Sending a press release can be scary. If you make a mistake, you may be haunted forever. Kidding. Fact though, it will live somewhere in cyberspace.

Here are 4 common press release mistakes and how to avoid them

Mistake #1:  You don’t include an about section. Provide a two or three sentence summary and history of your business so the media has context about your business. The more research a reporter has to do, the less likely you are to get a story published.

Mistake #2:  You include pronouns like “you,” “your,” “we,” and “us.” You want it to sound like someone else is writing the press release about you, so always write in the third person, except in your quote.

Mistake #3:  You don’t include a quote. If a member of the media doesn’t have to reach out for a quote, you’re making their job even easier. Plus, releasing a canned quote gives you some control over the tone of the article.

Mistake #4:  Your release is too long or too short. Keep it between 400 and 650 words. The sweet spot seems to be 450, which is about a page.

I’m Robin Samora, host of Fast Marketing Minute. I’m teaching a new course, How to Get Free Press with shortcuts I’ve learned over the last 20 years. If you’d like to learn more, email me at [email protected]. Talk tomorrow!