Your customer case study can open the door to much more

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Your customer case study can open the door to much more

28/10/2024

 

28/10/2024

 

Your customer case study can open the door to much more

WRITTEN BY

Becky Thompson
Research & operations director

This is the latest in my series about my experiences managing large channel marketing content programmes. This time, I look at how partners can use customer stories as the launchpad for a much wider content marketing programme.

In partner marketing, case studies are a classic content asset. But when I begin working with a new partner on case studies, many are unaware of just how much time each one can take.

Each aspect of a case study has dependencies, from the vendor’s sales and marketing people to finding time in the customer’s diary. As the people driving the project, the partner side is usually the fastest to respond.

While case studies do require a lot of effort, they provide numerous benefits once they have been written, approved and published. Someone else endorsing your work is far more valuable – and believable – than you promoting yourself. A positive quote from a customer can help you build the trust you need to turn prospects into customers. They might see themselves in an existing customer.

(At least) one step beyond

When you start the case study process, consider this: you have your customer’s time and their ear.  As well as making the process easy for them, it’s a good idea to tell them what plans you have to promote the case study.

The customer and their IT team will see their project in lights too. All this helps when you want to involve them in your future content marketing efforts.

A no-brainer at this point would be to have your custom version of the case study. You get your own original quotations, have it written in your preferred style, and can get it signed off at the same time.

And do make full use of the asset while it’s fresh. Fulfil what you promised to your customer. Another reason to do this is because the tech sector changes and evolves rapidly. Your case study’s relevance could decrease fast.

Case studies can be repurposed and reused in almost endless formats. It could be as simple as using a customer quotation in your newsletter, to a precis of the issues faced and how you solved them in a LinkedIn post.

Video case studies are hugely powerful on your website and on social media. I’ve been involved in many of these and, when they are done well, they make a great addition to your content arsenal.

Also, think about what follow-up content types a case study can prompt. For example, what had to be left out of the final case study but would make a great social post or addition to a piece of long-form content?

So keep your customer involved and engaged from the very beginning of your case study project. You could find them becoming a regular speaker or supporting your lead generation efforts. And that will do wonders for your business.

How can I help you? Connect with me on LinkedIn and DM me to discuss how case studies can help you. 

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