Case Studies That Sell

Case studies can be an effective B2B promotional tool especially when your products and services are intangible, expensive, highly technical or provide benefits that are not instantaneously derived upon purchase. Supporting marketing collateral that tells the stories of other customers’ experiences with what you are selling are often useful to share with prospects during the sales process. Case studies can be a powerful means to promote the benefits of a product or service like this. A good case study follows a specific formula that will optimize its effectiveness. If you’ve been nominated, asked or commissioned to write a case study, and you have little experience the following is a guide to writing an effective case study.

To Begin
Just like any kind of writing, when you are writing a case study the point of your content is to show the reader a certain perspective. You do not just want to tell them something. You want to demonstrate it so that the benefits become tangible in their mind. An effective case study highlights how a specific situation was initially identified, which solution was selected to resolve the issue, and a summary of the final results. Many case studies, especially in the IT world, tend to be short, around 300-500 words. As a general rule, aim for three pages, and include one graphic per page at most. A graphic can be an effective tool for readers that are visual, but with any more than one graphic, you clutter the message and run the risk of making the case study seem like a hard sell.

The Title
In your case study title you should include a benefit of the product or service. Instead of writing “Technology Case Study”, say “Case Study on How X Improved Sales by Y.” This way you will grab the reader’s attention from the start.

The Structure
The structure of most case studies includes three main sections: the situation (or problem), the solution (or implementation) and the results (or future forecast). The opening section that outlines the situation or problem being faced should carry a punch. This section has to discuss some sort of pain or problem that the reader can relate to. Next you should demonstrate how your product or service resolved a critical business issue. What you’re saying in this section is that if the reader chooses your product or service their situation or problem can also be resolve.

The Meat
The more specific the case study, the more effective it will be. Concentrate on how the meat of the case study, which is the solution or service, addresses a very specific issue. The entire case study is built around this single issue, so you should make sure to fine tune it and make it clear to the reader. Don’t dilute the case study by addressing more than one issue.

The Numbers
Stick to one area and explain how your product or service can solve the problem you outlined in measurable and quantifiable terms. Where possible, support your case study with statistics, figures and tables. Mention the measured Return On investment (ROI) and explain how the investment in your product/service pays for itself. Demonstrate how you can substantiate this; otherwise, your argument loses credibility. If possible, discuss how the solution can help contain costs. This area is very important, as budgets are always a sensitive issue to businesses. If you can illustrate through numbers how a similar company saved a certain amount of money by adopting your product or service, you'll certainly capture the reader's attention. To reduce barriers, demonstrate how your solution improves operations. Show how it fits into the business process. Mention how your system plugs into other applications or expensive business critical applications. Make sure the statistics stand out so that the reader can easily digest them and then remember them later on.

Finalization
Use your judgment when compiling the final case study document. Avoid making it too technical or overloading it with excessive statistics. A case study should be an easy read, so make sure you are not making your explanation unnecessarily complicated.

The Reward
The long term reward of writing an impressive case study is that they stand out. Decision-makers will use them as a source of reference. Your case study will be seen as a credible and reliable source of information and make the decision-makers think that this is the type of company people want to do business with. For more tips on business best practices, visit www.flourishingbusiness.com.

By: Elizabeth W. Gordon

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