I’ve written many case studies for employers and customers over the years. There is a reason customers keep coming back for more. They are magical when it comes to marketing. One client called a case history that I’d produced for him “Pure gold ― a real money maker.”
Why is it these success stories are so effective? What sets them apart from other communications vehicles ready to roll out from the marketing garage? There are at least eight great reasons that case histories are worth including in your fleet of marketing materials.
1. Case studies show a prospect “what’s in it for them” using a non-salesy approach. When written by a pro, these stories take the reader on a journey from problem to solution, told in the customer’s own words. They provide reassurance that a company or organization can solve a problem or improve a situation. These communications pieces are often valued more than traditional marketing materials, like brochures and websites, because prospects view them as more credible, social proof of competence. It’s all about building trust!
2. The best case studies hook prospects with a compelling lead and reel them in with a call to action. Like a well-written journalism piece for a magazine or other publication, there are smooth transitions and often subheads that lead the reader from beginning to end. In an era when the average person stays on a website for 52 seconds, case studies command attention just like a compelling article that you just can’t put down.
3. Is there a better way to build your current customer’s loyalty? Think about it. To construct a great case study, your marketing department or consultant interviews your customer and gets that person to talk about how you helped make his company, or maybe even her life, better. This gets cemented in that buyer’s mind and probably influences the whole organization’s perception of you as well. Who will they remember the next time they have a problem to solve?
4. In one survey, respondents said that case studies were one of their top two most effective tools for converting leads into sales. The very best at putting these marketing masterpieces together know how to weave irresistible differentiators into their stories. They are also adept at including a well-thought-out call-to-action in the final paragraph that provide readers with a logical next step, moving them forward in the buyer’s journey.
5. For those focused on search engine marketing, case studies should be on your radar. When written with keyword phrases sprinkled in (logically not randomly), they can be particularly effective. Well crafted titles and subheads can make them even more visible to target audiences searching for answers. Long-from content, like case studies, helps build authority and is a great way to stand out from the crowd in an ever-expanding world of potential solutions.
6. Need content for your LinkedIn company page or another platform? Try a teaser splintered from a case study. Not only do these mini cases get noticed, but they lead prospects to your website, where they’ll find the full story and have the opportunity to discover much more. These versatile marketing content pieces can also be repurposed for blog posts and tailored for newsletters. They are like a Swiss Army Knife in a marketers toolkit!
7. In the hands of a strategist, a case study is crafted to capture the attention of the audience before they have a chance dive into the text. The best often include supporting photos, graphics, tables and other bells and whistles that help communicate problems and solutions. There are many nuances to the art of marketing storytelling and knowing them can get your product or service noticed by those shopping for a solution. In this case, a picture may turn out to be worth a lot more than a thousand words.
8. Other than raises, is there a better way to improve employee morale? Case studies showcase your team’s successes. Even without including employee names, they can make a whole group feel like they contributed and are really making a difference. Not only do they build customers’ and prospects’ trust in your organization but they might just make your employees (or association members) feel a lot better about their work and improve retention.
To sum it up, case studies enable your customers to do some of the marketing for you and help your prospects persuade themselves that you have a viable solution to their problems. There may be other reasons to consider incorporating these success stories in your marketing plans, but the eight listed above give you plenty to consider as you search for ways to build the kind of trust that attracts new business and ensures current customer loyalty. For more information or to discuss a project idea, contact me at kirk@rmc-strategic.com.