The ‘Tell ‘Em, Tell ‘Em, Tell ‘Em’ Approach to Case Studies
Ever heard this popular expression regarding presentations?
"Tell them what you’re going to tell them. Tell them. And then tell them what you told them." Or something along those lines.
Why should we repeat ourselves? Because people have short attention spans. By repeating, audiences hopefully go away having heard your most important points at least once, if not more.
In a written story, repeating ensures that skimmers catch your main ideas.
So how do you apply the "tell ‘em, tell ‘em, tell ‘em" advice to case studies and success stories?
Try applying these three ideas to your next case study project:
The Intro Summary
In longer magazine features or even the evening news, the story often kicks off with a brief summary of what’s to come – usually only about a paragraph.
For each of its case studies, Microsoft includes a summary just under the headline, before the body copy starts.
Keep it short and to the point. Ideally, mirror the rest of the story in that single paragraph by briefly mentioning the main challenge, how it was solved and the biggest benefit the customer experienced.
The Body Copy
Before you ever start writing, ask one question: What is the most important thing I want the audience to know? Then, structure your story around that message.
For example, maybe the #1 take-away is that the featured product enables faster customer support.
Early on, talk about the challenges of delivering customer support and how slowness has affected the business.
Follow that with solution delivery that indicates HOW the solution expedites support.
Finally, let the reader know that customer support is indeed faster, and back that up (hopefully!) with metrics.
Include customer quotes that touch on the speed of delivery through your story, and headlines as well.
With multiple mentions of your main idea, you not only "tell ‘em," but a case study lets you SHOW the audience.
The Wrap-Up Quote
Personally, I love ending a case study with a quote that’s the equivalent of a big bow around the whole story – something that truly encapsulates the customer’s experience.
Who should have the last word in a customer story? The customer. A quote feels more authentic than ending with a summary paragraph.
The perfect wrap-up quote doesn’t introduce anything new, but rather reflects the relationship in a nutshell.
To get a spot-on final quote, I usually ask this simple question, "Is there anything else you would like to add that we haven’t talked about yet?"
Often, the customer provides his or her own summary of the relationship.
If not, try, "What would you tell others about your experience of working with ABC Company?"
With your story written, go back and count where your key points pop up to make sure you’ve told them, told them and told them again.
Seen any great examples of companies that do this with their case studies? Send them my way and I’ll feature them on the blog.
Customer Presented on Your Behalf? Do More with a Live Case Study
This week, two PowerPoint presentations came my way.
My clients' happy customers had actually presented these decks in live case studies (either in person or on a webinar). How fantastic is that - a customer willing to talk to an audience about success with your products and services?
That's about as good as it gets.
Smart marketing teams know the next step: Turn that live presentation into something that you can re-use again and again.
Here are 4 tips for taking next steps with a customer's live case study presentation.
1. Ask for permission upfront
You would think that standing on a podium and publicly discussing success with a specific solution makes a written story a shoe-in.
Not true. A written story, posted on the web, leaves a searchable and lasting trail of evidence about what your customer said. This scares some customers. They're worried you're the next Enron and they just don't want to risk a public endorsement.
You need to ask for specific permission for a separate written story, and the customer will want to review it most likely.
While your contact may be fine with turning the presentation into written or video assets, the company may not agree. BEFORE you record that presentation or webinar, or write it, ask for official permission.
If you can record it, ask HOW you can use the recording. Some might just give you permission to share it internally among sales reps, while others will let you post it on your website, Facebook, YouTube, etc.
2. PowerPoint is not enough for written
Even if you don't plan to use the recording with external audiences, or don't have permission to do so, a recording is valuable.
A PowerPoint presentation provides the visuals and highlights but it's never the full story. The presenter adds that.
What's missing from PowerPoints? Detail, explanation, complete sentences for quotes, and most critically, emotion.
Customer case studies are stories. Without real customer comments and emotion, you lose much of its storytelling power.
Personally, I always have more questions, usually lots more, when I receive a PowerPoint.
So, get it recorded somehow. If you don't want to release the video to a writer, then get a transcript.
3. Interview the customer
For a couple of reasons, you may need to interview the customer further:
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The customer's presentation didn't include some of the information that usually goes into a case study. Maybe the customer doesn't go into why they chose your solution - a very insightful piece for prospective customers.
- Or, you did not get a recording.
Ask the customer if they are willing to fill in some of the gaps that the slide deck misses.
4. Got permission? Use it!
When you get specific permission to use these assets, make them work for you. Don't shelf that rich information.
Post video, edited down perhaps, on demand on your website. Send the video link to prospects, Tweet about it, and distribute it on social media video sharing sites.
Write it up and post it online and among your sales assets.
Check out this list for 25 ways to use your customer stories.
What are your experiences getting more out of live presentations?
How to Repackage Precious Case Study Content
Picking up from my last post commenting on Hubspot's "27 Marketing Lessons B2B Marketers Should Know," here's another tip from Hubspot that ties directly with customer case studies:
"Content is precious. Repackage existing content into different formats, such as blog posts, podcasts and webinars to drive more leads."
You can easily repackage customer case studies and success stories into valuable, reusable content throughout your sales and marketing communications.
Here are just a few ways:
1. Blogs
An estimated 77% of active web users read blogs. They've proven to be powerful drivers of search engine traffic.
Even better, those following your blog are interested in your particular topic, giving you the perfect target audience.
Share your best customer stories on your blog - either in full or linked back to the full story on your website.
Focus on the customer's experience and path to success, not just tooting your own horn.
And finally, be sure to get the customer's permission before you publish anything with their name on it.
2. Contributed articles
For editors, it's all about the compelling story. They're constantly looking for ideas and contributed articles that tell stories their audiences want to hear.
Many websites and publications take contributed articles.
Try submitting a story about your new product and see how that goes. Then try submitting a story about how a specific customer has succeeded with your product, and it changes things.
With just a little editing, you can turn a customer case study into a contributed article, preferably by-lined by your customer.
Just make sure it focuses on best practices and approaches without heavily talking up your product or service.
3. Press releases
The same thing goes for press releases as above.
When you announce news, such as a new product offering, pull an anecdote into your press release that ties the news to a customer's success.
Ideally, you have some beta customers with early experiences of your solution that you can share.
A customer example makes a dry release much more interesting.
4. Industry awards
I'm big on awards these days - after seeing some Fortune 500 companies jump at the chance to tell their stories for awards opportunities.
Why? We all like to be recognized for our efforts. Your customers are no different.
If they're doing cool, best practices things, and your solution helps with that, find relevant awards programs and ask their permission to submit them.
You might be surprised how on board they get for an awards submission when they might not publish their story as a case study.
If your customer wins, their story gets natural publicity through the awards process.
Also, once you have all the juicy details, ask if you can make that public on your website.
5. Newsletters
Feature a different customer success in each newsletter or e-zine that goes to customers, prospects and even employees.
Show all your audiences how you help customers solve their problems.
It will likely be the most read part of your newsletter.
But that's not all. Check out 25 Ways to Build Trust (and Sales!) with Customer Success Stories.
Customer Success Stories Show You Solve Problems for Customers
Last week, the Hubspot blog ran a story with lessons from the MarketingProfs B2B Forum, "27 Marketing Lessons B2B Marketers Should Know."
I picked up some fresh new tips and important reminders.
You can accomplish several of the lessons with the help of customer case studies and success stories.
Here's one of the lessons and how customer stories tie in...
"Solve problems for customers, and leverage marketing to demonstrate these solutions."
Isn't that why you're in business, to solve problems for customers, no matter what you sell?
Yet, often it's not clear to potential customers if and how you can solve their problems - despite all you might invest in web and brochure copy.
You have to SHOW prospects...
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The types of problems you solve
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For whom you solve problems
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How you solve those problems
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And the end result of solving those problems
The best way? With examples of your happy customers' successes.
Ultimately, prospects believe your satisfied customers more than they believe you. Always integrate that voice into your marketing.
Watch this space for more ways to use customer stories to achieve some of Hubspot's B2B lessons.
Customer Case Studies: The “Maybe” Language Legal Loves
In the world of customer stories, "legal" just might be our arch nemesis.
Where marketers look for strong, absolute endorsement statements from customers, legal reviewers at vendor and customer companies prefer muddier terms.
The language legal likes isn't the clean and action-oriented phrasing marketers and copywriters have been taught to use.
It's understandable. They don't want it to appear that stellar results can always be expected.
Unfortunately, it's the culture we live in.
This varies from company to company. The larger the vendor or customer company, the more likely legal reviewers will go to town with the "Track Changes" feature of Microsoft Word.
What does that mean?
One company in particular I've worked with has its legal sensitivity meter set extra high. If you want to work with them, you've got to shift your language from absolute, action words to kinda, sorta, maybe terms.
Here's your guide to creating a case study legal will love. Substitute the "before" words with the following "after" phrasing:
Before After
Drives is intended to drive
Builds helps buid
Enables can enable
All campaigns some campaigns
Pays off can pay off
Increases is intended to increase
Analyzes can analyze
Automates is designed to automate
Triggers can be used to trigger
Wow, huh? That really takes the punch out of a customer case study or testimonial.
This mostly refers to the paraphrased part of your stories, not actual customer quotes. But at times legal will question customer quotes as well.
While this example maybe be more extreme, now you know how to get a story past the most persnickety legal gatekeeper - when you have to. But always start out with your strong, absolute language until you know it's not going to fly.
Then you can kinda, sorta, maybe tone it down as needed.
Any stories to share in your battles with legal?
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