You often have to deal with different kinds of rumors in the corporate world. Your opponents may spread some false piece of information for the purpose of defaming your organization or a product. Such rumors may also spread within an organization among employees due to a misunderstanding or misconception regarding the true facts.
It is the management’s responsibility to dispel such rumors so that the employees can continue working without any doubts or apprehensions. Responding in such a situation is also important in order to restore a company’s reputation for the sake of protecting its business.
Writing a letter is a good way of getting rid of rumors. You can provide the necessary facts in order to counter the false news. This document can be addressed to the target audience. It may be an open letter or may be more personalized. It all depends on what the rumor is about and who needs to be addressed.
Discussed below are tips to help you respond to rumors through a letter.
1- Refer to the issue
Start the letter by directly referring to the issue. In this way, the purpose of the letter becomes clear to your readers right away. State how the particular rumor has come to your notice and you wish to present what the truth actually is. You may also include brief details about any negative impacts being created by the rumor. This will help you make your readers understand its harmful consequences. In this way, you will be able to discourage them from believing the false news.
2- Negate the rumor
After referring to the rumor, state that it is not true. You may express your views about how the rumor may have started. For instance, a misunderstanding between the management and the employees may give rise to a certain rumor. Similarly, an opponent in the business field may be trying to defame your organization. This will give the readers a clear picture about the possible source of misinformation. As a result, your dismissal of the rumor will become more acceptable by the addressees of the letter.
3- Provide facts to support your claims
You cannot properly negate a rumor without supporting your claims with facts and figures. Provide as much information as possible to present the truth. It is only then that you will be able to get rid of the rumor. Therefore, this is an extremely important part of the letter.
4- Avoid an accusatory tone
You must not blame a specific individual about starting the rumor. You may show your doubts about your adversaries in the market. However, since you do not have a solid proof, you should not mention particular names. Specially, if the source of the rumor is within your organization, you should refrain from adopting an accusatory tone in order to maintain good professional ties with your coworkers.
5- End with a Positive Note
Wind up the letter in a positive manner. You may state that you wish things return to normal after dispelling the rumor through this letter. Likewise, you may state something encouraging for your employees and express positive expectations from them.
Sample Letter
This letter is in response to the ongoing rumors about the company’s recent financial standing. According to some mendacious news being spread by our adversaries in the market, the company is facing a loss due to reduced sales this season.
Let me inform all employees that this piece of news is completely baseless. ABC Corporation is not facing any financial trouble. Our sales have been going as good as they have always been. In fact, our newly introduced line of anti-aging skin products has given the sales a pleasant boost. There has been a growth of 4% in the previous quarter.
Keeping the provided facts in mind, I request you all to reject these rumors. I appreciate that many of you have been showing concern about the company’s ranking in the market after what they heard. Some of you have also been apprehensive about the future of our business and, ultimately, of their jobs. However, there is no need to pay heed to such false news without considering the facts first. Our business continues as successfully as ever. Therefore, you have a secure future working in this organization.
I expect all employees to return to their work with the same enthusiasm as before for this well-established corporation. We need to make our team stronger in order to overcome our opponents in the market.
Thank you for your attention.
