Enterprise Nation

Most businesses recognise the important role marketing communications play in their growth.  A key ingredient of any business marketing toolkit should be… case studies. Enterprise Nation marketing contributor, Dee Blick, takes a look at case studies and offers up suggestions on what to do with them, once you’ve got ‘em.

A positive impression

In my experience, case studies present a credible, authentic and positive impression of your business.  They are a true story, and one that is told through the eyes of your customers, extolling the benefits of doing business with you. 

Here are some tips on how you can create powerful case studies. If you spend time writing them and building them into your marketing plan, they will lead to new business whether you are a designer, an architect, a life coach …..the list is endless!

1. Take a long hard look at your happy customers. Select 3 to 5 that really showcase the best use of your products or services.  Aim for a diverse mix so you can demonstrate your broad appeal and indeed your skills with different sectors.  Before you contact your clients for their permission, ask yourself the following:

• What exactly did we do for this client that was so awesomely good?
• How will a case study of this client show off our products and services in their very best light?
• Will my client benefit from being a case study?  (Never underestimate the pulling power of mutually beneficial PR)

2. Plan how you are going to market your business with these case studies. It's all very well burning the midnight oil writing them, only for them to sit in a corner gathering dust.  You could for example:

• Add them on your website on your news/ case studies page. I do this on a monthly basis on my own website
• Mail them to cold and warm prospects
• Give them to genuine prospects or influencers when you’re networking
• Ensure you have hard/pdf copies to send out so they can reinforce all that good stuff on the phone
• Include shortened versions in your newsletter
• Use them to follow up enquiries

3. Consider a variety of creative approaches.  You may want some consistency with the headings, but if you do, make sure that the content is not formulaic.  If you're going to use headings, keep them simple with three or four headers including: snappy info about your client and their particular need, what you did for them, and any challenges you overcame, rounding off with a genuine client quote. 

Add some colour with visuals and make sure the case studies are printed on good quality letterhead paper.  If you want to be a little more ambitious, then write a case study as an article that encompasses the information above or present one as an interview with your client. 

If you want to see these tips in action then visit www.takeoneproductions.co.uk and check out the seven case studies that I have written. They are featured on their news page and case studies page. 

Marketing on a shoestring is all about focus, creativity, time and passion rather than spending lots of money.

Good luck!

• Dee Blick, The Marketing Gym