Customer testimonials are powerful tools to showcase the value and impact of your products or services. They can help you build trust, credibility, and social proof with your prospects and clients. But how do you solicit and incorporate customer testimonials in your case studies? Here are some tips and best practices to follow.
The first step is to identify your ideal customers who can provide relevant and compelling testimonials for your case studies. You want to look for customers who have achieved measurable results, overcome specific challenges, or benefited from your unique features or benefits. You can use criteria such as revenue, retention, satisfaction, or referrals to narrow down your list. You can also ask your sales or customer success teams for recommendations or referrals.
Customer Case Study Specialist for tech companies: Enterprise SaaS, Cybersecurity, etc.
In the past several years I've noticed an increase in dedicated Customer Success Managers and Customer Experience or Customer Advocacy programs for cultivating customers for case studies. This is new from when I started writing case studies ten years ago. Companies are recognizing that nurturing customer relationships is a long game that is worth dedicated resources, not something you can just ramp up when you need case studies.
The next step is to ask your selected customers for permission and feedback to feature them in your case studies. You can send them an email, a survey, or a phone call to explain the purpose and benefits of participating in your case study project. You can also offer them some incentives, such as a discount, a gift card, or a free upgrade. You want to make the process easy and convenient for them, and show them how they can gain exposure, recognition, or credibility by sharing their story.
Customer Case Study Specialist for tech companies: Enterprise SaaS, Cybersecurity, etc.
Customers can sometimes be reluctant to be named in a case study, especially in industries such as healthcare and cybersecurity. Although it's not ideal, you can write a successful anonymous case study. And there are also tactics to help overcome that initial "no." I wrote about this in a two-part series in my newsletter Case Study Questions at https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/how-do-i-make-most-anonymous-case-study-louise-julig/?trackingId=A6N1%2Bb8BTDqIgr8USyNiFA%3D%3D I've heard differing opinions on incentive programs. They can be good in the short term, but you need to make sure all customers get the same incentives over time or it can backfire. This is definitely an area I want to research more.
The third step is to conduct interviews and collect quotes from your customers to use in your case studies. You can use video calls, phone calls, or online forms to conduct the interviews. You want to ask open-ended questions that elicit specific and detailed answers. For example, you can ask them about their goals, challenges, solutions, results, and recommendations. You can also ask them to share their emotions, opinions, or insights. You want to record and transcribe the interviews, and highlight the most relevant and impactful quotes.
Customer Case Study Specialist for tech companies: Enterprise SaaS, Cybersecurity, etc.
I always push for a real-time interview, e.g. not over email or using a form. People talk differently than they write, and asking questions in real time is the only way to get good quotes. You can send the questions in advance, but make sure they know this is just so they can be prepared for the real-time interview. You can always follow up with a quick email for any key facts you need to fill in if needed. I wrote about this for my Case Study Questions newsletter at https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/cant-i-just-interview-my-customer-via-email-louise-julig/?trackingId=LAOzt7h9TOK5JhlznfKHLw%3D%3D
The fourth step is to write and format your case studies using the customer testimonials you collected. You want to follow a clear and consistent structure that showcases the problem, solution, and outcome of your customer's journey. You want to use the customer's voice and words as much as possible, and insert the quotes in strategic places to support your claims and arguments. You want to use headings, subheadings, bullet points, images, charts, or graphs to make your case studies easy to read and scan.
Customer Case Study Specialist for tech companies: Enterprise SaaS, Cybersecurity, etc.
A great design can elevate your case study, and a bad design can sink it. I wrote a two-part series on case study design for my newsletter Case Study Questions that analyzes the elements of great case study design. Find part 1 at https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/does-case-study-design-matter-louise-julig/?trackingId=WOKR5TIIT6%2BdFLpWOUVh4w%3D%3D. The link to Part 2 is in the comments of Part 1.
The fifth step is to review and approve your case studies before publishing or distributing them. You want to check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and accuracy errors. You also want to ask your customers to review and approve their testimonials and case studies. You want to make sure they are happy and satisfied with how their story is presented and portrayed. You can also ask them for feedback or suggestions to improve your case studies.
Customer Case Study Specialist for tech companies: Enterprise SaaS, Cybersecurity, etc.
The customer review can be a bottleneck in the case study process. They have already done the interview and may not make reviewing the case study a top priority. One way to help the review go smoother is to make sure the draft you send them is as polished as possible. Make it easy for them to say yes. Don't be afraid to give a gentle reminder after a week or two if you haven't heard anything. They are probably just busy with internal issues and a gentle nudge can often do the trick to get the approval bumped to a higher priority.
The final step is to promote and leverage your case studies to attract and convert more leads and customers. You want to share your case studies on your website, blog, social media, email, or other channels. You want to optimize your case studies for search engines, keywords, and user intent. You also want to use your case studies in your sales or marketing materials, such as proposals, presentations, or webinars. You want to showcase your customer testimonials as proof of your value proposition and differentiation.
Customer Case Study Specialist for tech companies: Enterprise SaaS, Cybersecurity, etc.
There are so many ways to leverage your case studies. But my number one piece of advice is to make them easy to find on your website! Make a dedicated page with an obvious heading like "Customer Case Studies" or "Customer Successes" that is near the top of your site navigation tree. Don't bury case studies in a company blog or hang individual case study PDFs off your main site with no way to navigate to them without the direct link. I'm surprised at how many websites have no easy way to find customer case studies.
Customer Case Study Specialist for tech companies: Enterprise SaaS, Cybersecurity, etc.
*When* you ask your customer to participate in a case study can be as important as what customer you ask. Some companies rush the process, trying to get a case study before the customer has had time to see relevant results. For good timing, keep an eye on your customer in the news for possible triggers such as an award they received, or an uptick in hiring, that might indicate your product or service is helping them. For another counterintuitive idea, see the article I wrote on timing for my Case Study Questions newsletter at https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/when-best-time-ask-customer-case-study-louise-julig/?trackingId=oJTIFkcuQD2GfOE9oLHUkg%3D%3D