I'm bored.

I've read one too many customer case studies that just don't try hard enough.

The latest offender: a feature on a frequent flyer in an airline inflight magazine that will remain nameless.

The back story

This past weekend I traveled to Phoenix to cheer family on in a half marathon. While perusing the inflight magazine, I was pleased to see a customer story. But just one sentence into it I was ready to move on.

Most of the other articles in this award-winning publication were very well-written and interesting. This one seemed out of place for its lack of panache.

Sadly, this lackluster story isn't an isolated case.

When did the rules of good journalism and marketing stop applying to our case study writing?

-  "The most important part of a story is the lead"

-  "Each sentence should serve to keep the reader moving on to the next sentence"

-  "Choose the most compelling angle for your audience"

Those are just a few tenants. While I certainly am guilty of not being perfect at these objectives and others, I like to think that I try to remember and apply them as much as possible.

So what were this story's particular offenses?

The story began with just some dull facts about the business traveler's company, NOT the person whose photo was prominently displayed.

The opening sentence read (leaving out names to protect the innocent), "___________ is one of the country's largest ________________ companies."

Wow, not good.

Sure it's worthwhile to mention what his employer does but it shouldn't kick off the story.

It's easy to be lazy. I certainly know. I've had a newborn at home the past few months and lazy feels more comfortable.

But our craft deserves more than that. How do we keep from being lackadaisical?

Let's try to aspire to a few goals on every story:

-  Plan first. Before writing a word, spend time reviewing your notes and pull out the most interesting tidbits. How might you organize them for the optimal effect on the reader?

-  Spend more time on the lead than the rest of the story. How can you begin with something so interesting that the reader must hear more?

Writing for video and print are different but it's a helpful exercise to imagine a nightly news anchor reading the story aloud. Never would it begin with dull PR description about a company.

So begin with something truly interesting and then weave in the must-have description of what the company does later.

-  Choose the most compelling angle. In customer case studies, that means choosing an angle that's interesting to readers (and the media) and that puts the vendor company in a positive light.

-  Include quotes that stick with readers, not just PR quotes. The customer quotes in this magazine feature? Very forgettable.

Sequence matters

The interesting thing is, this story didn't have to be this way. All the information was there to make a compelling story. It just wasn't organized in the most compelling way.

Perhaps cooking is a good analogy. Most of the time you can't just throw the ingredients together in any order. A certain sequence and melding of ingredients often makes all the difference. Add flour at just the right time to thicken the sauce, etc.

Writing is, in essence, completely about sequence. The words in this sentence, just thrown in any order, mean nothing to readers.

An entire story is the smart structuring of a bunch of sentences. While poor ordering might still make sense, it doesn't communicate well.

I'm tempted to rewrite the story with just the information there, as a fun challenge. It's painful to see a missed opportunity.

Who's doing it well?

Here are just a few great examples of true case study effort, where the writer resisted the urge to just get the information down:

deCODEme's story on the First Lady of Iceland

An HP story on a restaurant chain

The Humane Society's feature on Sean Moore

What are your favorite examples? And what are your own steps to write your best case study possible?

Happy 2012!

The holidays are over but there are still great deals to be had – including one free audio class on case studies and half off anything in the “Stories That Sell” store - today and tomorrow only!

If you're a writer, marketer or business owner interested in the marketing power of customer success stories and case studies, here's a great chance to learn more and refine your skills.

What's the Deal?

This week, Thursday and Friday ONLY, we’re celebrating the birthday of the book, “Stories That Sell: Turn Satisfied Customers into Your Most Powerful Sales & Marketing Asset.”

These two days - January 5-6 - download a free class and get half off everything in the "Stories That Sell" store.

The FREE Course

First, we’re giving away the audio course (normally sells for $18), “9 Insider Tips from 10 Years Crafting Customer Stories – How to Create Customer Stories that Earn Their Keep.”

In the 30-minute MP3 course, author Casey Hibbard shares her top tips from more than a decade of creating customer success stories.

Get more information on the free audio course here:
http://www.storiesthatsellguide.com/store/compelling-courses/9-insider-tips-from-10-years-crafting-customer-stories/

Or USE THIS LINK to access the free course now:

http://www.compelling-cases.com/download/Audio_9wayscompelsell.mp3.zip

The Big Sale

Second, use the code 50OFF in your shopping cart (bottom left at checkout) to get anything half off. That includes the “Stories That Sell” ebook and printed book, as well as all previously recorded courses you see on the site. It's a great chance to get your copy of "Stories That Sell" if you haven't yet, or get a copy for a colleague, client or friend.

Browse the “Book” and “Courses” links here:

Book - http://www.storiesthatsellguide.com/store/order-book/

Courses - http://www.storiesthatsellguide.com/store/compelling-courses/

Remember, the coupon expires on January 7, so make sure to at least get your free download now!

In journalism, a person's direct quote is sacred. What's said is said, and any journalist with integrity doesn't change a word.

While customer case studies have many similarities to journalism, they're not. It's marketing.

And customers have the chance to review and approve their stories and direct quotes. That single fact alone is why it's OK to change quotes, but not TOO much.

There's what the customer said...

And there's what the vendor company wants to say...

If they don't exactly match, then there's a bit of doctoring and negotiation that goes on.

So, How Much Can We Change?

In short, a little.

At this point, I've written more than 600 case studies, and interviewed even more customers. Through trial and error, I've found what seems to be the generally accepted amount of editing that customers will accept. However, some customers are pickier than others.

First off, most customers appreciate a little help. Usually they're dumping a lot of information on you and don't expect their direct quotes to be perfect.

In fact, many customers say, "You'll make me sound smart, right?"

Of course you'll ensure they sound good, but they get a little put off if you veer too far off course from what they said. They are pleased to indicate that the featured solution works well for them, and they're happy, but don't change their words to make it sound like it's the best thing that ever happened to them.

What You Can Change

You can change a few words here and there to clarify or shorten quotes. Remove the "ums" and "ahs." You might add a detail or two to be more specific, or a product or company name if the customer just said "they" or "it."

I also merge non-consecutive sentences, something said earlier in the interview and something said later. Usually customers don't even notice or care that these statements weren't said right together.

What You Can't Change

But what does stay sacred in customer quotes is the meaning. Don't change what the customer meant. That means don't rewrite the whole thing.

Of course there are exceptions, but most customers I've encountered - even those that offer glowing praise - push back on too much quote doctoring.

Ultimately, customer success stories aren't fiction. They're true accounts of a customer's experience, and as producers of case studies, we need to maintain integrity by presenting true stories. Just keep that in mind when tempted to change any customer's quote too much.

What's your experience with editing customer quotes?

In a customer story, quotes are the very voice of the customer, your sound bites. Without them, a story can feel flat.

Studies have even shown that people who skim tend to read text that's called out in quotes more than the rest of a story.

How do you use quotes for maximum impact? Here are a few tips:

Get in Three 'Marquee' Quotes

In every case study, if there’s space, try to include at least three key quotes that cover these topical areas:

• Challenge/Pain - Show the pain or challenge the customer faced before the solution came along. Here's your chance to get in some emotion related to the customer's challenge.
• Decision – Feature a quote that speaks to why the customer chose the solution - a great opportunity to call out your competitive differentiators.
• Benefit – Choose a comment that speaks to the main benefit or benefits the customer experienced. This could then be the quote that you pull out to highlight in other marketing collateral.

Add More for Emphasis

Of course you can include more quotes, but first try to hit those three key areas to add power to your story. Other quotes can reinforce more benefits and customer experiences. Additional ones might touch on other benefits the customer experienced.

Don't Over- or Under-Quote

Direct quotes add interest to stories and enhance their credibility. But it’s important to use them in the right way, as points of emphasis or insight within the rest of the text.

I’ve seen customer stories that are almost entirely customer quotes, with just a little bit of surrounding text for context. There, quotes lose their impact because they don’t really stand out.

Other stories go too light on quotes.

What's most effective?

• A one-page story includes 1-3 quotes
• A two-page story, 5-6

Just make sure that your quotes are strong and add to the story, versus just repeating what was already said.

Who to Quote

Ideally, quote someone that is similar to your target decision-maker. Ideally, match title to title. If your target buyer is a VP, quote a VP.

If there are multiple decision-makers, you can quote more than one person from the customer organization. For example, quote several people that were involved in the decision and usage of the product. Maybe a manager chose it and then someone else installs it and then others use it day to day

Keep it Concise

Keep quotes manageably long, from 1 to 3 sentences. Try not to go too long on a single quote because a big block of text, even if it’s the customer’s voice, can look daunting to a reader.

In short, quotes are one of the most powerful parts of your stories. Choose and use them wisely. 

Next up: What license do you have to alter customer quotes?

"Chris Strouth tweeted "sh*t, I need a kidney" then got one."

Whoa, what?

That's the headline on one of Twitter's new success stories, one of many about how the social media site has made a difference for people.

Twitter features a number of stories, but out of all of them, I needed to read that one - to know the rest of the story.

It's powerful and moving, and it doesn't feature a measurable result.

For years, I've counseled my clients on the importance of getting solid results into their customer stories. The more specific and measurable the numbers, the better, I say.

How much money does the solution save or make, or how much time does it save? Does it generate higher traffic, better customer satisfaction and so on. Whatever it is, we always try to measure the positive outcome.

But Twitter shows that you don't always need numbers to move an audience. Sometimes it's about the anecdote, one very specific mini story within a story.

A customer success story I'm working on right now features an anecdote instead of a measurable result.

A bank advertising with one of the country's local city Business Journals got a big new client from an ad. They can't really measure how many new clients come from their repeated advertising, but an anecdote about one particular customer adds major impact to the success story.

It's a reminder, when pursuing results, don't just ask for the numbers, but dig for those mini stories as well.

I like to ask on interviews, "Can you think of a specific time or example where the solution made a difference for you?"

Afterall, it's really about the power of story, and an anecdote packs the power of story in a small package.

What a difference a couple of months makes...

Earlier this summer, I was talking with a friend/associate about customer stories. The web developer was excited to capture a case study on one of his customers who had a great experience with his firm.

Not only did the web site deliver for the company but the main contact was a dream - eloquent, intelligent and very happy with the web firm's services.

When I caught back up with my friend a couple of months later, the story was dead, a no-go. What happened?

That prized contact had left the client company - retired. And worse, no one else at the client company could really tell the story of the relationship with the web firm. Ouch.

I've seen this happen dozens of times. Organizations lose their strongest customer stories because they're ultimately not fast enough in capturing them.

Knowledge and experience about working with your products and services resides with people, and when those people leave, so too goes the information.

Even if you stay in touch, they're no longer employed with a title at that company or have the authority to provide the details or be interviewed for a case study.

It's understandable that this happens and sometimes unavoidable even when you pursue stories promptly. Contacts can leave abruptly, and most marketers juggle much more than just customer case studies.

But when those client contacts are gone, those stories are usually lost forever.

The lesson: Grab your customer case studies and success stories at just the right time...

(1) As soon as it makes sense, meaning you have results to document

and

(2) Before your valued contacts move on

What incredible customer stories are just waiting to be told at your organization? Call your contacts NOW.

We all work hard to create attractive content. But just how useful is it in actually influencing buyers?

Each year, I look forward to The Eccolo Media B2B Technology Collateral Survey Report, which opens the lid on how B2B technology buyers consume marketing content.

Of course, I want to know, what's going on with customer case studies?

Again, this year's just-released report didn't disappoint. Eccolo and Global Marketing Insite collected responses from 501 participants, who were C-level execs, VPs, directors, managers, developers/programmers and technicians - all of which participate in technology purchase decisions in some way.

The survey asked about multiple types of content:

- White papers
- Case studies/success stories
- Podcasts
- Video
- Product brochures/data sheets
- Company web pages
- E-books
- Social media sites
- Blog posts
- Presentations

That list alone shows the diversity of marketing content that buyers consume. In fact, that was one of their main conclusions, buyers look at LOTS of different info.

Here are some key findings:

Buyers like their options - As new collateral types gain popularity, technology purchasers don’t appear to be abandoning any single form of collateral, but rather taking advantage of a broader range of choices.

50 percent had consumed a case study in the past six months when evaluating a technology purchase.

Consumption has dropped...Consumption of case studies dropped 17 percentage points year over year, along with drops in consumption of white papers and brochures/data sheets, but...

...when consumed, they are more influential than ever. When asked to describe the influence of a case study on the purchasing decision, 68 percent called them "very" or "extremely influential," up from 39 percent in last year's survey.

Case studies are just behind white papers among most influential collateral types.

"Share This" buttons make content seem more valuable. Oddly, just the option of sharing on social media gave the perception that the content was more worthwhile.

Tech buyers like LONG stories - 48 percent preferred case studies to be four pages in length.

A majority prefer written - 62 percent prefer written case studies while 37 percent say video.

The majority read on the desktop, but give them print options - 58 percent read case studies on the desktop while 23 percent say they download/print them. The remaining viewed on smartphones, tablet devices or received them in hardcopy form.

Mix your media - High numbers indicated that embedded interactive content like audio and video positively influenced the affect of written content.

Buyers get case studies from web sites - Web sites are the most common place to get case studies, with personal contact and direct response following next.

They consume case studies early in the cycle - 41 percent consume case studies in the pre-sale phase while 37 percent consume them in the initial sale period (vs. mid or late in the cycle).

Eccolo concludes...

"Purchasers expect you to offer collateral that provides information they can use — not just information about particular products. That requires investing considerable time and thought into the development and maintenance of a content marketing library that you can deploy across as many channels as necessary."

Want more info? Check out the full report. 

Marketers, how does this information affect your content marketing plans moving forward?

This Wednesday, I'll be the guest expert on a live Q&A on Erin Blaskie's Facebook page.

Come join me and Erin at 1 EST on Sept. 28, and bring your questions about marketing with customer case studies and success stories!

Click over and like Erin's page to join in.

Learn more about Erin, entrepreneur and owner of BSETC.

Over and over, we hear that most buyers don't really read marketing copy, but rather skim it. So how does that affect the way you present customer stories?

First, that may not always be true. Some skim while others want to read more. Or, someone might intially skim but read more closely further into the buying cycle.

Given that, it's important to structure your customer case studies and success stories to meet the needs of both types of readers.

One of the best ways is to summarize all the key information on page one of a multi-page story in a sidebar. On a web summary, do the same. Give the highlights and then offer the option of reading and/or downloading the full story.

HP does this nicely in a story featuring a restaurant customer...

Page one of the four-page story includes very little text. Instead it highlights the objective, approach, IT improvements and business benefits in a sidebar section.

It's not just critical because it's a four-page story. If it's a two-pager, or even a one-pager, feature that sidebar summary early on.

Skimmers have all the info they need right there. But for those who want more, there's the detail unfolding in the accompanying text.

You get all the can't-miss highlights out there quickly and readers can decide if they want more detail.

And remember, prospective customers aren't just reading your content online. If you create a downloadable PDF version, they can grab it, email it to colleagues or print it.

What other ways do you cater to readers AND skimmers in your customer stories?

A customer story can't just be interesting or results-oriented. It also needs to sell.

Even more critically, it needs to influence the intended audience.

Before beginning customer success stories or case studies with a new client, I ask a LOT of questions of my marketing contacts - well before ever talking to one of their happy customers. Going into projects, I want to understand...

1 - The client's business

What do they do, for whom and how? How are they different from the competition?

2- The goals for their case studies

What are they trying to accomplish? What should the audience take away?

I need to know what messages need to be in their stories in order for them to sell effectively.

So, among the many questions I ask my client contacts before starting any stories, there's one that's chief:

If you could design the perfect case study what key messages would it include?

Maybe fast return on investment is just one of the messages. You might also want to highlight certain capabilities that the competition doesn't have, speed of delivery or implementation, or responsive customer support.

Next, create your customer interview questions to elicit those key messages.

Then, whether you're a writer or marketer, make sure those points get into every story. By showing that customers consistently have the same positive experience, you not only sell well, but start to associate those key messages with your brand.