How to Use Enhanced Testimonials and Mini Case Studies to Mesmerize Your Prospects. Part 2

In my first post on this topic, I showed you how to use Enhanced Testimonials to generate more leads and make sales. Read it here: How to Use Enhanced Testimonials and Mini Case Studies to Mesmerize Your Prospects. Part 1.
It’s a good simple strategy but not as effective as Mini Case Studies. And that’s why I’m excited to share some great tips on this strategy today.

https://www.persuasionpursuit.com/how-to-use-enhanced-testimonials-and-mini-case-studies-to-mesmerize-your-prospects-part-1/

Type 2: Mini-Case Studies

Let’s go beyond enhanced testimonials and take a look at Mini Case Studies.  The key to this strategy is the customer interview. One reason is that the customer will often reveal rare insights not known before. 

Interviews also produce other benefits beyond the creation of the Mini Case Study.  Examples could include ideas for new products or how to improve existing offerings.

Please note that the person who does the interviews should know the right questions to ask.  He or she also needs to have great listening skills. The interviewer needs to go beyond what the customer is saying. He needs to understand the true meaning behind the customer’s words.  

The best interviewers know how to improvise and head in a new direction if warranted.

A well-written Case Study could feature a small story invoking Joseph Campbell’s Hero Journey concept.  In short, the hero states the problem and then seeks a solution.

I wrote about this topic recently, check it out: The Hero’s Journey – To the Top.

Various obstacles get in our Hero’s way, as you would expect. Finally, he triumphs by discovering and buying your product/service.  Presto – he has solved his problem and has reached the summit.  

What a Case Study Is Not

Case studies are not the same as a press release. They are not vehicles to talk about new products. Nor are they advertisements.
Good case studies are about the customer’s journey, NOT yours.
Most case studies are boring with a capital B. People who write them often don’t understand a profound truth; a good case study is a STORY. So expunge industry jargon and brand BS from your story. Likewise for self-serving sales pitches. They do nothing to enhance the story.
And here is an example of a micro case study.

Keep in mind that Mini Case Studies are that – mini.  They don’t have to be long although sometimes that might be appropriate.

Which Story Type is Best?

Without a doubt, the mini Case History is more potent than an Enhanced Testimonial.  It goes beyond dressing up an existing customer testimonial.  That said, it’s a more time consuming and difficult thing to do. 

Your best option: hire an experienced copywriter to run the project for you.  If your finances are tight the second option is to learn how to do it yourself. One of my small group coaching programs will help you with that: learn in groups and save money. To discuss options, reach out to me on Facebook.

Why Most Case Studies Suck

Too dry, too boring, and too bad to bother with.  So, take them to another level; you want transformation, not incrementalism.
Below is an example of a hybrid Case Study; part customer story, part lesson (educational content). This one contains a lot of educational content. We sandwiched the client’s story between the various points covered in the piece. Take a look:

Your best option: hire an experienced copywriter to run the project for you.  If your finances are tight the second option is to learn how to do it yourself. One of my small group coaching program will help you with that: learn in groups and save money. To discuss options, reach out to me on Facebook.


START OF EXTRACT

One Hundred Sales For Food Delivery Business (From a ‘Dead’ Email List)

But I also think those immortal words are apt when talking about email marketing. It’s a vexed issue, no doubt. Conflicting opinions from goo-roos and their brain dead fanboys make matters worse.

You may be confused about this vital issue. Perhaps you’ve asked questions like these:

  • Should I send daily, weekly, or once in a blue moon?
  • Long or short-form copy?
  • Do I pitch in every email or take a more laid-back approach?
  • I can’t write – should I hire someone?

Often, they give up on email marketing and focus on other things. ‘It’s all too hard’ is the familiar refrain when disillusioned managers and owners talk to me.   

The purpose of this post is not to answer these questions in-depth, but to say this: if you have a list, we can help.

We Deliver Sales and Revive Dead Customers for Delish Deliveries

For instance, we helped the Australian company Delish Deliveries leverage their existing email list. But there was a small problem. The company hadn’t emailed the list for a long time; it was all but dead. 

A dead list is normally useless: any relationship that may have existed previously has been broken. Delish was no different. In fact, they were in a quandary – should they abandon email marketing, or try again? Fortunately, they took the latter option. After making contact with us we formulated a simple plan. The goal was to rectify things by breathing new life into their dying list.

First up we segmented their list by using precise targeting techniques. We then created a series of laser targetted email messages for each list segment. Each email included a killer offer plus a strong call to action.

Finally, we installed a small Facebook ad retargeting strategy to reinforce the email campaign.

Results Speak For Themselves

The short campaign delivered more than 100+ new customers.  The immediate dollar value of these sales was more than $ 10,000. Because many of these customers are continuing to submit orders, higher sales will flow as time rolls by.

END OF EXTRACT


Read the full post here One Hundred Sales From a Food Delivery Business From a Dead Email List

Video or Text-Based Case Studies?

Videos have more immediate impact and can be incorporated into a text-based story.  If the video features the customer talking to cam, be careful that the end result is high impact, otherwise, people will turn off fast, never to return to your website again.

In any event, a good customer video may be one of the elements in the case study, the other being text-based content.  In my opinion, text-based content should always be the foundation of your content.

Here’s another case study. It shows how Drift helped Aventri book $1.7 million in new sales in just five months!

What Is the Typical Length Of a Case Study?

Keep in mind that Mini Case Studies are that – mini.  They don’t need to be lengthy although sometimes that might be appropriate.  Most case studies are short and no more than 1,500 words.  

What Should a Case Study Include?

The most important thing a case study should include is the problem and how the company being profiled helped solved the problem. Case studies are success stories, so laying out the problem is key to understanding if the process was successful.

 

 

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