Let the Customer Make your Case with a Case Study
March 25, 2008 by Mary Ellen
“…there is tremendous value in the true words of your satisfied customers. When they are willing to talk about their first-hand experience with your company, product or service, and share the value they have seen, their words carry a lot more weight than any collateral materials ever can.”
I met Blogger Casey Hibbard on the web this week. We discussed Compelling Cases, her company, and how relationships connect an audience to a business. Casey explains case studies in such a way that I’m surprised more people don’t use the tool.
Case studies offer customers an opportunity to see your product in action, understand the problem(s) it solves and evaluate whether the solution could work for them. This non-threatening, persuasive approach is particularly effective for those selling a high end product or one with a long sales cycle. A case study can be an effective tool for each of a company’s critical audiences. Consider:
- Stakeholders: major vendors, bankers or friends and family can be overlooked in company communication. A case study brings this audience up to date and offers a different view of “their” company.
- Feedback from employees not connected to the sales process indicates that case studies offer insight and information; the understanding that such knowledge fosters translates to better teams.
- Customers also appreciate the opportunity to understand the application of a product or process in the field. Presentation of case studies can add to the credibility of the seller as well as his/her firm. The case study may reinforce a purchasing decision or sway one.
- The general public can view case studies on the web; once again, such information adds to understanding and continues to market on a 24/7 basis for the company.
- Case studies provide the media with specifics they love: background for a feature story, additional information about a business, and so on. The well written case study can even offer story angles that the media can then present to their audience. Trade magazines sometimes feature case studies because they provide interesting examples of a product in action. In the process, the case study enhances company visibility.
If you haven’t considered a case study, think again. It may be a new tactic to add to your marketing tool chest. In a world where mass marketing is becoming less and less effective, could a case study sell your story to potential customers?
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Mary Ellen,
Case studies are a great tool! As long as you don’t let your marcom people write ‘em…okay, I’m (sort of) kidding. But, key to a great case study is results. What problem was solved? How was success measured? What pain was ended? Keep it short so people will actually read it. If using photos, (which you really should) – make them “candids” – not posed, superclean stock photos of pretty people. Forget saying “solutions” – show it.
And, ask those happy customers to film a short video for you – and put it EVERYWHERE. Great marketing for them as well as you. (But, again, talk results, real world, personal – not marketing blah-blah speak.)
It’s all about stories – and everyone loves a good story!