What is a "Pull Quote" & Why are They Important?

A pull quote is a stand out quote that is pulled from an article. It's highlighted in an article to get noticed. So, how do you find your perfect pull quote? First, let's understand what a pull quote is and why it's important.

A pull quote is simply a memorable sentence or phrase from an article, blog post, book, or speech that summed up the central theme or argument. They are usually placed in a larger or bold font in order to make them stand out on the page and grab the reader's attention.

While a touch of humor often makes for a good pull quote, the most effective ones are those that are authentic to you and your message. So, how do you find such a quote? By staying true to yourself, of course!

Be Yourself

When you're thinking about what your perfect pull quote might be, it's important to stay true to yourself and your message. After all, the whole point of a pull quote is to succinctly sum up what you're all about in a way that will resonate with your audience. So, ask yourself: what are my core values? What do I want people to know about me? And most importantly, what is unique about me that I can share with others?

Think about times when you've been asked to describe yourself in one sentence. What did you say? Did you focus on your professional achievements or mention something personal that you're passionate about? Both are valid options, but it's important to make sure that your pull quote feels authentically you. After all, if it doesn't ring true to who you are and what you believe in, then it's not going to resonate with your audience either.

Choose Your Words Carefully once you've settled on a general direction for your pull quote, it's time to start playing around with different wordings until you find something that feels just right. This is where a thesaurus can come in handy; by looking up synonyms for key words and phrases, you can find new ways to express yourself that you might not have thought of before. However, be careful not to change the meaning of your original statement in the process; after all, conciseness is key when it comes to creating a good pull quote!

Keep it Short and Sweet once you've found the perfect way to sum up who you are and what you believe in, all that's left to do is choose the most concise way to say it. As a general rule of thumb, shorter pull quotes are usually more effective than longer ones; after all, you want your audience remember your statement long after they've finished reading whatever it is that they're reading!

If keeping it short and sweet feels like too much of a challenge, try looking back at what you originally wrote and seeing if there's anything that can be left out without taking away from the overall meaning of your statement. Sometimes all it takes is deleting one or two words to transform a clunky sentence into a succinct and memorable pull quote.