07 Mar Case Studies – The Stars in Your Marketing Toolbox
Don’t Diss The Case Study – It’s Got Pulling Power
Written by Daniela Cavalletti
Case studies: how boring, how time consuming, how difficult, how … ‘yawn!’, I hear you think. So, congrats for reading this far. You might think of case studies as being dry, dusty and ineffective. And that’s where you’re wrong. Very wrong, in fact.
Everyone likes seeing actual – real life – examples of how someone else has worked with you successfully. They instill confidence and convince your potential new clients that choosing to work with you is the best answer to their needs or problems.
Case Study – What’s in a Name?
Part of the problem is that ‘case study’ sounds clinical and anything but engaging. So, think of your case studies as ‘client stories’, ‘client successes’ or ’star projects’. See, that sounds like so much more fun already! You will know what type of tone and language works best for your business. Choose a term that motivates you to get writing – and your clients to identify and engage with.
Extra, Extra, Read All About It!
When was the last time you read a story or news item? Exactly … it likely was within the last 24 hours, if not the hour. And why did you? Don’t tell me, I know: because humans like a good story. Following a protagonist and a storyline is fun and exciting. We like to get immersed and be surprised. And we want to find out what happened in the end. So, go and write stories about your clients, your skills, your approach and the fabulous outcomes for your customers. Whether we sell a service or a product – we all have stories to tell.
Client Stories – Where to Begin?
Case studies are an excellent marketing tool to showcase your product or service. As a bonus, they’re quite easy to write due to their clear structure and all information being at hand. Think of the last 5 to 10 projects or sales that were exciting, difficult but fun, very successful, or made you proud. Pick those that solved a problem your target market has in common. Focus on clients, projects or services you want to attract more of.
Start writing an outline: introduction – problem – solution – outcome:
- Who is your customer?
- What was their need or issue?
- How did your service, product, process help and provide a solution?
- Finally, deservedly brag about your client’s excitement and pleasure at the successful outcome.
Everybody enjoys a happy ending – and your readers and potential clients are no different.
Bring Your Case Study to Life
To go pro on case studies, interview your clients. Include their direct quotes and testimonials in the case studies showcasing their projects with you. They are human, and as such they’ll like to reminisce about and share their stories of positive results. Have a few questions ready and call them to have a ‘chat’, not an ‘interview’. That sounds like hard work and formal; you want them to be as relaxed and open as possible. If you feel too nervous to speak to your customers about case studies, you can ask your copywriter or marketing partner to do it for you. Another way to add star-power to your client success stories is to bring them to life with videos and images of the project.
Client Stories – Your Road to Stardom, Fame + Fortune?
Like testimonials, case studies are someone else’s view on the quality you deliver, which makes them so enormously powerful. It’s not you claiming you’re excellent at what you do – it’s someone else endorsing you. You can use your case studies across your website, leave behinds, newsletters, exhibition stalls, company profile brochures, annual reports, tenders, sales pitches, awards application, speeches and video scripts, … to name but a few.
Case studies are telling the stories of your proudest work – and your potential customers do want (love!) to hear them.
As the stars amongst your customer stories your case studies have enormous pulling power. Simply write, publish – and watch your case studies build trust and create human connections.
And sell.
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