Crafting effective press release quotes is a skill that can greatly enhance the chances of your press release being picked up by journalists and media outlets. But how does one create impactful quotes that grab attention and generate buzz? In this step-by-step guide, we will explore the art of writing press release quotes that get noticed.
Whether you’re launching a new product, announcing an event, or sharing important company news, the quotes in your press release play a crucial role in conveying your message effectively. By incorporating key messaging, brand voice, and compelling language, you can create quotes that resonate with journalists and motivate them to include your story in their publications.
In this article, we will delve into the process of crafting powerful press release quotes that attract attention. From understanding the importance of news value to incorporating relevant keywords and maintaining brand consistency, we’ll provide actionable tips and examples to help you master the art of writing quotes that get picked up. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to make your press release stand out. Let’s dive in and learn how to write press release quotes that have a lasting impact.
Why should you learn how to write press release quotes?
We’ve already covered the fact that one of the recommendations for press release writing is to add a quote. However, as we’ve said, throwing any random quote into your press release isn’t good enough. By adding the right quote to your press release, you can add a human touch to an otherwise factual piece of content. This makes it easier for your audience to relate to your brand on an emotional level. Ultimately, engaging your readers’ emotions will make it easier to win them over.
Journalists also appreciate the power of quotes to add a touch of life to any story. When you include a strategic quote, it’s easier for a journalist to write an engaging story based on the news you’ve shared in your press release. This is good for them because it means the final story will be more enjoyable for their audience to read as well.
However, just because journalists love quotes doesn’t mean they will accept whatever quote you throw at them. It goes without saying that any quote that is too salesy or praises the brand you’re writing about too much is unlikely to pique the interest of a journalist. After all, a journalist’s job isn’t to do free advertising for your brand, but to share stories that matter. If your quote doesn’t highlight why the story you’re telling matters, then it’s of little value to a journalist.
It’s important to note that if a journalist decides to write a follow-up story based on your quote, they can edit everything else apart from the quote. For this reason, learning how to write press release quotes is an opportunity to control the aspects of your brand story that matter most to you.
How to write press release quotes that are memorable
1) Don’t just focus on the mission and vision of your brand
There’s more to your brand than the mission and vision that you are pursuing. If you simply regurgitate your mission and vision in your quote, you will end up with a dry quote that does more than just add no value to your press release. Beyond adding no value, this kind of quote will actually turn readers off. A creative way of talking about the mission and vision of your brand in a quote is by explaining how these translate into real-life scenarios.
Remember, your press release quote is an opportunity to humanise your brand. Anyone can go to your website to read your mission and vision. If you want to present these to readers in quote form, you need to explain why your mission and vision should matter to the average reader.
2) Make your press release quotes natural
There’s a probability that your target media outlet or reporter will reject your quote if it seems unnatural. We’re not just saying this – research has proven that quotes that seem contrived rarely get published in media stories. Therefore, before you submit your quote, review it one more time. You can even read it aloud and share it with your team to find out how they feel about it.
If the quote makes it sound like you are conversing with an audience, then it’s natural. However, if it doesn’t flow naturally, you’ve got to take a step back and redo it.
3) Make sure your quotes are grammatically correct
Remember that journalists are not your editors. Therefore, if they realize your quote is full of grammatical errors, they will reject it. Make sure you go through your quote with a good copyeditor. As a matter of fact, you should get your copyeditor to review the entire press release before you send it out for public consumption. Grammatical errors are one of the biggest turn-offs for a journalist. It’s better not to take chances if it means you could lose out on an opportunity to get press coverage.
4) Steer clear of clichés
When learning how to write press release quotes, some people make the mistake of relying on clichés to make their point. Some expressions sound exciting, but will only make your readers roll their eyes. Avoid adding any overused phrases to your press release quote.
Rather than playing it safe with phrases other brands have used thousands of times before, you need a quote that takes your audience by surprise. It should precise and punchy if you want to deliver the message instantly. You want a quote that generates interest and sparks curiosity the moment someone reads it. Don’t be afraid to make it controversial either. Opinions that go against the grain or question what is conventional can help you stand out. At the same time, it’s important to avoid being controversial just for the fun of it. Only express a contrarian opinion if you truly believe it.
5) Use client testimonials as quotes
Nothing is more powerful than social proof that your brand truly delivers on its promises. Client testimonials are more credible than anything you have to say about your own brand because they’re from a third party. As such, this might be exactly what you need to convince prospective clients that your brand is worth their money. If you don’t already have a system in place that encourages clients to share testimonials, then it might be time to work on setting this up. Many brands offer incentives in return for a client review. However, you’ll want to be strategic about how you do this. After all, the last thing you want to do is look like you’re bribing clients for positive reviews.
If you do decide to use a client’s review as a press release quote, make sure you get permission from the client. If you repurpose someone’s review for public use without their permission, you might sour a relationship with a loyal client.
Speaking of using client reviews, if some of your clients are companies, they might be glad to get featured in your campaign for free. After all, this is also advertising for them. Whichever review you settle on, make sure it offers a balanced perspective. We know you want a review that reflects positively on your business, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Nevertheless, a review that makes exaggerated claims will lead readers to question your credibility.
How to write press release quotes: A Recap
The right quote can be more powerful than you would ever imagine. With the right quote, you can highlight your business success in a way that is emotionally engaging and memorable. It also helps to build interest and excitement among potential clients. Finally, a strategic quote will help you build credibility and win new clients over.
With the help of this guide on how to write press release quotes, you can create more impactful press releases. At the same time, a quote is only one element of a successful press release. There’s so much more to consider if you want to write a press release that attracts the right kind of attention.
How Pressfarm can help with this
If you would like expert help with your press releases, you should reach out to the writers at Pressfarm. They can not only edit your press release to make it more powerful, but also write an effective press release from scratch. Beyond writing or editing your press release, the team at Pressfarm is also plugged into a network of journalists, bloggers, and influencers who they can share your press release with. By combining an engaging press release announcement with a memorable quote and an optimised distribution strategy, they can earn you press coverage with your press release. If you’d prefer to distribute your press release yourself, the Account Executive at Pressfarm can also build custom media lists to help you with this.