The case for case studies
Image: Delaware Bay, 1629 (public domain)
It’s always good to focus on the wide road ahead in a business enterprise – optimism is the engine of progress.
But make sure you also keep an eye on the rear-vision mirror. Where have you been and what were the lessons you learned from the experience – positive and negative? Your clients and customers will be looking for this information too. They know that the best indicator of your future performance is your past performance.
That’s why a selection of case studies can be a very valuable addition to your website or suite of marketing materials. If you can assemble a small collection of articles that outline the nature of the problem or task presented by a past client and describe how you devised a successful solution, then you’re more than halfway to winning the confidence of a prospective client.
Set yourself a private task at the end of each major project to write an honest, frank account of everything that went right or wrong and how any problems might be averted next time round. Often you find that the problem will only crystallise once you put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard). Once you write down the story, you’ll have something like a shipping chart that identifies the shallows or submerged objects that weren’t visible on the surface.
And for the projects that turned out well? You’ve got a perfect advertisement for yourself and your business – ready to go out to the wider public. Always remember to seek the permission of clients before you mention them or their business in your advertising. If the client is happy to provide a testimonial quote, so much the better.
