M&A Communications

This section features M&A communication best practices, plan, playbooks, tools, sample templates, and examples of answers to M&A related questions from examples, customs and supplies.

Merger communication documents to get ready specifically for Day 1 can be found at M&A Day 1.

Pre-close plans should cover not just Day 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.

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M&A Communications to Employees

Communications Planning

Communications Best Practices

Communications to Customers and Suppliers

M&A Communications to Employees

Day 1 Employee Communications M&A Playbook

Day 1 M&A Playbook: Employee Communications

Sixteen page document that includes answers to seventy-five employee FAQs, plus communication guidelines, and important talking points and messages.

Contents Page
Communication Guidance 3
Key Messages for Employee 4
Employee Talking Points 5
Employee FAQs 7
Integration Approach 10
Sample Letter: Employee Communications During M&A

Sample Letter: Employee Communication During M&A

What Our Company Needs from You

  • Continue to be patient and understanding as we push through some of the tough integration challenges related to the core parts of our business …
     
Invitation to Functional Team Leaders and Overview of Integration

Invitation to Functional Team Leaders and Overview of Integration

Two letters, one from the CEO and and the other from the Integration Manager, emailed to team leaders that provide information on the role of team leaders, the hierarchy of teams, the mission, team guidelines, synergy targets, scope of the integration, meeting schedule, and team launch meeting.
Communication of New Benefits Plan Post-Acquisition

Communication of New Benefits Plan Post-Acquisition

Content

  • Communication of New Benefits Plan 
  • Talking Points
  • Guidance
  • Vehicles
  • Assumptions
  • Timeline for Communicating Benefits Program
Integration Update 90-Days Post-Close from CEO

Post-Merger Integration Communications from CEO

First Page of 3-Page Post-Merger Integration Update

From: CEO
To: Employees

It’s now been three months since we combined our companies. I’d like to explain what integration challenges lie ahead and how you can continue to help.

First, I thank you all for your cooperation and hard work. Integrating two companies is tough and I recognize that many of you have put in a lot of additional effort to help the two companies begin operating as one. I thank everyone for their patience ...

 
Welcome Letter to Employees After an Acquisition

Welcome Letter to Employees After an Acquisition

TO: Acquired Co. and Acquirer Employees

FROM: CEO

SUBJECT: Acquisition

Today, we have completed the acquisition of Acquired Co. We have the unique opportunity to build upon our complementary portfolio, strong businesses, recognized brands and quality products to become one of the leading companies in our industry. To our newest employees, let me be the first to welcome you to Acquirer...

 
Pre-Close Briefing to M&A Integration Teams

Pre-Close Briefing to M&A Integration Teams

Communication Plan Objectives

  • Protect the base business; maintain focus on day-to-day operations
  • Make a good first impression; deliver Day 1/Welcome Week playbook, timeline and training
  • Transparent, timely communication about what matters
  • Provide functional M&A integration communication processes, tools, counsel …
Employee Briefing

Employee Briefing on Acquisition

Content

Why Acquired Co.
Market Strength / The People
Combined Strength
Acquired Co. Overview 
Strategy for The Future North America
Opportunities for Employees
Merger Timeline
More Information. . .
M&A Communication Strategy From A Hit Man

M&A Communication Strategy From A Hit Man

You’ve probably never heard of a guy named Robert Valentine Braddock. He’s a hit man who hangs out in Tennessee, and he has a killer reputation ...
Answers to FAQs on M&A Communications

Answers to FAQs About Post-Merger Integration Communications

When post-merger integration difficulties develop, over half of them usually have their roots in M&A communication problems. Acquirers who understand the answers to key communication questions reduce the number of people-related problems and run smoother merger integrations.

 

 

Answers in M&A to Employee Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to Employee Post-Merger Integration Questions

Answers to 43 common frequently asked questions by employees on the front-end of an post-merger integration.

  1. Will offices or other facilities be closed?
    For the time being there will be no changes and we will continue to go to market as we have in the past. We will begin immediately to get to know each other and develop plans to combine our businesses in the most effective way ...
Information Technology Communications: Healthcare M&A Integrations

Information Technology Communications: Healthcare M&A Integrations

Twenty M&A questions with answers from the Information Technology related to infrastructure, employees, patients, security and access, regulatory compliance, investors, partners, vendors and the media/public.
PE Firm Cover

Private Equity Acquisition - Talking Points and Answers to Employee FAQs

Content

Talking Points for Executives at Employee Meetings
Answers to Employee FAQs

Excerpt from Talking Points for Executives at Employee Meetings

  • Welcome everyone! It’s a pleasure to meet with you today. We’ve invited you here to celebrate the announcement of our acquisition by a highly regarded, successful private equity firm,____________.
     
  • Our acquirer provides management and oversight for the multiple businesses in their portfolio, which will soon include our company . . .
Expect These M&A Questions

Expect These M&A Questions

The deal will create numerous questions in the minds of stakeholders. By anticipating their concerns in advance, you’ll be better prepared to address them …
 

M&A Communication Planning

Post-Merger Integration Communication Plan Checklist

Post-Merger Integration Communication Plan Checklist

9-slide presentation covers checklists for assumptions, actions, process steps, and communication vehicles.

 
4 Key Communication PMI Deliverables

4 Key Communication PMI Deliverables

Deliverables

  1. A Plan for Managing External Communications / Press Releases Related to the Merger
  2. A Plan for Managing Internal Communications / Events Related to the Merger
  3. Communications to Ensure an Issue Free Day 1
  4. Communications for Managing the Successful Onboarding Orientation and Cultural Assimilation of Employees from Acquired Company
Merger Communications Plan: Announcement to Close

M&A Communications Plan: Announcement to Close

Communication Plan includes over 300 tasks from Announcement to Close for:

The Media

Analysts

Employees

Customers & Partners

Legislators
Merger Announcement Presentation

Merger Announcement Presentation

Includes slides on:

  • The Integrated Company
  • Merger Integration Planning
  • Merger Timeline
  • Opportunities for Employees …
Acquisition Announcement Template

Acquisition Announcement Template

The presentation template covers key points of the merger, the strategy behind the deal, overview of products, key customers, timeline, governance, and milestones.
M&A Communications Plan

M&A Communications Plan

Agenda

Objectives of Communication Plan
Core Messages
Communication Documents
External Communications
Plant-Level Communications Site HR Responsibility
Ongoing Communications
Organization Structure Announcement . . .
Mergers & Acquisitions Communications Plan

Mergers & Acquisitions Communications Plan

Objectives

  • Level-set on M&A integration communication best practices
  • Understand M&A integration communication approaches and progress-to-date
  • Define Charter and Operating Model for Communications Team
  • Define a set of integration communication Guiding Principles …
Top 10 Reasons Why More Employee Communication Is Necessary When Merging Companies

Top 10 Reasons Why More Employee Communication Is Necessary When Merging Companies

Acquisitions create an insatiable demand for communication and connection. Here are ten reasons why:

  1. More questions than answers.  Acquisitions create a lot of unknowns …

 
 
Global HR Integration Process

Global HR Integration Process

Agenda

Meeting Objectives
Communication Restrictions - EMEA
Translation Process
Distribution Process - EMEA & AP
Distribution Process - AP
Communication / Translation Process
HR Recommendations - Organization Structure
HR Recommendations  - Processes
Communication Plan Post-Integration

Communication Plan Post-Integration

Content

  • Objectives of Communication Plan
  • Communication Components
  • Strategic  Conversations
  • Communication Action Items
  • April Communication Calendar
  • May Communication Calendar
Mergers & Acquisitions Communications Team

Mergers & Acquisitions Communications Team

Chartering the Integration Communication Team
Purpose—To ensure we are all in agreement about the objectives of the team, we will document what we will deliver, how we will measure success, how we will communicate with other project teams, what our resource needs are, and possible barriers or constraints.
 
Acquisition Integration Communications Plan

Acquisition Integration Communications Plan

Content

  • Keys to Integration Success - Strategic Imperatives
  • Integration Communications - Strategic Implementation
  • Integration Communications - Approval Workflow
  • Communication Objectives
  • Communications Task Force
  • Message and Materials Development. . .

M&A Communication Best Practices

The 15 Most Common M&A Integration Communications Mistakes

The 15 Most Common M&A Integration Communications Mistakes

1. Shaving the truth

Protect your credibility by "telling it like it is," no matter how painful "it" may be ...
Ignore Social Media at Your Own Peril During M&A Integration

Ignore Social Media at Your Own Peril During Merger Integration

Communication problems have always ranked #1 on the list of generic problems during integration.  But they’ve hit a far higher threat level now because of today’s communication technology … 
Merger Communication Best Practices

Merger Communication Best Practices

27 Merger Communication Best Practices including:

  1. Manage expectations.
  2. Articulate the compelling business rationale.
  3. Be honest and candid.
  4. Over-communicate.
  5. Create opportunities for two-way communication...
Make A Sales Pitch for Your Acquisition but Point Out the Warning Label

Make A Sales Pitch for Your Acquisition but Point Out the Warning Label

An integration initially produces more problems than solutions.

This is the “it gets worse before it gets better” phenomenon. And it’s totally predictable ...
 
Merger Integration Communication Lessons Learned

Merger Integration Communication Lessons Learned

Key Findings: Misses

–Large (e.g., 500+ employee) town halls in Los  Angeles, Chicago, and Phoenix

–Recorded phone messages from CEO

–Several days with excessive communications and mixed messages from multiple sources
dos and donts in m&a communication

The Dos and Don'ts of M&A Communications

1. Don’t ad lib. Plan your talk carefully and follow your plan. As the senior executive in the parent company, you have little opportunity to make insignificant remarks. Practically  everything you say is taken seriously, studied for innuendo, or held up to the light for subtle implications. Even in routine conversation you need to be acutely aware of ...
Merger & Acquisition Announcements: 5 Things You Should Never Say

Merger & Acquisition Announcements: 5 Things You Should Never Say

The next time you see or read about a top executive announcing a merger/acquisition, pay close attention.  I’m betting the boss mismanages expectations by making at least one of these five common but wrong-headed remarks ...
Communication Guidelines for Acquirer During an M&A Integration

Communication Guidelines for Acquirer

Content

  • Communication Guidelines for Acquiree Interactions

  • General Guidelines for Answering Questions
  • General Guidelines for Addressing Difficult Audience Members
  • Know Your Audience
  • Visual Aids
  • Handouts

M&A Communication to Customers and Suppliers

M&A Customer Communications Playbook

Customer Communications M&A Playbook - $95 Million Acquisition

What is the purpose of this Playbook?
The 10-page playbook was developed to help customer-facing employees share accurate, timely, and consistent information with their customers about Acquirer’s acquisition of Acquired Co.

What are materials in this playbook?
The following documents are for internal use only. Do not distribute these materials to anyone outside the company:

  • Customer Key Messages
  • Customer Talking Points
  • FAQs: Customer Facing Employees
  • FAQs: Customers and Distributors. . .
Acquisition Letter to Customers

Acquisition Letter to Customers

Dear Customer,

Today, we announce exciting news: Company A has completed its acquisition of Company B. This combination creates an organization even better able to serve customers and compete in the global marketplace.

Our new name is Company AB and our company's website is now CompanyAB.com. The name change symbolizes our intention to broader our business platform and deliver more value to our customers.

We know our success is dependent on your success . . .
Acquisition Announcement to Suppliers and Answers to Supplier FAQs

Acquisition Announcement to Suppliers and Answers to Supplier FAQs

Content

Acquisition Announcement to Suppliers
Answers to Supplier FAQs

Excerpt from Supplier FAQs

  1.  What is the purpose for Global Procurement?
    To provide the largest volume opportunity for our supplier business partners.  We believe that with larger volumes the supply base’s manufacturing cost will be lower, thereby reducing our cost.
     
  2.  What are the short and long-term implications?
    Short Term ...
How to communicate mergers or acquisitions to your customers

How to Communicate Mergers or Acquisitions to Your Customers

Examples of M&A communications to customers from three different acquirers. 

Excerpt from first example:

T4 has recently announced its agreement to purchase OCN to become one of the foremost business service providers in North America. This provides our customers the opportunity to access an enhanced service portfolio over a larger geographic area.  T4 is and will remain committed to supporting our customers’ mission critical requirements ...