How important are quotes in press releases?
Almost every press release includes a quote in the second or third paragraph, but if it doesn’t add anything to the message, it may not be worth including.
• Quotes are useful to differentiate opinions from facts. They’re what allow a company to describe the significance of the announcement by clarifying its meaning, offering context and often wrapping marketing messages. • Strong quotes are not only useful—they’re often what make a story compelling. • The best quotes come from customers and other people outside the company, because they confirm the value being claimed in the release. Internal people obviously have a bias. • Too many journalists simply “rip and read” press releases and reuse them as is. If a PR person doesn’t tell a good story and include strong quotes, the end result won’t be what one seeks. • Journalists generally require some degree of attribution in articles. A quote is a good starting point because it offers a different point of view, tone, and language from that of the person who wrote the release. • Weak quotes, like weak writing, should not be included in a press release.
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