You’re in a crisis. The brand reputation you and others in the organization have spent years building is under immediate threat, and you’re now in the hot zone. On one side of this pressure sandwich, you’re trying to gather pertinent facts, assemble your response team, limit or fix the problem, and right the wayward ship before the situation causes irreparable damage. On the other side, you’re being hounded by media, customers and other stakeholders who are piecing together their version of the story and passing judgment on what happened.  
 
The inquiries are coming in from all over – broadcast, print, online and social – but you’re not sure what you should say, and you don’t want to make the situation worse by saying something that might add more exposure to an already volatile situation.
 
That’s when it happens – “no comment.” Doh!
 
While not providing media comment may be in line with your legal strategy, it will usher in a wave of speculation, deeper probing and new, unforeseen storylines that will cause more trouble than you ever intended.
 
Why? Public safety and welfare will always trump corporate reputation. When a situation causes you to retreat from the public, you are sending a message that you are hiding something and media will look to find it – whether or not a smoking gun exists. In cases of intense news interest, media have an obligation to inform the public, and they will report what they know – sometimes including rumors or only one side of a story.
 
All the while your brand is taking hit after hit and making any recovery much more costly and time-consuming, if even possible.
 
Instead of saying “no comment,” try one of these alternatives, which are designed to allay concerns while you gather the facts necessary for a broader statement.
 
1.We’re looking into the situation and I will provide you with an update when more information is available.
2.At this point, we are urgently trying to gather information about what happened. I will inform you of new developments as soon as possible.
3.We are aware of this situation and doing everything we can to help those involved determine the facts. I will provide further information shortly.
 
Congratulations, you were able to gain some extra time without being overly evasive, but additional facts can help media and others better understand your position. Here are some examples.
 
1.The safety of the public and our employees is our number one priority.
2. No injuries or deaths have been reported at this time.
3.We take our responsibility of providing safe and reliable service/products very seriously.
4. We are cooperating fully with [ABC department(s)] to get all the facts.
5.Normal operations will continue while we conduct a thorough investigation.
 
Of course, no template statement is going to solve all your problems, but there is always something more effective than saying “no comment” in a crisis.
 
For more handy tips about managing a crisis, Fineman PR, one of the top PR firms in San Francisco, posted a crisis checklist online that’s very helpful at www.finemanpr.com/crisis-checklist.