There are many reasons acquisitions do not live up to their potential. A core reason is poor communication inside and outside of an organization. You cannot afford not to have a well-executed plan if you are going to get the maximum value from the company you bought.
Our team at Slice has worked with many acquisitions over the years. We’ve even been through one ourselves. That gives us a unique point-of-view that drives the work we do with companies growing through acquisition.
We believe in keeping the good and repeating it often. Adults learn through repetition, and new research shows that they need to hear or see something 11-13 times before they really consume it. We create plans that communicate across channels – social media, PR, email marketing – so that all audiences receive messages in a way that works for them.
Successful post-acquisition messaging starts with WIFM – what’s in it for me – addressing the concerns, fears, and questions of employees, customers, and the community. We push our clients to put themselves in other people’s shoes so that messages are delivered with empathy and consistency.
Post-acquisition communications must always be two-way so that affected parties have opportunities to ask questions. They must also be long-term and responsive since things often don’t go exactly as planned.