Avoid the guessing game

Guessing games are fine for parties. They're not so good when it comes to dealing with the media.

And yet, the media are often forced to guess when companies and organizations remain tight lipped during a crisis. We understand the need to be prudent with what can be said for legal reasons. 

But saying too little can be a real problem, as well. When reporters don't get answers from the main source, they'll go elsewhere for answers. 

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Related: PR lessons at 30,000 feet

The media abhor a vacuum. Don't make them guess.

That means listening to rumors, speculation, disgruntled employees or competitors. That can make it much more difficult for you to explain what's really happening and what the public needs to know about the situation.

Unfortunately, social media can make this even worse. It doesn't take much for incorrect information to spread in the Twitter sphere. It's another reason social media monitoring plays a bigger role during any crisis response.

The media abhor a vacuum. Don't make them guess or they'll look for answers anywhere they can find them.

Mack Communications