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