Quotes in a press release are direct statements from named people, placed after the opening facts to add perspective, opinion or emotion that the plain facts cannot carry. They must be real, approved by the speaker, and attributed by name and role, never invented to fill space.
A quote earns its place by saying something the facts alone cannot: why the news matters, what it means for customers or communities, or what the speaker learned. Guides for releases advise one or two quotes that sound like a person speaking and add perspective instead of repeating the paragraph above. A quote that restates the lede wastes space and is easy for a journalist to ignore.
Every quote must be real. The person named must have said it or explicitly approved the exact wording. The Society of Professional Journalists' code says journalists should never deliberately distort facts or context, and PR ethics codes require honesty and accuracy in advancing an organization's interests. A fabricated or unapproved quote can damage trust with reporters for good.
Attribution should be plain. AP-style guidance for releases favors the simple verb 'said', names the speaker, and gives the job title after the name. Placing the title before the name is capitalized in AP style, and after the name it is lowercase. Journalists expect the speaker to be available for an interview if they want to follow up.
How to: 1) Decide what the quote must add: a reason, a consequence or a human note. 2) Ask the speaker for it in their own words, or draft one and get their explicit approval. 3) Keep it to one to three sentences. 4) Attribute with name, title and 'said'. 5) Make sure the quoted person can take a call. 6) Never attach a quote to someone who has not seen it.
QUESTIONS
How many quotes should a press release have?
Guides commonly suggest one or two. More than that tends to slow the release down. Each quote should add something the facts do not: a reason, a reaction or a consequence.
Can we write a quote for an executive?
Only if the executive reviews and approves the exact wording before release. Anything attributed to a person must be something they said or agreed to say. Inventing or altering a quote without approval is unethical and can seriously damage your credibility.
What verb should I use to attribute a quote?
AP-style guidance recommends 'said'. It is neutral and does not editorialize the way 'exclaimed' or 'admitted' can. Put the name and job title with the quote, so readers know who is speaking and why they matter.
Should quotes be marketing slogans?
No. Slogans read as promotion, and journalists rarely use them. A useful quote sounds like a person explaining why the news matters, with specifics. If it could appear on a billboard, rewrite it.
SOURCES
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