When What We Think is Worse Than What You are Trying to Hide
Oct 6th, 2009 by David Svet
People are really good at making up stuff. We have an innate ability to fill in the blanks. It’s a big part of how we process information — we try to make a whole out of the available parts by making assumptions about the missing information. This is very handy if you are trying to figure something out.
That’s why it amazes me when I see a product announcement that is missing a critical piece of information that will impact current customers. Nothing calls attention to itself like a gaping hole in an otherwise smooth surface. It begs to be filled. That’s where rumors come from — we manufacture them to fill the hole. What’s more, customers talk to one another and to your competitors. This is when the adage, “no news is good news,” does not apply. No news means someone will assume the worst and tell everyone they know. Then you have to undo the rumors on top of reassuring your customers that there isn’t a problem.
It’s so tempting to trumpet your latest victory, even if it’s not quite ready. But not ready is not ready. Look at it through the eyes of a customer. If your announcement leaves unanswered questions, you’re not ready. And we’ll make up something on our own.
