Know-How Exchange : Strategy

Get everything ready to go, but do not release anything until the deal has closed. Being concerned about the "very small chance" is valid. In the final moments, that very small item can become a deal breaker. I've seen it happen too many times.

There is no reason you can't talk to where you want to get print ad spots, explain there is something "up and coming" and you need the to work with you.

Kathy,

I can't answer your question in isolation without understanding your complete marketing strategy with respect to the merger. So, I first will describe the elements that I would plan for this and then answer your specific question in this context.

The merger, first of all, is "news." So, press releases immedicately should go out when the merger is complete. Press releases are independent of trade shows, ads, etc, with respect to timing.

In conjunction with the press releases, letters to your employees of each company, customers ofeach, channel partners with each (distributors and reps), and suppliers for each. These letters should customized to each group and provide the company line on the merger - like advantages to them, changes that might be expected, how to handle issues, etc. FAQ's should be provided with some customized questions for each group too.

Phone calls and personal meetings for major customers for each company are warranted - as well as major channel partners too. All employee meetings should be choreographed and held. Individual meetings for managers and staffs added to the mix - and choreographed.

Going forward, ads strategies should be created to deliver the message of the changes to the brand strategy. These ads work in series to move you from two companies with different brands to a unified brand. Early on, this is the prime strategy for ads - communicating the new brand. Later, product ads can resume with combined products. Some of the present product ads can be kept going with just a few changes. And in print media like trade journals, white papers can continue to be written and as the merger happens, white papers combining products/technologies of both companies can be written. These will be much more effective for getting your product message out than product ads anyway.

Changes to letter head and business cards should be comprehended. Decisions on moving immediately to one brand or the other or a new combined brand should have thoughts in them with respect to a transition - does this happen all at once or over time. Obviously, you don't want to lose whatever brand equity you have in either brand - I'd recommend a transition plan versus an "overnight" plan and clearly keeping them separate will miss out on synergies between the two companies.

The present marketing plan needs to be kept going until the trigger is pulled on the merger so you need a second one - or a third, fourth, and fifth one, which would comprehend the timing of the merger - as needed.

So given this background, to address your question:

For press releases, you can put those out immediately when it happens. For print ads for the trade shows, you can have a "backup" strategy for the ads in case it doesn't happen. If it happens before the show, have an alternate strategy for the show to have an "event" outside the trade show. Rent a room somewhere near the show and give out invitations to have people come to hear more about the merger. Have a defined guest list of customers you want to definitely reach and invite them to "private" meetings with your executives to discuss the merger in detail and what it means to them. These activities can be done whether you have print ads or not - they are good strategies for trade shows.

If you are doing a merger later than the show, then you STILL need to get word out immediately concerning the merger - before early/mid January. At least with press releases. Unless you are going to keep the merger a secret that long. If you don't get word out, then you let your customers control the position of this occurrance. And your competitors will help that. You want to control this. And news of something weeks gone by is not really news and you waste the opportunity to create buzz.

For ads, if you utilize a strategy similar to the above, then you can start putting your ads out immediately. Even in the winter months, people read ads. Utilize the time to get your brand message out versus product ads.

I hope this helps.

Wayde

In the high tech business, as soon as an agreement is signed, it's announced via a press release. Additionally, why don't you check some recent mergers within your industry or related industries to see when they announce a merger.