But even armed with the most illustrious Farrow and Ball you might not get exactly what you’d hoped for…

Of course, I’ve got a vested interest in suggesting professional support when it comes to the media. I’m out of a job otherwise. But rather than tell you how awful it would be (tempting), I’ll assume you’re going to use it anyway. Here are some tips on how to make it better.

Don’t settle for bland headlines:

If it’s a new product launch, a consumer campaign, a new hire announcement – ChatGPT has a danger of making this sound beige. It’s often clear and concise depending on what you feed into it, but ultimately it’s boring. If your headline comes back dry as a bone, don’t be afraid to take a hatchet to it and add some personality. 

Your headline is a make-or-break moment for journalists to bother reading the rest of your announcement, so take time over this. Getting it right is important.

*And remember: Something new simply ‘existing’ isn’t news. People want to know what this new thing means for the industry, or the common person, or the future of how we spend etc.

Go easy on the superlatives (and cut all the jargon):

I just dropped in a suggested product for ChatGPT to announce, and it’s telling me that this imaginary product is “revolutionising the financial landscape with cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions.”

Gross.

When you get lines like this, they either need to come out completely, or you need to get really specific about what exactly is happening here. 

Is your open banking payments network going to change the way friends and family send money to each other? 

Is your new fraud feature going to add an indomitable layer of security to people’s online banking? 

Have you, in the battle of percentages and interest rates, launched THE BEST savings account on the market, earning people the absolute maximum they possibly can on their money? Say that instead. 

Journalists are bombarded with jargon-ny press releases day in and day out, and they’re deeply off putting. Believe me I’ve been told.

Make the most of your comment:

Please promise me one thing. You’re not “thrilled” in that comment. 

You. Are. Not. Thrilled.

I know journalists who auto filter the word “thrilled” to their trash inboxes. It’s so overused, meaningless and frankly a little lazy. Of course you’re ‘thrilled to announce’ this new thing. What value does that add to any article?

Make it a conscious habit not to use “thrilled” in your comments, and you’ll automatically have to write much more interesting quotes.

Remember, this is a space to add a perspective or an opinion, and you can also inject a little personality to reflect the person who it’s coming from. Be creative, but for the love of god don’t be thrilled.