Access to policymakers and credible communication matters in an ever more globalised world. Laws, regulations, tariffs and regional barriers directly impact on your competitiveness and business success in individual markets. Free trade, trade defence, international regulatory coherence, or competition policy increasingly set the frame for your business to grow internationally.
Here’s how we up your game in the political arena.
Legislation & Regulation
Legislation and regulations are the result of a complex decision-making process. They are influenced by competing interests from different sectors, entities, political groups, nations and at times the administration itself. Effective dialogue is the key to bringing your topics to the attention of decision makers, at the right time and in the right way to make sure they are fully understood. Ultimately this helps to shift the balance in your favour.
Trade Policy
International trade and competition is a reality for every business, and a great opportunity for most. With proper dialogue it is easier to enter new markets create new opportunities in existing markets, or defend your business against unfair competition from abroad. Trade policy and trade defence are always political. Lawmakers set the rules for fair play and negotiate agreements for reducing or reinforcing barriers for trade. A continuous dialogue can alter their decision in your favour.
Competition
With business becoming ever more global, competition watchdogs are gaining in importance. They have the final say on approving mergers and enforcing fair play. With lawyers doing the nitty-gritty legal work, businesses tend to lose sight of the political dynamics influencing the decision-making process. A political dialogue alongside the necessary procedural steps can frame the debate to your advantage.
Perception & Awareness
Good arguments and solid facts are the basis for every credible exchange. But facts alone do not sway audiences. The messenger is just as important as the message itself. We help to change how you, your business, or sector is perceived. We create a narrative to present your arguments. We design and implement dialogue strategies to strengthen your visibility and profile in the desired policy area.
The media are powerful: they set agendas, they shape public opinion, and they shake up markets. The media can push the most sensitive issues into the spotlight, or serve as a platform to actively communicate your interests. It all depends on how well you interact with them. Whether your business is confronted with a crisis, if your reputation is at stake, or if you need to shift public perceptions about a certain topic – effective media relations work is crucial.
Here’s how we up your media impact.
Crisis Communication
A crisis by definition happens unexpectedly. Don’t let it threaten your reputation, or your relationship with business partners, policymakers, regulators or the press. We help you to be prepared, to plan ahead, and to take decisive action when a crisis occurs. IDA will ensure you stay on top of developments.
Reputation Management
A good reputation is hard to earn and easy to lose. We help you shield your good name against stray bullets and make sure your viewpoint is reflected correctly in the press. Our objective is to prevent the need for a painful and slow recovery process, by helping you set the agenda.
Strategic Communication
Strategic goals are essential for long-term success. And so is the accompanying communication. We help you define the right target audience, plan the timing of activities, and position you as a thought-leader. IDA’s team of experts will design your narrative, messaging, and outreach, to result in a high level of credibility and visibility.
Media Campaigning
One story, one timeframe. Media campaigns are a powerful tool to give your story the traction and attention it requires. We help you translate your ideas into workable action points and hit the ground running.
Global supply chains and digital communications have brought the world closer together. Yet each market remains unique – be it Europe, Asia or the Americas. Expanding internationally and building strength in new markets depends on flexibility, strong local expertise, and robust networks.
Here is what we can do for you to expand your business internationally.
Markets
If you don’t conquer new markets, others will. Taking a stake in the global growth story requires a thorough analysis of new territories. You need sound knowledge about regulatory barriers, sourcing and distribution channels, competitor activity, and what local consumers really want. We will help you expand internationally and build lasting strength in new markets.
Partners
No business thrives outside of value chains. Strong and reliable local partners are indispensable for a successful growth strategy. Delivery of upstream products, competitive pricing, local expertise of legal aspects and the landscape for communications are all part of a successful market dialogue. We help you find these partners and make this dialogue fruitful.
Channels
Whatever you sell, you need to reach your customers. Sales and distribution work differently in each country. We help you find the most effective places to sell your products and advise on setting up a robust supply-chain. We analyse trends and conditions to establish the best sales and distribution strategy. We also get you in touch with the people needed to start selling.
Trade Facilitation
Free markets are rarely free. Trade barriers are used as tools to protect local businesses, enforce policies, create government revenue or to adhere to certain international standards. We help you understand the reasoning behind trade barriers, adapt your approach accordingly, and get you in touch with the right people to ultimately overcome such obstacles for business success.
Access to funding is more than just access to money. An EU funded project grants you access to top-notch researchers, engineers, or future business partners. Funding is also about visibility, profiling, and thought-leadership. It doesn’t matter whether your project is about cutting-edge technology, social entrepreneurship, basic research or business concepts along the EU’s policy priorities.
Here’s how we find public funding opportunities for your investment plans.
Funding Research
The European funding landscape is diverse and highly complex. It comprises various sources and programmes with differing political objectives or distribution channels. It involves local, regional, national and even European entities, deciding over funding lines. It is crucial to narrow down the vast number of potential paths to public funds and to have a clear picture about which of them will best fit your cause.
Consortium Brokerage
Many funding schemes, such as the EU’s innovation program, Horizon 2020, worth €80bn, require cross-national and cross-sectorial consortia involving companies, small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and universities. We help you identify the ideal international project partners and facilitate contact with them.
Project Management
Many businesses don’t have the resources or time to cope with the administrative aspects and the actual management of funding projects. We have dedicated experts to coordinate and carry out all project management tasks. They are also trained to leverage communication opportunities that strengthen brand, reputation, and the profile of our clients throughout the project.
Proposal Drafting
Acquiring funding is a highly competitive process. One of the key success factors is the project proposal. It needs to strike the right balance between project description, expertise, and readability. Credible proposals need to make business-sense and respond to the underlying political ambitions of the funding source. Technical quality, political relevance, tone, and language all need to go hand in hand.
