Why a Case Study is a Mutual Opportunity

What is a Case Study?

A case study, when used for marketing purposes, is an analysis of the way in which your company has benefitted one or more of your clients. It may be based on a specific situation, such as a challenge you helped your client to overcome, or it may be based around the services you provide to them as a whole, perhaps even detailing how these have changed and/or grown over time.

Whatever aspect of service the case study is based on, it would usually include most of the following:

-A problem, challenge or requirement that needed to be met.

-The way in which your company assessed the need.

-The solution that was implemented.

-The outcome of the solution being implemented.

-What the client’s opinion on the process is.

In today’s blog, we will take a look at why case studies are such a valuable form of marketing for your company and its products. But not only that, we’ll also be taking a look at why allowing a provider of your own to write a case study on your company as their client is just as beneficial to you too. A case study really is a mutual opportunity. Read on to find out why.

What are the benefits to the provider?

So let’s start with the benefits to the provider, or the company who is writing the case study. Case studies are a particularly unique form of marketing, in that they are probably your only form of marketing that won’t concentrate on your own company as the primary focus. Instead, they are centred on your client, and how you have fit in to their unique story, rather than the other way around. This focus on the customer, and the emphasis on telling a story rather than reeling off faceless data about your company, makes the situation relatable, and similar business will be able to see how you might be able to help them too as you highlight your demonstrable success with one of their peers.

A case study is one of the best ways to complement the features and benefits that you advertise your company as having. It really allows you to display these in a real world situation, to show your audience the quantifiable evidence to support your claims. It will also give you a chance to show your audience how you solve problems within your organisation and demonstrate your company’s work ethic. The fact that you as a business have solved your client’s problems effectively shows you to be capable and authoritative in your industry.

Not only that, but also this information is coming from your clients point of view. And there really is no marketing more powerful than the opinion of someone who has first-hand experience of your services. Social and word of mouth marketing are absolutely priceless in instilling confidence in potential customers, as they are the most trusted source on the abilities, quality and services of your company.

What are the benefits to the customer?

So those are the main benefits to you as the provider. What about the benefits to your customer who has agreed to let you write a case study on the services you provide to them?

Well, firstly, it will give them a platform to showcase their own business and products. If you have a large audience or client base yourself, your client is gaining free exposure to this network of peers. You should offer to link back to the customers own website through your own website and social media pages as part of your promotion of the case study content. This will help to drive traffic back to their website. If you have a strong domain reputation, this will also help your client with their own external link profile.

And last but not least, if you have built your company up as a strong, reputable, quality company, then your client is going to benefit from that reputation by association and may benefit from some extra trust being put in them by companies who are familiar with your own company.

In summary…

Case studies provide invaluable insight and proof of concept to potential customer of both your own business and the subject of your case study. If you have a customer willing to share their experience, or if you have been approached by a provider for a case study, it’s important to remember that this is a mutually beneficial opportunity that can benefit both parties greatly in their quest for brand reputation success.

Are you an existing CWCS customer interested in providing us with a case study?

We are looking for companies like yours to work together on a case study about the solution we provide to you. In return we will link the case study back to your website, which in turn will help drive traffic to your site. We also have a strong domain reputation which will help with your external link profile. If this is of interest, please contact us at sales@cwcs.co.uk.