A case study is one of the most powerful tools to gain credibility. No need to doubt your company because you have all the facts to back it up. But what’s the best way to present it?
The key to effective marketing case studies is to tell a story with text and visuals. It should feel familiar to your audience so that it’s easy for customers to relate.
Use these tips to make an impact with marketing case studies:
Narrate a Story
Tell a story with your case study. People tend to connect with a case study better when it’s not all numbers. They want a story that seems genuine, honest, and real. A Fast Company article by Rachel Gillett mentions, “when we read a story, not only do the language parts of our brains light up, but any other part of the brain that we would use if we were actually experiencing what we’re reading about becomes activated as well.”
This means that when you tell a story, your audience is actively participating in your case study. Therefore, customers will better connect with your brand.
Feature Customer
Make relating easy. Try featuring a customer who is similar to your target audience. Use familiarity to connect with your audience of choice. The more your audience can identify with the case study, the more impact you make with it. You might want to start with a buyer persona to narrow down who exactly you’re speaking to. A buyer persona is just a fictional person who represents your ideal customer.
According to DemandGen Report Webinar, “buyer personas contributed to a 175% increase in revenue attributed to marketing, a 10% increase in leads sent to sales, and a 72% reduction in lead conversion time,” for the company Thomson Reuter.
Before and After
Take a visual approach by offering a “before” and “after”. There’s nothing more effective than a graphic with both the before and after of what a product or service helped solve. If this applies to your industry or business, such as a before and after relating to health products or a before and after story of how an interior design company remodeled a home, then use it to gain instant credibility. Show off your work!
Problem and Solution
It’s natural that some companies offer products or services to help solve a problem. This is a great selling point to use when formatting your case study. For example, a manufacturing company that produces custom-made products actually helps a customer solve the problem of supply. They need to produce a tangible item to fit an industrial designer’s blueprint. If there is a specific challenge, such as the need for a special type of material or finished product, the manufacturing company provides a solution to the problem.
When creating a marketing case study, speak to the problem and offer your solution.
Stats Bomb Them
Bring your numbers to life with visuals. There’s a reason why infographics are so popular. People tend to overlook numbers if they can’t visually “see” them. If you can think of a creative way to present marketing stats about your company, then applying these graphics should speed up the reaction time and impact a case study has on your customer.
Need to create an impact with your marketing? Try reaching your audience with a brand identity. Oyova can help improve your inbound marketing efforts with content that connects with your audience. Work with us.
SOURCES:
Why Our Brains Crave Storytelling in Marketing
