Does Your Case Study Interest the Reader?
Developing and writing a case study can be a great way to show what your product or service can do in the real world. Written well, it can enlighten the reader by addressing problems he or she is likely to be experiencing and giving an authentic look at how one of your customers solved them. You get the credibility of being talked about in glowing terms by a client, and you usually get to point to some bottom-line results or process changes that specifically improved the business. Problem, solution, outcomes — bingo! Another satisfied customer.
But handled badly, a case study can be just plain dull and uninformative. And when a story is boring, your readership walks (yawn) away. How can you be sure your case study isn't put aside by a busy exec with a strong need to know but a tightly squeezed schedule? By keeping the reader's interests in mind.
Many marketing departments have an established process that their copy has to go through before it's approved for print, and when that process serves as a good fact-checking operation, it's worth its weight in printer's ink. But in a surprising number of cases, the corporate-certified case study ends up trying to please the marketing department alone, and the reader is left out in the cold. Don't make this mistake! Here's some advice on how to make your case study work for the real end-customer — the reader.
Jump Right In
It makes sense that you'll introduce the company you're profiling and briefly describe its line of business. How else will the reader understand what you're talking about? But ask yourself honestly, how much introduction does the story really need? Droning on about annual revenue, number of employees, names of divisions, and history of ownership might win you points with the CEO, but too many details leave the reader wondering whether you're ever going to get to the point — and possibly walking away before you do.
Instead of wading slowly into your story, remember the basic tenets of a good journalistic lead and include the all-important who, what, when, where, why, and how right up front. If you're done with the first paragraph and you haven't yet noted — or at least hinted at — your message of success, you're moving too slowly.
Give them Sizzle, but Don't Forget the Steak
Whoever said that buyers are interested in benefits, not products, was only partially correct: A savvy buyer still wants to know quite specifically what you're talking about. If you describe your product's benefits in a nebulous way — "It enables a complete transformation…it empowers your day-to-day processes…it brings results to the forefront…," your copy will read as though it could be selling anything — from your competitor's product to a good bottle of Scotch.
Don't leave your readers wondering what you're trying to describe; be specific about your product, its benefits, and the outcomes. You'll differentiate your solution from the others — which also, by the way, claim to be “leading" and "better" and "a complete solution that takes the hassle out of meeting your day-to-day goals" — and you'll score points with your media-savvy readers, who are looking for hard facts, not sound bites.
Use Quotes and Testimonials Wisely
One basic strength of the case study format is its unbiased-testimony angle. As the reader sees it, your customers presumably have nothing to gain by touting your product, so they must really mean what they say. Don't work against this benefit by putting your VPs of sales and marketing on the soapbox instead. Everyone knows what they think of the product. Let your customers tell in their own words why they chose your solution, how it went, what the benefits have been, and so on.
The corollary to this rule is don't gloss up the quotes you've got. If your client says, "BizWhiz was exactly the solution we needed," don't belabor it into "Acme Inc.'s BizWhiz™ Module Developer for Windows XP was exactly the Web-based e-commerce solution we needed." Readers know the difference between plausibly spoken sentences and infomercial copy, and the stiff formality of an overworked testimonial will detract from your story's overall credibility.
Altogether, the truth is harsh but clear: Your readership is not a captive
audience, and if you want to keep them reading, you have to meet their
needs. But with a little bit of work and some good, professional writing,
that's not a difficult task to perform. Concentrate on the most useful
information, provide direct and specific facts, and use the case study
format to its best advantage by letting your satisfied customers serve
as your strongest possible sales force.
This month's columnist is Margaret McDonald. Ms. McDonald has more than 25 years of experience in professional communications. She is the owner of McDonald Wordsmith Communications and is an associate of Wise Women Communications. This article was adapted and reprinted with permission from Penton Technology Media.
