The first rule in public relations 101 is When In Doubt, Say Something!
When Tiger Woods’ Cadillac Escalade hit a fire hydrant and a tree in the wee hours on Black Friday, the 33-year old golf phenom decided to take the vague route when asked, “What happened?” He didn’t even bother to answer the police.
A note to all of you who want fame and fortune: If the media comes after you and asks questions you don’t want to answer, answer them anyway…or at least tell them when and what time you will talk to them.
When you say nothing, the public and the media begins to speculate. You don’t want that to happen. You want to stay in control and when you don’t talk, the media has the upper hand.
Tiger posted information on his Web site. But that may have been too little too late. The media has already gotten into the public’s minds. The rumors started to fly through the air before Tiger could swat them with his nine iron.
“His wife caught him cheating and ran after him with a club,” “She knocked his window out trying to knock his head off,” “Tiger was raised by a black man who always told him never to hit a woman, so he fled instead.”
These are all speculations. We won’t know the real answer to what happened that day. Unfortunately the rumors will continue to fly.
Until the Tiger decides to roar.