Case studies can provide powerful proof that your company’s products/services truly do what you say they do!
And they’re really popular: your prospects are hungry to read about how well your offerings will serve them by reading how well they’ve already served other people!
Case studies will prove to prospects that you do what you say you can do because they provide actual results with real people, not just you saying your products/service works.
They provide you a ton of credibility because they show how other customers have used your offerings and had success doing so.
Ninety-two percent of consumers read online reviews before making a purchase.
Yet just 13 percent marketers name case studies as one of their top marketing tools
You may be thinking that a case study is a major commitment. It can be. But….
….case studies can be long or short
A case study can be a blog post or a data-filled paper. It can be a video or an infographic. They don’t always have to name the client you helped, but doing so – with the client’s permission – makes the case study even more powerful.
It also tends to mean that it will take you longer to create the case study because you’ll need to show your former/current client the case study and get their approval. This isn’t actually required, but if you’re going to name the company, it’s the smart – and customer-friendly – thing to do.
The three parts of a case study
Case studies tend to have three parts:
- They identify the problem your customers had. This often catches the attention of potential customers because many of them probably have the same problem. A case study demonstrates how you can solve a customer’s particular problems by using your tool or the innovative solutions you’ve found – and sell – that solve the problem.
- A case study shows how a current or past customer went about solving a problem either with a particular product of yours or your particular services. This helps a prospect think about their own challenges and how your product/service could help them.
- Case studies always showcases how your product/service solved a customer’s problem. Data and statistics can be used in this portion, which serves to strengthen the power of the case study even more.
Whether you work with a former client or not to write a case study, remember this:
The case study is about how YOUR product/service solved their problem
It’s not a marketing piece for the client; it’s one for you. Focus not on the customer’s products and mission, but on how your product or service helped it solve its problem/reach its goal.
Aim to be as specific as possible with the client’s problem and how you solved it.
Discuss the problem you were asked to solve in some detail. Give a bit of background on the problem. You might consider going into a bit of some of the things the client did before reaching out to you (if you know them).
Go a bit into your research process regarding how you decided what product/service you felt would be best for the client. What is it about this product/service that would specifically serve the client best?
Then discuss what happened:
- How long until the client saw progress?
- If you don’t have actual figures, aim to be as specific as possible. Use percentages, if necessary. If you’re not working with the client on the case study, ask the sales person who works with the client. Chances are that he or she has a good idea as to outcomes.
Publish the case study on your website
In fact, you may want to consider having a website section labeled “Testimonials/Case Studies.”
Broadcast links to each one on your social channels. Send a link to it to your client/prospects via email.
Consider printing it on stock paper and using it as a leave-behind on sales calls.
And then create another case study. And another.
They truly are THAT powerful!
Want some more case study tips? Contact us here at Ingenex.co: we always love talking about the power of content marketing!
