When considering a new brand, a prospective client always faces a level of uncertainty. To minimize risk, expect the prospect to do their homework researching your company. This includes clicking through your website and carefully reading online reviews and testimonials. We’ve already shared our tips on leveraging the power of client testimonials, but for maximum impact, take it a step further and start assembling some case studies.
In fact, according to WyzOwl, 9 out of 10 people say they trust what a customer says about a business more than what that business says about itself. That means most prospects rely on their peers to make important purchasing decisions to ensure their time and money are well-spent.
A case study is a standalone analysis of how a customer used your products or services to overcome an obstacle, along with the outcome. Case studies provide social proof that your organization effectively solves problems and yields positive results.
Think of case studies like stories that make the case for your organization. The most compelling chapters in your brand’s story most likely portray the customer journey. As with any good story, there is a main character (your customer) who is faced with a challenge and, with your help, succeeds in the end.
In the high consideration finance industry, true accounts of client success are a critical element in branding and marketing. Case studies are especially effective in 2 distinct ways:
Gather information from your customers by asking pertinent questions and allowing them to express their thoughts and feelings about their experiences. Demonstrate the success of your business by highlighting some of your most successful clients and developing a plan of how you work with them. However, these stories should be part of your content strategy and crucial to your client acquisition process. This will go a long way towards fostering your prospects’ trust in your brand and moving them to the finish line.
In a well-presented case study, you’ll want to provide background on a specific client, the problem to solve, the steps you took to solve it, and the results yielded. Here are the six specific parts of an effective case study:
Now that you’ve collected data and spent time creating your case study, it’s time to share it. There are several ways to do so.
There are a few things to remember as you start writing your case study. First and foremost, make sure it is easy to understand and relatable. Also, remember that you’re not writing an ad or a press release. Instead, you want to focus on your customer and the journey they experienced. The better you make your customer look, the better you will look as a direct result. Finally, stick to the facts and keep it about the customer’s success; you’ll succeed, too.