Do you sell complex products and services for the B-to-B (B2B) market? Looking for a cost-effective way to advertise? Look no further than the case study.
Case studies are one of the most versatile marketing pieces in which you can invest. Everyone loves a great story, so utilize your customers’ success stories in almost any B-to-B sales, public relations, marketing communication or advertising campaign. I know of a company that even created a successful print advertisement based on a B-to-B case study. It worked better than any similar ad campaign they had ever done.
Surprisingly, many businesses still don’t leverage their case studies nearly as much as they should. Some, in fact, don’t do anything besides posting it on an obscure website page. What a waste.
Here are some ways I recommend case studies be used. When you’re able to demonstrate to others in your organization how a case study can pay for itself through these alternative channels (often many times over) it becomes easy to see what a bargain they are.
- Use it in a press release. A case study can quickly be re-purposed and re-formatted into a press release. Be sure to note in the release that a more detailed, expanded version is available. Editors might pick it up.
- Mail or email it to prospects and customers. This is a terrific way to keep in touch, raise awareness about a new product or service, and even move prospects to become leads and clients.
- Give it to sales. Sales folks love case studies. They use them in presentations, to illustrate key points and as testimonials. Prospects and leads will see inherent value because they understand the tangible benefit it brought to your previous client. A case study is often more convincing than a brochure too.
- Post it on your web site. One of the most common uses is to improve traffic to your site. Adding new, valuable content is a proven strategy. A case study certainly qualifies. If published as a PDF, they can be emailed, downloaded, printed, and shared via social media channels.
- Use it as a story in your newsletter or e-zine. Success stories based on real-world applications get the highest readership in company newsletters and e-zines.
- As a speaking topic. When an executive needs to give a talk at a meeting or conference, a case study makes an excellent presentation. The content can easily be converted into a multimedia slide presentation. a printed version can be used as a handout at the end of the talk.
- In lead-generation programs. A case study makes a terrific “free giveaway” in an ad, email, direct mailer or website. In direct marketing, we call this strategy an “Information Premium.” It works!
- For testimonials. Testimonials give credibility to proposed benefits. The quotes gleaned from happy customers for the case study can also be used — with permission, of course — in ads, brochures, websites and more.
- As a trade show handout. Case studies are a great way to break through the clutter of flyers and brochures that permeate industry trade shows. Have you ever thought of enlarging one and sticking it to a trade show exhibit wall?
As you can see, a case study is a valuable asset to any B-to-B company’s marketing toolkit. Having a credible, real-world success story to show prospective clients is a powerful way to sell complex products and services.
Contact me today toll-free at 1-866-838-5819 to discover how you can start stretching your marketing budget with a versatile case study. Your initial consultation is free.
