Cost synergies are easy in M&A deals. Growth takes marketing
Cost synergies made easy in M&A deals
Most M&A playbooks start with the same moves: cut costs, consolidate systems, restructure teams.
And while those levers matter; they’re finite. The real value of a deal comes from what happens next: holding onto customers, aligning people, protecting the brand, and finding new ways to grow.
That’s where marketing delivers. And it’s why mid-sized firms need Marketing at the table early.
Marketing is more than messaging. It’s how the change is experienced
In most deals, the people driving integration come from finance, ops, or legal. Marketing is treated as a comms function. A bolt-on for launch day.
But marketing has a far broader remit—and when brought in early, it helps:
- Retain key customers through clear, consistent communication and experiences
- Keep staff informed, engaged, and aligned on priorities
- Align external brand messaging with what’s actually changing internally
- Protect revenue through proactive onboarding, retention comms, and value reassurance
- Create real-time visibility into how customers and the market are responding
It’s not spin. It’s structure. Marketing creates the continuity that holds the strategy together.
Growth synergies aren’t automatic. They’re earned
Cost savings can be realised on paper. But growth synergies? Those come from understanding the customer, aligning your teams, and reintroducing the business to the market in a clear, coordinated way.
That requires marketing leadership. Someone who understands the brand, the platforms, the messaging, and the commercial reality—and can bring it together at speed.
Marketing is changing fast. And some deal teams aren’t keeping up
AI, automation, digital search, and content strategy aren’t just “tools”, they’re reshaping how customers engage and how businesses grow.
If marketing is brought in too late – or worse, not at al – those early gaps don’t just slow the transition. They weaken the value behind the deal.
Where it makes the difference
The most successful deals protect value early—and give marketing a real seat at the table. Not to run the show, but to help make the strategy real for customers, teams, and the market.
Because cost is easy. Growth takes more than a model—it takes execution.
Looking for more depth? Read the full version here for practical examples and how to apply it across your next deal.
