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Using Case Studies to Achieve Communications Objectives


The Case Study – An Effective Communication Tool

A case study is one of the most effective communications tools available. Case studies work because they tell a story that people can relate to and learn from. People like to see how a product or service is used by others. A case study is often a good way to show that.

A case study can be written to lead the reader (or listener) on a narrative, guiding the reader to specific objectives, such as to fill out a form, take a survey, attend a webinar, etc.

Communications Objectives – Education and Raising Comfort Level

Companies need to communicate with lots of different people: potential customers, customers, their own sales people, their development teams, their investors, influencers, and others. The communication objectives often have several things in common. Educating readers about some topic is a common objective. Case study narratives can be very good at achieving this objective with these diverse audiences.

Even if the readers are generally familiar with the topic of the case study, a case study can still be used to raise the reader’s comfort level with the product or service. This is an important objective, not necessarily for the earliest adopters, but for those coming later. Developing a comfort level can be a critical factor for many people, whether they be buyers, influencers, or for those selling to others. Increasing the reader’s comfort level can allay fears of failure that hold people back from making a purchase.

Communications Objectives – Introducing Terminology

A third objective for a case study can be to introduce the reader to terminology and concepts they may not be familiar with. Introducing terminology within the context of a case study is a good way to convey how that terminology applies in real-world situations.

Using Early Adopters as Case Study Subjects

Early adopters are people who buy a product or service when it is first introduced. Often, early adopters are loyal customers who trust the company, and the promised value of the new product or service. Whatever the case may be, early adopters can be the best subjects for a case study.

People relate to the stories of others. When a narrative reveals a person making a decision that shows intelligence and leadership, readers are more likely to follow suit. The challenges faced by the early adopter, and the rewards and successes to the adopter by making a good decision can be inspiring.

The reader may develop an affinity for the product or service by recognizing similar challenges faced by the adopter in the narrative. The affinity grows stronger when the case study shows how the subject of the narrative successfully overcomes those challenges. The experience of the early adopters can become a template for the approach of the reader toward the product, service or solution.

Two-way Learning from Case Studies

A surprising benefit of writing a case study is that there is often two-way learning happening. Writing a case study is a process of learning about the customer, and interviewing that customer about his or her challenges, failures, and successes. The study process helps the writer understand the customer better. Just from going through the process itself, valuable realizations and insights can occur.

That two-way learning should factor in when weighing the costs and benefits of the case study. That two-way learning can be hard to measure, but is unquestionably beneficial. You can start by asking yourself if you’ve learned anything from your completed case studies. Then ask your salespeople, marketers, customer-service representatives, and others if they gain value and insight from the case studies. If the internal benefits are great enough, the case study can be entirely justified from that back-flow of knowledge.

Case Study Help

Let Think of Whiting help you with your case studies. From planning, to interviewing, to writing and editing, image acquisitions, and formatting, Think of Whiting can help with every step of the process.

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Writing & Editing Services: When You Think of Writing

Think of Whiting Helps You Reach Your Communications Objectives

Think of Whiting is focused on your success by offering a variety of business and personal communication services. Services include custom writing, editing, thought leadership, marketing and business strategy, marketing copy, newsletter content, surveys, and more. Think of Whiting provides the high quality writing, editing and strategy support you need.

List of Services

Services include, but are not limited to:

The Importance of Writing Today

Writing is as important today as it ever has been. Words on a website, in an email, a post or a tweet can be immediately seen around the world. Those words can influence attitudes, sway decision-makers, and sometimes even change lives.

Good writing enhances your ability to convey a message. It makes the message more easily understandable, and hopefully more memorable. On the other hand, reputations can be damaged with just a few ill-chosen words, inconsistent grammar, or loose organization.

Writing Services for Your Demanding Audience

Your audience is bombarded with information. TMI (“Too Much Information”) is a popular way of putting it. Your writing needs to stand out and get to the point. It takes work to give your writing what it needs to communicate information clearly, and be remembered. It takes tactical planning to make that writing persuasive enough to cause action, like picking up the phone, or clicking on a link. Think of Whiting will help you communicate with your audience, with the crafted writing that helps you achieve your goals.

Writing Services Save You Time

Writing takes time, and time is a commodity that for many is in short supply. Your workdays are filled with reading emails, attending meetings, responding to emergencies, and other pressing activities. Because your workday is busy enough as it is, writing can be the important task that doesn’t get done, or done well.

Marketing & Business Strategy

Think of Whiting combines extensive experience in contemporary entrepreneurship and marketing, with old fashioned common sense and hard work to find innovative ways to reach your marketing and business goals. See the blog for some context on these services.

Thought Leadership

Think of Whiting stays current with important trends and technologies in business marketing, and blogs about them here.

Turn to Think of Whiting the next time you need help with writing, editing, marketing strategy, or content development.  The time you save from off-loading this work will be valuable in its own right, plus it will make you more productive.

About “Think of Whiting”

George Whiting, a graduate of Amherst College with a B.A. in Political Science, has over 30 years of professional writing & marketing experience.  As an entrepreneur and business owner, George is capable of achieving objectives in a variety of writing and marketing projects. Success can be achieved working independently or integral with your team, whichever suits you best.

George works on a project basis as well as on retainer. Writing is normally in American English, and the “typical” style attempts to be informative, engaging, and memorable. George resides in Medfield, Massachusetts.

Contact

Please contact George Whiting by phone or email, or fill out the contact form to schedule a consultation.

Contact

Clients are ensured of full privacy and discretion for all source materials, conversations, and work performed.

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