define their strategy, is that by taking the time to invest and get it right, you can help create stability across all areas of the business both now, and into the future.
Brexit might mean that your business strategy is about to shift, or that you need to re-evaluate some key aspects of how you work with partners, suppliers, clients and more.
Take the time now to reflect on how your business strategy is currently set up, what changes you can anticipate, and how you want the business to grow in the future.
By ensuring your strategy is resilient and flexible to meet the needs of a changing market and economic trading circumstances, you’ll put yourself ahead of your competitors by being prepared.
Strategy can take time to develop and implement, so starting sooner rather than later is beneficial to ensure you’re ready for the changes coming in 2021.
It can also be a really exciting time in your business – why not try a new method of strategy development this year? With everyone mostly remote or distanced, get creative with your collaboration and be surprised at the results.
Be careful with some of the Microsoft Teams filters though, or you’ll have a repeat of Potato Lady chairing your meeting.
Content Powered Progress
If cash is king, then content is queen. The internet is full of content, so making sure yours stands out from the crowd and delivers value and insight to your readers is essential.
Stick to showing your expertise and knowledge that is unique to you and your industry. If you can make it evergreen content, even better. This type of content ages much more slowly (if at all), meaning more people are likely to search it and read it over a greater period of time.
It can also be seeded with keywords to help continue driving traffic and web searches to the content over and over, helping you answer key questions time and time again.
Wondering what content has got to do with preparing for Brexit? Content is like a window into your business – think about how much content you’ll look at before you buy a product or engage with a business.
You might check their social channels, look at their blog, review their product information or read training guides. This is all content that shapes how you see their business, so why wouldn’t you do the same for your own?
If you’re showing that you’re up to date with news, events, information and industry knowledge, you set a great first impression as a business, drawing new partners and clients to you like a content-driven magnet. Trust us, we’ve seen it happen.
It’s Not EU, It’s Brexit
With the world around us becoming more confusing by the day (or so it feels!), having trusted partners and suppliers that you can rely on is more important than ever.
When things are looking uncertain, you want to have people who’ve got your back and won’t let you down. Honesty, trust, and communication – these are the things we all look for in the best relationships. Business is no different.
Make sure all your business relationships are working towards the end goal of achieving success and profit – if something seems like a dead weight, it probably is.
While there’s no need to get trigger happy with cutting costs, consider if something is really going to benefit your business when times get tough. Partnerships should be beneficial to both parties, after all.
That’s the marriage counselling session over.
As a business, it’s key to demonstrate that you’re continuing to support clients and suppliers through the Brexit transition period.
But you don’t have to do this alone.
If you know that your business is going to need help going through the Brexit transition for whatever reason (supply chains, shifting customer base, change of marketing strategy), then consider finding a partner to help support you.
Marketing During Brexit (And Why You Need It)
Marketing during Brexit is going to be one of the most important things for all businesses, so pause before you snip that marketing budget and think about what your marketing is (or should be) doing.
Maybe it needs a shake-up and redirection, rather than a total elimination? This is where your marketing team should be coming in with the big ideas and looking to break the mould to bring in new leads to help you prepare for Brexit in 2021.
Even if you think you’ve got your Brexit marketing strategy plan covered, it could be worth chatting through with an external source to see if there’s any areas you’ve missed, or things you could strengthen.
Marketing is often one of the first casualties of cuts (much to our horror), but it can often be the best time to roll out that daring campaign, try something that stands out on the field, and keep driving traffic that turns into leads.
You gotta spend money to make money, and marketing is the ultimate exercise in this tactic.
In a precarious global climate and a fresh recession on the horizon, you want to protect your profits and staff as much as possible.
At Catalyst, our expertise in devising business-winning marketing campaigns, creative strategies and delivering on our results means that we understand the importance of being a partner that helps our clients achieve success.
Don’t let Brexit derail your business – contact us today and see how we can help support you no matter what the world throws at you.
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