If you’re someone who tends to read article headlines rather than their detail, you will have been impressed to see the UK strike trade agreements in principle with India and Australia so far in 2021.

In particular, the proposed agreement with Australia has been celebrated as a huge success,  after five years of tentative discussions following the Brexit referendum vote in June 2016.

However, there are significant questions about the true content and impact of these trade deals. So, are they what they seem and what exactly do they mean for the GBP?

The Deals Struck so Far

A number of trade agreements have been confirmed so far since the UK’s formal exit from the EU, although it should be said that many of these represent a continuation of the terms agreed as part of the single bloc.

Even the Indian trade deal has simply looked to remove selected tariffs (on both imports and exports) and build on the existing £23 billion trade between the two nations, although the recently confirmed partnership has proposed to double the value of UK-India trade by the year 2030.

The recent trade deal with Australia appears to be a far more comprehensive deal, while it’s certainly significant for its historic symbolism. Currently an Agreement in Principle that comprises more than 1,200 pages, it’s expected to be finalised shortly before being rolled out in 2022.

While the UK has been reluctant to release full details of the agreement, it has been confirmed that tariffs will be removed on up to £4.3 billion worth of UK exports, with all tariffs on cars and whisky to be eliminated immediately.

Similarly, the deal will liberalise Australian imports into the UK, with 99% of Aussie goods including Australian wine entering the region duty free from 2022 onwards.

In ten years time, it’s thought that all tariffs on Australian beef and sheep meat (which is central to the commodity-driven Aussie economy) will be removed completely within 10 years. This is perhaps the single biggest headline to emerge from the agreement, and one that has caused some initial debate amongst economists.

Are These Deals Good News for the Economy?

So far, the news of the deal has yet to impact the British pound positively, with the MT4 platform reporting a sustained decline in the value of the GBP/USD and the depreciation of the pound against the Aussie dollar.

While this trend is being underpinned by the relative strength of the dollar and a new wave of Covid-19 infections in the UK, some have also argued that it has more to do with the actual detail of the trade deal struck with Australia.

Certainly, initial analysis of the deal has suggested that this represents a significant win for Australia rather than the UK, while Aussie consumers will also benefit from cheaper products almost immediately.

From an economic perspective, it may not even deliver the 0.02% boost to UK GDP that was forecast before the final deal was struck, with some suggesting that the true financial impact could be closer to zero.

Not only this, but the future influx of tariff-free agricultural produce into the UK could decimate the farming industry on these shores, while lowering food standards and taking another slice out of the national GDP.

This has yet to be seen, of course, but there’s no doubt that this and similar post-Brexit trade deals may not necessarily be as impressive as the government is currently suggesting.

The marketing industry has been heavily digitalised, and traditional techniques are often forgotten. However, tangible marketing materials like banners, posters and business cards are still effective and much more affordable than the digital route. Vinyl banners are an excellent way to catch attention and advertise your business without blowing your budget.

Here are some surprising facts about vinyl banners and how you can use them for marketing your business.

They are cost effective

You can order vinyl banners in bulk and use them for different events, stores and locations. You can often get a discount on bulk orders to save yourself a few pennies and make sure you have backups if one gets damaged. Vinyl banners are also cheaper than most signage formats – making them perfect for those just starting up in the business world and for local independent businesses.

Great for reoccurring events

Vinyl banners can be stored easily and used for different events. They look professional and attractive to potential customers with the right design and layout.

They can be heavily customised

Vinyl banners are customisable so you can choose the graphics, layout, colours, and size. You can make your banner as straightforward or as busy as you like. Some businesses opt for a simple design to catch the consumer’s attention without overwhelming them. In comparison, others opt for a colourful banner to stand out against the crowd at networking events.

Your marketing materials should feature the same colour palette of up to three tones from your brand style, a logo, contact information and a summary of what your company is about. You need to create a sense of brand cohesion and a strong visual identity so that consumers will remember you. Make sure these colours are used in your vinyl banner and that you include the necessary information.

Brand recognition is an essential part of any business. Make sure you customise your banner with the needs of your company in mind. You could even include a hint of the company values in the banner, such as using a green shade to represent your interest in eco-friendly practices.

You should also consider where the information is placed on the banner. The most important information, like your brand name and social media handle, should be clear and bold. Your brand description, event details, and contact details should also stand out amongst the banner’s colour and graphics. Make sure everything is clear and legible.

They are extremely durable

You don’t need to worry about the weather conditions with a vinyl banner. They can withstand extended periods outside as they are made from highly durable materials. They are also lightweight and easy to transport around.

Invest in some branded vinyl banners to market your business with flair this year!

Hazel Jones, Manchester Market Principle, Made Tech

Devolution and regional investment are subjects that have come centre stage in 2021 and will be a topic of keen interest going forward, in the North West and beyond.

In March, the government announced a series of policies in its Spring Budget in order to address regional inequality and the centralisation of services. These included the ‘Levelling Up Fund’, which will see £4.6bn invested in infrastructure, regenerating town centres, upgrading local transport, and investing in cultural and heritage assets, as well as the Towns Funds, where £1bn will be divided between 45 regions to help them ‘level up’ and aid their recovery from the pandemic.

Another part of the government’s strategy appears to be establishing more public bodies away from London. We have seen this with the announcement of new departments like the National Infrastructure Bank being established in Leeds, while the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, an established public body, is being relocated to Wolverhampton.

With the government looking to diversify the locations of public sector organisations, combined with increased investment, this could provide a huge opportunity to the North West.

Attracting public sector organisations to the region will bring a wide range of benefits. These bodies require large amounts of staff in order to function and implement policies and, while some staff will relocate, they will bring with them a diverse range of job opportunities for people in the region.

At the same time, the opportunity to secure public sector contracts will encourage private businesses to follow these bodies to new locations, again bringing with them employment opportunities and finances into the region. Made Tech is a good example of this. We have offices across the country, including in Manchester, so we can work with public sector organisations around the UK. This means we are able to provide a range of jobs to the North West and also invest in the local economy.

With the benefits laid out, the question for the North West is what needs to be done to encourage more public sector organisations to come to the region? Firstly, having the right infrastructure, especially digital infrastructure, is key. In many ways public sector bodies are just like private business and, as such, they need access to high-level services such as ultra fast broadband and widely available network service. Councils in the region need to be looking at where their digital capabilities are weak and investing in solutions that will bring them up to scratch, which will then encourage public bodies, as well as other businesses, to consider their town or city as a potential hub.

Third party expertise can be a valuable tool in this process. Partners with technological expertise can help local councils and authorities through providing services such as digital discoveries, identifying where weaknesses lie and providing the right solutions to bring them up to standard.

However, it is not just down to local authorities to attract these organisations, businesses in the region need to get involved as well. While in time they will attract firms to a region, public bodies need to be confident they are coming to an area where there are already  companies who can support them when they need services. This means that businesses need to ensure they can offer support and have the highly trained staff to do so. Public/private collaboration can again help in this through working to develop and provide the right training to people in the North West so they gain the necessary skills to be able to meet the needs of public sector organisations.

Addressing regional inequalities has been needed for some time and it is good to see the Government trying to address this with investment and the devolution of services. If the North West wants to make the most of this opportunity, local councils and businesses need to work together to ensure the infrastructure and skills are in place to provide a suitable home to these public bodies, creating a bright future for the region in the process.