Key ingredients for creating a great case study

A great case study is the perfect way to demonstrate the features of our products – there’s nothing better than showing how they have already been used in real world applications to convince customers of the benefits.

Some applications jump out as being perfect for case studies – if they are unusual or quirky or if they’re for a big-name customer. Others are less obvious, but just as useful if they feature a new product or a product being used in a different or unusual way.

The most important thing is to get case studies onto everyone in the business’ radar so that technical, sales and installation teams are incentivised to put forward potential projects for coverage. Once you have a pool of suggestions, then you can start to create your own library.

Content

In our experience, the best case studies will cover the following key points:

The background – the name of the customer, the location of the project and the product being used. Then it will explain a bit more about the project and put the application into context.

The challenge – this is arguably the most important section and will cover why the customer needed a lifting and lowering solution, the obstacles they had to overcome and any other options they considered before settling on the right solution.

The solution – this explains what you supplied to the customer and how that particular product successfully overcame the challenges they faced. Here is where you can include the product specification and any bespoke features included to make the product fit the application perfectly.

Feedback – getting a quote or a testimonial from a happy customer makes any case study stand out and is always worth highlighting either at the beginning or at the end.

Photos

It’s crucial to include photos – ideally taken while the product is being installed or in use. It’s always good to include a photo which identifies the location and the setting and a series of photos showing the lifting or lowering step by step always work well.

Layout

When it comes to layout, there are no hard and fast rules. Case studies just need to be engaging and easy to read and tie in with your existing corporate identity. Formatted as PDFs, they are a great resource for sales teams to use in presentations – either digital or in print and you can host an entire library of downloadable case studies on your website categorised by product or market sector.

Approval

It’s important to ask permission from the customer before you push ahead with a case study and certainly to ask for approval before you publish a quote or testimonial. In our experience though, most are happy to be included and keen to show their commitment to safe and cost-effective lifting and lowering solutions.

For more advice and support with case studies – just get in touch with our REID marketing team - [email protected] - and we’ll be happy to help!