Man, how I wish I could start every new customer journey by interviewing at least 3 of their happiest clients to create case studies. I’ll tell you why but first let me ask you: do you use case studies for your marketing?
If you do, you’re probably familiar with their power. By showcasing your happy clients, you can attract new clients because nothing beats the power of social proof when it comes to selling. Social proof builds instant trust, and that’s why everyone first visits a review site before buying anything. You could say that case studies are the online equivalent of mouth-to-mouth marketing. But this isn’t the only reason why I’d love to start every new client relationship with writing case studies for them.
See, case studies can help your marketing in so many more ways besides by providing social proof. That’s what I found out while writing case studies for my client Resourcing Pros.
It’s pretty obvious to me now but there’s no better way to get to know your clients than by interviewing them for a case study.
Case studies help you join the conversation
Most writers will tell you to write how you speak but the real deal is: to connect with your reader you need to write how they talk. By interviewing your client, you get to hear the exact words they use when they describe their pain points, the benefits of your service or product, and their challenges in general. Use those words in your content and copy and your clients will feel like you’re in their heads. Right where you want to be.
Your strongest selling points
Interviewing for a case study doesn’t just help you to get to know your client very well, those interviews can also help you find out on what points you’re outperforming your competition. They tell you why your clients appreciate you. The clients I interviewed for Resourcing Pros, for example, all praised their empathy and ability to get to know all the ins- and outs of their client’s company in a brief period of time.
That’s great to know! Now, you can attract new clients by using your unique selling points as identified by your current clients and by writing copy and content about those USPs in their words. Making your prospects feel like you truly understand them. That’s how you sell: a prospect needs to feel that you understand his problems and that you have what it takes to solve those problems.
So, if you’re not sure yet about your strengths and about what your clients need and want but you do want to invest in expanding your business: start by investing in a couple of case studies. They really are a good foundation for your inbound marketing strategy.
Download my content reference card to know exactly when to use case studies