CUSTOMatrix™ Insights Newsletter

Case Studies and Testimonials: Your Most Effective Sales Tool

Diane Law Associate, MBA, CMO Services, CUSTOMatrix, Inc.

Customer references in the form of testimonials and case studies are among the most effective and valuable sales tools used to help business grow. A positive customer testimonial is worth more than hundreds of words of bland sales copy citing features and functionality.

People buy on benefits. A compelling case study highlights the value of a product, solution or service to potential customers’ by validating the claims made about a product or service. A good case study does not focus directly on an organizations’ promotion of its products and services but instead details the tangible results real customers have realized.

While the most significant benefit of customer testimonials and case studies is the added credibility and believability to product and/or service claims, other benefits of these valuable tools exist to help grow your business.

Case Studies and Testimonials:

Create a means to collect customer feedback: Who better to ask for feedback and opinions on how your business is doing than a fan? A customer who is willing to give you a testimonial or participate in the development of a case study becomes a source of feedback from the marketplace. Instead of assuming what your customers love, your customers can give you real-life examples of why your business excels.

Close more sales: Case studies and testimonials offer a method to overcome buyers' fear, doubt, and uncertainty by providing a third party validation of your products or services.

Gain customer loyalty: Any customer who is willing to sing the praises of your product or service will be a repeat and regular buyer. Loyal customers spread the word.

How to create a compelling Case Study or Testimonial?

First, provide a brief overview of the customers’ business. Define the overall challenge or situation that the customer was experiencing by describing the problems and issues faced by the customer. Detail both the problem to be solved and the reason that the problem or situation matters. Ask yourself the question, “So what?” This will help you to articulate the meaning behind the problem the customer is experiencing. Is the issue facing the customers; time to market, profitability, or return-on-investment? The goal is to quantify the challenges.

Next, describe the solution, the product or service your company provided that solved the customers’ problem and helped them achieve their goals. Don’t use broad, vague descriptions. Be specific! Specificity is crucial. Describe the features, actions, steps or activities undertaken during the implementation of the solution. Every detail contributed in the description makes the solution more tangible, more real.

Finally, the results. Articulate the gains and advantages the customers derived from your solution. What where the results? Did the solution work? Where the customers’ objectives met? Defining the timeframe for completion of the solution implementation is important. Again, it is important to be specific. Quantify the results with numbers such as amount of money saved or earned, percentage of increase in productivity, reduction in time or any other quantifiable results.

One of the most compelling statements in the results section is a direct quote from the customer – it is the most credible source of information. A direct quote from a customer highlights the value that the customers place on your work and the partnership that was built between the organizations during the process.

Now you can see how customer case studies and testimonials are your most valuable sales tool. A few final items to remember when creating case studies and testimonials:

Describe real life situations in real words
No marketing speak
Build it in easily digestible segments
Keep it Short.

Should your organization be interested in increasing its revenue or evaluating the effectiveness of it marketing investments CUSTOMatrix Consultants can assist you in assessing your situation and recommending a course of action.

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