The No. 1 PR mistake you should avoid

Many companies are no strangers to public relations disasters.

Mistakes happen, and when you’re representing a successful organization, those mistakes are very public, fueled by the voracious appetite of social media.

Yet, there are quiet mistakes happening behind the scenes that don’t get a lot of coverage. These mistakes aren’t massive, public customer service blunders or poorly-timed PR stunts, they’re the decisions your colleagues make behind the curtain that ensure that your organization stays hidden.

The biggest PR mistake: believing your own hype. It’s a misstept that leads to almost every other PR stumble.

If you have a great product and you’re really excited about it—that’s great. After all, if you don’t like it, why would anyone else? However, assuming that your idea is so unique and useful that it stands on its own is the first step to snowballing into subsequent mistakes that will ruin your PR strategy before you even implement it.

Whether it’s a product release or simply an interesting story about your company, don’t let your excitement derail your hard work. Celebrate your idea, then approach your PR strategy from the lens of someone with a healthy dose of skepticism.

Here are three things to ground yourself and properly deliver your message: