Why produce case studies? Quite simply… what better way to promote your company without being blatantly self-serving than to demonstrate the success your customers or clients have had using your products or services? When companies see the results you’ve generated for others, they are more likely to consider you as a valuable resource. Not only do past successes generate interest but credibility as well.
Case studies (or success stories) are effective marketing tools that rely on a story framework to describe how you solved a problem or challenge for someone else. They generate empathy and produce the mindset that says “if they can do it for others, they can do it for me”.
The key elements of an effective case study include:
- A branded format and engaging headline.
- A description of the problem or challenge faced by a customer, communicating why it required urgent attention.
- The role your company’s product or service played in the solution and the positive business impact generated. This includes implementation, training, use, and quantifiable, bottom-line results.
- Quotes and testimonials from customers that communicate the benefits of your product or service and the positive experience working with your company.
- Visual representation of the problem and solutions, such as employees using the product or solution, company logos and graphs illustrating the results.
- A call to action with complete contact information for your company.
If you are not producing case studies regularly consider some of these important opportunities that you could be missing:
- Communication value. Prospects identify with success stories that describe similar problems and results.
- Multi-channel promotions. Case studies can have a long shelf life and a multitude of uses. They can be shared with customers and prospects through email, posted on the company’s web site, discussed in blogs and other social media outlets, such as Twitter and Facebook, and handed out at trade shows or in one-on-one interactions.
- A vehicle to create a sense of trust and empathy. Case studies personalize the experience of using the company’s products or services to solve a problem or fulfill a need. In addition, prospects are more likely to believe a case study based on a credible, third-party experience instead of self-serving sales literature.
- Bring life to the company’s products or services. Success stories are just that – stories. Telling an engaging story to demonstrate the effectiveness of the products or services is more interesting than looking at facts and figures. Even better, the probability increases that the reader remembers the story.
When all is said and done, well-crafted case studies can assist the sales team in closing more business. And what company in business today isn’t looking for opportunities to grow?
Marketing Tips
When writing a case study, make sure you know the answers to these key questions:
- Who is the customer and what is the nature of the customer’s business?
- What is the problem(s)? How is the problem affecting the customer’s business?
- What solutions did the company previously try? Why were they unsuccessful?
- Why did the customer choose your company to solve the problem?
- What happened during the implementation of the solution? Did any problems arise and if so, how were they solved?
- What are the results and benefits of using the company’s product or service to solve the problem?
- Were any of your company’s employees exceptionally helpful during this process? If so, how did they go above and beyond the normal scope of their jobs?
- Why would the customer recommend the product or service? Why would the customer recommend the company?
- What steps should a prospect take to implement this solution and what should the prospect know before starting this process?
Quarterly Quote
“Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customers feel smart.”
–Joe Chernov, VP of Content at HubSpot and 2012 Content Marketer of the Year
Business Resources
- The Harvard Business Review publishes case studies (accessible for a fee) written by professors from Harvard Business School and other renowned business programs worldwide. These studies are on topics such as strategy, marketing, entrepreneurship and focus on the actual problems and decisions companies face.
- Look at your competitors’ websites for their use of case studies and learn what you can from them.
Recommended Reading
- Stories That Sell: Turn Satisfied Customers into Your Most Powerful Sales & Marketing Asset, Casey Hibbard
- Epic Content Marketing: How to Tell a Different Story, Break through the Clutter, and Win More Customers by Marketing Less, Joe Pulizzi
The Last Word
There are a few “don’ts” when it comes to using case studies successfully.
- Include a date on your case studies so that prospects and customers see your track record of success.
- If data is presented in a case study, don’t let it get outdated. Readers may not find the story relevant if they believe the material is old. Refresh the case study by updating the data and statistics.
- Even if your product or service is technical, write the case study in a reader-friendly format. Use just enough words to communicate clearly without burdening the reader.
- Don’t hide case studies, especially on the company’s website. Put them in a prominent position.
- Actively promote and publicize new case studies when they become available.
- Don’t give away the results of the case study immediately. Present it with a beginning (description of the problem), a middle (implementation of the solution) and an end (did the solution work?). Make the reader want to find out how the solution worked.
- Ensure that the case studies are well written. Nothing turns a prospect away faster than reading a sloppy and boring marketing piece. Don’t present the prospect with content that is full of errors and inaccuracies and is poorly written.
If you need help, reach out to professionals. Trade Press Services writes compelling, engaging and interesting case studies and success stories to put you in the best light possible. Or more information, please call us 805 496-8850.