Want to show the world just how dope your brand is in a comprehensive way? Create and share a case study.
Showcasing the effectiveness and excellence of a product or service is a marketing strategy most brand’s employ. Commonly, avenues like positive customer reviews, video demonstrations/tutorials or brand ambassador accolades, etc. are used as marketing campaigns. However, if you’d like to highlight a significant impact your brand has made in your particular industry, consider publishing a case study.
What Is A Case Study?
By definition, a case study is a process or record of research in which detailed consideration is given to the development of a particular person, group, or situation over a period of time. Essentially, a case study is researched and documented observations. When marketing, this type of documented research is important when trying to attract new customers, retain current clients and possibly attract investors, employees, etc.
The Anatomy Of An Effective (Black) Case Study
There are five key components to every case study, and they include: a compelling story featuring a problem and solution, highlighted strategies, numbers/figures, specific formatting and an unwritten, yet suggestive call to action. Let’s review each of these segments separately.
A Compelling Story Featuring A Problem And Solution
The heart of every case study is a compelling story. Within this story, your brand must present a subject who had a problem that your product or service solved. Further, this subject can be an individual, company, organization, any entity really. What’s important is that you convey a message that details how your brand solved and issue for your client.
Highlighted Strategies
While telling your story and highlighting a solution your brand provided, don’t forget to be specific about the strategies used. For example, if you run a public relations firm and your client wanted higher social media visibility, detail how you were able to achieve this goal. You don’t necessarily have to reveal your secret sauce. That’s what people pay for. But showing examples of how you got your client a larger following, press features and greater online recognition or engagement is paramount.
Numbers And Figures
All great case studies include numbers and figures. Show percentage rates or dollar amount increases that your company was able to achieve. If you sell waist trainers, for example, highlight how many inches were snatched from your case study’s waistline in a specific amount of time. You can also feature how using the lessons in your course helped a participant make and extra $500 in monthly residual income. Show the numbers. Just be honest about them. no padding or falsifying your actual results.
Specific Formatting
Formatting is important when it comes to creating your case study. Since case studies can be verbiage heavy, breaking up the content using headings and subheadings is a must. Also be sure to incorporate some sort of charts, graphs or images within your case study. The goal should be to divide the information into digestible sections. This makes it more likely that people will read it.
An Unwritten, Yet Suggestive Call To Action
Finally, your case study should leave prospective customers with a similar problem wanting to try your product or service. Or an investor should want to invest in the growth and further success of your brand. It should be so obvious that your brand is the best option in the industry. So although there is no blatant sales pitch, your results should compel prospects to act.
Marketing Your Case Study
Now that your case study is complete, it’s time to present it in the marketplace. How you do this is really dependent on your brand’s unique marketing strategy. Here are three features to consider when marketing your case study.
Design.
People don’t like to read. You know that. We all know that. Therefore adding a well thought out design element to your case study is imperative. For example, you may want to create a slideshow or carousel with images and verbiage that highlights a customer success story. Another design option is to create an infographic. Make the icons eye catching and be sure the percentages and numbers really pop! People’s attraction to numbers doesn’t lie, so make them bold in your design choices.
Delivery.
How you deliver your case study to your audience is just, if not more important than the design. You have to decide if you’ll create a video for your website or YouTube, a carousel slideshow for Instagram or present a PowerPoint presentation of your case study in a virtual or in person meeting. Either way, considering the delivery method is a vital component of the process.
Feedback Follow up.
After you design and delivery your case study, anticipate feedback. Your study may pique the interest of new customers, current clients and or potential investors. Therefore, you need to make sure you have a feedback retention and follow-up plan in place.
The Importance of Black Case Studies
As a culture, we can sometimes be skeptical about sharing the inner workings of how we conduct business. This idea of secrecy and not letting our right hand know what our left hand is doing is (sometimes) an unfortunate Black phenomenon. We don’t need to go into the origins of our tendency to stay hush hush about private business. We all know the why. But publishing a case study as a Black business owner can be a game changer in many ways.
For starters, transparency about the amazing work your company brings to a respective industry should definitely be highlighted. Showcase your dopeness! Secondly, Black people are looking to do business with reputable Black-owned brands. Hence, a well-crafted case study can seal the deal for keeping Black dollars in our community. Finally, representation matters. When the veil is lifted, and we are given the opportunity to see just how many Black people are solving problems across several arenas it’s inspirational. You never know; a great (Black) case study can not only bring in more money for your company, but also offer a blueprint for future generations to study and follow.