3 tips on using press release quotes

As the unsung hero of the story, quotes don’t always top the priority list when writing a press release. Sometimes, it becomes an afterthought. Other times, it’s not even thought about. And yet, effective press release quotes draw readers in.

A perfectly written, well-researched press release will pale in comparison to the same press release peppered with a few great quotes. A press release lacking quotes reads as if you wrote it on the fly. It could also appear rushed, like you distributed it out of necessity.

On the other hand, a press release with quotes from several sources reflects considerable time and effort. It means that the writer reached out to people involved in the story. Not only that, but that the writer sat with them for a proper interview and listened to the audio recording.

You see? It makes all the difference. And it can cost you the chance of getting your press release picked up. In this post, we’ll share three tips on how to use quotes to your advantage.

Pick the ones with personality

If the quote you selected sounds like a narrative, it defeats the purpose. Refrain from using quotes that are purely informative. Quotes should evoke emotion. Unsure if the quote you’re considering is too flat? Read it aloud. If it sounds monotonous, scrap it. Look for something else.

The more conversational it sounds, the better. That’s how you incorporate a story with a human touch and a real perspective. As an exercise, go read news stories and highlight the quotes that speak to you. It’ll give you an idea of the kind of quotes that can really draw readers in.

When quotes pack a punch, they jump right off a page. It adds substance to an otherwise objective retelling of events. Apart from the extra dimension it provides, it also lends credibility to your entire press release. When someone agrees to be quoted, it proves that they stand behind what they say.

Don’t go overboard

Interviewed an expressive person who uses colorful language to get their point across? Consider yourself lucky. You just know that you’ll be quoting them in your story. Don’t get carried away though.

If your press release has quotation marks in nearly every paragraph, you’re doing it wrong. It doesn’t matter if you nabbed a lengthy interview. Or that you transcribed it for more than an hour to get everything in writing. Give each quote enough room to shine.

Keep your quotes concise, only up to one to two sentences long. Once it exceeds that number, it will start taking over the page. Remember, use quotes to supplement your story—not tell the whole story.

Be careful not to take things out of context either. As quotes are only an excerpt of an interview, pluck them with thought and consideration.

Write your own — if all else fails

Getting the best press release quotes is not the easiest thing. The biggest challenge you can encounter is not having any to use in the first place. So what if you don’t get an interview? That shouldn’t hold you back.

Your only option now is to write the quote on that person’s behalf. If your source is unable to grant an interview for whatever reason, suggest quotes and get their approval. You can make changes as necessary once you get their input.

Want to know how else you can make your company and brand stories stand out? Get all the tips you’ll ever need in our Press release template.