How Case Studies Help Loopio Engage B2B Customers and Win Business

Customer stories are the most powerful proof point for persuading buyers to make a change, especially when that change involves adopting new software at work.

“It can be scary for B2B buyers to try something new,” said Jillian Wood, Director of Marketing Communications at RFP response software company, Loopio. “They need to see proof points, tips, and testimonials from customers to feel confident that a solution will work for them.”

But it’s challenging for tech marketers to tell the human, emotional stories that resonate with customers. B2B content is often dry and loaded with jargon. However, customers don’t want to know why a company thinks its product is great. They want to hear real stories about how their peers solved their top business challenges.

When Jillian started at Loopio, she knew she needed up-to-date stories about different industries, use cases, and personas. She wanted every potential customer who visited Loopio’s website to see themselves reflected in case studies.

Jillian worked with Rachel Foster at Fresh Perspective Copywriting to create case studies that resonate with Loopio’s audience. After the case studies are complete, Jillian takes the following steps to share them with Loopio’s audience:
    • Repurpose each case study as a blog post to engage early-stage leads
    • Post the case studies on Loopio’s website as interactive pages
    • Create PDF versions that sales reps can send to customers
    • Give sales reps a summary of the case study and success metrics that they can include in email nurture campaigns
    • Put quotes from the case studies on their website, sales decks, and in other product marketing materials

“The case studies have helped us earn trust from our customers and sell the value of Loopio in a way that we can’t do when we just talk about it ourselves, ultimately, the case studies help us close more deals.”

Here are Jillian’s top three tips on how to succeed with case studies:

1. Plan ahead

Many B2B companies are formal and process-driven, so it can take time to get people to agree to a case study.

“If you sell to marketers or salespeople, they’re a lot more vocal and like doing case studies. But the professions I serve are very technical. They always want to check with procurement and know all the details, so it’s a longer and harder process to get the okay.”

You may have long stretches where you wait for customers to give you the goahead. Then, you may get five new case studies all at once. Plan your resources so that you won’t leave customers hanging when they are ready to do interviews.

“Great copywriters are in demand,” said Jillian. “If they are booked, you might need to use someone with less experience.”

Jillian recommends reaching out to your top vendors at the beginning of the quarter or as soon as you have the budget. That way, you can discuss potential projects and get on their calendar before they get booked up.

2. Develop a process for uncovering case studies

Jillian recommends building a close relationship with your customer-facing teams so that you can identify customers who might have a great story. Check in quarterly to see if your teams have recommendations for case studies, and then ask for an introduction to the customer.

“Sometimes getting a great case study is a marathon, not a sprint,” said Jillian. “Anything you can do to get more airtime with customers will help when Sales tells you that they need a new case study. If you’ve spent time building relationships, you should have a roster of customers who are willing to share their stories.”

3. Learn from what you uncover in your stories

Case studies don’t just educate customers—they also educate you about what your customers think, the challenges they face, and what they find valuable about your solution.

“It’s incredibly educational for me as a content marketer to get these insights,” said Jillian. “Our case studies help the entire company learn more about how our customers use Loopio, how they talk about our solutions, and how they define success.

Learn more about how Loopio is using case studies to drive business. Read the full case study.

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