A good case study has always been an effective new business tool. It's a great way to give a client prospect “permission to believe” that your agency can help them grow their business. But agencies need to re-evaluate their approach on how to write and use case studies in light of today's marketplace.
For many agencies, case studies are simply a device to show off their creativity or versatility. They might have a few words about the client or business situation, but their primary goal has been to present the agency's creative credentials in a specific medium or business category. Today, however, the case study needs to be much more than a creative show-and-tell.
Don't get me wrong. The power of a strong creative story in new business can never be discounted or eliminated. Creativity is the most exciting aspect of our business, and a well conceived idea that is presented in a unique and memorable way will always gather praise and admiration from clients. But the most desirable characteristic an agency can offer to a prospect today is return on investment, so agencies need to build an ROI story into every case study.
In today's 24/7, on-demand, fragmented media environment, marketers are desperately seeking ways to break through the clutter to reach new customers and sustain the attention of profitable customers. They not only need creative messages, they need messages that succeed. Agencies that demonstrate an understanding and a process for how to meet the client's business goals more effectively will have a much higher success rate than agencies who continue to market themselves just as creative experts.
Today, a good case study should articulate the business problem and the strategic as well as the creative solution. But it must also feature the results as definitively as possible. If your client can’t or won’t offer specifics of a program, be general. But you must give the client prospect some indication of the success of the program for them to transfer its credibility to their specific need.
One tool that is often overlooked is a client testimonial statement touting the effectiveness and/or quality of the agency’s effort for their brand. A prominently placed affirmation from the client can lend credibility and power to your case study.
Marketing analytics are not the cure-all for marketers’ woes, but they are the next big thing for agency new business prospecting. Are you taking advantage of that fact in your case studies?
