How Middle Market M&A Firms can Adapt Marketing and Communications Strategies as the COVID-19 Pandemic Unfolds
Part 1:
The Trust-Building Power of
Thought Leadership Content
As COVID-19 impacts every corner of our society, middle-market businesses and M&A professionals are bracing for its near and long-term economic impacts. Our clients and contacts within the industry are keeping a watchful eye on how the spread of the virus unfolds over the next several weeks as additional containment measures are enacted.
The significant disruption in commerce, markets, travel and day-to-day activities presents a big question mark for dealmakers as we head into Q2 and the remainder of the year.
While we’re all doing our part in social distancing, we encourage you to consider the importance of your marketing and communications strategy and activity within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. What you do and say now could have lasting positive effects once economic activity normalizes.
This piece is the first in a series focused on how firms can adjust marketing and communications strategies in the time of COVID-19. In the next iterations, we’ll cover how you can use this period of disruption in business development activity to focus on strengthening your firm’s brand strategy. Then we’ll discuss how to overlay all of these activities onto a data-rich, efficiency-enabling marketing tech stack. In this piece, part one, we’ll focus on the power of creating content.
Creating a Cadence of Relevant Thought Leadership Content
We all know this pandemic has already impacted the middle market, but how we prepare for additional change and react to the new normal is key. Each industry, and even each sub-vertical, is facing unique challenges that will play out in the weeks and months to come.
Thought leadership content, when done right, can establish trust, shift minds and inspire action. Sharing the insights that only your team can provide in a concise, memorable way will further establish trust with your target audience.
As a subject matter expert in your industry and sub-vertical, now is the time to consider how you and your colleagues can share your insights to help in this period of uncertainty. Everyone is looking for answers, and while none of us know definitively how things will shake out in particular industries, we all have unique perspectives and evolving experiences that our networks would be interested to hear.
Try not to let the gravity of the situation stop you from sharing your thoughts. Just talking about what you and your colleagues are experiencing and hearing in a sincere, thoughtful manner can add a lot of value for your audience.
Sharing your insights opens the door for others to reach out and do the same. This is how we can come together when we can’t actually shake hands and speak face-to-face.
Collaboration That Enables Content Generation
We understand that activating a content marketing strategy is easier said than done—when you’re trying to go it alone. Sitting down to write, especially during this intense time, might seem like the last item on your to-do list. It’s highly likely you have a portco fire drill or client call that is taking precedence.
We’ve specifically designed our content creation process for busy bankers and PE professionals who can’t divert their attention for very long, even under normal circumstances.
The MiddleM Creative team is working with our clients to package their unique insights and share them with their networks as soon as possible, while the relevant topics will resonate most with readers.
How Our Clients Share Thought Leadership: The MiddleM Creative Writing Process
This process is simple, but the key to enabling this elegant workflow is our deep understanding of Middle-Market M&A. Our expertise gives our client content generation a “head start” in nailing the appropriate tone and respecting industry nuances. This typically leads to a shortened writing and editing process with a more suitable end product.
We’re in This Together
If you find yourself with the time and energy to take on some content generation efforts on your own, feel free to send us your draft for review. We’ll offer gratis editing and advice during this time because we believe it is important for our colleagues in the middle-market M&A industry to communicate quickly and effectively amid this period of uncertainty.
Our goal is to facilitate the dialogues that will ease anxieties, spread good information and create constructive action.