Learn How to Write Great Quotes
Advice on Writing Engaging News Release Quotes
Every PR professional knows how great quotes can turn a ho-hum news piece into a compelling story. A storytelling opportunity, quotes are a great way to add context and frame the impact of the news a company wants to tell.
However, many reporters don't use quotes presented in press releases. And for good reason, as these quotes often contain more filler than substance.
Business Wire invited award-winning writing coach and president of Wylie Communications, Ann Wylie, to share her tips to help PR professionals stop offloading bland quotes on journalists and write killer sound bites that get noticed. Learn to:
- Be succinct. Avoid long-winded declarations that will go ignored by journalists.
- Use Ann’s “1-2-3 Rule” to determine the optimal length for quotes in your press releases.
- Add value to your story. Use quotes to convey genuine emotion, opinion, or controversy.
- Make quotes personable and human, using natural language and expressions.
- Sprinkle in metaphors, analogies, and humor. When appropriate, these can make quotes more vivid and relatable.
Learn to produce quotes that enhance your press releases and increase the likelihood of media coverage.
Featured Expert
Award-winning coach Ann Wylie works with communicators who want to reach more readers. And she works with organizations that want to get the word out. Ann has written more than a dozen learning tools. They include Think Like a Reader, Master the Art of Storytelling, and Cut Through the Clutter. She is also the author of Rev Up Readership, a toolbox for writers. Learn more and register for Ann’s upcoming classes.
