Depending on the reporter, it’s generally true that between 50 percent and 75 percent of media interviews do not result in the printing or airing of a direct quote. If your goal is to convey your personal credibility or expertise in your field to a key audience — and get quoted by the press in the process — here are five points to remember:

1. Be brief. Whether you’re creating broadcast sound bites or printed statements, keep them short and to the point.
2. Introduce conflict. A news story with an adversarial component will always trump one without any conflict. Think about how you can give the reporter enough conflict to get yourself quoted without gratuitously picking a fight.
3. Start a relationship. Every interview with a reporter is an opportunity to become a trusted source for future stories, which means that if you don’t get quoted the first time, there will most likely be a next time.
4. Correct yourself. Reporters have a vested interest in your looking smart. Stumbles and fumbles with your words rarely appear in print, so if you make a mistake, don’t hesitate to back up and start over again. Your corrected comment is the one that will be quoted.
5. Know the rules. In some circumstances, providing off-the-record and not-for-attribution background information can serve your interests in the press. But be sure to carefully distinguish what the reporter can and cannot attribute to you.

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