Delivering Bad News Incorrectly Can Make It Worse, Says Expert

Online, May 27, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Plainfield, Indiana - Businesses that worry too much about bad news run the risk of calling more attention to it, says a veteran copywriter and marketing consultant. "Companies may feel that their bad news, whether it's a bad earning report or a problem with a product, is a significant tragedy, but the outside world usually won't see it that way," reports Scott Flood of Scott Flood Writing.

The best way to deal with bad news, according to Flood, is to be candid about it. "Part of human nature is trying to word things so they don't sound quite as bad, but people see right through that," he explains. "It may be tough to say 'We made a mistake,' but being straightforward builds trust and pays long-term dividends. Candor is also a very effective way to disarm critics."

He adds that it's important not to exaggerate and turn a molehill into a mountain. "Whatever your bad news may be, it isn't on a par with the Black Plague or Pearl Harbor," Flood says. "If you present it as something bigger than it really is, the outside world will overreact."

Blaming others is not a good strategy, either, Flood notes. "If you're willing to take credit for the good things that happen to your organization, you should also be willing to take the blame for the bad ones, even if you're really not at fault."

Communicating bad news effectively can actually beneficial to a company's reputation, he says. "One well-handled piece of bad news may do more for your image than ten pieces of good news."

Scott Flood Writing (www.sfwriting.com) provides effective print and online copy to companies and other organizations.