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Written by zinano in Uncategorized
Jun 20 th, 2022
A case study is basically a document (or a video) that outlines how customers are using your product to solve a problem. This is real proof that your product works and delivers results.
If your product or service has helped customers achieve great results a case study will help you demonstrate those results to future customers. They’re an excellent way to attract more business and can mean the difference between a lost opportunity and a really good end to a quarter.
First, it’s helpful to highlight what makes case studies bad: most are painfully boring. What they have in terms of research and detail is lacking in a cohesive story of consumables. They list numbers and include data but readers aren’t sure what it all means or why it’s relevant to their question. They end up in the form of technical documents that can hardly convince or inspire anyone – which is unfortunate as they have the potential to be a powerful sales tool that can help you close big deals during the decision-making stage.
So how do you write a good essay? Here are three characteristics that every good case study should have:
It’s digestible
There is no hard and fast rule about how long a case study should be. But it’s always a good idea to ask “how short can we do it?” A good case study avoids unnecessary detail knows what it is trying to say and communicates it quickly and unequivocally. with a few Exceptions, Effective case studies are concise and clear.
It’s thorough
On the other side of the length, equation thoroughness is also important. While a case study is an impressive statement about how a product helped someone achieve a specific outcome it also needs to explain how it happened. Good case studies include showing how the client Uses this product to go from A to B – which customer reviews don’t have. Don’t make your readers try too hard to imagine the story. If you can use images and videos use them!
It’s a story
Yes, case studies are sales tools. But the truly worthwhile book tells a compelling story with a beginning middle and end. They asked to read it through. They often pose a problem that creates tension and demands a solution. Remember in this story the customer is Hero – not you.
Discovery phase i.e preliminary work
Before you start actually writing you need to do some prep work to make sure your case study is stunning. (This is where good customer service teamwork really comes in handy as your customer support team will have the best intelligence.)
You probably have many customers who have seen great results with your product. But you can’t just pick a name and show their results; they may not be suitable for your audience or their results may not be typical. For example, don’t feature enterprise companies most of the time Your customers are small businesses. Or claim that your customers have a 90% customer retention rate while most of them see an average of 70% (though still impressive). When considering which client to use first create a list of clients that meet these criteria:
They have seen good results from your product or service
The numbers are what really matter. So choose customers who are using your product with measurable results. However, be careful when showing very good results if they are unlikely to be repeated by most people.
They have a respected and recognized brand.
A strong brand provides instant social proof for your product. They prove that you are mature and trustworthy. This alone can put you on the cutting edge of the decision-making process. After all if Big Brand X trusts you so can potential customers.
They’re a typical customer.
When companies in other industries or verticals achieve good results they are not as important. Identify current customers who are similar to your target audience. If you sell enterprise software choose Enterprise Accounts. If you are a healthcare consultant Industry chooses clients to work in healthcare.
It may be more effective than sending an email. It’s more personal lets you build rapport and is harder to ignore than an email.
Try to get in touch with customers who use or are very familiar with your product or service – someone who can communicate with the results. Tell them that you are interested in writing the case study and that you would like to hear more about the results they have achieved. Clarify what the process is The part that involves them – whether it’s a list of questions in an email a phone call or involving cameras and staff.
If you provide the value your customers are more likely to see you as a partner than a supplier and expect you to be happy to participate. Remember you are also focusing on your own success. So it’s a win-win.
That said you may also hear “no” a few times. Do not be discouraged. Some customers will say no for different reasons no matter how successful they are with your product.
Start collecting information about your customers. This is easier if you work as a team. From sales to marketing to customer service everyone who has worked with customers will have an idea of their experience. They can help you understand what your customers do and sell and what challenges they face. Identify the stakeholders you need to talk to—anyone in the company who uses your product—from the CEO to the marketing intern. Gather statistics even ones you think are irrelevant – they may come later.
Smart questions get insightful answers. Here are some good examples of questions:
“What were the bigger challenges you faced before using our product?”
“How can our products help you achieve your personal goals?”
“Which key metrics have improved the most since using our product/service?”
“Which parts of your business are most affected and how?”
“How long will it take to launch our product?”
But don’t stop there. Use these questions to address deeper more focused questions that highlight the real-world benefits of your product. Let the conversation flow naturally — that’s the magic of interviewing. You can’t always plan what interesting topics will come up next.
In addition to the industry, the client is in consider who the target audience of the case study is. Who will see it? Who does it need to affect? While top management typically makes major buying decisions employees at all levels can act as advocates for your product or brand. Your case study may have to convince IT, staff, that your product or service will make their job easier while also convincing the CFO that they will see a real return on their investment.
During the initial research phase, you may have discovered a lot of interesting information about your customers and their experience with your products. While it may be tempting to use it all of your case studies should communicate the value of your product quickly and clearly. through this information and identify the three most important business outcomes you want to communicate in your case study.
To consider the statistics and key performance indicators (KPIs) used in the case study:
Acceleration time: How long does it take to start using your product? Has it improved any other aspect of their workflow?Sales Results: How does the product impact the customer’s bottom line?Total Return on Investment (ROI): How long do you spend on your product earning more revenue than they spend?Increased productivity: Which teams are seeing process and workflow improvements? A lot now?Here’s how RollWorks is demonstrating the amazing ROI that its client Payscale is getting.
Case studies don’t have to exist only as PDF attachments in post-transactional emails (though there’s nothing wrong with that). Consider the format. Think about who will read (or watch). Do you want to turn it into fancy interactive content? Do your potential customers have time and interest to dig into the details? Or do they just want the facts? Choose the format you think will best appeal to the audience you want to sell to.
This long document has been the gold standard for B2B case studies for many years. This format is effective when the subject is complex and requires detailed information. Remember CTOs evaluating large business communications platforms for multi-year deals will want more Than a marketing manager evaluating a new social media advertising platform:
Keeping it short and sweet is often the best way to get your message heard. By focusing on the key points you can highlight the biggest wins at a glance. Case studies in most report formats can easily be compressed into a one-page document. Ideal for prospects (and salespeople) Pressed for time and prefer something they can scan quickly – like this Adzerk vs Reddit case study:
Few things tell a story like a video and case studies are no exception. They use music light rhythm and sound to give you unparalleled creative freedom and storytelling that can evoke emotion and convince someone using more than just numbers and facts. just a couple In a matter of minutes they can do a lot of heavy lifting in a short amount of time.
People love infographics. They are a great way to communicate important data in a simple pleasing way. If your case study requires you to use a lot of data to prove a point – or if visualizing the data can make the results clearer – building an infographic case study can be a good option to invest.
Congratulations. You have completed your research. You have already made a call. You have gone through all the details. Now all you have to do is write. Here are five easy steps to help you create a strong case study that supports your clients and showcases it clearly your product or service.
Build the foundation for your case study with an introduction. Briefly describe who your customer is and provide some background information including their industry product company size and location. You don’t have to delve into the specifics of their business but you do want your readers to know and learn who they are and what they do. The more colors you can provide here the more impactful it will be when you showcase the awesome results your clients are seeing because they choose you.
Every product or service is a solution to a problem. Explain the problem (or problems) you helped the client overcome. Describe the larger impact of the problem. Maybe the customer left. Maybe a bad lead — or a good one that was never followed up. use this as Get a chance to clearly show what’s at stake and make sure you keep the jargon out of the way. Describe the problem in simple terms that any reader can understand.
This is where you start solving problems. Briefly describe your product and what it does. Start at a general level and then apply it to the challenges your client encounters. Discuss which teams or individuals use your product and how they use it. Make sure to connect The customer’s problem and that your solution is clear.
Big reveal. What results are your customers getting with your product or service? Talk about how they solve problems descriptively but also in hard numbers. Not everything can be measured in numbers (sometimes peace of mind is a powerful benefit in itself) but Whenever you can use statistics to support your story. At the very least this will make it easy for the CFO (or potential customer who wants to buy) to justify buying your product.
For example:
Customers saw a 33% increase in web traffic an influx of social media activity and a 10% increase in revenue during the campaign.
Don’t forget to show your math. How the results are obtained is as important as the results themselves. What specific steps were taken to achieve these results? Not only does this help validate your claims it also makes it easier to envision how readers will implement them.
When you feel you are up to it, it’s time now to head over to Zinano.net and start offering your services.
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