Judging by the empty restaurants and malls, as well as sparse traffic on our roads, it would appear that all work has come to a screeching halt. But a peek behind closed doors shows otherwise. Millions of Americans are still hard at work, and some are just taking in some downtime in anticipation of getting back to business as usual.
Smart business owners will not bring their marketing to a screeching halt even if sales are temporarily on hold. This is a great time to grab some mindshare from your customers for your marketing initiatives that your customers may be too busy to pay attention to otherwise. Items on your marketing wish list, such as asking customers to complete surveys or provide you with reviews or case studies, are great projects to work on now. Read on for some tips on how to develop case studies that get read and add credibility to your brand.
Tell the Story from Start to Finish
One of the things that make case studies unique and of interest to the reader is that they tell a story. People like to hear from people they can relate to with needs and wishes similar to their own.
Giving a name and a face to the customer you are spotlighting, whether through a written piece or video, makes them real. But it is not just about the person in the story, it is the story itself. What was the situation prior to introducing your product? What problems did they have? What were they trying to achieve? What obstacles did they have to overcome?
Be specific; tell in as much detail as possible why they were losing revenue, or spending too much money, or couldn’t get their work done. Then tell exactly what it was about your product or service that solved that issue for them.
Include Real Names and Numbers
Include real names and real numbers. Case studies are often hard to get customer approval for leaving some marketers resorting to writing up case studies about “a large retailer in the southwest” or “a successful provider of…”. There are circumstances where the need for anonymity is understandable but real names are much more credible.
Specific outcomes such as an increase in revenues or decrease in costs directly attributable to your solution is imperative, otherwise it’s not a case study it’s a marketing claim. Time saved, number of months to payback, or increased satisfaction among employees are also common ways to measure success.
Try Different Formats
Traditionally a case study was written as a piece of collateral similar to a data sheet or brochure suitable for printing. This is still a great format however today’s case studies also come in the form of blogs, press releases and video testimonials or interviews.
It can be difficult to get your customer’s approval for a traditional case study or press release, as those type of items usually require a formal approval process, perhaps even including the customer’s legal team. However, blogs and even videos are much more informal and your contact for the customer may be more willing to approve the blog without the formal process.
Where possible, maximize the case study’s value by reproducing it in more than one format. And be sure to share across all your social media outlets.
Summary
A case study can be a powerful endorsement for your company. People enjoy reading about the problems their peers face and how they solved them. And a third-party endorsement is the strongest type of claim your marketing department can make. Be sure to shine a positive light on your customer and they will be happy to share it as well.
