The Lumina PR Playbook | PR and M&A
Lumina Communications is a B2B public relations firm. We specialize in serving clients whose business is focused on advanced technology – cybersecurity, infrastructure, and digital devices. Last year we lost three of those clients. And we’re proud of it.
Each of those clients was acquired by a larger firm, on terms that simultaneously satisfied their employees, their investors, and their customers. That was no coincidence. We had worked with each of them, in some cases for a number of years, raising their profiles, showcasing their smarts, and explaining the value they bring to the marketplace as well as to the larger economy.
Helping our clients build equity, recognition, and stature is what we do. It is a task that involves astute uses of business and professional media. These include arranging on-air and online interviews with industry journalists, developing and placing bylined thought leadership pieces in influential publications, and working closely with editors of multiple news publications to spread information about important company developments.
In addition to attracting potential acquisition partners, the results of these efforts have included reaching new investors, recruiting new talent, forming new partnerships, influencing legislation, and securing leadership positions in trade, professional and legislative forums. Although Lumina is not a product or service marketing firm, the value we bring to our clients provides the perfect companion to their marketing, advertising, and promotional efforts.
How can your organization leverage an effective PR strategy to aid in M&A efforts? Here are things to consider when evaluating both your PR strategy and the capabilities of the firms you consider working with;
- Collaborating on the development of a strategy to secure investor interest.
- Developing positioning statements and targeted messaging to support them.
- Reaching out to various business-focused media, providing written content that differentiates the company, showcases its key personnel, explains its mission, and illustrates the significance of its products or services.
- Coaching and preparing executives for interviews with journalists, analysts, and influencers.
- Using social, trade, professional, and popular media to promote thought leadership regarding the industry and signal how the organization’s strengths and vision might fit with those of a potential acquirer.
- Providing event, conference, and trade show planning to reach targeted audiences in person with the company’s story.
- Explaining to staff the legal issues concerning what can and cannot be said about a pending acquisition to business partners or customers.
- Developing communication strategies for employees that reinforce the company’s own messaging without violating government or industry regulations.
- Working with clients to apply for and secure industry awards, particularly in markets where analyst coverage is weak.
- Targeting case studies toward large customers of prospective suitors so that a potential buyer can see the fit of an acquisition.
- Identifying reporters and editors whose beats and publications should cover the deal and arming them with the appropriate messages, facts, and access.
- Publicity making clear why the deal promises to be good for the overall market, particularly at this time.
- Providing analysts and influencers with the time and information they need to formulate a position on the transaction that they can share with their audiences.
- Monitoring and responding to news reports of the deal over an extended period.
Once a transaction has been consummated, the work does not end; we are often asked to aid in the positioning of the merged organization to the broader industry following an acquisition. This skillset – amplifying the “1+1=3” mindset of the combined entity is something that shouldn’t be overlooked in the process.
If your organization has questions about how best to leverage a PR and media strategy for M&A outcomes, get in touch with us. We have the experience you require.