Trust and reputation are two of the most important things your marketing can build for your business – and case studies have a key role to play in building these.
Case studies have a unique and powerful potential, demonstrating exactly what makes you great to your target audience. They tell an authentic story of how you really solve your client’s problems.
But what needs to be in your case studies to make them stand out and engage your target audience?
Here’s our list of the most important ingredients for a great case study:
A powerful narrative
Storytelling has psychological benefits – making your brand image more memorable and fresher in your audience’s minds.
Audiences relate stories to their own experiences and build an emotional connection, so a range of stories for possible client personas to relate to is crucial.
Make sure your case study has key story segments:
- Set the scene – who was your client and what do they do?
- The problem – why were you needed?
- The solution – what steps did you take for your client’s specific needs?
- A happy ending – what was the outcome?
Be specific and detailed at every stage, using images and videos to illustrate things if you can.
Testimonials
The best case studies contain direct quotes from people involved. Depending on the story you’re telling, this can be clients, citizens or experts in the field.
Testimonials build trust, using a real, third-party voice to demonstrate your achievements. They’re effective – 70% of people trust the opinions from people online, even if they don’t know them.
Messages
Don’t forget to sprinkle in the DNA and messages from your marketing recipe.
The bottom line is – what do you want your audience to take away from this?
This could be a combination of things; from a specific service you offer to how your employees integrate your code of conduct into everyday work.
Presentation
After cooking up the ingredients for your case study, it’s all about where and how you’ll present it.
There are a number of formats you could choose. Try to include at least one image or video to increase the authenticity of your story.
Where you put your case study depends on where your target audience is – often it will revolve around your website and be repurposed to social media platforms.
If you’ve done something particularly new or exciting, media titles in your industry may be interested in the story too. This would push your brand further and establish you as an expert in your field.
No matter what story you choose to tell or where, case studies are a powerful tool for expressing messages to your audience.
See case study examples, or for help getting your messages and stories to reach your target audience, call 0121 212 6250 or fill out the form below.
