You can talk about your services and products until you’re blue in the face, but without some sort of social proof, no one’s going to listen.
Think about how you seek out new suppliers.
You’ll do a Google search, make a shortlist, check out their websites, find out how they’re going to make your life easier and take your problem away, and then you check out what their customers say about them.
The old favourite to satisfy that last point has always been a testimonial, but “we have worked with ABC Company and have always found them to be responsive,” isn’t going to cut it.
That’s why its time to start putting together some case studies.
The story behind the brand
A case study is a story; everyone loves a good yarn, especially the ones with a happy ending.
They are powerful because they feature clients who have similar wants and needs to the reader. Prospects get to read about real life situations; they feel motivated and excited about the potential your product or service could offer them.
Quickly they get to know about you as a company, your products/services, and how you help others achieve their goals.
So which clients do you write them about?
A universal problem
There’s bound to be a common issue facing most of your clients, so whittling it down to a few potential case study subjects is going to be tricky.
Rather than going for the big name clients, how about opting for one that involves some hefty numbers. You know, the one your CMS helped achieve 150% higher sales etc.
Once you’ve decided whom you’ll be shining the spot light on it’s time to start writing.
Structuring your case study
Following a common format for all your case studies gives an element of familiarity that people love.
Start off with a short introduction to the client and the issue they were facing.
Then outline the process you followed to solve the problem, highlighting any specific areas of interest you came across along the way.
All of that is rounded off with the results they achieved and any future projects you’ll be working on with them as a result.
Of course, all of this should be sprinkled with a few quotes from the client to give their side of things too.
This narrative will draw the reader in and show them how amazing you are.
Of course, case studies aren’t all about fabulous writing; they also need to be eye catching. Don’t overpower the story, but use a colour pallet and design that complements the story you’ve written.
Tell the world
Once written it, don’t hide it away on an obscure web page that’s hard to find. Use it as part of your email marketing strategy, push it out through your social media channels and perhaps link to it from your home page.
It’s a great story and deserves to be read, so make sure it can be found.
The final word
If you don’t really want to publish your client list, case studies are an effective way of showing off your skills without letting your competitors know whom you work with.
Rather than introducing the client by name, you can drop hints as to who they are – the industry they work in, their global reach etc. and then use the case study to tell your story. Including a quote or two is important, but again you can hide the company name.
Need a case study writing? Get in touch and I’ll be happy to help you get your story out there.