Why Silence is not a Strategy in Crisis PR

‘Let’s just say nothing for now.’

Picture this: A potentially damaging story has unexpectedly broken, and panic has set in. You have no prepared response, and your inbox is inundated with press requests and your colleagues are being contacted directly via social media, writes Sarah Blackburn, Founder of GameOn.

Closing ranks and not responding can often feel like the sensible decision. To sit back, wait for the story to pass, and to operate with caution. 

If there is one thing I have learned from my years in iGaming, though, it’s that silence is never the cautious approach.  In an industry where trust is your most valuable currency and the microscope is constantly on, the old cliche that silence speaks louder than words rarely rings truer. 

Leaving a Vacuum

When people choose silence, it is, more often than not, because they believe the story will go away. The news cycle moves quickly; that is true, but reputational damage can be done much quicker and recovering from that can be extremely difficult.

What actually happens when a company goes quiet during a crisis is that it creates a vacuum, and vacuums on the internet do not stay empty for long. 

Journalists and competitors will be more than happy to fill that space. Quotes from anonymous sources start appearing, competitors have something to say, and the narrative is no longer yours to control; in many instances, it is also flat-out wrong. 

Players, competitors, industry insiders- everyone begins to have their own version and opinion on an event. If you choose to react after this, your response will appear exactly that – reactive and defensive. ‘There is no smoke without fire’ is often the first thing you will hear when you find yourself having to fight off a narrative that you have no control over. 

In iGaming, this can be especially damaging. Regulations are so tight, and scrutiny is so intense, that if you do not take control of a fire early, it will spread rapidly and can burn your business to the ground. 

First Steps

Of course, this regulatory scrutiny is often the reason many choose to go silent, and it is understandable. Legal counsel will always exercise caution, especially if the crisis stems from a regulatory issue. 

However, a quick holding statement, one that acknowledges you are aware of the situation and that you will issue a response in due time, is often enough whilst you decide on next steps. This is far from a concession, either. It is you acknowledging that there is an issue, and that you are taking a minute to respond. Even if this only buys you a brief window of time, it prevents the vacuum that is very quickly created by silence. 

So, how should you respond? Effective crisis management is not always about rushing out a statement. It is about having a plan in place for such eventualities and a well-organised team that can coordinate a response in a timely manner. 

After putting out your initial holding statement, the best thing to do, if possible, is to commit to a timeline of further explanation. Let people know the problem is being addressed and that you will resolve it. 

This simple approach, while far from solving the crisis, is a signal that you have the situation under control and providing you do not leave it too long, stops rumours filling the space you are leaving. 

We would also recommend having a crisis plan in place – an ‘in an emergency, break glass’ handbook, if you will. This can be accessible company-wide and show how everyone how they should respond if approached and let them know the protocol that is being followed. 

The Reality of a Crisis

Here’s the honest truth that a lot of companies don’t want to hear: that story is going to be told – the genie is out of the bottle, and burying your hand in the sand will not put it back in. Whether you want the problem to go away is irrelevant, and staying quiet will not fix this. The question you need to be asking is whether you want to control that story or whether you want to let someone else tell it for you. 

Working with an experienced PR team like ours at GameOn can help you take control of the narrative and to find the best way to control a crisis. Keeping your PR team informed every step of the way will also help you avoid nasty surprises and ensure appropriate strategies are in place during a crisis. 

When you work in an industry as scrutinised as ours, crisis management is something you should always be ready for. Sitting back and staying silent should never be your strategy.

Sarah Blackburn, Founder, GameOn