A tired old PR cliché that I’ve seen repeated over and over again is “nature abhors a vacuum.”
Applied to public relations—especially crisis management—this unscientific factoid is supposed to mean “get your message out there immediately, because if you don’t, someone else will fill the void with misinformation and speculation.”
My response to that is, “And?”
“Nature abhors a vacuum” is not even accurate science. It’s just a cliché. But this post isn’t a physical science lesson, so Google it.
It’s not wise to send your PR team into a frenzy, scrambling to prematurely issue weak or misinformed talking points because you’re afraid of the big, bad vacuum.
The situation may be developing, and sometimes it’s better to hold off.
If you receive a media call, say, “We’re monitoring the situation, but we don’t have all the facts yet.”
By rushing to issue a statement, you may just be fanning the flames to a fire that would have otherwise died down on its own.
Or you may be feeding the false narrative. Then you end up having to backtrack, and you look foolish.
Or you may inadvertently highlight something that you wish had gone unnoticed.
Or, worse, your hasty words or actions could undermine your company’s legal strategy.
So don’t get sucked in. “Nature abhors a vacuum” doesn’t necessarily apply in crisis communications. It’s not even a law in the physical world.
Use the same common sense that you use in your own daily life. When you rush, you forget things. Or you drop things. Or you break things.
Be strategic. Be deliberate. Act wisely. Respond at the right time and on your own terms.
Whether you’re launching a clean energy project, preparing for a press conference, or simply need sharper messaging that gets noticed, let’s connect and talk about how I can help!