Case studies showcase your business successes.

They turn your success into stories that capture the attention of potential customers.

Effective case studies:

• Establish credibility
• Breathe life into your product or service
• Create sales

With so much going for them, why would anyone use case studies to tick off their best customers?

The Best Intentions Gone Awry

Your best customers are at the top of your list for case studies.

• You know they are happy
• They love your product or service

Perfect, right?

They should be, but all that good will can go wrong just by your handling of a case study.

5 Mistakes to Avoid on Case Studies

Your customer gladly accepts your invitation to tell their story in a case study.

Here are 5 mistakes that turn that happy customer into an unhappy camper.

1. Poor Planning

Once your customer has agreed to the case study, plan how you’re going to get it done.

Here are some items for consideration.

• Your writer –  internal communication or a freelance business writer
• Doing the homework – conducting internal interviews and gathering background information
• Your interview – who participates, mechanics for recording, when and where
• Schedules – coordination of all participants’ schedules, including customer’s
• Obtaining approval – who approves final copy, who coordinates securing the sign-off, timeliness of process

2. Poor Communication

This mistake is not about your writing. It is your interaction with your client.

Let your customer know what to expect and when.

• Explain what a case study is
• Explain how you are going to use it
• Explain the process
• Let your customer know who will be contacting them and when
• Send prepared questions before the interview

Important: Remember your internal contacts and freelance business writer, too, when communicating.

3. Wasting Your Customer’s Time

This mistake takes many forms.

• Taking too long to initiate the process
• Dragging out the process
• Being late for scheduled interviews
• Frequent rescheduling
• Making multiple call-backs due to poor planning

Respect your customer’s time.

4. Making Customers Look Incompetent

Case studies take the reader through the problem the customer had, their search for answers, and the final solution.

Take care when describing the problems that you do not make your customer look bad.

Your customers have their own customers and reputation to protect.

5. Forgetting to Thank Your Customer

Leave your customer with a good feeling at the end of the process. Here are a few ideas.

• Share the link or print copy of the final copy
• Include a thank you note
• Thank them by taking them to lunch
• Send a thank-you gift

You decide the best way to express your appreciation.

Case studies are one of the most powerful marketing tools. Take as much care with the process as you did with your customer’s problems, and everyone wins.

What ideas can you share about case studies?

Check out my free tips: 9 Ways to Use Case Studies

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