This past year, we’ve been a part of numerous mergers — so much so that we joked about changing our slogan to “Marketing Professionals for Merging Enterprise.” We acted as the glue that bound everything together and the megaphone that howled important information to both internal and external parties throughout those journeys.
And while we may have never anticipated being an integral part of so many corporate fusions, we’ve started to get really good at it and have learned a lot. So, we thought it would be cool to bestow some of that knowledge unto you, the audience, and anyone who may be gearing up for a merger.
Shakespeare once said, “Jesters do oft prove prophets.” It’s a quote that we’ve been fans of since we got our start, and now we’re going to put our own (and true!) little spin on it: Marketers do oft prove talented communicators. The assets created as part of any standard marketing campaign, like newsletters, social media content, and videos, are all extremely valuable tools for communication — it’s why we use them. But their suitability does not stop at ‘marketing asset’ — they are much more valuable than that.
Newsletters
Naturally, things become a bit more frantic during a merger. There are so many moving parts across every department — timelines can easily start to blur, and breakdowns in communications become a real risk. Internal newsletters are a verifiable touchpoint of accurate information where people can go to reorient themselves. It helps keep them on track and smooths the ride throughout the merger.
Videos
Videos are a great tool for visualizing and contextualizing important information. We used them a lot throughout the last year to help both employees and external audiences better understand the whys, hows and whens of their company’s unification. For people who are intimidated by walls of text or simply couldn’t be bothered to read every update, this is an excellent way to compile all of that information in a more digestible way.
Social Media
Social media makes the spreading of information a breeze, which is indispensable when it comes to a corporate merger. It’s the most effective way to keep your audience in the loop, point them towards resources and information, and give them a place to turn to for important and timely updates. Unlike the newsletter, which takes time to produce and deploy, social media updates can be drafted and sent at a moment’s notice if necessary.
Conclusion
The conclusion here is communication, communication, communication. A successful merger is dependent on leadership’s ability to keep their staff and audience informed. When staff know what’s going on, efficiency is increased. And when their audience is kept up-to-date, they aren’t blindsided by the eventual melding of companies — which would leave them incredibly confused and with a lot of questions. Answer those questions before they’re asked in your newsletters, videos, and social media updates!