Setting up for success
Does your company use case studies and testimonials for self-promotion? While collecting them may not be at the top of your to-do list while business is booming, maybe it should be, argues Liniar, which said they can have a positive impact on your business for years to come.
In this context, a case study is a story. It tells readers all the details about a specific project: the challenges that were faced, how you overcame them, the outcome and customer feedback. Including positive quotes from the customer (with their permission) will give the story credibility, as will photographs to illustrate the results.
When someone is considering whether to choose your business, they’re likely to carry out research. As humans, we rely on ‘social proof’ to a great extent when making buying decisions; ie, have other people used your company and have they been satisfied with the outcome?
Case studies are a great way for you to provide social proof through the work you’ve done, while controlling the narrative, and can be a good way to start building trust with potential customers.
Case studies can also give prospective clients ideas for their own projects. If they’re torn between window styles, for example, but can read and see what others have chosen and why, it can help with their decision-making process and position your company as one giving good advice.
Once written, they also provide great content for your website and for any press advertising you’re planning to carry out.
A case study features all the ups, downs, challenges and victories, as well as client reactions to how your business handled any issues that arose. Case studies can tell the tale of a beautiful property with unique products. If there were any problems during the project, don’t be afraid to tell future customers how your business resolved them.
The honesty in such a case study will demonstrate that you and your business are customer focused and determined to resolve any problems.
Testimonial quotes can be taken from the full case study and used across social media. And if you’re lucky enough to be able to video a project with the homeowner commenting, grab the opportunity as video is the most powerful medium of all.
Writing is a skill that takes time to perfect – time which many of us don’t have. At Liniar, we love hearing about the projects our products are used in, so we invest time in getting the details and writing the case study on our customers’ behalf. We even send a professional photographer to take the accompanying shots, which customers have full access to.
It’s a win/win: we get to speak to the installer and the end user for real feedback, and our customer gets publicity through being featured on our website, plus they get the story and photos to use in their local area or on their own website to help generate future business.
Through the case studies we’ve produced, we’ve received valuable feedback and testimonials for both Liniar and our customers. It’s the perfect way to increase the visibility of our customers’ brands, giving them exposure in the trade press and showcasing their expertise to homeowners who are looking for similar products or projects.
If you’re not already working on case studies and putting them up on your website, blog and social media, now is the time. Although we may all be busy right now, think of it as an investment in the future, for when demand slows.
If you work closely with your systems company or fabricator, contact them to find out if there are opportunities for them to help you with getting your story into the press and onto their digital platforms.
If Liniar customers or installers have a story they’d like us to tell, simply get in touch with a few details at marketing@liniar.co.uk. Ten minutes on the phone is often enough to get the ball rolling, but the benefits can last for years to come.
