| Next to white papers, case studies are the most | | | | perceives - hard costs are most easily quantified, |
| popular tool in the technical marketer's toolkitThe | | | | but soft costs may have the higher perceived |
| ubiquitous case study can range from a 3- | | | | benefit to a customer. Ideally you will list |
| paragraph online snippet to a full-blown magazine | | | | both.When NOT to Write a Case StudyWhat are |
| article. The most popular case study in the | | | | the most common blocks to partnering with a |
| marketing/PR arsenal is the 500-700 word | | | | customer for a case study?1. Your customer is |
| success story. They're not as challenging to write | | | | really unhappy. They'd do a case study all right, |
| as white papers, but you should structure them | | | | but you wouldn't want them to. If you're the |
| for maximum impact.Different companies use | | | | hapless individual setting up the initial interview, be |
| different structures for their case studies, but all | | | | sure that the customer really is happy and is open |
| should follow the same general pattern: 1. | | | | to talking to you. Otherwise they'll just give you |
| Company overview and challenge 2. Project | | | | an earful. Fix: promise the customer that you'll |
| details 3. Positive results (of course)Customer | | | | pass on all of his comments to the technical |
| Overview and ChallengeStart with a 2-3 | | | | support team, or whoever you think will best |
| paragraph overview of the customer's company. | | | | handle it. Then do it, and forget about it.2. |
| This should be very positive - since you're going | | | | Customers who fear their market will punish |
| to detail a problem the customer was having, the | | | | them. Prime example: legal firms with security |
| last thing you want to do is make them sound like | | | | issues. Sure you helped them through a security |
| jerks. So compliment them. Feel free to adapt the | | | | project and now they're Fort Knox, but they |
| overview from their own Website text, where | | | | don't want their clients to dream that a problem |
| they're already placing themselves in the best | | | | ever existed in the first place. Fix: Forget it. They'll |
| possible light.Then move on to the business | | | | never give you permission to produce the study. |
| challenge. Don't make the customer sound stupid | | | | Besides, they're probably right.3. Your customer is |
| or incompetent. The challenge should always be | | | | an exacting IT type who is suspicious of the |
| centered on something good that is happening to | | | | success story format. This customer considers |
| them - fast growth, industry prominence, | | | | the project a success too, but they dislike purely |
| strategic IT changes - whatever. Their challenge | | | | positive spins - and no project is perfect. Fix: If |
| should be applicable to your readers' own business | | | | they are happy for the most part, get a buy-in |
| issues.Project DetailsNo project goes perfectly, | | | | that the project really was successful. Don't put |
| but save the debriefing for the longer-form trade | | | | him off about the negatives, capture those |
| journal article. These short case studies should | | | | comments too and promise to pass them on. |
| report on the successful project by briefly | | | | (Then do it.) This is usually enough to secure the |
| discussing specific products and benefits.Don't go | | | | interview.4. Your customer is scared to be |
| all over the map. If the project is fairly narrow or | | | | interviewed. This is usually the IT guy who did all |
| specific, you won't have any trouble sticking with | | | | the footwork, and prefers to stay behind the |
| the main point. In the case of large and complex | | | | scenes. He (or she) will either be too nervous to |
| installations, concentrate on the main point. For | | | | talk, or will despise you because he doesn't think |
| example, Microsoft Great Plains has more modules | | | | you've got the technical chops. Usually both. Fix: |
| than you can shake a stick at. Concentrate on | | | | Understand the technology you're interviewing |
| the ones that had the most positive impact on | | | | about. You don't have to be an engineer, but you |
| your customer.Business BenefitsAlways quantify | | | | should understand IT pressures and issues. Ask |
| improvement when you can. Numbers can be | | | | leading questions, but if they clam up and won't |
| dollar savings, percentages, or other measures of | | | | talk, thank them and hang up. Tell your customer |
| saved staff time, more efficient workflows, | | | | contact that you're so happy you got to talk to |
| better customer service, etc. Be sure that the | | | | the technician, and now could you talk to a |
| benefits you list are the benefits the customer | | | | project manager too? |