The book, “Damage Control” by Eric Dezenhall is primarily focused on ways to handle crisis communications in public relations, but he raises a number of good points that can relate to media relations and working with media overall. I highlighted four ideas that I think can be used in the media relations field as well.

A little background about the author: Eric Dezenhall is the CEO of crisis PR firm Dezenhall Resources, Ltd. in Washington, D.C. The public relations practitioner is known for his aggressive crisis communications tactics, so much so that Kevin McCauley, editor of O'Dwyer's PR Report, referred to him as "the pit bull of public relations." Dezenhall has written two books about crisis communications and six novels, and he is a frequent media commentator and speaker.

In the book, Dezenhall gives his perspective on the way PR practitioners should approach crisis communications within their respective firms and client companies. Within the first chapter, Dezenhall says that a central problem with crisis management that has been adopted by many public relations people is “the delusional and self-serving belief that you can spin a public that does not want to be spun.” When most publics think of PR professionals, they think of the “spin artist” and consider PR as untrustworthy. Some PR practitioners can focus so much on the company and what the public should think of the company that they don’t properly address the issue at hand. Trying to spin a situation with a public that can tell the difference will only further tarnish the company’s image in the public’s eyes.

This is something crucial to remember in the field of media relations. Because the media already don’t “trust” PR people, it is important to be as transparent as possible with them. When pitching a story, it should be something that is useful and relevant to the readership, not something that serves the company or is purely promotional for that business.

The author also talked about going on the offense and the defense during a crisis situation. He says, “There is a maxim in politics that if you’re explaining, you’re losing. Companies in trouble need to do the right thing, but sometimes that includes going on the offense, whether that means pushing back at detractors or simply reminding people why you’re worth supporting in the first place.” I think that this is an important statement because while you want to resolve a crisis, in the meantime, you do not want to let critics completely obliterate your brand or your image. This is where media relations people come in. When something bad happens within a company, you want to be transparent about the incident, but that can also be used as an opportunity to highlight some of the good things within the company as well. Also, sometimes when a crisis is happening, it is good to push back a little, like for instance, as Taco Bell did with its “Thank You for Suing Us” media campaign. Doing so can really put people back in your corner and rally your supporters.

Another highlight I pointed out from the book is when he says: “One of the greatest myths of public relations is that you can get hostile audiences to like you. In reality, you can only ‘spin’ a public that wants to be spun—reinforcing existing sentiments and prejudices, rather than reversing fundamental positions.” He’s talking about spin again in terms of crisis, but in relation to media relations, a lot of times, brands and PR practitioners try to reach out to audiences who have no interest in that brand. Sometimes you will get better results by learning new ways to engage your current audience instead of trying to bring in new customers, etc.

He touches on this again when he points out: “The phrase ‘preach to the choir’ has a negative connotation … In a crisis management or marketplace assault, nothing could be further from the truth. Some of the most successful communications defenses involve rallying one’s base, even if it means provoking one’s adversaries.” Again, he mentions that keeping the communications focused on your core public could be more beneficial than trying to appease everyone. I think that in crisis communication, this is probably one of the most important ideas. Sometimes companies want to be everything to everybody but keeping a targeted public and audience is sometimes the best way to gain success. I understand why trying to reach out to everyone would seem like the optimal avenue, but Dezenhall’s point is that reaching those who are already supportive is actually quite valuable.