Before you dig in, though, check out this churn-reduction solution.
Presenting customer testimonials and case studies are both great ways to showcase the value of a product or service. We call them customer success stories and some companies are expertly sharing some of the ways they are helping customers. This of course has a real and direct effect on a company and can be even more effective when presented with text and video.
Using storytelling techniques which include elements of the traditional case study
There is an inherent value in marketing that comes from the customer’s point of view. Featuring the benefits and advantages a client has found with a product or service is an excellent way to entice potential new customers. Major brands such as Microsoft have embraced this technique. The key to creating content that gets results is to craft materials which the target audience not only finds informative and appealing but also has a real entertainment value. Microsoft published an excellent example of this format, and you can see it here:
Make it segmented, not one size fits all
Not every buyer will be interested in all of your services. A great way to show potential customers only materials relevant to their needs is to segment your customer success stories based on the size of the business of the customer. Take for example the “Clients” section of the ExactTarget website. Here the customer success stories have been divided based on the size of the business so that potential customers can navigate directly towards the content which is relevant to them.
Video is great, but some potential customers prefer to read
When thinking of storytelling, it is easy to think of video as the supreme method of getting the story out. It is engaging, interesting and entertaining. But many of your potential customers will prefer to read rather than watch a video. Fortunately, crafting content which offers the viewer both options is easy and straightforward. Take for example the customer success stories on the website for Monetate. Here the viewer is presented with not only a video version of their customer success stories; but also a text transcript for those who do not have the patience to watch a video.
Use top-notch video content when presenting customer success stories
By following the format and aesthetic of content produced by major brands and companies, your audience will associate your products and services with a high level of prestige and legitimacy. Take for example the current top Google search result when searching for “customer success stories”; Salesforce.com. They present video content which emulates brands that almost anyone you ask will know of,such as GE and Facebook. This presents to your audience some stories about the successful use of your products and services in a way that subliminally implies a level of quality and reliability that they are sure to find appealing.
Once you’ve decided to put together new customer success stories, remembering these simple tips is a great way to craft content which is useful and will yield results. You are presenting to potential customers information designed to get them thinking about the advantages they can receive from selecting your brand, instead of your competition. Each market is different, and it is important to look at the customer success stories presented by your competition in a given industry.
