Building an effective marketing communications plan | Business after Brexit

A clear, effective and targeted marketing communications plan is the foundation of any successful company.

But do you know how Brexit is set to impact your communications?

This month, we’re kicking off our brand new blog series named Business after Brexit, in which we’ll explore all the challenges and opportunities facing companies operating both in a post-Brexit Britain, as well as the wider world.

In today’s blog, we’re going to break down exactly how you should be approaching your communications after Brexit and the practical steps you can take today to ease any Brexit-related profit woes, as well as preparing to take advantage of brand new growth opportunities.

Post-Brexit Marketing Communications: The good news

Let’s start with the good news. After years spent in a political limbo, we can finally say with – absolute certainty – that Brexit is happening.

It’s true: The Conservative Party’s landslide victory at the most recent UK General Election put to bed the hopes of many of a second referendum. But, for the 48% who voted against the UK’s exit from the European Union, a silver lining remains.

Wherever you’re based, whichever way you voted (if you voted at all) and whatever you think about the EU, we’d argue that there is one solid positive that every company can take from 2020: The ability to plan.

The challenge

Here’s the catch, though. Although the Brexit process is now underway, there’s still so much we’re unsure about – And uncertainty isn’t good for business.

In truth, we have no idea how the global business landscape is going to look in a year’s time. But this is why we’re encouraging businesses to plan for the things we can control and anticipate. These include targeting key regions for growth and Brexit-proofing your marketing communications strategy.

So… Here are Wolfestone’s top tips for building an effective marketing communications plan in a post-Brexit world.

Targeting key languages for growth

Outside of the volatility of Brexit, there are plenty of exciting things going on in the global economy. But the question is: Is your business ready to take advantage of these opportunities?

Latin America

According to latest forecasts, today’s emerging economies are likely to account for nearly 60% of world GDP by 2030. This represents the equivalent of a whopping $15.5 trillion.

Take Latin America: The region has established itself as a hub for international startups, with multimillion dollar investments flooding in from the likes of the U.S. and UK every day. But translating your website into the so-called ‘Standard Spanish’ isn’t enough. If you really want to connect with the emerging economies in this region, you should consider localising your B2B marketing communications into regional Latin American Spanish – which can vary greatly from country to country.

Canada

In the same way, tapping into the growing Canadian economy takes more than just translating content from English into French. The specific variation of Canadian French requires sensitive localisation, as well as an experienced language partner with a deep knowledge of your particular industry.

India

You also need to consider that India, the third largest foreign investor into the UK behind the US and China, spells bright post-Brexit opportunities. But it is also one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, with over 780 languages spoken altogether.

This can put off a lot of businesses, but it shouldn’t: Hindi, for example, is the most commonly spoken language in India, with 322 million people claiming it as their mother tongue. English is also a key language, but for maximum marketing impact you should ensure that your communications are localised for an Indian-English speaking audience.

Stay open minded about marketing communications

Another important point to make about operating post-Brexit is to stay open minded.

It’s not yet the time to pull back on your European marketing communications – mainly because many companies will do just that.

If you avoid the temptation to be put off by the potential trade barriers within the EU – those that the media tend to speculate about – you could be rewarded.

Try instead to remain open to the possibility of change. Your business may have had a key demographic locked in before Brexit, but this could evolve. Ensure that you keep both eyes on your client base. Respond to any fluctuations. Reflect this in your marketing communications.

And, if you need support as you build a communications strategy with a new region, bring a trusted language partner on board to guide you.