Playbook · Signal motion
Competitor M&A: the 'orphaned customer' play
When a competitor gets acquired, their customers become orphans. The 90-day window where vendor relationships re-open, support quality drops, and replacement decisions become rational. The exact framing that works without trashing the acquirer.
01The signal
Summary
When a competitor gets acquired, their customers become orphans. The 90-day window where vendor relationships re-open, support quality drops, and replacement decisions become rational. The exact framing that works without trashing the acquirer.
02Cadence
The step-by-step rhythm we use to run this play. Skipping steps usually loses more than it saves — the asymmetric spacing is part of why it works.
Day 14
email
Acknowledge the acquisition + ask the real question (will the integration affect your use case?)
Day 28
linkedin
Share useful M&A-impact analysis content
Day 45
email
Offer specific switching framework if they're concerned
Day 75
email
Final check-in + clean exit
03Expected outcome
Outcome: 13-19% reply rate among confirmed orphaned customers.
Success metric: Switch evaluation conversation scheduled.
04Anti-patterns · do not run this when
- Do not trash the acquirer — looks petty
- Do not pitch product as superior — pitch process (less risk)
- Do not assume the customer is unhappy — verify before pitching
Playbook entry · ships as-of {date('M Y')}. Operator-written, no theory inflation. If you've run this play and the numbers don't match yours — or the rhythm needs a tweak — write to [email protected] and we'll revise.
Signal-anchored outbound, no theater
Run this play on every account in your CRM.
Connect a CRM. Mama detects the trigger, scores the fit, and drafts the first message in the rhythm above. Free up to 100 accounts. No card.