Case Studies are Smart Marketing Tools
I write a fair number of case studies for clients — and even more fun, just commissioned my first case study (which will be “live” in a week or so) for ongoing work I’ve done for a client.
Case studies, which I call “extended testimonials,” are a great way to tell prospects how you solved a particular problem for another company.
In this Forbes.com article, “Are Case Studies Smart Marketing Tools?” reporter Lisa LaMotta gives tips for developing a case study (full disclosure: I was interviewed for this article):
Have an outside copywriter write it
Include metrics
Keep it authentic by including any challenges you encountered
Be honest
Get approval from the client before sending it out to the world
Once you have a few case studies in hand, you can repurpose them for multiple uses, including:
- Web content
- Direct mail offers
- E-newsletter articles
- Application notes in a trade publication
- Sales collateral
For example, here is a case study that I wrote for my client, Smart Products, which I then pitched to a publication: Prosthetics Benefit from Modified Valve. (The case study will also be featured in the company’s upcoming e-newsletter and on their Website.)
Case studies also help with search engine optimization as hundreds of people are searching every day for specific types of case studies. Optimize your case study page and you’ll begin to see increased traffic and inquiries.
