Using Case Studies as a Marketing Tool
Case studies are a written account of an activity, problem, or designed to show the application of a concept or theory to a real life situation. Depending on the specific situation and purpose of the case study, a real or hypothetical situation can be used. Traditionally, case studies have been used as teaching tools in the studies of diverse subjects, such as business, medicine, education, law, and the social sciences. The use of case studies has moved to the business world as an innovative marketing strategy.
Adding case studies to your website can be valuable for educating consumers and increasing conversions. One reason case studies are so effective is that people are naturally drawn to stories. A well written story evokes emotion and a good story is memorable. Businesses in a broad range of industries have found using case studies is an effective way to connect with customers and potential customers.
When using this method in your marketing efforts, it is often best to use a data backed case study that is targeted and specific to your niche in business. These studies are not vague or general, but have a specific goal that is related to a product or service. They are fact driven and may offer multiple solutions to a problem, depending on the subject of the case study and purpose.
Benefits of Case Studies
Telling the story of your product, brand, or service using case studies will resonate better with your target audience than sales copy. A case study can be used to demonstrate how problems are solved. You can show your potential customers why or how your product or service solves their problem. People want to know that something works before they invest their money and a case study can do that.
Including case studies on your website positions you, your company, or your brand as an authority in your niche market. The case study shows that you are authoritative in your industry. Regularly producing case studies can be an effective way to help position you as a leader in your field, which instills confidence in the reader.
Case studies tend to be more credible and effective than testimonials because they demonstrate how your brand, product, or company was able to meet a need or accomplish a goal for your customers. Case studies are most effective when they tell a story related to the industry of your target customer, such as education, automotive, or medical. The case study can show that your product or service has relevance for the reader.
Creating Effective Case Studies
Case studies should be data backed and use real numbers. For example, you can highlight results that you have produced for your customers. Show real numbers for where the customer started and the increase in sales, web traffic, improved performance, or other concrete benefit the customer received by using your product or service. The data should be relative to the subject of your case study. Are you highlighting a specific customer? You can include quotes from that customer.
This is a powerful marketing method, but creating case studies requires a time commitment. You need to examine the data, gather information, conduct thorough research, and possibly interview a client to get good quotes. The research and writing process can be time intensive. Many business owners understand the benefits, but lack the time to commit to the project. You can hire a case study writer to prepare your case study, while you focus on your business.
When used on your website, your case studies should be easy to find. You can add a page that is dedicated case studies on your website. Title the page Success Studies or Case Studies, so it is easy to find. Make sure to link to it on your homepage to get maximum exposure. Some business owners use an informative case study as a free giveaway to entice visitors to sign up for a newsletter or email list. Each business is unique and you can tailor your study and how you use it to fit your specific goals.
