Customer case studies, done well, can transform your content marketing from Tony Stark into Iron Man.
They can be super powerful for lots of reasons: they prove you do what you say, they answer questions and objections, and they attract the attention of people you’d like to do business with.
For case studies to work, they need to be structured well. It's all about brilliant story-telling.
Let’s take a typical Avengers story, the kind that has my children (and me) gripped from open to close.
Captain America’s making the most of some time off and enjoying a trip to the Statue of Liberty. Suddenly, across the water, he sees bikes, cars and people flying up into the air.
Good start, right?
It’s the work of Graviton, a super villain who can control gravity. Now, he’s tearing Manhattan from the earth and won’t stop until the Avengers surrender.
Now that’s some problem to solve.
The Avengers assemble, devise a cunning plan and win back control of the city. Phew! Everyone is in a much happier place.
Mayhem to magic
While your story doesn’t need the same level of chaos and mayhem, it should share the same story-telling fundamentals to make an impact.
In other words, it needs a compelling main character (someone who represents a ‘typical’ customer).
There needs to be a problem that’s keeping them awake at night.
There needs to be a battle or journey to resolve that problem, with your business flying in to help.
And it needs a resolution, where the customer’s in a much better place thanks to your product, skills and services. Bonus points if you use an Asgardian hammer.
Step-by-step guide
Let’s return to the real world. Here’s a step-by-step guide to writing your super-powered story. It also shows the information you'll need to capture when you interview your customer.
1. Find the right lead character
Identifying customers who are willing to tell their story doesn’t have to be a headache. Look on external review sites and social media to see who’s saying great things about you. Speak to account managers and other customer-facing people in the business to get their suggestions.
When you’ve found a customer and they've agreed to take part, it's time to interview them. Try to avoid email, however tempting that may be. A chat on the phone or face to face will give you much richer material.
2. Start your story with a stat
Statistics grab attention and encourage people to read on. So think about the key point(s) you’re trying to make in your case study and research some timely industry data that backs it up and will resonate with your audience.
3. Introduce your customer
Explain who they are, what they do, and the current market factors affecting their business. By the end of this section, you’ll want your readers to identify with the customer, their situation and challenges.
4. What’s their problem?
Now, turn to the key problems or challenges your customer was having before they partnered with you. Get fully under the skin of the issue. Explain what it meant to your customer day to day, how it kept them awake at night, or why it was leading to friction with their boss. Again, you’re aiming to capture real emotions and anxieties that potential customers will connect with.
5. Show how your partnership was born
Explain how the customer came to work with you. Did they reach out because of your excellent reputation or after a personal recommendation? Show why they trusted you enough to bring you on board.
6. Set out the solution
Here, the customer should explain how your business helped them overcome their issues. Use this section to reference all the things you’re great at – your unique skills, customer-focused team, years of success and experience, friendliness… basically whatever makes you you. But don’t over-egg things. Tell the truth and keep things real, because that’s what potential customers want to hear.
7. Go big on benefits
It’s not enough to have a happy customer at the end of your story. Potential leads will be looking for something much more robust – hard stats about the benefits you’ve brought to the business. So you’ll need to uncover tough and reliable data that quantifies the value of your support.
Have they hit a target they could never have achieved before? How much has your support helped improve their efficiency or reduce costs? Hard stats will make your case study more persuasive. They’re also great for sharing on social channels to drive more people to your latest success story.
8. Finish with a quote from your business
While the case study’s real power should come from your customer’s story, readers will want to hear from your business too. Include a quote from a business leader that aligns this particular achievement to the company’s broader values, successes and strategy. We’re talking cherry-on-the-cake stuff here, nothing too lengthy.
What’s amazing about building up a collection of customer case studies is that it gives you a bank of great quotes and proof.
It’s gold that keeps on giving and can be used to strengthen your marketing across all channels.
If you need help adding a hero's touch to your case studies, get in touch.