How to nail an expert comment
What to do - and not do - to make your comments useful to journalists
A great expert comment can literally make a news story. I’ve seen minor stories turned into strong page leads by a fantastic quote which was used in the headline.
But so often, the expert comments I get through are waffly, boring or (worst of all) don’t actually say anything - sometimes to the point where it’s impossible to use them in the article.
So how do you put together an expert quote that is guaranteed* to be used? Here are my four top tips for getting comments “right” every time:
*OK, nothing in news is ever guaranteed - but “has the best possible chances of being used” was less catchy.
1. Have an expert-journalist conversation
Whether you’re representing an expert or are one yourself, the single best thing you can do to help your quotes get published is to speak directly to the journalist, whether on the phone, on video call or in person.
There are two reasons why this works:
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