BY MEL DUNN
What’s the fastest and most effortless buying decision you’ve ever made? Maybe you were influenced by a targeted Instagram ad (I can’t be the only one…) or succumbed to the convenience of a one-click buy button. Either way, I’m willing to bet that most quick buying decisions are for trivial items with a relatively low risk of buyer’s remorse. A more substantial purchase like a car or home deserves hours of research, deliberation, and a healthy dose of overthinking, before a decision to buy.
Similarly, the B2B sales process has a long lead time and requires a significant investment from both “Bs” involved. B2B products and services are typically more complex and require a deeper level of understanding compared to consumer goods. Buyers want to be as informed as possible before investing money, allocating resources, and signing on the dotted line. As the seller, content is king when it comes to educating your audience and building their confidence in your solution. But beyond endorsing features and benefits, earning trust plays a major role in winning over B2B buyers.
Case studies are an invaluable content marketing tool for the consideration and decision stages of the buyer journey. At these phases, the buyer knows they have a problem, wants to find a solution, and is committed to researching options. Now it’s all about finding that sale-closing sweet spot. With one strong use case—backed by quantitative data, interview excerpts, and real-world examples—you can demonstrate the value of your product or service by highlighting the positive impact it has on clients.
Let’s explore the advantages of incorporating case studies into your B2B content marketing strategy.
Building Belief Through Social Proof
It’s rare to buy anything—from a book to a boat—without any validation from others. Today’s buyer has instant access to limitless information, and people aren’t shy about sharing their opinions online. In a social media ad, a customer rating is often displayed in the ad creative itself—and sometimes a five-star graphic is enough to seal the deal. In B2B industries, buyers can’t as easily weed through Google reviews or ask the group chat for a recommendation, but they’ll still search for social proof. A case study is social proof on steroids—it provides the buyer with a relatable success story about a client just like them.
Establishing Expertise to Edge Out the Competition
Sometimes marketing can feel like a show-and-tell activity. Instead of only focusing on telling prospective buyers about your product or service, you can utilize case studies to show how well it works. Case studies present evidence of your expertise in the context of the buyer’s own environment—whether that’s a hospital, law firm, or financial institution. And when a buyer is comparing solutions, if your company has relevant case studies readily available, you’ll have a leg up on the competition.
Empowering Sales Reps with Real-World Examples
Arming your sales team with the right information at the right time is key for closing deals. In the consideration and decision stage of the buyer’s journey, sales reps need to be concise yet convincing. Case studies help sales reps clearly articulate the application of a complex B2B product using a real-world example. When asked what makes content memorable, and why it convinces them to take a sales call, 51% of B2B buyers said it’s when content uses data to support claims and 49% said it’s when content tells a strong story that resonates with the stakeholders. Conveniently, case studies use both of these elements.
Reinforcing Existing Client Relationships
While case studies are primarily used for closing deals, consistently creating case studies is also beneficial for nurturing existing client relationships. Asking a client to participate in a case study not only provides an excuse to check in, but shows you believe they have a valuable story to share with people you’re trying to impress. This show of confidence helps boost client retention and increase revenue.
When faced with a decision, most people find peace in feeling confident in their choice. For B2B buyers, the pressure is on. While hypothetical scenarios help explain how a product or service works, concrete use cases allow prospects to visualize how your offering fits into their existing workflow and solve their not-so-unique challenges.
Need help with your case study strategy? We’d be happy to share some of our B2B case study examples and discuss how to incorporate them into your content marketing. Let’s chat.