Case studies are a great way to showcase the success of your clients and essentially the value your company brings to a crowded marketplace. Marketers in the B2B space can rely on a case study to provide an authentic look at how their products or services work in the hands of their clients. Also, helping prospective clients see first-hand your ability to deliver what you promised.

Be a Good Storyteller

Yes, this really is about good storytelling. Because case studies are self-contained stories about how real clients overcame their problems using your products or services. Just like a story, good case studies have something important to share that starts at the implementation, demonstrates how challenges were overcome and the objectives that were achieved at the end. 

With the right information and story, companies can craft a case study for a variety of reasons such as a product launch or innovation, having a particularly interesting or name-worthy client, experiencing impressive client results worth showcasing, etc. And case studies can be used by companies for a variety of reasons as well, like:

• Lead Generation
• Expansion into a new market
• Close more sales
• Client or investor presentations 

Case studies today can come in written form, video, or even a podcast if the content lends itself to more of a series approach. Let’s just consider the written form now, which generally has several main components or parts, such as challenges, goals, solution, and results. A case study may also very simply include all the content under two headings: problem and solution. 

Here are 8 steps to follow from start to finish for creating an evidence-based case study that proves your company’s products or services deliver results.

8 Steps to a Better Case Study

1. Find an interesting or compelling client and approach him or her about partnering with you for a case study. Remember a good case study can benefit a client’s company as well as, helping them with recruiting and retention.

2. Create a list of questions that you can follow while conducting the interview. You need to listen throughout the interview so you can ask the important follow-up questions. You also want to include a question that may open the door for something unexpected to be revealed, such as “What’s the most interesting thing you’ve learned or experienced since you’ve begun using X product or service?”

3. Use good storytelling techniques to engage your case study target audience.

4. Use data to illustrate your key points or to highlight the solution. Results depicted with metrics are a great way to show v tell the benefit the client experienced.

5. Determine the best layout or template for designing your case study, in part based on your audience and information. Look to emphasize at least two powerful quotes and include headings, subheadings, and bulleted lists to break up text blocks. 

6. Add a photo of the client along with his or her name and title. This will help demonstrate how your product or service solves problems for real people.

7. Include a CTA at the end, perhaps asking readers to visit a particular product page on your website or request a demo. 

8. Share the case study with the client and gain his or her approval and you’re on your way to having a meaningful piece of content to share with prospects.

Devote Time to Promotion 

Don’t forget to write a promoted blog on your case study. You will need to determine if you want this as a gated piece to drive lead generation or if you want to have it live on your website. This depends a bit on where you see this piece being useful in the customer buying journey. Either way, your blog can include a link to a lead gen form or to where the case study resides on your site. 

Case studies are a great way for companies to address business challenges, build trust and help convert prospects into clients. 

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4 Benefits of Case Studies

Why a case study? Here are 4 important reasons.

Evergreen Content

Case studies, for the most part, are evergreen. Even if marketing practices have changed, it offers quantitative proof of what the business has previously accomplished. Accordingly, case studies will have a long lifespan.

Use It to Gather Leads

Your business has landing pages for webinars, whitepapers, and more. Include landing pages on case studies as well, as they take a significant amount of time to put together and are among your highest quality content. Further, because readers are interested in your business enough to read a case study, they’ll likely make for better leads.

It’s Doubles as a Training Tool

What better way to train new staff than to catch them up on the company’s previous work? Make case studies easily accessible to new hires. Be sure to highlight your best and most important case studies for a well-informed team.

9 Case Study Tips

Okay, a case study is important, but how to write it? How do you expand its reach?

We break down both drafting and marketing a case study below.

Drafting the Case Study

There’s plenty to keep in mind when putting together a case study. First, figure out logistics – what/who is the case study about? Who’s writing it? From there, conduct the interview, piece the story together, and include visual content.

Choose a Topic

Provided that your business is blessed with numerous clients, decide among them which has the best story to tell. When determining the topic of the case study, ask these 4 questions, which we’ve used for years:

1. How compelling is the story? In particular, how strong are the benefits they have received?
2. How recognizable is the customer brand?
3. How well does the customer fit into the “sweet spot” of your segmentation and targeting strategy? This should include industry, region company size, use case and title.
4. How hard will it be to get the case study approved by the customer?

Based on these questions, the best case study would be about an easily recognized brand, willing to let you share their story; the story itself should be both interesting and relevant to the target audience.

To Outsource or Not to Outsource

Should the business outsource? Maybe. Don’t outsource the interview; no third-party will understand the situation like your employees. For the actual drafting? Possibly, provided plenty of information is gathered from the interview.

Nail the Interview

When interviewing, make sure to do a couple of important things. Firstly, come up with plenty of interesting, open-ended, and relevant questions. Secondly, record the whole interview to refer back on later. Third, make sure questions focus on the outcome; this is what readers will care most about. Lastly, strive to get at least 2 strong quotes from the interview; these will be attention-grabbers later on.

Include Something Visual

Depending on the format of your case study, be sure to include photos and videos within the case study itself. It enhances the overall content and helps tell the story. Also, it keeps it entertaining and breaks up the monotony of text.

Market Your Business’ Case Study

The case study is done; now it needs to be in the hands (or in front of the eyeballs) of buyers. Here are a couple ways to amplify its reach.

Case Study Placement

Where the case study is shared matters. Have a dedicated case study page; make this section prominent on the website and easy to find. It may also be beneficial to have new or popular case studies featured on the homepage, so that visitors can discover them.

Create Other Content From It

Video, blogs, or something else: there’s plenty of content to be created from a case study. Providing the information within a new format introduces it to new audiences, who will then click from the content to the case study.

Share it in Newsletters

Use newsletters to amplify all kinds of content, including case studies. When sharing the latest news on your organization, be sure to include the latest case study within the text. Short and attention-grabbing text should describe what the study is about and entice readers to click. Pictures enhance the message, so don’t be afraid to use these as well!

Include it in Email Signatures

Be proud of your company’s content! Encourage employees to share the latest case study in their email signature. Describe the study’s topic and follow it with a link to the study. HubSpot provided a great example below; use this for inspiration.

Social Share Them

Case studies refreshingly stand out from the usual marketing content, like blogs and articles. You’re not just talking about marketing, you’re talking about what you’ve done with it, which makes for a very interesting read.

Stand Out With Exceptional Case Studies

Use case studies to capture leads, prove your business case, or mix up the content strategy. Choose the right topic and conduct an information-rich interview, then put it all together and push the case study out through email, social, the website, and more. Provide buyers with the content they really want – concrete proof that your business will do what it says it will do.

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Software Marketing Best Practices: Executive Briefing

Software prospects are often completely overwhelmed by the marketing of software companies. Standing out can become expensive, fast, but what if there’s a way to be just as effective on a smaller budget?

What’s Covered:

• Understand the challenges of marketing software.
• Learn how even small brands can attain category leadership, and beat even the biggest competitors.
• Be privy to proprietary processes for building a thought leadership brand.
• Learn tactics for significantly increasing lead generation, with less marketing spend.
• Dramatically increase website traffic and search authority.
• Achieve media placements, mentions, and speaking opportunities.
• Measure and report KPIs via a marketing dashboard.
• Case Study – Learn how a small software brand achieved category leadership and doubled sales for 3 consecutive years by implementing marketing best practices.

Date: Thursday, June 9 at 1 PM CST.

Register for this free webcast here.

Learn more about Thought Leadership Best Practices: Executive Briefing here.

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As the Healthcare Technology Market becomes more and more saturated, growing and well-developed companies will need to improve upon their marketing to continue to reach target customers.  This is exactly why they reach out to a leading firm in Healthcare Technology Marketing, Modern Marketing Partners, to help them develop a brand image, generate leads, and increase sales through measurable marketing.  How did we do this?

Challenge: Assist a Healthcare Technology Brand Develop Thought Leadership and Search Effectiveness

Evolution1 is a leading software solution provider in the healthcare benefits category processing over $4 billion in reimbursement transactions annually. While recent healthcare reform legislation has increased sales growth, it has also attracted new and aggressive competitors. Evolution1 needed to reassess marketing, and implement it’s own aggressive marketing program.

Solution: Implement Search Friendly Content Marketing through the Healthcare Trends Institute

Modern Marketing Partners carefully analyzed both Evolution1 and competitor marketing, identifying major opportunities to take thought leadership, and build brand preference through aggressive content marketing, publicity, social media marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO). MMP launched the Healthcare Trends Institute complete with an editorial advisory board, an educational webcast series, e-newseltters, white papers, infographics, and a fervor of publicity.

Results: 10,000 Unique Visitors, Multiple Awards

Evolution1 has successfully regained market and thought leadership in arguably one of the fastest growing segments in North America. Metrics on website and social media engagement are closely monitored, with more than 10,000 unique visitors monthly. Publicity placements have delivered over 100,000 impressions, including editorial in USA Today. Publish or Perish.

Feel free to download this digital marketing case study.

Marketing for What’s Next

Modern Marketing Partners prides itself as a leader in the content marketing, search engine optimization, and public relations spectrum.  As an Award Winning B2B Marketing Agency, our pride can be shown in our work.  Check out other marketing case studies, follow us on Twitter (@ModMktgPartners), and contact us at 630.868.5060.

If you’re ready to market for what’s next, we welcome you to sign up for Marketing Next Practices, our newly improved email newsletter, in which we will share the latest in everything B2B.  We also welcome you to download the following whitepapers:

• The Modern Guide to B2B Content Marketing
• Spend This, Not That: A Marketer’s Guide to Budgeting and Planning

The post Case Study: Evolution1 and Healthcare Trends Institute appeared first on Modern Marketing Partners.

Challenge: Market New and Existing Product Lines

Dek Div. of Tyco Electronics is a fast-growing manufacturer of data communications products. After adding several product lines through both acquisition and internal development, Dek needed a unified and distinctive brand presence– along with a high-powered marketing program to enter new markets.

Solution: New Graphic Theme, Improved Website

Modern Marketing Partners created a brand structure and bold new graphic theme that carries through all executions. A comprehensive marketing plan was implemented through a search-optimized website, distributor channel recruitment, email campaigns, trade shows, publicity and more.

Results: Double-Digit Growth

The new division of Tyco realized double-digit growth, fueled by new product launches and a growing
distributor network.  Download our Dek Case Study to see the full report.

This is just one success story of which Modern Marketing Partners has been a part.  Want to learn who else we have helped? Check out the rest of our Marketing Case Studies, subscribe to our marketing newsletter, and follow us on Twitter (ModMktgPartners) to get the best marketing news.

Looking to join an elite group of clients with whom Modern Marketing Partners works? Contact us by filling out the form here.

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Challenge: USG Sheetrock New Product Launch

USG Sheetrock seeks to leverage leadership in drywall and joint compound, and enter the drywall tools market. The only problem—the category is crowded with established and new competitors. Also, in addition to specialty distributors, retail (home center) channels are increasingly important volume drivers.

Solution: MMP Offers Product Development and Launch

Modern Marketing Partners engaged at the product development stage to assist in product strategy, branding, messaging and positioning. Focus groups generated insights that resulted in Sheetrock Tools brand preference. All packaging and merchandising were created in English and Spanish, targeting heavy user Hispanic contractors. A launch roll-out was expedited via a quarter-pallet display, promotions and field marketing.

Results: Growth and Market Leadership for USG

About Modern Marketing Partners

Modern Marketing Partners is a Business to Business Marketing Agency located in Naperville, Illinois, a Suburb of Chicago.  We have provided services to companies from startup to multinational, and can do the same for you. Read through other case studies, follow @ModMktgPartners on Twitter, and contact us for more information.

Feel free to download this case study.

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Challenge: Product/Service Launch

One of the leading providers of credit information services to banks, financial services, and auto dealers, Experian sought to launch a new product/service to the auto dealer vertical including brand name, logo, graphic theme and messaging.

Solution: Brand Image, Tagline

Modern Marketing Partners benchmarked competitors and created alternative branding concepts, including the tagline, Dealer Friendly, with the intention of overcoming negative perceptions of the previous auto dealer product/service offering. Testing confirmed the preference for the tagline and graphic identity. Campaign elements included a brochure, dealer signage, postcard, sales letter, rear-view mirror hanger, business cards, and sales premium key chain.

Results

Experian launched AutoCheck nationally to the auto dealer vertical, realizing incremental sales penetration with top networks and brands. Feedback from the sales staff was very positive.

To view the entire case study and download the PDF of our success in helping Experian, click here.

About Modern Marketing Partners:

Modern Marketing Partners is a leading B2B Marketing Agency.  Located in Naperville, Illinois, we have worked with clients of all sizes to develop brand image, relationships through inbound marketing and much more.  See what services we offer, read through other B2B Marketing case studies, and contact us for more information in improving your marketing in a modern world.

Related Case Studies:

Evolution1 Case Study

Concentra Case Study

The post Case Study: Experian appeared first on Modern Marketing Partners.

Challenge: A leading healthcare cost containment service provider, Concentra grew rapidly through both acquisition and organic. As a division of Concentra Medical Centers, and after entering the healthcare provider network, messaging and branding required a refresh.

Solution:  After careful planning and analysis, Modern Marketing Partners found the following solutions for Concentra: a new logo and graphic identity created and implemented in digital, print and signage, reinforcing a clinical and professional image. The new brand was launched with advertising and publicity. Uniformity of brand image and presentation was supported by established identity guidelines.

Results: Concentra rolled out its new identity quickly and effectively with complete digital and print marketing assets, from websites to brochures, business cards and signage. The program was recognized with multiple, national awards for marketing excellence. Importantly, marketing initiatives supported consistent double-digit growth.

Download and view the Full Concentra Brand Image Case Study PDF

Need Brand Image and Marketing Assistance?

Modern Marketing Partners provides assistance to the entire brand experience: Logo Design, Website Design, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Product Launch Consulting, and much more.  We are a Certified Google Partner and know what it takes to run a marketing campaign on time and on budget.   We welcome you to look at other Modern Marketing Case Studies and contact us at 630.868.5060 or by emailing questions@modernmarketingpartners.com.

Please Share, Bookmark, and Comment using the tools below.

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Habitat for Humanity ReStore sells donated, new, and used building materials and home improvement products to the public at greatly reduced prices. The profits go towards the local Habitat for Humanity  in order to provide limited income families with the ability to fix up their homes at affordable prices.

Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that builds homes for limited income families.

As a full-service marketing agency, Modern Marketing Partners (MMP) and its social media division Hot Potato Social Media will develop and manage the DuPage ReStore’s social media profiles while improving their website’s SEO and publicity initiatives.

“We are delighted to help a great cause with our marketing skills that can make a difference in peoples live,” states Neil Brown, Partner and Chief Marketing Officer of Modern Marketing Partners. “Our internet and social media efforts with drive website traffic, build awareness, and ultimately donations and store traffic. 

Recently, Modern Marketing Partners and Hot Potato Social Media launched improved Facebook and Twitter profiles, along with new YouTube, Pinterest and Google+ pages (see links below under “About”). Each profile is now linked from the DuPage ReStore website. In addition, MMP completed publicity initiatives.

About Modern Marketing Partners
Modern Marketing Partners is a full-service, marketing and communications agency specializing in the integration of traditional marketing, Internet and social media. For more information, visit our website www.ModernMarketingPartners.com, or follow us through: MMU Blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ and LinkedIn. Hot Potato Social Media is a social media marketing agency. For more information, visit www.HotPotatoSocialMedia.com. Questions? Call Heather Hawes at 630-868-5060.

AboutRestore DuPage
Habitat for Humanity ReStores sell new and gently-used home improvement goods, furniture, home accessories, building materials and appliances to the public at a fraction of the retail price. The stores also provide an environmentally- and socially-responsible way to keep good, reusable materials out of landfills. Proceeds from the sale of goods are used by local Habitat for Humanity affiliates to help build and renovate homes and communities. There are 825 Habitat ReStores in the U.S. and Canada which are listed in an online directory. To donate goods or volunteer at the Dupage Restore, visit their website and follow on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+ or Pinterest. Questions? Call Jim Fessler at 630-517-2080, or email: restore@dupagehabitat.org

About DuPage Habitat for Humanity
DuPage Habitat, founded in 1995, is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International®, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. The organization is dedicated to building and selling homes in partnership with limited-income, working families. Governed by a local volunteer board of directors, DuPage Habitat lowers homebuilding costs by relying primarily on volunteer time to build and renovate homes, as well as provide support services to partner-families. Since 1995, DuPage Habitat has partnered with the community to build and sell homes to nearly 60 families in DuPage County. To donate or volunteer, or for more information, contact DuPage Habitat at: www.dupagehabitat.org or call 630-510-3737.

The post Pro Bono Marketing for DuPage ReStore Taken On by MMP appeared first on Modern Marketing Partners.

Like all successful Inbound Marketing, a search-optimized website was foundational, coupled with extensive and relevant content. An award-winning blog and integrated social media profiles distribute content and communications. Frequent webcasts and white papers reinforce thought leadership.

The CMA inbound marketing campaign was recognized for the following awards:

• Communicator 2011 Silver CMA Social
• Communicator 2011 Silver CMA Blog
• Hermes 2011 CMA Blog

Below is a snapshot of the website, blog, Facebook, Google Plus and Twitter profiles for the CMA:

Results from Inbound Marketing:

Growing memberships, e-commerce sales, website traffic, registrations through multiple offers, and importantly excellent search authority across a wide range of topics.

The red numbers shown on the CMA’s website below indicate various search optimization techniques and social media integrations.

1. Page Title (comes up in search and says: Home – The Construction Marketing Association (CMA) )
2. URL structure (contains keywords construction, marketing and association)
3. Member registration (membership program)
4. eNews registration (to sign up for quarterly e-newsletter)
5. Image ALT tags (make images indexable by search engines)
6. Social Profile Links

Please share this post with other looking for examples on inbound marketing strategies and quick techniques to optimize their website. You can even read our previous post on inbound marketing and go through the inbound marketing infographic.

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