Case Studies

Marketing case studies — also referred to as customer success stories — are a valuable marketing tool. For marketers, a case study is typically an in-depth examination of a single client, describing one of their specific business challenges, and how use of a product or service (hopefully yours) enabled the client to solve that particular challenge. Done properly, case studies are extremely valuable in the sales process, because they demonstrate clearly — and in a relatively objective manner — the value of your product or solution.

Based loosely on a teaching methodology that originated at the Harvard Business School, case studies provide a systematic way of looking at events, collecting data, analyzing information, and reporting the results. The "case" method of study went on to be adopted throughout business education, and the concept has been adopted by marketing organizations as a way of adding objective credibility to product claims.

Why They're Valuable

Your prospects will peruse your website and read your brochures... but, they'll do so with a grain of salt. After all, you're trying to sell them something, and they know it. However, when an actual customer is willing to talk candidly about the success they've had with your product or service, that kind of message will resonate with your prospect, because it has been validated by an "objective" third party.

For marketing purposes, case studies come in many shapes and sizes, but they all have in common the same basic format: A situation analysis of the company in question; a description of a particular business challenge including business drivers; a description of the proposed solution, and the result of implementing the solution. Case studies typically range from one to four pages, with the majority being about two pages long. Longer studies might be useful when dealing with highly technical subject matter.

A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Marketing Case Study

1. Choose Your Subject — This is typically the most difficult part. When selecting the client that you'd like to feature in your Success Story, their overall experience with your company should be a positive one, so think about who you want to feature. They should also be able to provide some metrics or measurable results to demonstrate clearly that your product or solution has created a positive return on their investment.
        Once you've settled on a client, explain to them exactly what it is that you would like to do, and request their permission to tell their success story. Some clients — particularly larger organizations — will balk at this, and some may even have policies that prohibit participation in case studies. Similarly, your point of contact may not be high enough within the organization to authorize participation, so you'll have to weigh whether or not you have sufficient rapport with the company to obtain their cooperation. Sometimes, having your president or CEO speak directly to their president or CEO can help to grease the skids. Smaller organizations are typically more than happy to participate, because they understand the benefits to them of participating, as in increased brand awareness and potential media coverage.
        Also, remember to first check with your account managers, product managers, and help desk personnel before you approach the prospective interviewee. You want to ensure that there aren't any unresolved issues that might create an awkward situation.
2. Choose Your Author — Depending on the resources available to you, you can outsource the project or author it in-house. Many companies choose to use freelance copywriters because clients might feel more comfortable sharing their opinions with an "objective" third party. There are many web resources available, that canprovide you with both examples of successful case studies, as well as identifying freelancers who have experience in writing them.
3. Conduct Your Interview — Before interviewing your client, you should gather as much background information as you can, on both the featured company, their business challenge, and how your product or service was able to help them meet that challenge. The better prepared you are in the beginning, the smoother the entire process will be. During the actual interview (which can be conducted either in-person or via phone calls), ask open-ended questions about the challenges the company faced; why they selected your product as their solution; and what type of results they have experienced. Always interview someone who has a similar title or job responsibilities as the person you are targeting: peers respond best to their peers.
4. Design Your Presentation Format — Formatting of your finished case study can have an impact on how well it is received, so spend some time thinking about the final presentation. If you have a staff designer, you can enlist their assistance. Otherwise, you can use a "sample" case study from your web research as a "template." You might want to enlist a freelance designer to assist you in putting together a format. Plan on leaving a lot of "white space," and include charts, graphs, "pull quotes," and sidebars, to help communicate your story visually. If you don't know of any freelance graphic designers, your freelance writer might be able to recommend one.
5. Prepare Your First Draft — The typical format for case studies is Background; Business Challenge; Implementation of Your Product or Service; and finally, Result. Discuss whether there were any unusual challenges, or any customization required. You might discuss how long the solution took to implement; whether you offered training to end-users; whether or not you had to integrate the solution with existing workflows; etc. The more detailed your approach, the more credibility you will earn with your reader. Be sure to include as many hard facts as possible, as well as the client's Return on their Investment — facts and figures are the best way to demonstrate results in a convincing manner.
6. Review, Edit, and Approve — Carefully review the final customer story, and have a fresh pair of eyes do the same. When sharing the final draft with your client, keep in mind that several people at your customer's organization may have to sign-off on the case study project — including marketing, public relations, and their legal counsel. This can take some time, so patience and methodical follow-up can help ensure that everything goes smoothly.
7. Distribute Your Case Study — Once your case study is finished, get the word out! Post a link to it on your web site; include it in your e-newsletter; include a link to it in your email signature line; send it to trade journals, industry analysts, bloggers, and your local media. Lastly, make hard copies than can be included in your press and sales kits.

Once a client has agreed to participate with you on a case study, make this project a Number One Priority. Your first draft should be written quickly (within a week or two of the initial interviews, if at all possible) and your internal reviews should be done quickly, as well. The faster you can deliver a draft, the fresher the interview will be in the client's mind and, with any luck, the quicker they will approve it.

Well-written case studies are extremely effective and powerful as sales tools; to a prospective client, there's nothing like hearing how a "real" client actually uses — and benefits from — your product or service!

Got a tip you'd like to share, or maybe a question about any of the ideas presented here? Feel free to drop me a line at david.orban@oydesign.com.

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