Facts and Figures

This is the second in a four-part series on credibility continuing through April. Each week we will discuss a different method of improving the credibility of your press releases. You can find the first part of this series here.

We’re now officially one week into the 2009 Major League Baseball season. More so than most other sports, baseball is statistics driven. When you stop to think about it, even team managers themselves play the numbers. They examine statistics and try to match the best batter against the best pitcher, and vice versa.

You’re probably wondering what this has to do with writing press releases, so I’ll cut to the chase.

Statistics don’t lie. Sure, they can sometimes be slanted in a certain direction, but if you want to prove your point to someone, show them the evidence. Don’t just tell them your side of the story.

Including facts and figures in press releases is a great way to improve your credibility. When putting together a release, use as many details as possible. Incorporate facts into your release that reinforce your point. For example, here are two sentences. Which do you believe more?

Alex Rodriguez was the best power hitter in baseball during the 2007 season.

or

Alex Rodriguez led Major League Baseball with 143 runs scored, 54 home runs, and 156 RBI’s in 2007.

Seeing the actual statistics makes a big difference. It’s easy to use words like a leader or the best, but it’s much more effective to provide evidence supporting your claim. Both of the above sentences are facts, but only the second one backs the statement up with hard evidence. Readers come to the same conclusion reading each sentence, but Alex Rodriguez’s stats show us he was the best power hitter of 2007 without ever explicitly stating it.

Details can make all the difference. You are an expert about the topic of your news release. Prove it to your readers by giving them the background they need. Think of instances where you can go into further detail. Here’s an example of a sentence that could be expanded upon:

In 2008, Dustin Pedroia became the third player in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in consecutive seasons.

or

In 2008, Dustin Pedroia joined Cal Ripken, Jr. and Ryan Howard, becoming the third player in MLB history to win Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in consecutive seasons.

Including the names of the other two players who have achieved the same honors, grounds this sentence in reality. It establishes this statement as fact, and proves we’ve done our homework. Here’s another example before we move on:

The Chicago Cubs finished the 2008 season with the best record in the National League.

or

The Chicago Cubs finished the 2008 season with 97 wins and 64 losses, the best record in the National League.

All of the above examples explicitly state facts in order to prove their points. However, facts and figures in press releases don’t need to be in your face. You can subtly insert details that will ground your news and enhance the credibility of your press releases. For example:

Experts are predicting a drop in attendance at major league ballparks in 2009.

or

Experts predict that some major league ballparks could see attendance drops of as much as 20% in 2009.

You will notice the second sentence isn’t a fact – it’s an estimate. However, it is a credible statement that illustrates the severity of the problem and drives the point home.

Last week we defined credibility as believability or reliability. To establish your press release as a believable source of news you should prove to your readers that you know your stuff inside and out. People don’t like being told what to do or how to think. Instead, provide details that paint a picture for your readers and let them see the whole story.

Stay tuned throughout April for more information on how to improve the credibility of your press releases. Coming next week... Quotes!