PR
Announcing one of property’s biggest acquisitions
Our long-term property client, Manning Stainton, recently acquired leading Lancashire-based estate agents, Ryder & Dutton and Mortimers, and asked us to announce the milestone acquisition to the media.
The purchase has created one of the largest independently-owned estate agency groups in the North of England – a powerhouse property with over 40 branches and a combined turnover approaching £25 million.
It has also resulted in the birth of a new umbrella company, Northern Estate Agencies Group, under which Manning Stainton, Ryder & Dutton & Mortimers will sit, so it was a huge story that needed to communicate a lot of key messages.
- Comms strategy
- Regional and trade media relations
We worked with Manning Stainton’s senior management team to develop a robust communications plan that would effectively and sensitively announce the deal.
It was really important that employees of all the companies involved felt confident that it was a positive step for them and their careers, so all communications were designed to be as open and clear as possible, with all staff being made aware of the acquisition before it was announced to the media.
Once the internal communications had been delivered, it was time to announce the deal to the media. We created two releases that were tailored to the areas each brand operates in – a Yorkshire version for Manning Stainton, and a Lancashire version for Ryder & Dutton and Mortimers. Consumer-focused pieces were also uploaded to each of the estate agency brand’s websites.
We commissioned bespoke photography to accompany the stories, and issued to a targeted list of key regional business and property media contacts.
- The story went down a storm, and within a day of releasing the announcement we had secured over 15 pieces of coverage in key titles, including The Yorkshire Post, Lancashire Telegraph, Businessdesk.com, Lancashire Business View, Property Industry Eye, Estate Agent Today and The Negotiator.
- An expertly executed campaign, with excellent results, and one that secured our remit to deliver ongoing PR for the new, bigger company. Watch this space.