Why are case studies important and what makes them so powerful?

Case studies have been a staple of marketing for industrial manufacturers, and other industries, for quite a long time. Instead of simply talking about your products or services, a case study clearly lays out how that product or service was successfully implemented by a customer.

Case studies come in a variety of forms. The most widely used is a written document that details the project and the results. They are more powerful when combined with visuals such as graphics, charts, infographics, or videos.

You have most likely read a case study or two yourself while looking for more information on how a product or service was used and the real-world results of that use. So, let’s dive into why case studies are truly worth your time and effort.

A good story is memorable

The first thing a case study does is tell a story about your product or service; and we all know that a good story is one of the best ways to engage with someone and have them remember what you said. Case studies clearly illustrate how your products and services can and are used in the real world with real customers. That is powerful marketing! You aren’t simply stating that you can do “XYZ” you are clearly demonstrating how “Customer A” used you/your products/your services to achieve real results. A case study really brings your products and services to life. They provide a clear illustration of what you do – not simply an explanation of it.

Case studies demonstrate success

Prospective customers do not want to simply hear you talk about what you can potentially do for them. They care more about seeing how your products or services have been implemented by others and what the result of that implementation was. Case studies clearly demonstrate that while boosting your company’s overall credibility. They help prove that your company accomplishes what you say it can based on real results and real stories.

Case studies are inexpensive marketing tools

Case studies quickly convey a lot of useful real-world information about your company and your offerings. When you compare the cost of creating the case study, as well as the return on that investment, with other marketing efforts odds are good you will see that the case study offers a lot of bang for your buck. They can also help you boost your lead generation techniques… but we will go into that in the next article where we dive into how to use case studies to generate more qualified leads.

Case studies turn the focus onto your customer

Typical, or should I say good, marketing efforts aren’t self-focused, they are focused on the solution the company provides for its customer. Outbound marketing efforts are typically more self-focused whereas inbound marketing, or attraction marketing, is all about providing value for the customer in an effort to attract them to your company.

Case studies give the company an opportunity to talk about real life solutions they came up with for their customer. In essence it is talking more about themselves and the problem they solved for a customer rather than just providing more educational content to position themselves as the experts in the field and attract customers. 

You aren’t simply talking about yourself in the study; you are focused on how a customer used your company to achieve success for their own company. You describe the process and the results from the customer’s perspective. Potential customers reading the study respond positively to this because they see how they may be able to achieve the same results that the customer in the study achieved.

Case studies also help you leverage your customers’ brands

Potential customers value what other customers have to say over what your company has to say about itself; which is exactly what makes a client testimonial so powerful. If the company that you helped succeed with your services and/or your products is willing to tell your combined story, that clearly shows that they back you up and want others to know how you worked together towards their success. This gives you the power to leverage their brand to boost your own; both in the eyes of your own customers plus theirs and any potential customers for each of you.

You will learn a lot about your customers, yourself, and your offerings

Case studies are one part promotional marketing and two parts market research. When researching the information for your case study you tend to learn more about your own products as well as gain a better idea about how your actual customers utilize your products or services. This information is incredibly valuable to help you improve your other marketing efforts. You will be more in touch with what your customers need, what they find important, and how your company’s offerings are being used in the world.

As you can see case studies can be incredibly powerful marketing tools. Without a good case study or two, you will need to explain (over and over again) what you do and why it’s beneficial to customers… then hope that your message resonates with the potential customer. Taking the time to craft a quality case study or two would go a long way towards boosting your message to that potential customer.

Need assistance? Let us help!

With over 30 years of experience, The Rico Group specializes in helping industrial manufacturers and job shops grow their business and diversify their customer base. We know how engineers think and what they are looking for. We know your processes, equipment, and materials. We also know that you have very little time to take away from your production and getting your customer’s orders delivered.

You can view our client case studies here> https://thericogroup.com/experience/case-studies/

Interested to see what your current digital marketing efforts are really doing for your company?

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Also, please grab a free copy of our comprehensive digital marketing success guide to help you accelerate your job shop’s growth. The guide walks you through the process of generating more qualified leads for your industrial manufacturing company.

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