6. DEAD MEETINGS TELL NO TALES

Blackbeard would leave the victim crew unharmed, assuming they remained cooperative. If the target ship refused to comply with the surrender, it would be bombarded by cannonballs to its hull, strategically placed only to immobilize the vessel and allow it to be seized through hostile boarding. If this happened, Blackbeard’s crew would slaughter without mercy. However, they would also intentionally leave a few survivors to spread the story through social networking and word-of-mouth advertising.

This method of attack proved effective, never once failing Blackbeard. Stories of his hostile boarding also grew like wildfire to a point where no one dared not surrender.

Take Away:

There are plenty of ways to “get the word out.” With the rapidly changing social media culture and the new tools emerging almost daily, word spreads quickly. Carefully craft your story and pass it along. There are multitudes of people listening!