This section features M&A communication playbooks and toolkits for internal and external stakeholders that your communications team can tailor to the particulars of a deal.
M&A communications is like oxygen for the integration process. This is a critical work stream, and your communication team should be mobilized prior to announcement of the deal.
Merger communication documents to get ready specifically for Day 1 can be found at M&A Day 1.
During an M&A integration, employees and customers who are left out of the communications loop or receive mixed messages are more likely to feel marginalized and taken for granted. Unfortunately, in the throes of an integration, it is easy for communications to be de-prioritized and neglected. To help ensure all stakeholders receive frequent, accurate, timely information, communication plans should be developed with clear accountabilities regarding who is going to say what, to whom, and by when.
Pre-close plans should cover not just Day 1 and Week 1, but also the 180-day period after close. The flow of information needs to be continuous and specific to maintain a sense of continuity and reduce uncertainty. Stakeholders tend to react negatively to ambiguity. While acquirers can't immediately answer all questions, they can still explain their objectives and commit to answering questions at a specific pace and time.
