TALK TECH TO ME

Recently, I came across a great blog post by Peter Smith, CEO of HottoTrotMarketing (HTTM). 

His firm commissioned a study to determine what makes an effective case study - what are prospects (potential IT buyers) hoping to learn?  How does this compare to the content vendors are supplying in their case studies?

The 2011 IDC Customer Experience Survey/Hot to Trot Marketing Case Study Impact Survey found that case studies represent a key source of information for prospects.  However, vendors rarely supply them with the information they are seeking.

What do prospects want to hear about in vendor case studies? 

• Enabling business growth:  29 percent (1 percent of case studies addressed this)
• Gaining competitive edge: 25 percent (2 percent of case studies addressed this)
• Improving profitability:  20 percent (1.5 percent of case studies addressed this)
• Reducing cost: 12 percent (2 percent of case studies addressed this)

What are vendors writing about in case studies?  Product features (90 percent of vendor case studies in the study highlighted product features)

As someone who writes case studies on behalf of clients – I understand the need to provide readers with tangible results that show business value.  One way to do this effectively – ask the right questions.  Also, use the conversation to gain candid feedback on the sales process, implementation, your support team, etc.

Examples of questions to ask:

• What were the business drivers for adopting technology x? What problems/challenges was your company facing? 
• How did you hear about technology x?
• What solution(s) were you using prior to technology x? 
• What other solutions (if any) did you consider before selecting technology x?  Why did you choose it?  What were your key requirements? 
• What solutions are your competitors using? 
• How was installation and deployment?  How long did it take?  Was there a learning curve? 
• What has your experience been in working with the support team at company x?

Gain insight into the benefits by asking questions like:

• How has the solution given you a competitive advantage?  Does it differentiate you from others in your industry?
• Did technology x save you employee time?  Increase productivity?  Can you provide quantifiable information?
• How is company x addressing your business issues? 
• What ROI have you received from using technology x?  Can you provide quantifiable information?
• How has the solution increased your company’s profitability?  How has it impacted your bottom line?  Can you provide quantifiable information?

Asking the questions above will help customers communicate the true business value your solution provides.  Additionally, be sure to leverage the conversation to gain insight into the overall customer experience – and not simply as a vehicle for grabbing case study fodder.