With some of the latest industry merger attempts bringing outtensions among members, senior management and boards, BeyondMarketing LLC is hoping to provide some proactive relief.

The Lenexa, Kan.-based CUSO is prepping to launch a direct mailpacket that aims to help credit unions prepare a schedule on whenand what to communicate if a merger is in the works.

Some of the communiqué includes items such as when to notifymembers of the voting process, recommendations regarding vendorrelationships, relaying how a merger will impact employees andoperations and putting together press releases for mediaoutlets.

Credit unions will have access to the Do it Yourself Package,which contains a guide plan, editable timeline/schedule, multiplemember, staff, industry/local, and vendor communications templates.The Do it for Myself Package comes with custom consulting,copywriting and layout, and can include all printing, mailing, andemailing needs.

“From the member's standpoint, we're concerned about retention.Credit unions have their reputation on the line,” said Larry Hayes, president/CEO of CU Holding Co., also in Lenexa,that manages the strategic direction of Beyond Marketing as well as XtraCash LLC, TruHome Solutions, TruHome Title Solutions, Cooperative Payroll Solutions LLC, andMEMBERS Development Co.

CU Holding is a wholly owned subsidiary of the $475 millionMazuma Credit Union in Kansas City, Mo.

One of the goals is to come up with the best ways to address anyconcerns members may have about the new structure, Hayes said.

“We don't want credit unions to lose members to banks,” saidCurtis Hays, director of strategy at Beyond Marketing. “The focuswill be on the success of the credit union and itssustainability.”

While the industry has many firms that help credit unionsnavigate through the legal, financial and operational aspects of amerger, Beyond Marketing said its new offering will focus just onthe communications. Hayes said the packet is scheduled to debutover the next few weeks.

Some of the questions that may arise in pre-merger talks arewhat will happen to respective departments, will the survivingmembers have full access to products and services and will vendorrelationships change, Hays said.

One area that Beyond Marketing will not delve into ispotentially contentious issues such as if membersdo not want the merger and have taken actions to stop it, Hayessaid, adding most credit unions choose to have town hall meeting to talk about such concerns.

“We're seen more mergers over the last five years. The reasonwe're trying to help with mergers is so that members don't have togo elsewhere,” Hayes reiterated.