The Working Case Study

Next to white papers, case studies are the most popular tool in the technical marketer's toolkit

The ubiquitous case study can range from a 3- paragraph online snippet to a full-blown magazine article. The most popular case study in the marketing/PR arsenal is the 500-700 word success story. They're not as challenging to write as white papers, but you should structure them for maximum impact.

Different companies use different structures for their case studies, but all should follow the same general pattern: 1. Company overview and challenge 2. Project details 3. Positive results (of course)

Customer Overview and Challenge

Start with a 2-3 paragraph overview of the customer's company. This should be very positive - since you're going to detail a problem the customer was having, the last thing you want to do is make them sound like jerks. So compliment them. Feel free to adapt the overview from their own Website text, where they're already placing themselves in the best possible light.

Then move on to the business challenge. Don't make the customer sound stupid or incompetent. The challenge should always be centered on something good that is happening to them - fast growth, industry prominence, strategic IT changes - whatever. Their challenge should be applicable to your readers' own business issues.

Project Details

No project goes perfectly, but save the debriefing for the longer-form trade journal article. These short case studies should report on the successful project by briefly discussing specific products and benefits.

Don't go all over the map. If the project is fairly narrow or specific, you won't have any trouble sticking with the main point. In the case of large and complex installations, concentrate on the main point. For example, Microsoft Great Plains has more modules than you can shake a stick at. Concentrate on the ones that had the most positive impact on your customer.

Business Benefits

Always quantify improvement when you can. Numbers can be dollar savings, percentages, or other measures of saved staff time, more efficient workflows, better customer service, etc. Be sure that the benefits you list are the benefits the customer perceives - hard costs are most easily quantified, but soft costs may have the higher perceived benefit to a customer. Ideally you will list both.

When NOT to Write a Case Study

What are the most common blocks to partnering with a customer for a case study?

1. Your customer is really unhappy. They'd do a case study all right, but you wouldn't want them to. If you're the hapless individual setting up the initial interview, be sure that the customer really is happy and is open to talking to you. Otherwise they'll just give you an earful. Fix: promise the customer that you'll pass on all of his comments to the technical support team, or whoever you think will best handle it. Then do it, and forget about it.

2. Customers who fear their market will punish them. Prime example: legal firms with security issues. Sure you helped them through a security project and now they're Fort Knox, but they don't want their clients to dream that a problem ever existed in the first place. Fix: Forget it. They'll never give you permission to produce the study. Besides, they're probably right.

3. Your customer is an exacting IT type who is suspicious of the success story format. This customer considers the project a success too, but they dislike purely positive spins - and no project is perfect. Fix: If they are happy for the most part, get a buy-in that the project really was successful. Don't put him off about the negatives, capture those comments too and promise to pass them on. (Then do it.) This is usually enough to secure the interview.

4. Your customer is scared to be interviewed. This is usually the IT guy who did all the footwork, and prefers to stay behind the scenes. He (or she) will either be too nervous to talk, or will despise you because he doesn't think you've got the technical chops. Usually both. Fix: Understand the technology you're interviewing about. You don't have to be an engineer, but you should understand IT pressures and issues. Ask leading questions, but if they clam up and won't talk, thank them and hang up. Tell your customer contact that you're so happy you got to talk to the technician, and now could you talk to a project manager too?

About The Author

Christine Taylor is an expert copywriter for the technology industry. Call her today for help with your white paper, trade journal article, case study, positioning document, or any other B2B marketing piece. Call 760-249-6071 or e-mail her at chris@keywordcopy.com, and start that white paper selling!

---

Media Relations: What To Do When Youre Misquoted

When ABC News anchor Peter Jennings announced he had lung... Read More

P.R. Strategies for Professional Service Providers

Promotion for Professional Services Providers requires a different approach than... Read More

For Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Small Publications Can Have Great Publicity Impact

Just because a publication is small doesn't mean that getting... Read More

Competition in the News Creates Spin

In larger cities with many outlets they are competing for... Read More

Something New For Managers?

A new public relations blueprint could be a good idea... Read More

Think Like a Reader, Viewer, or Listener to Get Great Publicity

About a year ago I read a feature story in... Read More

Is There a Plumber in the House?

I don't know about you but I get really frustrated... Read More

PR Campaigns ? How To Get To Grips With The Media

If you're serious about getting great results from your PR... Read More

A Powerful PR Strategy

It really is powerful when a business, non-profit or association... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners Piggyback on Topic A to Get Free Publicity

That big story the media pursue each day is what... Read More

5 Critical Tests Every Press Release Must Pass

You've heard "them" say it, haven't you?By "them" I mean... Read More

How to Write Press Releases That Work And Get Free Publicity

One study found that as many as 90% of the... Read More

Nows The Time To Get Christmas Media Coverage

Publicity seekers know that Christmas can provide a bonanza of... Read More

Managers, Start Your PR

There'll never be a better time for a manager working... Read More

Do You Have A Press Package?

How do you make a friend of the media? A... Read More

Effective Media Relations Tips- What To Do After The Media Interviews You!

Effective Media Relations Tips - What To Do After The... Read More

PR Is Just Smart Business

The name of the game is doing our part to... Read More

10 Secrets to Get Your Press Release Noticed

It's difficult enough running the day-to-day aspects of a business,... Read More

Leveraging Your Reputation - Making PR Work for You

We rely on all kinds of tools and advice to... Read More

How PR Helps Managers Win

Anything that lets managers achieve their managerial objectives is a... Read More

Public Relations 8 Fix Factors

I say to business, non-profit and association managers, a key... Read More

Transparency in Online Transactions

In these days of every increasing demand and competition, there... Read More

Where is the Best PR Value?

Wherever the fundamental premise of public relations is practiced.Look at... Read More

PR and the Small Matter of Results

As a business, non-profit and association manager, how satisfied are... Read More

Effective Media Relations ? You Won?t be Talking to the Media Without It!

The media's role is to package and spread news, current... Read More

Online Business Press Release Writing Tips And Ideas

Press releases are one of the most cost-effective ways to... Read More

Managers Need Basic PR

True, because department, division or subsidiary managers for a business,... Read More

How to Take Advantage of Public Relations

Decide once and for all to do something about those... Read More

Writing a Press Release: How to Write Quotes

Ideally, you will have two types of quotes in your... Read More

Marketing-Minded Financial Planners, Focus on Main Points During an Interview

You never want to inundate a reporter with information, but... Read More

Talk Back Radio - Tips To Be A Star On-Air!

Talkback radio offers a fantastic opportunity to access thousands of... Read More

Whats Stopping You From Getting Publicity?

When I talk with business people, they tend to believe... Read More

Speak Up

Another way to really become known in your area is... Read More