My blog post on what a press release is and isn’t got a lot of comments over on LinkedIn about the use of the word ‘delighted’ – or rather why people disliked it.

So I thought I’d write a quick guide to how you can avoid saying you are ‘delighted’ in your press release.

To quickly recap why it shouldn’t be used, no one expects you NOT to be delighted (or cares that you are).

And it’s a waste of an opportunity to say something more interesting and meaningful – which is more likely to get used by a journalist.

So I’ve come up with some quick ways to avoid saying you are ‘delighted’ and add more value to your press release quotes.

These are mostly property focused (because that’s the industry I work with) but the underlying ideas are interchangeable for all sorts of businesses:

For a new starter:

Jane Smith is a brilliant addition to our team because…
Jane Smith brings x, y and z…
The appointment of Jane Smith means…

Finished a project:

This project is the result of x, y and z…
This has been a challenging/interesting/important project because…
This project showcases x, y and z…
This project marks x, y and z…

Planning permission:

This marks an important step in delivering what will be…
Working on this project has meant x, y and z.
This has been an interesting project to work on because…

What other words or phrases would you like to see banned from press releases?

I’d add ‘passionate’ and ‘open for business’ to the list. Let me know your choices in the comments.

You might also like to read:

What a B2B press release is and isn’t.

How to create great content from an online event.

Why writing about your failures can help you stand out.

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