An earlier version of this article was published as “ADvisor -- Advertising Expert Comments on Top-Rated PC World Ads” in “PC World’s Marketing Edge Newsletter.” -- Ron Richards

How to Get and Use Quotes in Ways
 That Can Double Your Response

by Ron Richards

You have more control than you might think over who you quote, what they say, and how you use quotes. Here are some keys to their magic.

A strong quote can do more than prove what the headline of an ad or article claims -- it can be the headline.

Why Most Quotes Don’t Work

Most quotes are rendered impotent, and raise reader resistance or skepticism, by being too abstract or making a claim that everyone is making...

“X is the best Y... easy to use...the leader....a bargain...full featured.”

Ad impact research shows that if quotes are ineffective, adding more of them makes matters worse.

How to Get the Quote You Want

There is a way to consistently get great quotes. I find the best starting point to be the same place I’d look for great strategy and compelling language in general -- in-depth research interviews of your product’s “rational evangelists” -- those who love your product and can articulate why.

Skillful interviews and creative work can uncover the “hot issue” and a valid argument that shows how your product helps purchasers avoid a disaster and achieve a breakthrough.

So, staying loyal to the interviews, draft some “dream quotes” to dramatize the news story. Then go back to your interviewees and say “In talking with you and others, we’re hearing:...”

If you’ve tapped your product’s greatness, they’ll say “Yes, that’s exactly how I feel.”  Ask permission to quote them, and confirm it by faxing the release and the quote to them, asking them to fax it back initialed.

The result can be compelling language. In a moment, I’ll demonstrate by creating “dream” examples that show the elements of great quotes.

What Quotes Can Say & Do That You Can’t

Graphically, quote marks grab the eye, and shift the reader’s attitude. That’s because a credible third party voice generates less defensiveness.

This makes quotes the method of choice to communicate strong claims and competitive comparisons that would have seemed self-serving.

“Major productivity gains for our sales people eluded my best efforts for 10 years, but X software doubled productivity almost immediately. I kicked myself for not installing it sooner.”

This quote illustrates another principle. The reader won’t get defensive hearing a third party kick herself for not using the product sooner, or saying it’s irresponsible not to use the product, or saying it’s a no-brainer. But a seller’s voice saying such things may be rejected as intimidation.

There’s nothing like a quote to give readers the vicarious experience of use.

“Virtually all our people who’ve used X’s tech support express amazement that they’re kept on hold only a few minutes and that whoever takes the call consistently finds the solution quickly. This support is so important that we’ve virtually standardized on X’s products.”

The above also shows how a quote can advocate a decision criteria, and prompt full adoption. It also shows the advanced technique of having the quoted person quote others, which intensifies credibility.

Quotes also devastate qualms. Notice how the following manager’s quote removes the ease-of-use and learning-time qualm, and does so without prompting the qualm...

“Dozens of tasks that took a half- hour now happen with the click of an icon. Our staff are awed; they save time the first day they use it.”

Who Do You Quote?

Rave reviews by respected editors, and displaying a magazine’s symbol for “Best Buy” or “Editor’s Choice” are powerful. Even if you have those, and depending on your persuasion goals, there are other important voices whose quotes are influential...

As you’ve seen in my examples, you can quote users, manager, or purchasers. (I’ve omitted attributions here; but in ads, names and titles should be shown for clarity and credibility.)

Sometimes the quote itself can credentialize the person quoted, and allow a very big claim to be credible...

“In 12 years of watching all kinds of impressive Xware innovations, I’ve never seen this big a breakthrough in making our users more productive.”

If you quote your executives, avoid the “bragging” side effect by making it a fascinating news story of discovery and heartfelt excitement. An advertorial I helped create was in the form of an interview with a president had the title “How Contact Software Lets You Sleep Better.” It quoted him as saying...

“X allows you to go to sleep with the certainty that you have a record of every appointment, follow-up call, and planned steps and questions. You see, X remembers; so you have the luxury of temporarily forgetting. As an ancient Chinese proverb says, ‘A peaceful mind sleeps through thunder.’”

This also shows the power of quoting a well chosen proverb.

Evocative Quotes Work Best

Every example I’ve used avoids being abstract and, instead, starts in an evocative way, which means: the reader sees movies in his mind, and has feelings. Then, sometimes, the abstract principle is given at the end.

Choose the “causal level” of your communication carefully. Most high-tech persuasion stays at the features level, showing just “how it works.”  It’s often powerful to move up the causal hierarchy to “experience of use”...

“With X’s template feature, I built a presentation in one day that would have taken me three.”

And even higher on the causal hierarchy would be “qualitative and quantitative gains.”

“Using X presentation visuals we got up-the-line referrals for the first time and are now presenting to groups of 10-20 top-most executives in billion-dollar companies. Sales have more than doubled. I expect the return on our investment will exceed 100 times, including the cost of training.”

This quantitative language is evocative and credible, and it’s often possible to find a quantitative argument. Be sure the gains are a breakthrough. “Worth the money” is vague and weak; it will unsell the reader.

Set the Decision Criteria

Most high-tech products are complex. So, persuasion is maximized, and prospects get a big gift, if you reveal the key decision criteria that pierce through the complexity. A quote is the method of choice...

“X computers are still best for graphic designers, but Ys are better for everyone else, because...”

You Can Use Quotes Throughout

Since quotes make claims credible and evocative, look for ways to use them in headlines, captions, body copy, and sidebars. To position a collection of reviewer quotes, one ad had a heading above the quotes...

The experts’ verdict:    “No contest.”

Since few publishers and advertisers get and use quotes well, this tool gives a major competitive advantage to those who understand the power of word-of-mouth in print, on the Web, and in emailings..

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