The Department for International Trade is calling for business success stories to feature in its promotional activities as the UK prepares for a new liberalised trading environment from January 2021.

The stories submitted will be reviewed by DIT staffers, with the best featured in DIT marketing campaigns, articles and videos on social media, press and TV.

Others have become partners of the DIT’s ‘GREAT Britain’ marketing push – launched in 2012 and billed as the UK's most ambitious overseas marketing campaign, featuring in 145 countries – with the opportunity to be involved in international events. 

'Inspirational'

Stories can be COVID-19 related but the aim is to collate case studies involving international trade in general “that will inspire businesses and investors both in the UK and overseas”.

“We want to hear about the best stories from across the world around trade and investment,” the DIT explains.

“Who are those UK businesses succeeding overseas with their exceptional ingenuity and unique products? What should a UK business know about opportunities in Latin America? Or what new investment is changing the UK's offshore wind industry?”

How to take part

Companies with an international trade story to tell should fill in the form here, which the DIT says is “just the start… don't feel you need to have all the information.

“If you think you have an interesting story or subject, then let us know and we can help build it with colleagues from across communications and marketing,” the DIT advises. 

The form asks firms to categorise their stories as being about:

• An export win
• Investment into the UK
• An innovative UK business
• Provision of market insights to UK firms
• COVID-19 related
• Other

If a story revolves around an export contract, firms are asked to quantify that export win.

The DIT is also planning the next phase of its global ‘Ready to Trade’ campaign, first launched in 13 countries on 1 February, the day after the UK left the EU, to promote the UK's agenda for international trade.

The government yesterday (13 July) launched a domestic advertising campaign entitled ‘UK’s new start: Let’s get going’ urging consumers and businesses to prepare for the end of transition from the EU in December this year.