Crisis Communications Top Tips

Avoiding Communications Mistakes

Top Ten Tips for the Savvy Communicator

• First do no harm. Your words have consequences—be sure they’re the right ones.
• Don’t babble. Know what you want to say. Say it . . . then say it again.
• If you don’t know what you’re talking about, stop talking.
• Focus more on informing people than impressing them. Use everyday language.
• Never say anything you are not willing to see printed on tomorrow’s front page.
• Never lie. You won’t get away with it.
• Don’t make promises you can’t keep.
• Don’t use “No Comment.” You’ll look like you have something to hide.
• Don’t get angry. When you argue with the media, you always lose . . . and lose publicly.
• Don’t speculate, guess, or assume. When you don’t know something, say so.