How to Add Relevant Quotes to Your Press Release
A press release isn’t complete until you have at least one, preferably two, quotes. Quotes have a specific purpose and an important role to play. They help add both validity and personality to your press release. In fact, a good quote can make all the difference between a person or outlet picking up your release or clicking away. Unfortunately, when it comes to quotes, the vast majority of press releases fall short. There’s a tendency to manufacture quotes or to just throw something in to the release regardless of whether it’s relevant or not. Neither practice improves or strengthens your release. The following guidelines and tips will help you utilize quotes to make your press release better and more effective.
Make it Conversational – One of the biggest mistakes people make when writing quotes for press releases is that they sound too formal. The executive that’s being quoted uses “executive-ese” when they’re talking, and the entire quote merely confuses people. For example, “This new launch will foster a synergistic environment where suppliers and customers can leverage…” Use the language that your customers and prospects use. Industry jargon, buzzwords and acronyms also need to be avoided. They don’t enhance the press release.
Ask Good Questions – The best quotes are in response to a good interviewer question. Ask for opinions and interpretation. Discuss the impact of your news. Consider posing a customer problem and asking how they came to a solution. Sometimes it makes the most sense to write the press release first and to then interview a handful of people to find the best quote to fit the material.
Keep the Quotes Short and To the Point – Keep your sentences short, around 10-12 words long. And make sure to keep the quote to just a few sentences. Yes, you can lengthen the release with a long quote. However, chances are the quote can be shortened and improved, which improves the quality of your release. Remember, the best releases are succinct.
Talk to the Right People – Make sure you’re interviewing people who are actually involved in the news. And keep in mind that while many times it’s an executive or staff member that is quoted, when appropriate it makes sense to quote customers as well. You want to feature quotes from people who can add credibility to the press release.
Position The Quote Appropriately – Sometimes the quotes are saved for last. Capture the power of a quote by including it in your second paragraph if possible. Add another quote towards the end of your release and powerfully conclude your message.
It can take a little practice to polish quotes and make them as effective as possible. Don’t be afraid to dig deep and interview several people to strengthen your quotes and the message in your press release.
