Chapter 5
Announcing Transitions to the Public
“Change is inevitable—except from a vending machine.”
—Robert C. Gallagher
Some transitions result from natural evolution, others from economic, customer, and employee needs. Transition may be difficult, but it’s also necessary in order for a business to grow and thrive. Whatever the transition, even positive change causes ripples. Announcements should always be crafted with care. Even changes that will ultimately be positive and appreciated by most will be met with resistance. People don’t always take easily to change, and sometimes people don’t know what they want until they’re exposed to something unknown that makes them say, “They should have done this years ago!”
Perfect Announcement Mindsets
Renovation and expansion are usually great news. If your renovation is planned as a result of structural or other negative issues, look on the bright side—you’re updating and beautifying, even if it wasn’t in the plan (or the budget). You won’t draw people in out of excitement (or even interest or pity) by telling them that your air conditioning system leaked and ruined your paint and carpet, but customers will be happy to hear you’re making positive changes, and they may drop in to see your new look. Present information from a positive perspective.
Relocation may be because business is good or it isn’t; however, announcing the move as positive keeps the buzz positive.
Always thank customers or clients for their business and for their patience.
Stress all of the positive attributes of the renovation so customers will feel it’s worth the wait and inconvenience.
When expanding or relocating, if staff is remaining, say so. Customers like consistency when the product or service is good.
Let people know when you expect to be cleaned up or up and running.
Consider your neighbors. Will construction noise and activity affect nearby businesses? Alert them. Offer a “nice neighbor” gift of cookies or fruit.
“Please forgive our dust! We’re renovating and beautifying to serve you better! We thank you for your business and your patience during this time.”
“Please excuse the inconvenience during our partial facelift. Renovations will be complete by March 1.”
“Metro Pub regrets the inconvenience to our customers of our temporary closing. We will reopen on July 1 with a new look and the same great food and caring service.”
“Thanks to your generous contributions, the foundation will be renovating the meeting rooms and the daycare center. We appreciate your patience during our construction. The new meeting rooms and daycare center will open with a celebration event October 11.”
“We’ve taken a good look at our stores and, frankly, we think they’re ready for an update. We’re closed for temporary upgrades as we lighten up our look. Come visit our newly, brightly, happily renewed stores when they reopen on August 1!”
“We appreciate you, our neighbor, putting up with the inconvenience and noise our facelift is causing. Please accept this basket as a peace offering until the quiet you deserve is restored.”
“Pardon our appearance. Please take another look in two weeks. You’ll like what you see!”
“During our extensive renovations, Highway Diner will close one section at a time so our customers won’t have to miss out on our great food and service. We look forward to continuing to serve you.”
Closing / Moving / Adding Locations
Perfect Announcement Mindsets
Closing a location is difficult for your employees, your customers, and your community.
When closing a location, don’t just go quietly into the night. Thank your community and customers.
Thanking the town and the customers helps those who’ve worked with you feel that their business was appreciated and that you valued being a part of the community.
All change affects many people in a ripple that reaches beyond what most of us anticipate. Think of the relationships that you’ve built and that your staff has built on your behalf.
If you’re closing your physical location and moving exclusively to an online storefront or presence, focus on the positive. Even if your reasons are financial, you and your customers will find numerous benefits from the change. Focus on those.
Sometimes the relocation is not too far for existing customers or clients to follow. If you’re moving to a new physical location that still would be a potentially feasible distance for your existing customers, promote the new location. Give people a reason to go out of their way to visit.
When you know that your customer or client base can’t physically follow to visit your new location, market via the Internet. Announce your Internet presence loudly and clearly.
Adding a location is always cause for celebration and not only deserves a big announcement but also promotions that will help you spread the word.
When relocating, announce not only the move and the new features your move will allow, but also think about draws of your new location such as a museum, a zoo, a concert hall, or complementary businesses.
Stress the ease of travel to your new location.
Phrases
“We’re blowing the doors—and the walls, too—off your shopping experience! We’re changing our location to an online-only storefront, so your shopping experience will be more convenient than ever! No more store hours, no more traffic, no more warehouse limitations. Visit us online today!”
“Paper and Pen is closing its U.S. stores, but don’t write us off! We’ve made a lot of friends here and appreciate your gracious hospitality during our 35 years in these outstanding communities. We hope to see you in our online store and in the Paper and Pen Pals forum. Sincerely, Morgan Terry, Paper and Pen President, and our entire Paper and Pen team.”
“Thank you, Westfield, for your years of patronage. We enjoyed meeting you, greeting you, and serving you. We will miss our friends and the warmth and charm of this colonial town, but hope that you will visit us at our new Manhattan location.”
“We regret any inconvenience the closing of our Springfield store will cause our loyal customers. We will still be available to serve you online and in our central Plainfield location.”
“You’ll love our new location! Come see us in the beautiful heart of downtown Seattle.”
“A Parting Gift for Local Shoppers: Buy any item at our store closing sale and receive a discount card to use at our other five stores!”
“Jeff Haimes, director of stores for the Gottit chain, announced that Gottit will close four of its fifteen outlets during the next six months. Visit our website at http://gottitstoresonline.com for store locations, closing dates, and sales.”
“Our new location sits just outside the downtown area, adjacent to a beautiful park with free Friday night concerts.”
“Our new office is just minutes from the Interstate.”
“If you cannot follow us to Atlanta, please visit our website, http://emoryproducts.com. All the products that you’ve come to love are just a click away.”
“It is with gratitude to our growing customer base that HH Porter announces a second location on Mill Road in Berry Township.”
“Our new spa is a little way out of town, but you’ll find the spacious rooms and peaceful setting well worth the drive. After your massage, relax under a graceful canopy of trees, walk the path through the bamboo gardens, and enjoy stepping out of the daily grind and into absolute serenity!”
“We’re moving our wellness centers to serve you better. Visit us at our new location in beautiful Savannah, Georgia. All the benefits you’ve loved—and now with some new old-fashioned Southern hospitality!”
“Visit our new location, right by the beautiful San Antonio Botanical Garden!”
“Rick Moll, president and chief operating officer of Diad Corporation, a landmark in New Jersey since the early 1980s, announces that the company is relocating to North Carolina. Diad’s 300 employees have the option of remaining with the company and moving or taking one of several severance options offered.”
“Though our business will no longer be here, many of us will be to continue to patronize the fine restaurants and shops we’ve come to love.”
“We thank you for 35 years of business, friendships, and local hospitality. We wish you well and will miss you all, but retirement and the ocean call. Our best to you always, Judith and Jack Jones, Jones Travel.”
Perfect Announcement Mindsets
Changes in leadership affect company image, employee morale, stockholder confidence, and customer perception.
New management may result from natural or positive events such as retirements, executives moving to different opportunities within or beyond the company, or a merger or acquisition.
New management can result from internal or personal scandal or unethical behavior. In these cases, announcements of new management must be handled very delicately.
Any change challenges the status quo and leads to some discomfort. Communicating the new management’s qualifications and goals helps assuage concerns.
Thanking the retiring or leaving management for a job well done and citing accomplishments shows a spirit of smooth transition.
Visibility of and direct communication by new management not only can lead to comfortable acceptance of but even enthusiasm for the change.
Phrases
“With this seamless change in leadership, LP Money Management Consulting continues providing advice that counts for countless clients.”
“We welcome Warren to this challenging role. Although he is new to YM, his experience and success in running complementary businesses is well known.”
“We are excited to face the future and a new direction under the leadership of Riz Rasheed.”
“Without Warren Berg’s steady hand at the helm during the past half century, Arbis Corp. would not have become the industry leader it is today.”
“Maria Esteban has worked closely with Will Manning for more than a decade. We welcome her as Senior Vice President of Marketing.”
“Montoro Corporation is pleased to announce the promotion of Jose Romano to Senior Vice President of Research and Development. Jose replaces Elise Morgan, who was recently promoted to Executive Director.”
“Myles White, president and chief executive officer of Metro Bank, will take the helm of Metro/Wynan, the entity resulting from the merger between Metro and Wynan Banks.”
“Manny Alegro, store manager for Wyco Co. in Smithtown, has been promoted to regional manager for Wyco Co. Northeast, serving New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont.”
“InvestCo announces its new president, Roberta Fisk. Fisk says she is thankful for the continued confidence stockholders and clients have shown, even as InvestCo has weathered some difficult times. Investors welcome Fisk, who is well known for reenergizing companies and finding new directions for renewed image and income.”
Perfect Announcement Mindsets
When announcing a new partner, state the partner’s background and qualifications.
Consider who should know about new partners and how soon they should know.
People are more comfortable with change that they can anticipate.
Give people some way to find out about who this new person is, as he or she now has a significant voice in the company or firm. (The same is true for announcements of new management.)
Phrases
“Stafford Corporation is pleased to announce that John Bingham has been promoted to partner. Many of you already know John from working with him in our Seattle office or through the ‘Tech Notes’ blog he’s been writing for us. If you don’t know John, visit his blog or the discussion boards and say hello.”
“Link and Thomas announces the promotion of Rod Harris to senior partner. Rod has been with the firm for 20 years, specializing in family law. To meet and learn about Rod, join us for a congratulatory dinner in his honor October 12 at 7:00 P.M. (Find event details and Rod’s bio on the website.)”
“We’re proud to announce that Beth Cooperson, head of the litigation division for the past three years, is now a senior partner. Through her contacts, insights, and innovative ideas, she has been a leading force in our recent change of focus. We are excited to officially welcome her to the partners’ table.”
“Bob Weller, managing partner of Weller, LLC, announced the promotion of Betsy Stanford to senior partner.”
“Merrill and Company announced that Laura Smith has joined the accounting firm as a junior partner. Congratulations, Laura!”
“Reid Conway, president of GIVMI, announced that longtime competitor Harry Myles will join the firm as partner. Myles has specialized in product liability litigation for the past 10 years, earning the respect of both colleagues and adversaries.”
“Jake Somers joins Britton & Fineman as managing partner, a new position for this firm that has grown exponentially during the past year.”
Perfect Announcement Mindsets
Communicate anticipated problems and planned solutions.
Sometimes combining forces helps your company grow—or stay afloat.
Communication is your best weapon against unfounded rumors.
Communicate why you are merging, acquiring, or being acquired.
Communicate the benefits of the merger or acquisition to shareholders, employees, customers, and other stakeholders.
When you partner with a complementary product or service provider, make sure that you’re in agreement about when and how announcements will be made.
Always be positive about your new partner!
Phrases
“During these rapidly changing times, HLH has decided that we and our customers would be best served by combining our resources with NKH.”
“Through our seamless merger with MD, customers and shareholders will benefit.”
“Arrow Corporation announces its merger with Litro. Allan Young of Litro assumes the CEO position of Arrow Litro, and Margaret Daly of Arrow is the new entity’s president.”
“In a bold restructuring move, the principals of Amro Consulting have dissolved that LLC and created a new entity, Viron.”
“In order to better meet market needs during a changing economic climate, two leading architectural firms, Vision Designs and Horizon Lines Architecture, have merged, creating New Horizons Architecture.”
“Alan Smith, president of Biltmore Investing, announced a strategic alliance with Holland Annuities. The two companies, working in concert to meet clients’ needs, now offer a dramatically expanded array of products for existing and new customers.”
“Olson Furniture announced a joint venture with County/City Decorating that brings a new level of service at a remarkably low price.”
“In order to enhance our customer offerings, Macro has joined with Micro to expand the availability to customers of help technicians and designers.”
“The merger of IH Consulting and WM Training offers clients of both realms a broader range of services, including integrated options. Training/Consulting News enthusiastically welcomed WHIM Training to the landscape.”