Satisfied customersare your best ambassadors for promoting your products or services. Like customer testimonials, case studies are a powerful tool in inbound marketing, especially in B2B. What exactly are they? Why can this type of content help you generate leads and boost your sales? What are the tips for writing an effective use case? Find out how to capitalize on your professional successes withcustomer case studies.
A customer case study is content that showcases your product or service through the feedback of a satisfied customer. This content marketing tool, which is highly prized in B2B, fits perfectly into your brand strategy. Customer case studies are also known as case studies, use cases, or success stories.
More than just a customer testimonial, a case study details the problem encountered by the customer, how you helped them solve it, and the concrete results achieved. It usually takes the form of a web page published on your website.
The content of the case study can also be reproduced in various formats:
All client cases are ideally grouped together on your website in a section dedicated to achievements.
Case studies offer numerous advantages in B2B marketingfor convincing your prospects and converting them into customers.
Case studies are a powerful tool for generating leads in B2B. In fact, 79% of B2B buyers consult customer case studies (Content Marketing Institute, 2018). You can capitalize on this appeal, for example by offering a case study as a lead magnet. Publishing case studies also helps improve your website's natural search engine optimization, thereby generating qualified traffic.
What's more, customer case studies successfully capture readers' attention, with 83% of internet users consuming this type of content in its entirety (Harvard Business Review). Finally, 64% of B2B professionals share case studies with their peers, which greatly increases the chances of reaching new leads (DemandGen Report 2018).
Where would you choose to go for dinner: an empty restaurant with no reviews online, or a place packed with customers and highly rated on Google or TripAdvisor? Chances are you'd go for the second option! This is the concept of social proof, a psychological principle whereby we are influenced by the behavior and opinions of our peers.
Like customer testimonials, case studies are an important reassurance factor that helps prospects feel confident about their purchasing decision. This concrete example helps them visualize the benefits and better understand the added value you can bring them. It allows them to identify with customers for whom you have solved problems similar to theirs. This creates a sense of security: if your products or services have met their needs, there is a good chance that they will work for them too!
We often consider ourselves to be fundamentally rational beings. However, neuroscience shows that our emotions guide 95% of our purchasing decisions, even if we justify them with reason after the fact (Harvard Business School, 2017). This is the principle behind storytelling, a copywriting technique that uses narrative to evoke emotion in the reader and make them want to buy.
The case study makes use of this process thanks to its structure, which is reminiscent of amovie or novel plot: a hero (your client) grappling with an antagonist (their problem) meets an ally (you) who helps them achieve their goals. You tell a story to your prospects and thus establish an emotional connection with them that promotes buy-in and engagement. A real success story!
Case studies combine emotion and reason: the emotion evoked by storytelling triggers the impulse to buy, which is then reinforced by logical arguments. This makes them an effective marketing tool for converting prospects into customers. In fact, 73% of B2B buyers consult customer case studies during their decision-making process (DemandGen Report 2016). That's why 40% of B2B marketers consider customer case studies to be the most effective format for driving conversions throughout the buying journey (Content Marketing Institute).
In order to maximize the power of storytelling, the customer case study must follow a very specific narrative structure:
Also remember to include a few key quotes from interviewees as well as visual elements: company logo, photos, diagrams, tables, graphs, performance screenshots, etc. Stay factual and honest to reinforce your credibility and gain the trust of your future customers.
At Autour de l’Image, we believe in the value of case studies. Our clients are our best ambassadors! We also know that this work takes time, which you may not necessarily have. That's why we offer to help you develop your client cases. This service includes the entire process:
Would you like help writing compelling customer case studies? Tell us about your project using the contact form at the bottom of this page!
