"NO COMMENT" - NO WAY!
For those who understand the value and the power of the media, “no comment’ is never an acceptable response. In fact, in most cases, it is the audio equivalent of getting your company logo, smearing it in mud and placing it in Federation Square for all to see.
Why is “no comment” a ‘no no’? – because nobody actually hears you say it. If asked in a TV interview, “When did you company know that its products had been tampered with, and what was the first thing you did about it” – a reply of “no comment” automatically translates into: “we didn’t find out soon enough and, when we were aware, we didn’t really do what we should have done”. This reply is automatically formulated in people’s subconscious whether it’s anywhere near the truth or not. And it’s not just the general public that becomes skeptical, but also the media – and a skeptical journalist see’s “no comment” as a big red waving flag saying ‘hello, look over here, dig deeper and don’t stop until you find something!’. If you’re lucky enough to have a journalist contact you and ask for comment on an industry issue, and you respond with “no comment” you are essentially saying to them, “we don’t take these issues seriously and we don’t take the media seriously” and you’d be lucky to get anything but a cold shoulder from the journalist in the future.
Even moments of conflict and crisis are opportunities to reinforce your business’ main messages, and continue to act in the responsible and credible manner that your business is (hopefully!) known for in less turbulent times. This comes down to knowing your main, core messages and calmly reinforcing them at every opportunity. If you can do this, then a crisis or conflict merely becomes another opportunity to spread your message.
So question: “Has the employee been formally arrested?” could be met with the response: “Unfortunately, that is a question you will need to run by the relevant authorities” ….followed by a positive reinforcement about how the business is internally handling the situation etc.
With a solid understanding of your messages, and sound media training, your business spokesperson can make the most of any situation.
