7 keys to compelling case studies

October 2, 2012

Why do case studies work so well?

It’s simple really. Everyone loves a good story. And there’s a reason why Aesop and others opted to teach their life lessons through stories that have been told and re-told for many years.

Smart parents know this trick too. They teach lessons to their children through stories of their own foibles, tough lessons and triumphs.

This same technique can deliver incredible results when it comes to your marketing as well. There are lots of different ways to use stories in your marketing efforts but one of the most compelling is through good case studies.

Case Studies are the marketing version of Aesop’s Fables. Stories told to make a point or teach a lesson that demonstrates the value of your product or service.

So how do you create a good case study? These tips will get you well on your way.

Case Study Tip #1:  Structure it like a story. Make sure there’s a logical flow.  Explain the problem (identify the villain).  Introduce your company/product (bring in the hero). Describe how the challenge was overcome (tell of the battle). Sum it up (give it a happy ending).

Case Study Tip #2: Include lots of details. Don’t just say, “We were losing customers.” Give specifics. Our sales were down over 42%. Just like a good fable, the details make it work. So be sure to talk about your initial goals, the exact steps you took, any pitfalls you ran into along the way, and of course, the results.

Case Study Tip #3: Use quotes to give your case study its authenticity. Be careful not to dumb them down so they sound generic. Or even worse, don’t clean them up so they don’t sound authentic. Remember, we all tend to write more formally than we speak. So the minute you edit their comments – odds are you’re adding formality. Use real people, real names and when possible, real pictures.

Case Study Tip #4: Don’t get stuck in a rut with your case studies. Most people present a case study in writing, on a plain 8.5” x 11” piece of paper. But you can approach it in a variety of ways. How about a video case study? Or an infographic case study? Have you thought about journaling through a challenge and letting the entire journal be your case study?

Case Study Tip #5: Let your customers do the talking. Your voice can outline the problem and tactics you took to attack the problem. But when possible, use your client’s voice to celebrate the successes and to talk about the outcomes, both long and short-term.

Case Study Tip #6: Visuals are key. Before and after shots, growth charts, photographs of the results and infographics are all really powerful ways to help your audience really capture the value of your case study’s outcome.

Case Study Tip #7: Make sure everyone signs off on it before it goes public. The power of a case study is that it reveals an actual problem and its solution. Some businesses may be reticent to air their dirty laundry. Before you pitch your case study to a reporter or post it on your website, get everyone’s blessing.

Case studies are incredibly compelling when done right.  If you’re lucky, you’ll tell a story that people will tell over and over.

What’s the best case study you’ve ever seen?  What made it so memorable?

 

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Are you falling behind when it comes to mobile?

May 13, 2012

I think it is fascinating in a “I don’t get it” sort of way.  We all know that mobile is where digital is headed.  We’ve all repeated the “by 2015, the #1 way we will access the internet is through our smart phones” and yet… it seems like most people are lollygagging along when it comes to getting onto the mobile train.

Is your website mobile optimized?  Are you learning more about mobile ads?  Are you thinking about how you’re going to accept mobile payments?

Or do you look like this infographic?

Browse more infographics.

 

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How/why we buy: Social commerce infographic

December 7, 2011

One of the best decisions I made as a college student was to get a Psych minor.  It certainly helps me be smarter when it comes to marketing, business ownership and life in general.  Besides, people fascinate me and I like understanding how they tick.

That’s probably why this infographic caught my attention.  It focused on the psychology behind how/why we buy and how social interactions influence those buying decisions.

Throughout the infographic, you’ll find little nuggets called psychological reasoning like “we have an innate desire to repay favors in order to maintain social fairness whether those favors were invited or not.”

Check this out… and then tell me which insight will be most helpful to you.

Tabjuice Psychology

Thanks to Stephania Andrade from TabJuice for making sure I didn’t miss this one.  If you’d like to share it with others, here’s the link to the original post.

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How did your Black Friday behavior compare?

November 27, 2011

Check out this infographic (from mashwork.com) on what was expected this Black Friday.

How did your behavior and choices compare?

Most of these predictions were compiled using Twitter conversations from September through November 17th of this year.  Makes you wonder what marketing intelligence you might gain with a few targeted Twitter searches.

black friday infographic 2 resized 600
black friday infographic 2 resized 600
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Stellar QR codes example – WorldPark

March 13, 2011

I’ve been writing about and using QR codes quite a bit of late.  I think the potential of this technology is staggering and we’ve only begun to imagine what is possible.

Take a look at what New York City’s Central Park did last Arbor Day and begin to ask yourself… how could QR codes serve my customers, my employees and my business’ growth.  I suspect you’ll find some pretty fascinating answers.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OCyfV_k2_g&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

If you’re wondering who in the world is actually scanning QR codes and using the links — check out this infographic.

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Fascinating Facebook infographic

March 9, 2011

I think there are few on this planet who don’t recognize that the Facebook phenomenon is staggering in its reach and sheer volume of people.  (One guy just named his baby Facebook!) But it’s hard to not gape at some of these numbers (from SocialHype and OnlineSchools.org) These user statistics are more social proof that this beast is not a fad.

Hard to imagine that there’s not a smart way for every single business to use this tool.  Are you using it?

Are We Obsessed with Facebook?
Via: Online Schools

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