According to Gartner, a potential customer is 2.5 times more likely to make contact or buy from you when they have seen your message articulated somewhere through a reference or storytelling from a happy customer.
Case studies can take many forms. The trick is to establish which type of reference would suit which company and find out what it is they’d be willing to do. Some customers of companies may not want to talk on film, but would be happy to have a quote in a press release. Or they may only want their testimonial to be used online and not for press opportunities. It’s all down to the company, what fits with the brand guidelines, marketing plans and how they want to position themselves. Once you’ve established the best fit, you are half way there.
It’s a numbers game
Ask those appearing in the case study about the specific results that have been achieved or which aspects of the company they fell in love with. Hard numbers and facts work the best. If they are not available, you can mention the virtues of customer service, pricing, product/service quality and other unique features.
Be a show off
Once you have your testimonials, it’s important to show them off. A website should have a dedicated case study area and they should also be used across all relevant marketing materials including emails, brochures, postcards and even the back of business cards.
Don't rely on two or three testimonials, though. It’s best to build a bank of at least ten to showcase all of a company’s good work.
A perfect media match
It’s always worth remembering which media you want to get coverage in. Then think about how you can ensure that your case study will fit in with those titles. That way you don’t waste time producing a testimonial that your target media won’t take.
Healthcare media want examples of real people in a case study, whilst retail media like case studies peppered with tangible examples and quotes from the client. They want to talk to the brands, not the supplier. Tech titles also want to speak directly to the brands, especially if it’s around product news.
Case studies offer an honest, unbiased view of companies that help their potential customers to trust them. This trust is invaluable, which is why it is worth the effort to find, and distribute, the right testimonials to the right media.
Article written by Lynsey Barry, divisional director at PR firm Berkeley
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