The efforts are so prevalent it was surprising to see a national company pick a public fight with a dying veteran … a fight it didn’t need.

Recently, Vietnam War veteran Jerry Meekins bought a ticket on Spirit Airlines to visit his daughter. But before he could take the trip, he learned the cancer he was fighting was terminal and his doctor would not allow him to make the visit. What unfolded next was a PR disaster that played out on newscasts, blogs and social media platforms for more than two weeks.

Spirit Airlines refused Jerry’s request for a refund. The carrier insisted they had a policy against refunds and that Jerry should have purchased traveler’s insurance.

“Our reservations are non-refundable, which means we do not issue refunds and we are not going to issue Mr. Meekins a refund. We receive many requests for refunds every day for similar situations, and it wouldn’t be fair to bend policy for one and not all.”

What followed was a tsunami of bad publicity and an organized boycott of Spirit. Six million veterans took up Jerry’s cause and did a pretty good job casting Spirit in a bad light. 

After weeks of negative media coverage, Ben Baldanza, the airline’s CEO, waved the white flag and waived the policy. Jerry got his refund, and Spirit Airlines made further amends with veterans groups by contributing $5,000 to Wounded Warriors.

In the end, both parties got what they wanted: Jerry, his refund and Spirit, an end to the public beating they were taking.

We can take a couple of lessons from this mess.

First, have your finger on the pulse of public sentiment. The high regard we give our veterans is not a state secret. You’re probably not going fare well in the court of public opinion by picking an unnecessary fight with a dying veteran. 

Second, rules are written to create process and order; be flexible enough to break one to do the right thing.

Have you been in a similar situation? How has your organization handled it?

The good news is that there are solutions to beat the heat. Clients always want more and are always applying pressure, as they should. They expect and want the best, and they hire PR pros to do the best work possible for them.

Don't we expect the same when we hire a plumber to fix the sink or an electrician to fix the furnace? The biggest difference between the Pacers, that plumber and a PR pro is that when the former wins the championship or fixes the sink, they’re done. In PR, when you win or fix the problem, you have to wake up the next day and keep winning and fixing. 

So, in the spirit of the playoffs, here are my top five PR tips to “Beat the Heat.” 

1. Always sleep with one eye open. Never celebrate, but enjoy by continuing the pursuit.

2. Keep looking over your shoulder. Don't become complacent; always be looking for that next opportunity for your client, and get creative.

3. Be at the right place at the right time. If your client needs you, be there. Guess what? Your client needs you, so be there anyway.

4. Be proactive, not reactive. Agencies are famous for getting clients to hire them and then taking their foot off the gas. Don't do that. It's unfair and wrong.

5. Say thank you. Be grateful for the opportunities your clients give you, and let them know you appreciate them by exceeding their expectations. Results, like truths, trump everything.

Whether it’s summer, fall, winter or spring … the heat is always on for PR pros.

They’ve also left me a better PR pro. Here’s what these special creatures unknowingly have taught me about my job:

1) Creative communication. As you well know (and to my dismay), animals can’t talk. That means we must come up with creative ways to convey our intended message. Whether it’s a loving pat on the head, the subtle jerk of a leash or a designated oral cue, we must be intentional and thoughtful about the ways we communicate with animals to make sure our message doesn’t get convoluted or misconstrued.

Sound familiar? As PR professionals, we deal with clients who are physically capable of speech, and yet the communication between both parties may be strained and difficult to understand at times. It’s important to hone our skills as communicators and, in some cases, find creative ways to make sure our message reaches the client intact. (Just don’t whistle at them or pat them on the head.)

2) Patience. Accidents happen. If you’ve ever had a pet, you can imagine the types of accidents I’m referring to without me going into much detail. When unexpected life moments happen, it’s essential for pet owners to keep a cool head. Obedience school stresses the importance of this mantra: “You did a bad thing, but that doesn’t make you a bad pet.”

A similar mentality can be applied to the workplace. We deal with people who make mistakes or do things badly, but that doesn’t necessarily make them bad people. Whether a crisis arises with a client, a co-worker or a particularly frustrating project, patience is key.

3) Attention to detail. The best pet owners are detail-oriented. They pay attention to their pet’s behavior and notice when it changes. They keep an eye on the water bowl, refilling it when necessary. They track vaccine due dates on their calendars. This attention to detail leads to an improved quality of life for your pet and fewer headaches for you, the owner.

In the same way, being detail-oriented at work can help us catch mistakes before they’re made, which makes for a happier client and, again, fewer headaches for you.

4) Thick skin. In the pet realm, we call it unconditional love. In the world of PR, we call it being thick-skinned. Whichever language you prefer, the bottom line is the same: To be successful, we must be able to withstand criticism and not easily be offended (even when your dog chooses someone else’s lap to lay on).

5) Relationships. Animal lovers genuinely enjoy the act of building relationships. The very core nature of the public relations industry tells us that a successful PR pro must feel the same way. Effective relationships are mutually beneficial. They must be built on an understood trust in each other and an understood commitment to each other.

What’s one thing your pet has taught you?

I know it’s not always easy to add that extra exclamation point (!) to a text when you’re flying down the interstate at 85 mph (sorry, Oprah, I didn’t sign the pledge).

But when you’re on the receiving-end of a text or email, especially from someone you don’t know particularly well, the tone of the message can be interpreted in a variety of ways due to punctuation, or the lack thereof.

A client recently asked me a question that required a fairly detailed response. His response to my response was an email that read:

thanks

Short, simple and to the point. But how am I to interpret this response? Lowercase “t” and no punctuation: Does that mean thanks, that is a satisfactory answer or thanks, that is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard?

Is he being curt, petulant or short with me? Or is this an incredible display of gratitude from a busy person who is juggling dozens of important things at the moment?

What if this had been his response: 

Thanks!

I might interpret this to mean wow, that is exactly what I was hoping to hear; you just made my day! And I’m happy for a moment, until I start second-guessing my interpretation. Was he truly enthusiastic, or was there an understood … a lot! at the end, which would totally change the tone of the response? Thanks a lot … you just ruined my day!

Then there’s this version:

Thanks …

What’s up with the ellipsis? Is this to imply some kind of intentional hesitation or omission?  Thanks ... if I needed a lame answer, I would have asked my dog!

Of course, these just may be the rambling thoughts of an aging person who was raised by English teachers and is still trying to adapt to our modern ways of communicating. But then again, Elaine from Seinfeld actually broke up with a guy over punctuation, if I’m remembering correctly.

By the way, don’t text and drive. Seriously… !

Right?

In reality, deadlines shift, projects change and clients change their minds. At some point, the original plan can turn to mush. How do I recover?

Step 1: Stay calm.

Step 2: Respond to the client as soon as possible.

Step 3: Be mindful of what you say.

Speaking from experience, I’ve always been pretty good at steps 1 and 2, and for the most part, I’ve done a fine job at articulating my thoughts to my clients. I generally take pride in my written communication.

But, there have been a few times when the wrong words regretfully have come out of my mouth – more specifically, my fingers.

To provide you with this educational – and slightly entertaining – lesson of what not to say to a client when things don’t go as planned, I’m going to show you my three email mistakes and offer ways to improve.

Lesson 1: Don’t let one client know you’re spending time on another client.

I believe my email went something along the lines of, “Sorry I am just now getting this to you. I had some other client work to finish.”

Seriously, Jen? If I re-read that from the client’s perspective, a red flag would have gone up immediately. Clients know you work in an agency with other business to handle, but never let them think they are anything but your top priority.

A better response would look something like, “Here is the final draft of the media plan. After working with your changes and suggestions, I feel confident with the final product.”

Lesson 2: Try to be as exact as possible with deadlines.

Professionals inside and outside the PR industry try to buy themselves times by setting vague deadlines. For example, I once said, “I’ll get this to you by next week.”

Again, if I slowed down to re-read that email, I would realize it means nothing to the client. Further emphasizing the point that we must make each client feel like a priority, setting a firm deadline (e.g., Monday by 3 p.m.) gives the client a sense of ownership of the time and money he/she has invested in you and your work. 

A better response would look something like, “Thank you for your edits. It looks like there are a few significant changes I will have to make to the document. I’ll take time over the next two days to focus on this project and provide you with a revised draft by 3 p.m. on Thursday.”

Lesson 3: Never let the client believe you don’t know what you’re doing.

One of the perks of working in an agency with many talented professionals is that I always have a sounding board if I don’t know something or am unsure about a process. I realize that I will be learning something new about this ever-changing industry until I die, but for me to say to a client “I’m concerned about the lack of direction I have for this project” is just unacceptable.

This makes the client think you’re either not experienced enough to work on a project or you’re too lazy to be resourceful and seek guidance. A more comforting response would look something like, “I’ll use my team here to discuss ways we can move forward with this project.”

All of my mistakes took place over email, which, in hindsight, should have helped me catch those errors. But when we get caught up in the mix of urgent requests, confusing project scopes and creeping deadlines, our brains might be in a strange place – and our fingers too eager to hit “send.”

Always take a deep breath to re-read your emails from a client standpoint. And if you remember anything from my experiences, remember to make each client feel as if they’re your only client.

10. Misspell the company’s name in your cover letter.
Bolsen, Bolhsen, Bolsin … they’re all close enough, right? They probably won’t even notice – it’s not like you’re applying for a copyeditor position.

9. Apply to as many places as possible without reading job descriptions.
You know it’s a templated cover letter; they know it’s a templated cover letter. Who really reads those things, anyway?

8. Pretend you’re more qualified than you are.
You could make it as a graphic designer with those mad Paint skills.

7. Don’t research the company at all before you interview.
All PR firms are pretty simple, so please don’t waste your time on their website, following them on Twitter or asking around.

6. Negotiate your salary as soon as you sit down.
They need you more than you need them – might as well get the conversation going now. And remember: You deserve at least 30 vacation days (in addition to paid overtime).

5. Make it clear you do not work evenings or weekends.
Um, you have a social life.

4. Bash any and all previous employers.
You’ve been wronged in the past. Make sure it doesn’t happen again.

3. Announce on Twitter you’re pretty sure you’re hired.
“Rocked that interview with @company today! Apologies to other applicants; keep up the search.” - @you

2. Call and email daily to see if they’ve reached a decision.
They need to know just how desperate you are. When in doubt, start begging.

1. Publicly slam them for not hiring you.
If they won’t take you, they won’t get anyone. Added bonus? You’ll only have to do this step once – then you shouldn’t have to worry about going through that pesky interview process again.

And … CONGRATULATIONS! No job for you.*

*Disclaimer: Bohlsen Group does not suggest taking any of the advice listed here. However, doing the complete opposite could result in becoming a strong, competitive applicant.

So, you know, do that.

I wish I could say that I fill my time away from work with hobbies like scrapbooking, rock climbing or even knitting, but to be completely honest, most of my time is taken up by television.

I’m a TV junkie. Fortunately, I have found myself gravitating toward a weekly line-up that unintentionally keeps me on my toes professionally.

Join me on a magical journey into the always-entertaining education of Lynzy Stover.

Mad MenAP Photo/AMC Michael Yarish

With the most obvious connection to my work as a publicist, Mad Men follows a 1960s advertising agency through the ups and downs of everyday agency life. Many aspects of this career have changed over the last 50 years, but one detail remains the same: Client relations. The partners at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce go to great lengths (ahem!) to make sure their clients are pleased. While I wouldn’t take my clients out to the latest strip club or cigar bar, Don Draper taught me that client happiness is the key to a strong professional relationship.

Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory

Pro-skateboarder and entrepreneur Rob Dyrdek has created quite the little empire with his TV shows, skateboard brands, philanthropies, etc. On his current show, Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory, Dyrdek created a space that covers two aspects of his life: business and pleasure. The show is constantly showing his group of friends/colleagues getting into hilarious situations – most recently an adult beauty pageant and a food truck venture – while finding ways to keep the Dyrdek enterprise moving. Dyrdek’s crazy antics paired with his keen business sense have shown me how to balance business and pleasure, an art too often forgotten by PR professionals.

The Big Bang Theory

I jumped on The Big Bang Theory train a little late, but my oh my am I glad I found this little gem on TBS. The show is centered on four nerds and their pretty, actress neighbor. The nerdiness and intelligence of the four guys is beautifully contrasted by Penny’s social skills and common sense. At first glance, The Big Bang Theory provides only comic amusement to those who enjoy watching social awkwardness unfold amidst the constant ramblings of arrogant Dr. Sheldon Cooper. But after a closer analysis, you see how the great minds behind this show prove that when an opportunity presents itself, it is best to take it. Watch just five minutes of the show and you will notice constant product placement (pop cans are prevalent). The products have nothing to do with the plot, but these marketing geniuses prove that they can take advantage of any situation.

The Late Show with David Letterman

Late night talk show host David Letterman has charmed audiences for decades with his sarcasm and wit, along with his lack of filter during A-list celebrity interviews. I’ve been watching him since I was 8 (sorry, Mom), and contrary to what my mother says, Letterman really is human. He showed a mortal flaw in 2009 when he confessed, on air, an affair with a former Late Show assistant. Letterman’s strategy to tell the truth early proved to be his best move in a seemingly career-ending crisis. Fans appreciated his honesty and respected his choice to come clean to the public. Letterman taught me that when a client crisis arises, your first step should be to address the situation and clear the air early.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

This show taught me absolutely nothing about my profession, but darn it, that Teresa Guidice can make some amazing, good old-fashioned trashy television.

So which of your favorite shows are subliminally teaching you about your profession? Tell us in the comments.

At first glance, these two interests seem a far cry from each other. In reality, I call on similar tactics and skill sets for both jobs, because there are some common themes between the worlds of ambulances and press releases.

Pressure. Although most jobs have their headaches, PR and the emergency medical service usually rank among the high-intensity careers. Both deal with time constraints that demand certain results. Whether it’s a deadline for a client or a response time to a scene, time really is of the essence. Learning to deal with those pressures is a must to survive.

Personalities. We spend a lot of time together at the fire house sleeping, trying not to be bored and then leaping into action when the bells go off. Sounds a bit like a PR agency, doesn’t it? So you know that there’s a little crazy in all of us. Embracing this and understanding that what works for one person might repel another can help you build a healthy relationships, whether in a conference room or on a cot.

Positivity. Nobody wants to work with a whiner day in and day out. Whether it’s counting backward from 10 or rubbing your ears while repeating “woosah,” find a way to make the best of every situation. Responding to an ambulance call at 3 a.m. can dampen your mood just like a 12-hour workday can.

Multi-tasking. Not a day goes by that I don’t wish I had a clone to help me accomplish my to-do list. Since there’s no way to squeeze in more than 24 hours at a time, learning how to carry out a variety of tasks simultaneously is key. Monitoring a patient while charting and giving a report to the hospital isn’t much easier than answering emails while listening to voicemail and brainstorming ideas for an upcoming meeting, but it’s a skill you can learn.

At the end of the day, regardless of where your “office” may be, remember that each job brings its share of challenges. How you deal with these issues will determine your success in any career.

Emmett was a member of the prestigious Presidential Protection Division for 21 years, guarding presidents George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

In Within Arm’s Length, Dan describes making the decision to be an agent at 8 years old while watching news coverage of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. He tells the story of when the late Senator Ted Kennedy allowed Dan to tour President Kennedy’s home, unchanged since his assassination in 1963. And many have been intrigued by Dan’s adventures jogging with President Clinton – carrying a gun in his running suit and looking in all directions for any possible threat to the commander-in-chief.

I believe Within Arm’s Length has enough stories to satisfy any writer, reporter or producer. Like the only time in his career when he left his post to take an emergency restroom break. Or when Dan describes the stress of driving a million-dollar limousine for a president who refuses to wear a seatbelt. And, the apprehension Dan felt while guarding a president who likes to get dangerously close to large crowds.

I sent out the press release and held my breath. Minutes later, my email inbox caught fire. Presented with publicity opportunities that money can’t buy, Dan hopped a flight from Alabama to Washington, D.C.

Dan joined Fox News Channel live in-studio for a great conversation with anchor Shannon Bream. That was followed by interviews with ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper, Sirius-XM Radio, WTOP Radio and The Hill newspaper.

He then flew to New York City for interviews with Fox News, Fox Business, Inside Edition, Sirius-XM Radio, CBS Radio, Bloomberg TV and The Huffington Post. Dozens of news websites also posted articles about Dan’s book, including USA Today, The Chicago Tribune and The Drudge Report. 

For the next week, I feverishly searched Google News for Dan’s name and refreshed Amazon.com for book sales numbers. Dan’s book shot from a ranking of #300,000 to #19. Keep in mind that this is a self-published book, and the media often won't even look at book not from an established publisher.

Dan ended up staying an extra day in New York to be on Fox and Friends. The hosts and producers liked him so much, they invited him back to the show two days later. Dan’s head was spinning when he returned home to Alabama, blown away by his experience on this media tour.

One in every crowd

However, sometimes we don’t see the ulterior motives of others. One writer told me he loved Dan’s book and wanted to interview him by phone as soon as possible. But, what we didn’t know was that the writer was determined to start a controversy. He asked leading questions, begged Dan to reveal non-existent presidential scandals and pleaded with him to dish gossip about the men Dan once risked his life for.

When the writer didn’t get what he wanted, he focused his article on a very small portion of the book and used that to portray Dan’s memoir as a juicy tell-all. Dan felt betrayed and deceived. I told Dan that we have to take the good with the bad, and to shake off this tabloid-style article and enjoy the amazing publicity and increased book sales.

But, our campaign took a turn for the dramatic when this writer saw Dan criticize the article on national television. The reporter emailed me, saying he wanted his cut from recent book sales and said payback would be hell.

A threat written from your company email address? Seriously?

Not too smart, considering Dan is a former CIA officer and Secret Service agent.

So, as his publicist, what do I do? Call this guy’s editor? Allow Dan to report this as a possible threat against a former agent? After many cups of coffee, a lot of pacing and great advice from colleagues, we decided not to engage someone so reckless and irresponsible.

I was a TV news reporter for 10 years. I think I know what would’ve happened if I ever threatened an interviewee that payback would be hell. Any of my former news directors would’ve thrown me out of the building. I believe that I treated the responsibility of reporting the news with a high level of class and professionalism. But, not everyone does.

Everyone is allowed to express an opinion about a client or their work. Good or bad, it all brings publicity. It’s all about how you handle the bad publicity. And, no matter how tempting it may be, sometimes you just have to ignore nasty people. 

But what happens when a storyteller has to admit that the story he presented wasn’t true?

And more interesting to me: Is there any credence in the defense that a self-proclaimed entertainer shouldn’t be held to the same standard as a journalist or a PR professional, no matter where or how his “entertainment” is presented?

Ira Glass, host of This American Life broadcast on NPR, is the best storyteller on the airwaves, in my view. His stories can rekindle your faith in humanity – or dash it, as in the recent fiasco that was “Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory.”

Glass, in good faith and with plenty of fact checking, ran Mike Daisey’s account of what was going on at an Apple factory in China. Soon after, he learned that Daisey’s reporting “contained significant fabrications.”

What would you have done? What did Ira Glass do?

Glass was angry, and he showed it in the most professional way. He devoted an entire show to addressing the errors in Daisey’s story, posting the audio and transcript from that show two days prior to its broadcast. He wrote a blog post labeled “retraction” that shared what he knew about the errors.

And he apologized.

“Daisey lied to me and to ‘This American Life’ producer Brian Reed during the fact checking we did on the story, before it was broadcast. That doesn’t excuse the fact that we never should’ve put this on the air. In the end, this was our mistake. We’re horrified to have let something like this onto public radio.”

Textbook crisis management. What I’m intrigued by is Daisey’s defense. According to an essay by Joshua Topolsky in The Washington Post that describes the moment when Glass confronts Daisey on the follow-up show: “The main point he [Daisey] drives home is that he felt it was necessary to embellish his story in order to retain the ‘truth’ of the message of his show.”

Reporters lying in order to tell a better story isn’t new (Pulitzer Prize winners Jose Antonio Vargas and immigration,  Janet Cooke and “Jimmy’s World,” to name just two). But what is it that makes otherwise great writers and reporters cross the line from a well-written factual story to a heart-wrenching, incredible, untrue story?

I think I just answered my own question.

Those of us who love our jobs because we get to write never get to write enough. We never get to tell enough stories – especially the kind of stories that make people weep, or change the way they think about an issue, or be moved to action for the very first time. So we crave those moments.

Maybe the lies begin as small embellishments. The man we interviewed had a couple of scars on his hand, but describing it as “maimed” evokes a much more compelling image. We didn’t actually meet the child with cancer we’re describing, but we heard about her from someone we know who did, and the story reads much better as a first-person narrative.

Besides, who will know?

You will. And, in most cases, at some point a reader will know. And all the credibility you’ve built up, all the emotion you have called forth and all the good works you have inspired, will crumble. You will have turned believers into cynics. And you may have ruined your chances to keep doing what you love: writing for a living.

So check your facts. Listen to that nagging voice in the back of your head. Pay attention to your conscience. And simply tell the truth, in the most compelling and factual way you possibly can.

Don’t let your storytelling become fiction unless you are certain, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that your audience knows it as such.

“Everything is more compelling
when you talk like a human being,
when you talk like yourself.”

- Ira Glass