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How to write a customer case study that ROCKS

In a previous blog entry, I wrote about getting the most out of your marketing-communications budget with customer case studies.

A few of you contacted me with a request for more information—in particular, how to go about creating a case study.

Let's get started.

Who is your audience?
Ideally, your case study should help your company meet two critical business objectives: acquire customers, and build (or help to maintain) an “expert” reputation. To do this, you need to write not only for an end-user audience, but for the people who will use the case study—the go-between, if you will.

Salespeople need case studies to get customers
Salespeople want something tangible to take to events and meetings, that they can point to and say the following: “We have helped companies like this one accomplish [business objectives] X, X and X. Look at the problem we helped solve for them. Look at how great they are doing now. We can do the same for you.”

Case studies are not only a great sales tool, but a nice bonus to add to a contract. “Sign with us and we will write a fantastic case study about your company…and get you coverage in a publication of your choice.”

Media/public relations need case studies to showcase expertise
Journalists rely on sources for their stories. They want someone who knows what they are talking about. Case studies are third-party references that lend credibility to your company. They are “proof positive” that your company is an expert in a specific field—at least, in the eyes of the featured customer.

Keep in mind that the better the case study is written, the more likely a journalist will look to you the next time they write a story related to your product or service.

Guideline for writing your case study
Despite their differences, all of your audiences—salespeople, potential customers, public relations, and the media—have one thing in common: limited time available. They want the basics, albeit the most important basics, wrapped up nicely into 500 words or less.

Below is a guideline for writing a case study, including suggested word length for each sub-topic:

• Customer background (50 words)
• Problem – the real business “pain” (100 words)
• Solution (100 words)
• Benefits – return on investment (ROI) etc. (200 words)
• Future (50 words)

Above all, be clear, be concise, and be convincing.

Do’s and don’ts

DO:

• Make your case study read like a story. This is technically a “soft” sales piece. Avoid marketing-speak. Moreover, unless they are product testers, journalists will rarely write an article about your product or service; instead, they will be looking for experts to add context to a related story. This is all the more reason to write in a narrative style.
• Feature customers who love (not just like) your product or service. The number of case studies you have is not as important as a solid reference from a customer who sings your praises.
• Try to diversify your case study collection. If you have happy customers from a variety of industries, this presents an opportunity to expand your target audience outreach.
• Use quotes: not only will they add “colour” to the story, but journalists may even pull them directly from your case study into a story they are writing.

DON’T:

• Apply quotes to every section: the most important area is the benefits section. If you can provide one or two quotes to demonstrate how happy a customer is with you (and why), you’re good as gold.
• Overdo it with jargon. Remember that your potential customers and journalists may not understand your company’s internal-speak. If possible, avoid acronyms.
• Finalize your case study without getting approval from your customer. Their reputation is at stake. Keep them involved and allow them opportunity to review before you publish.

As you can see, much strategy is required to put together an effective case study. But with some careful thought and a good writer who understands their audiences, your case study can become one of your company’s most powerful communication tools.

Associations, societies, councils...what's the difference?

NOTE: the definitions below are correct, but my interpretations are somewhat tongue-in-cheek...readers' input very much welcomed!

Have you ever wondered why some groups are called Society of this, or Alliance of that? What is the difference between an association and an organization? Or a council and a guild?

Have you ever cared to know?

Sadly enough, I have. Living in Ottawa, Canada, I am surrounded less by corporations and more by national non-profit and governmental structures that go by a variety of different monikers.

In my quest for clarity, I recently consulted http://www.dictionary.com/—and learned three things:

• Firstly, there is a great deal of overlap across definitions.  
• Secondly, there are too many words out there to describe what is essentially just a “group that does stuff.”
• Thirdly, I'm not sure all groups have consulted a dictionary to determine what kind of structure they actually are.

A set of definitions (and my interpretations of them) are provided below. Let's get started.

Organizations, Associations, and Societies
Organization, association and society are often used interchangeably. At their most basic, any of these words can be used to refer to a group of people who share a common interest or purpose.

The subtle difference lies in structure and interests. To look at these words side by side (by side), you notice two things. First, it is implied that societies are less structured than organizations and associations. Moreover,
societies are not typically related to business but instead to “religious, benevolent, cultural, scientific, political, patriotic, or other purposes.”

Interestingly, no definition I came across actually elaborated on what these structures do, instead focusing on the area of common interest.

Guilds
A guild, like organizations, associations and societies, is a group of people who share a common interest or purpose. But wait—there’s more!

Historically, a guild was a medieval association (such as for merchants or artisans) that maintained standards and protected the interests of its members. Examples of modern-day guilds would be the Canadian Guild of Crafts, the Guild of Canadian Film Composers, and the Writers Guild of Canada. Heck, there’s even a Canadian Knifemaker’s Guild.

So, it would appear that today’s guilds are really just organizations, associations or societies for people in the creative arts.

(But if that's the case, why is the US Screen Actors' Guild not technically a guild, but a union?)

Alliances
An alliance refers to an agreement or friendship between two or more parties, made in order to merge efforts, advance common goals and secure common interests.

One example is the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), which describes itself as “an alliance of student associations and student unions from across Canada. Through this network of student governments, CASA represents and promotes the interests of post-secondary students to federal and inter-provincial levels of government.”

Institutions/Institutes
An institution is an established organization of a “public character” (e.g., educational, charitable, health-related), founded for advanced instruction and/or research in a specialized field or subject.

Interestingly, there are not a lot of institutions out there—not by name, that is. Do a basic Google search, and you get twice as many results for institute. (Perhaps this is because institution has that whole “loony bin” connotation?) Some examples include the Canadian Patient Safety Institute or the Engineering Institute of Canada.

Councils
A council is a body of people summoned, elected, appointed or convened to serve in an advisory, consultative, administrative or legislative capacity.

For example, the Canadian Council for the Arts reports to Parliament through the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and is governed by a Board of Directors appointed by the Governor in Council. The council funds, fosters and promotes the arts, operating at “arm’s length” of government.

Federations
Federation is often used in a political context—for example, to refer to a unit formed by a number of nations or states (or, in Canada, provinces). Each component of the federation retains control of its own internal affairs. Consider, for example, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, or the Canadian Federation of Students.

However, some dictionaries also refer to a federation as any alliance, association or organization for common action. Go figure.

Agencies
Agency can be used to refer to any organization, company, or bureau that provides some service for another (e.g., an advertising agency). However, in political terms, it is a governmental department—for example, the Canada Revenue Agency, or Public Health Agency of Canada.

Foundation
A foundation is an institution financed by a donation or legacy to aid research, education, the arts, etc. It often provides funds for charities.

What does all of this mean?
Going by the dictionary, and trying to make sense of every nuance across each structure, I have concluded that definitions sometimes mean nothing. That said, I have taken on the task of simplifying things beyond belief, by summarizing them into the following "cheat sheet" for handy reference: 
 
Organization = group of people who have a common interest, but who pretty much do nothing
Association = see Organization
Society = a less structured Organization or Association
Guild = artsy Organization or Association (if structured); or Society (if not so structured)
Alliance = a productive Association, Society, Organization or Guild
Institution/Institute = a highly productive Organization, Association, or Alliance
Council = appointed advisory group to government
Federation = Alliance with a political foundation
Agency = customer service group, brought to you by government
Foundation = highly productive Organization, Association or Alliance that money built for charity's sake

Why you should use bullets in your writing

Ezine just published my latest article: click here to read it!

Bullets can break down a long sentence-a fabulous option for the brevity-challenged writer. But there are also benefits to the reader. Bullets help break up the page. They make content more "readable." In many ways, they can prevent your target audience's eyes from glazing over...

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-You-Should-Use-Bullets-in-Your-Writing&id=5086237

How to acknowledge complaints without actually saying "sorry"

You are the CEO of a manufacturing company of children’s shoes for indoor use.

Lately, school principals are calling and emailing to say that their students’ shoe bottoms are leaving unsightly permanent marks on their gymnasium floors. Someone starts up a Facebook page regarding the issue, and more and more people are signing on as members. Twitter is afire with complaints from the cash-strapped educational sector.

As CEO, you have two choices: ignore the issue, or respond. What are you going to do?

Not all executives are keen to acknowledge
complaints. They believe that in doing so, they
are admitting that they were wrong. (They also
worry that they will have to fork out money to
set things right.)

However, there is a way to acknowledge a
complaint without being overly apologetic,
and retain the business of those who feel
wronged.

Think of it this way: in life, perhaps more than
anything, people want to be acknowledged
and appreciated. This applies to one’s personal
life as well as business. The art, however, is in
how you frame what you say to your customer.

Use the following as a paragraph-by-paragraph
guide for writing a public statement (e.g., for
your website):

1. Emphasize how much you value/appreciate
    your clientele

2. Without going into too much detail,
    acknowledge what the issue/problem is

3. Show your clientele that you understand their
    needs

4. State what you are going to do to rectify
    the problem

5. Again, emphasize how much you value the
    customer

6. Close with a statement that encourages your
    client to continue their business with you

Did you see #4? Acknowledging a problem also
requires fixing it. So, before you do or say anything,
you need to identify the steps you will take to rectify
the issue. Your solution does not have to be set in
stone and it could even just be a temporary solution.
But you still need to include one.

To summarize, when you acknowledge complaints:
be humble, and be helpful.

It’s just smart public relations.

Statistically speaking, you may be wrong

Statistics are mighty nuggets of proof that can further any argument or cause. They tell nay-sayers where to shove it. And journalists love them for two reasons: statistics make headlines, and they simplify the message for media consumers.

The problem lies in those who—whether intentionally or not—incorrectly interpret and communicate statistics to those they wish to influence.

As an example, your organization’s mission
is to help save the whales. You come across
a fantastic statistic that supports your cause:
saving the whales is a top-five environmental
concern among Canadians. Perfect! The statistic
becomes part of your key messages, and you
always make sure to share it during media
interviews. Journalists eat it up, and pretty soon
your organization is experiencing a surge in
financial donations.

You may be able to argue that the statistic is
technically accurate. But what you have chosen
not to mention in your interviews is the following:

- “saving the whales” was number five of seven
   options provided to those polled;

- “among Canadians” actually refers to a small
   number of random people who were not
   representative of the entire makeup of the
   country (e.g., in terms of ethnicity, financial
   status etc.); and

- the statistic came from a source with whom

   you are not familiar.

As you can see, when it comes to credibility,

context can giveth or taketh away.

Sadly, part of the problem lies with the general

public. Too often, we rely on statistics as fact
without knowing or even stopping to consider the
context. Perhaps this is a symptom of living in a
fast-paced world of information overload—we
simply have no time to question validity, and instead
scan the news for “nuggets” that we can store in
our minds and share with friends over drinks.

However, I ultimately believe that organizations
need to take responsibility for the messages they
distribute. It is simply unethical to intentionally
mislead audiences—and even if organizations are
unaware they are doing so, they should always question
the validity of any statistic before they disperse it to
the masses.

Handout: Using Statistics
Statistics Can Be Misleading
Health Statistics Can Be Manipulated

What we can all learn from Ted L. Nancy

If you’ve never heard of Ted L. Nancy, you’re missing out on two things: first, a bunch of belly laughs; and second, a fantastic lesson in writing and customer service.

A couple of years ago, my husband introduced me to Letters from a Nut, a book of off-the-wall prank letters written to various companies under the pseudonym of Mr. Ted L. Nancy (who for years people mistakenly believed was Jerry Seinfeld).

Among some of Nut’s best letters, I encourage you to check out the Harper Collins Canada website, where you can browse inside a good chunk of the book. Among other things, Nancy asks a hotel to find his missing tooth. He also contacts
Nordstrom to inquire about the purchase of
a window mannequin that uncannily resembles
his deceased neighbour.

Nancy’s letters, inarguably, are absurd. The first time
I read them (and I highly suggest you read them out
loud to someone you love), I was thoroughly
entertained. But the second time I scanned through
the book, I realized something else: the great care
that these companies took in responding to Nancy by
mail.

It is highly possible that not one recipient of Nancy’s
letters took him seriously. Despite this, if you read some
of their responses, you will see that each letter clearly
conveys respect for the client, an appreciation for their
message, and a high-quality commitment to customer
service.

In a previous job, I was responsible for responding to
hundreds of inquiries from the general public. Perhaps
not surprisingly, none were as ridiculous as those
published in Letters from a Nut (although a couple
came pretty close).

Regardless of the source, I always ensured that every
response was appropriately worded so the client felt
“heard.” Tone plays a big part in that. So does
understanding the value of your client, no matter how
crazy they may seem. Why? Because they represent
your bottom line. (Not to mention that there is no
reason to be unkind.)

Not everyone has the flair for writing that Nancy’s letter
recipients demonstrated in their responses. We should all
aspire to follow their lead.