Bad News Ages Like Milk — Why Timing is Everything in Strategic Communications
We’ve all been tempted to sit on bad news. Maybe if we just wait, it’ll resolve itself. Maybe if we ignore it, people won’t notice.
The problem? Bad news ages like milk. The longer you let it sit, the worse it gets.
In my 22 years in PR, I’ve seen this play out again and again: what starts as a tense situation can harden into a full-blown crisis if it’s left unaddressed.
When delay turns into disaster
I’ll never forget when a friend and former business collaborator shut down their company with only 10 days’ notice. Overnight, I had to scramble to assume responsibility for our shared employees and clients, and navigate our office space.
It was a difficult time, and they dreaded letting me down. But here’s the irony: if they had told me as soon as they decided this wasn’t working, I would have helped they unwind the business. It still would have been hard, but it wouldn’t have been the expensive, emotional, and traumatic season it became.
Ultimately, everything worked out. But it didn’t have to be that painful. That’s what happens when you let bad news curdle.
Consistency builds trust
This isn’t just true in personal experiences — it shows up in client work all the time.
This year, we had two situations where tough news needed to be communicated.
In one, our team was responsible for all channels — PR, social, web, and email. Because we could deliver a steady, consistent message everywhere, the response was overwhelmingly positive. The client received broad community and business support.
In the other, we were limited to only PR. Without a cohesive drumbeat across every channel, the story felt fragmented, and the client lost control of the narrative.
The lesson? Speed matters. But consistency matters just as much.
The Kwedar & Co. Framework for Tough Conversations
When leaders face sticky situations, I encourage them to run through three questions before deciding what to say (or not say):
Who is impacted? Identify your stakeholders.
What matters most to them? It’s not about what you want to say — it’s about what they need to hear. How will your news impact them?
How soon can I communicate in an organized fashion? Move quickly, but don’t wing it. Tailor a clear TL;DR for each audience while keeping the core story intact.
This approach ensures you’re proactive, empathetic, and clear. You’re not leaving space for speculation — or for someone else to fill in the blanks with a less flattering version of your story.
Don’t let it spoil
So whether it’s a business transition, a leadership change, or a challenging client situation, remember: sitting on news doesn’t preserve it. It spoils it.
Be strategic. Be clear. Be humble. And above all — don’t wait.
Because in communications, just like in the fridge, spoiled milk is always harder to clean up than a small spill.
About The Author
Lauren Kwedar Cockerell is founder and president of Kwedar & Co. She is also the firm’s lead PR and marketing strategist, host of our podcast The Impatient Entrepreneur, and is a frequent podcast guest.
Over the past 20+ years, she has worked with 100s of leaders and organizations to create PR and marketing strategies and tactics that support visions and reach goals.
To connect with Lauren, please send an email above, or book a consultation.