When facts are still emerging, a holding statement buys time without creating risk. State what you know, what you’re doing next, and when stakeholders will hear from you again.
Which combination belongs in a strong holding statement when facts are still emerging?
A generic brand slogan with no situational context
What’s known so far, actions underway, and when you will provide the next update
Extensive technical details and confidential data
Speculation about fault, internal opinions, and marketing CTAs
Which tone guidance is most appropriate under extreme time pressure?
Lead with empathy and avoid assigning blame before verification
Blame a vendor to signal rapid accountability
Adopt a defensive tone to deter criticism
Stay silent to avoid legal exposure
What structural element helps stakeholders understand recency?
A countdown clock with no concrete times
An unrelated corporate press release date
A clear date/time stamp on the statement and update cadence
Publishing without any timestamp to allow edits later
Which detail is appropriate to include in a holding statement’s ‘next steps’?
Unreleased customer records supporting your position
Coordination with relevant authorities and commitment to share verified findings
Internal disciplinary actions against named employees
Speculative causes framed as confirmed facts
Which distribution choice best supports consistency across channels?
Send exclusively to select journalists off the record
Post different versions to each platform to ‘fit the vibe’
Share only via a screenshot of an internal memo
Publish the holding statement on a central hub and link to it from social posts and emails
Which line is most appropriate for a time‑boxed holding statement?
“Updates will be posted at some point tomorrow.”
“We’ll update when we can—please be patient.”
“Check back later; details are still coming in.”
“We will share our next update by 17:00 local time on our status page.”
What should a holding statement avoid until facts are verified?
Definitive attributions of cause or promises of outcomes
Contact routes for urgent assistance
A brief description of immediate mitigation steps
Acknowledgement of impact and concern for those affected
Which privacy best practice applies to early statements?
Crowdsource identities from comments to accelerate outreach
List all affected customers to ‘be transparent’
Avoid naming individuals or sharing PII unless authorities have done so and consent allows
Publish raw incident logs for public review
Which operational note helps teams ship holding lines under pressure?
Skip legal alignment to save time
Use fill‑in‑the‑blank templates with legal‑approved language for common scenarios
Wait for a full exec meeting before writing anything
Rewrite from scratch each time to sound unique
When should you replace a holding statement?
Only if media requests exceed a fixed number
When verified facts emerge that materially change the situation
When online sentiment improves even if facts haven’t changed
After 24 hours regardless of developments
Starter
Build your muscle memory for first‑hour moves and template‑driven updates.
Solid
You’re applying sound crisis practices — refine speed, clarity, and cross‑team sync.
Expert!
Exemplary command of crisis communications — your playbooks are battle‑ready.
